It was a series of moral dilemmas on this week’s episode of CHICAGO FIRE. Herman was faced with the responsibility of choosing his attacker’s punishment at court, Brett and Dawson were faced with the responsibility of confronting Chili about her behavior following her sister’s death, and even Matt is forced to make a choice when he discovers funds for the tornado relief shelter disappear.
On CHICAGO FIRE, Herman has always been the moral compass, giving people the right advice with a paternal smile on his face. But this week, as he stands in court across form the kid that stabbed him, his moral compass is quite shaken. He first testifies about that pain of being stabbed, and what it felt like to experience this kind of near-death. But after speaking with Freddie’s dad, and seeing the role models (or lack thereof) in Freddie’s life, Herman makes the ultimate decision to forgive Freddie, and offer him a very generous plea deal of 18 months work camp and community service. Awwww Herman, you are too good!
In addition to this, Chili has her own problems. Still reeling from the death of her sister, Brett and Dawson both try to confront Chili about both her behavior and her feelings. Shutting them both down, she continues on a dangerous path, but does prevent Brett from being attacked by a crazy patient out in the field (so that must earn her some brownie points.) Finally, after a full day of ice, she brings herself to apologize to Brett and Dawson, explaining how close she and her sister were before Jelly Bean got messed up in drugs, eventually leading to her death. Chili goes on to say she knows she has to clean up her act, and both Brett and Dawson support her. But in the closing scene of this week’s episode, she is seen getting hammered at the bar with strangers. So her future and her career are still up in the air.
Finally, Severide and Matt had their own moral debates to worry about. Severide slept with the law enforcement officer we met last week, but after bringing him a false statement about how they got into the building he isn’t sure he can sign it without knowing more about the explosives recovered at the scene of the crime. When she eventually tells him he does agree to sign the affidavit and the two “celebrate” in her hotel room. Casey, on the other hand, goes down to the shelter to find a missing boy. Once he returns, the kid gets roped into giving a speech to help raise money to keep the shelter from closing. After hearing that the fundraiser gathered almost $50,000 but the shelter would still be closing, he gets suspicious and meets with the district director. What followed was a vaguely threatening and clearly mistrustful interaction, where the director won’t disclose any details and will not reveal where the money has gone.
Through all of this there is, of course, a daring rescue of a bus full of people, a drugged out homeless guy whom Chili and Brett take care of, and the heart-wrenching case of a teenage boy attempting suicide. The team made it time to save the kid, but after knocking down the door and finding him hanging by a rope, with no pulse, the rescue seemed like a miracle. But everyone survived, which makes it a great episode of CHICAGO FIRE in my book!
Don’t miss an all new episode of CHICAGO FIRE on February 2 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
