Missing Chicago Fire yet? Because we are.
It’s been a month since the Chicago Fire Season 11 finale, and this was one for the books. Big changes in the cast took the story in an entirely different direction.
There were a lot of significant moments, from Hawkin’s death to Cindy’s cancer diagnosis, Severide’s exit, and of course, the #Brettsey proposal.
In our season report card, we go through many aspects, seeing how they affected the storyline and our feelings about them.
We will also grade the season, so let us know whether you agree with our analysis, and if you don’t, what would you rate it and why.
Best Episode – Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 9
It was one well-balanced episode.
Severide was still at 51, grappling with helping Detective Pryma with his case.
It was also the first time Carver’s demons came out in public when a city employee made it impossible for them to do their job during a rescue. Carver swooped in and took control of the bridge’s controller, which landed him in trouble with IAD later.
There were many times Carver made us livid, but this was not such a time. He did what he needed to do to save a life; consequences be damned.
The episode also saw the return of Chicago Fire Season 10’s best villain Emma as the IAD investigator responsible for handling the case. Because of how she was ousted from 51, we expected her return to be juicy with a grudge she must have held.
On the comedic side, Gallo was trying to get Herrmann to win a trip to Miami to soften Herrmana’s heart when he discovered Gallo had been sleeping with his niece.
They succeeded, but the trip ended up being to Miami, Ohio, not Miami, Florida.
The episode went out on a high note as Carver and Kidd went in to rescue Detective Pryma, who had a grenade stuck in him. It was a tense rescue because a one-step mistake could kill them all.
Worst Episode – Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 14
It was the only episode of the season where every storyline felt shallow.
After Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 13, the following episode should have continued with the momentum built, but it brushed over most storylines, making the whole hour feel like a waste. Even Mouch’s comedic scene didn’t appear funny as he investigated little fires in an apartment complex.
With a major storyline like Cindy’s cancer having not been resolved, this episode should have taken the time to dig into her feelings as the person who is actually suffering from the illness.
The episode was all round bad, as it gave Ritter a little screen time but had him stuck with the most mediocre storyline of the season. Even when they revisited the cheating politician storyline later on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 19, the damage had already been done.
Best Character – Sam Carver
Carver’s introduction to 51 was not the best.
He was a loner, who was allergic to affection, and even when everyone else went the extra mile to accommodate his moods, he always found a way to rain on their parade.
But throughout Season Chicago Fire Season 11, the character got proper treatment from the writers as we learned about his struggles and backstory.
It invoked sympathy, especially when he told the story about being thrown into a fire by his brother when they were kids and his parents refusing to believe him.
Despite all his flaws, Carver had a solid moral code, was a hard worker, and worked through some personal issues. He had some problems but emerged as a better person, and we fell in love with him, his flaws and all.
Worst Character – Bamford
A floater rarely turns out to be so annoying, but Bamford somehow did it.
His jokes were horrible and insensitive; he was just too loud overall.
The final nail was when he made a rude joke about Cindy without even having the tiniest idea about what she was dealing with.
The most satisfying thing, apart from the fact that he wasn’t around long, was when he was let go.
Best Storyline – Cindy’s Cancer Diagnosis
Cindy’s cancer diagnosis was one of the hardest to watch as the Herrmann family struggled with this new reality.
She had kept the house running while Herrmann went to work, and in the wake of her illness, everything stopped. Even the youngest of their children felt the repercussions, and the news was not encouraging.
The best thing was that it offered some hope after her cancer went into remission, and everything turned out okay on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 17.
Worst Storyline – Blake and Violet’s Will They Won’t They
Gallo and Violet’s thing was horrible. It had been going for a while and didn’t seem to be heading anywhere.
They were like two children who had developed a crush for the first time; it was annoying to watch.
It was a joy when the writers seemingly decided to do away with it.
Most Disappointing Storyline – Emma’s Return
Emma was back too, and after giving Violet and Evan a hard time, she was not anyone’s favorite. When her return was teased, we thought she’d be the same, but instead, she got a redemption arc when she helped Carver on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 9.
There was so much that could have been explored with her, especially since she was already familiar and we knew the depths she could go.
Instead, they totally undid her character and offered her redemption. It would have been interesting to see whose life she ruined to get that job in IAD.
Most Organic Storyline – Sylvie’s Intent to Adopt
Sylvie decided she was ready to become a parent after running into a child whose story was eerily similar to hers on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 20
That decision might appear as if it came out of nowhere, but there were hints when she installed an infant-safe surrender box on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 10.
