So what does Chicago Fire Season 14 Episode 5 have in store for us?
People come together for the Herrmann family, but Herrmann himself is having trouble getting over their loss. And who can blame him? Losing all of your stuff — your history and the things that get you through the day — is an unsettling prospect.
For an episode that’s got the Halloween theme snuggled all up in side it, “Ghosts” wasn’t having much fun, and more than anything, it reminded us of the show that once was.
Firehouse 51 Business and the Emergencies of the Week
Pascal is still out, which means Kelly is still in charge. And there will be floaters rotating in on a regular basis.
Honestly, I don’t understand this. Is this a storyline the showrunner really wanted to tackle, or was it motivated by financial constraints on the Chicago Fire production?
Bringing in new people with shorter stays doesn’t require a contract, but it doesn’t require me to invest either.
Has anyone ever had the fire department respond? I sincerely hope that if you have, it has not been catastrophic. The only time I’ve encountered the fire department is when I burned something at dinner and couldn’t get to my alarm on time.
The fire department showed up, and I had to embarrass myself in my front yard while telling a handful of handsome fellas that cooking might not be my forte (it is, really…).
The reason I bring it up is because of the sheer number of crew that were called to the first emergency on “Ghosts,” which seemed excessive for what we could see: smoke. Perhaps an apartment fire calls for more crew. It would make sense.
Once inside the building, Cruz met with what could have been a genuine ghost, asking Cruz to check Apartment K, where a woman was injured. It didn’t seem like she had a fire injury, and that older fellow had insight he probably couldn’t have if he weren’t an apparition.
I love the idea of spirits looking out for us, and I’ve seen stories about people who were warned about disasters by people who have passed. It’s a great idea for a Halloween episode.
As much as I didn’t want to see anyone hurt, the gas leak was another good one. I’m surprised it took Severide so long to scream “mask up!” when there were dead birds on the concrete in front of them.
It didn’t live up to the apartment emergency that spawned Cruz’s search for the ghost, but it did bleed into some of the other storylines, which we’ll talk about below.
Herrmann Needs a New Direction
Herrmann is struggling. But pushing away his best friend and those who want the best for him isn’t the best move.
As if Mouch was ever going to listen to Herrmann’s desire to steer clear. His idea for a pass the booty event for the family was spot on. It also worked out that it was a holiday because the bar should be super busy.
I just don’t understand why he doesn’t communicate with anyone. He’s leaving Cindy out of the conversations he’s having in his head. We’ve had to suffer so many of his cockamamie schemes. Can you imagine what Cindy has put up with in her life?
And the way he just bulldozed through their grief phase to begin looking for houses before they’ve had a chance to catch their breath (or to literally let the dust settle) made me as angry as Cindy.
If there’s one obvious thing, it’s that Herrmann is anything but OK, no matter how hard he tries to prove otherwise.
Mouch did an amazing job talking Herrmann into allowing the party to continue once Herrmann learned about it. But “just the family” makes no sense.
Let others come along. They wouldn’t know you, it wouldn’t be personal, and it would take the pressure off the feeling that you were leaning hard on your friends.
But nobody said Herrmann is a normal guy. He knows he has stupid ideas, but he does them anyway. He needs to get out of his own way and allow things to play out before steering them into the ground.
What do you think? Should they rebuild or find something new? Did his tears touch you? I’m interested!
Stella and Kelly Are Very Good Leaders
Poor Stella. She was disappointed that Isaiah didn’t want to go trick-or-treating, and I can’t say I blame her. Isn’t that part of the fun of having children?
She got sidelined after a scare on the job, and it was weird to see Kelly being so professional when his wife just had a close call.
But that’s also why I personally think that if anyone is to step into Pascal’s boots, it should be Kelly. He showed his authority quite a few times during this hour, always without emotion. Not that he didn’t feel, he just didn’t let it interfere.
That’s something Herrmann never mastered, and it makes me grateful he stepped away from the line of succession.
I know a lot of people have issues with this duo as a couple and as leaders in the department, but they’ve been on such an even keel recently. They’re on the same page professionally and personally, and it’s hitting the right notes.
I’m the first one to admit I’m kind of bored with Chicago Fire, so I’m also the first to be surprised by how much I’m enjoying Stellaride. How are you feeling about them right now?
Sal Vasquez’s Dilemma
I’m really trying, guys, but I really don’t care about him or his troubles. We needed to know him better before we gave a damn about his family life.
And his father is making calls from prison to the firehouse? That’s so inappropriate and puts Vasquez in a tough spot. But it put Stella in a tough spot, too, because suddenly, she’s on the inside of a family situation she had never heard about
That call did suggest that the reason Vasquez has been job-hopping around Chicago is because of his dad’s inappropriate behavior.
Stella was right to consider that the man was intentionally causing issues for his son. It made even more sense when he apologized to her for not being by her side when she fell from the gas leak.
He seems to have tied his job to his inability to help his father. If he feels helpless in one situation, he makes up for it in the other.
I’d like that reveal more if it wasn’t so similar to Sam Carver’s storyline. Again, this is so similar that it makes it very hard to swallow.
But I absolutely hate that his dad told him that he only got the job because he pulled strings. I had a moment sometime during Chicago Fire Season 14 that his dad truly cared for Sal, but this made me reconsider that notion. A father who loved his son wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t put himself first.
And, call me crazy, but it reminds me of Carver and his crazy redhead girlfriend, who used the “I love you like nobody else” reasoning to drag him down.
Novak Loves Halloween
Am I the only one who considers the gals on Ambo a package deal? Where one goes, the story of the other usually follows.
Even if it’s not the same story, they often abut each other. And yes, I know abut is normally not used for people, but it’s such a great word that I’ve commandeered its use.
But this time out, Novak’s story didn’t rely on Ambo. She really gets into the holiday spirit, doesn’t she?
Although Mouch was skeptical, Novak’s plan to make the pass-the-booty party for Herrmann’s family into a costume party was an excellent idea. Like I said above, Halloween can bring a massive turnout to any bar, and that’s just what you want when you’re trying to collect money.
Best costume of the night? Capp as Mr. Clean. My first thought was, “Why didn’t he dress up?” Then he turned his head, and his earring glistened in the light.
So, did this episode live up to Chicago Fire’s glory days? Not even close. Those days are over. At least, they are for me.
What about you? Did this episode hit the spot? Are the stories living up to what brought you here in the first place 14 years ago?
There were many varieties of “Ghosts” in the Halloween episode, but the most significant was the spectre of the show we once loved.