While Casey’s return was offsetting, they integrated him into the future they had planned for Sylvie.
It made it feel like they had her story well mapped out season-long. Everything seemed intentional.
Least Organic Storyline – Gallo’s Aunt
One of the biggest effects of Severide’s exit was that scripts had to be rewritten to accommodate his absence, and I believe this storyline resulted from it.
It felt like the writers had to make content to fill the hour, but they couldn’t come up with anything new, so they dug up the past.
There was no buildup to the story, so it felt very sudden, and there was a major shift in Gallo that we didn’t anticipate.
Best Couple – Herrmann and Cindy
I will always be biased toward couples who stick together through thick and thin.
It might be unbelievable, but some people abandon their spouses when diagnosed with a potentially terminal illness.
The diagnosis showed how Cindy and Herrmann had built a life based on mutual understanding and respect. They knew what the other person needed and gave it to them.
They gave off major Sharon and Vince from Fire Country vibes, and I am here for it.
Worst Couple – Sylvie and Dylan
It takes two tango, and unfortunately, only Dylan was tangoing in this relationship.
Dragging someone along when you’re unsure of your feelings for them is the top ten most awful things someone can do, but I was willing to give Sylive some rope because I knew where she was romantically.
It was so painful to watch Dylan try to make it work while Sylvie would rather do anything else than spend time with him.
Biggest Shock – Evan’s Death
Violet and Evan’s happiness would be short-lived after a rescue went south, leading to Evan’s death when the movie theatre came crashing down on him on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 3. Like he didn’t see it coming, we also didn’t.
It felt like a huge loss for someone that young and beautiful, so accomplished with a bright future ahead of him, to have his life cut short just when he had reached a point of stability.
He was healthy, had a stable job, and had a girlfriend. It is more than most people ask for.
His death would shatter Violet, and it took a long time for her to come out of it.
Best Cliffhanger – The #Brettsey Proposal
A lot was at stake here, and the answer was important. Sylvie’s answer would change both their lives forever.
Viewers who watch Chicago Fire online had been invested in their relationship for a long time, and this was the moment. It was do or die.
The proposal made for the best cliffhanger.
Most Stunning Behind-the-Scenes Development – Taylor Kinney’s Leave of Absence
Taylor Kinney took a leave of absence midseason.
While the reason for Severide’s exit was generic, it was the best they could do on short notice.
It was unfathomable how Chicago Fire would look without Kelly, but if it survived without Casey, it could be without Kelly.
That doesn’t mean the show didn’t suffer because scripts had to be rewritten to accommodate the change, which had good and bad consequences.
On the good side, Casey returned.
On the bad side, it separated #Stellaride, who had just begun finding their footing as a married couple. It introduced unnecessary trouble in their somehow shaky relationship.
Will this be the final straw that dooms the couple?
Best Emergency – The Stray Bullet
The season was populated with many emergencies, but one stood out. Chicago Fire emergencies are great when they are in high rises because so many people are involved. It’s even more impactful when the rescue is in response to a fire.
But on Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 16, Truck and Squad responded to an emergency involving a child shot in the head by a stray bullet.
Anything could happen at any moment, making for a tense atmosphere. It was elevated because a child’s life was in danger.
After getting through it safely, Carver’s heroism made us love him more. How many people can sell their car to help total strangers? Not many, I’d say.
Most Underused Character – Darren Ritter
It is always sad when a show toys with the idea of representation.
Darren Ritter is the only queer character in Chicago Fire and the most underused. His storylines are usually mediocre and tied to someone else’s drama.
New characters get more screen time than he does, and even the trio he’s supposedly part of has a life onscreen outside the job. Most of his personal stuff always happens offscreen; if it happens on screen, it must somehow be traumatic.
What do you remember about Ritter that is unknown to everyone else?
Chicago Fire Season 11 Final Grade – A-
This season was full of ups and downs and unforeseen departures and returns, but they managed to keep it entertaining. Chicago Fire Season 11 finale was punctuated by surprises and cliffhangers.
That didn’t do the show any favors because some questions need immediate answers, and too many of them in TV shows are annoying. The season delivered on all the important stuff, making it entertaining.
It scores an A- because a season finale is an important episode, and this season was lacking due to too many cliffhangers and the fact that the Homeland Security threat didn’t amount to much.
Over to you, Chicago Fire Fanatics. What did you think?
Hit the comments and let us know.
Denis Kimathi is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. He has watched more dramas and comedies than he cares to remember. Catch him on social media obsessing over [excellent] past, current, and upcoming shows or going off about the politics of representation on TV. Follow him on Twitter.