This winter’s most recent Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. crossover was the first one I could actually watch and know what was going on in both hours! It’s also when I noticed something — something about how both shows handle their interpersonal drama with the case of the week storylines. But more on that in a moment.
Let’s rewind for a minute. Small confession, and some backstory about my viewing habits, before I fully dive in to the One Chicagoverse. (Just think of this as one of those recipe blog posts with all the personal stuff at the top and the content you came for a few paragraphs later.)
I’ve watched and loved NBC’s Chicago Fire since its premiere, but prior to this year, I didn’t watch much of Chicago P.D. beyond some crossover episodes. I wasn’t actively avoiding the show, I just have a job and also like the outdoors so some TV shows don’t make my watchlist. And as for Chicago Med, I’ve seen even less of that. Let’s just say after watching fifteen seasons of ER I’ve had my fill of Chicago-based hospital drama for a while.
But then NBC went ahead and made a night of their One Chicago shows and aired an epic three-part crossover event in the second week of the new fall TV season, so they basically eliminated any excuse I had for not expanding my usual viewing to include more of their universe. I still don’t really watch Chicago Med, maybe one day, but I have made a dent in the Chicago P.D. archives.
I picked up P.D. at “Fagin” (4×21), where the series introduced the character of Hailey Upton and right before Sophia Bush’s character Erin Lindsay exited. While the end of a fourth season may seem like a weird time to start watching a TV show, the transitional period actually made it rather easy to follow along. Plus the start of the fifth season marked the beginning of a new showrunner and the return of Jon Seda’s character Antonio Dawson, who I was familiar with from his many guest appearances on Chicago Fire.
And that brings us back to the present and back to the point of this blog post…
Balancing Case-of-the-Week and Character Storylines
On Chicago Fire, the team or some combo of Ambo 61, Engine 51, and Truck 81 go on a handful of calls each episode, most lasting less than an act break. Which leaves plenty of downtime in between the alarms for shenanigans and relationship drama to unfold at the firehouse with all of our favorite firefighters and paramedics. Episodes also usually span a few days, meaning there’s also hangout time at Molly’s where many of the characters either work or more simply frequent. And unlike Chicago P.D., a number of characters actually live together too, which provides even more off-shift opportunities for Chicago Fire to naturally include more interpersonal storylines.
Conversely, on Chicago P.D., the “case of the week” typically takes the entire episode to solve or at least reach a conclusion, which means the Intelligence Unit is almost always “on the clock”. And even though they are all working on the same case, they often go separate ways with their partners to chase down a lead or find a suspect. Sure, some episodes feature an opening and end tag scene outside the precinct, but otherwise personal conversations and moments only come in small bursts during the rest of the hour, like when the characters go undercover together, conduct surveillance, bump into each other in the locker room, or are in the car driving somewhere. So there’s small scenes sprinkled throughout, but when there’s a bad guy on the loose there’s more pressing matters at hand.
And I don’t think this imbalance of character and case storylines is because some of the writers suffered amnesia and then suddenly remembered what was going on with everyone a few episodes later. They are just constrained by the episodic nature of the procedural, the season long story arcs already in play, and the respective professional fields they tell stories about. One more easily keeps the interpersonal plot threads running.
To help illustrate my point, let’s look at how the two shows handled the Stella Kidd / Kelly Severide and Hailey Upton / Adam Ruzek relationships this season, both of which had big moments in the mid-season premieres. For Stella and Kelly it was a breakup and for Hailey and Adam it was an acknowledgment of real feelings and an outing of their relationship to some of their co-workers.
Here’s an episode-by-episode breakdown tracking the two relationship storylines from the mid-season premiere up to the latest hiatus, which was a span of 7 episodes in the seventh and sixth seasons respectively:
Chicago Fire
“Inside These Walls” 7×10
- After Boden’s team meeting at the beginning of their shift, Stella and Brett talk about how her and Kelly have been avoiding each other and not talking (the night prior she was hanging out with Tyler while he was drinking at Molly’s).
- Spurred on by her pep talk with Brett, Stella approaches Kelly and they have a tense conversation that ends with them basically admitting that it shouldn’t be this hard.
- After the shift, Stella has plans to go out with Tyler and her other friends because its his last night in town, but instead he finally admits he’s in love with her and their night ends there. To take her mind off of that bombshell she goes to work at Molly’s instead.
- The episode ends with Stella and Kelly having a long awaited talk in the evening, off shift. She admits that he was right about Tyler, but also says that he’s been shutting her out since his Dad died and didn’t like his jealousy streak. She doesn’t want any part of that.
I love you, but I can’t be with you anymore.”
“You Choose” 7×11
- Stella walks in to the common room / kitchen area to the group discussing the break-up. She clears the air and confirms it, but says it won’t impact their ability to work together and then quickly changes the subject to a fire safety dog competition. The rest appear skeptical.
- Kelly and Stella run into each other in the equipment closet, he admits that this is hard, but they both agree that they have to put this behind them if they are going to be able to work together.
- Matt checks in with Kelly in the locker room, offers cigars and the chance to talk. Kelly admits that he’s trying to keep himself busy with work and the boat project.
- The next morning Herrmann brings Stella muffins that Cindy made in an effort to cheer her up post break-up. (Remember, she lives in their rental space.) He also calls her out for trying to distract herself with the dog training competition.
- At the firehouse, Matt walks in on Kelly giving some longing glances Stella’s way.
- Later on, at Molly’s, Herrmann gives Stella a proper pep talk about how it’s okay to not be okay right now.
…If you’re not totally fine and you’re just trying to find your way through it, hey… It’s okay too. Doesn’t make you any less badass.”
“Make This Right” 7×12
- In the morning before their shift begins, Matt tries to convince Kelly to go out with him, you know get back out there. After a call that doesn’t quite add up, they end up “playing” detective instead.
- Meanwhile Stella spends time with Brett and Foster.
“The Plunge” 7×13
- At the beginning of the shift Stella and Kelly exchange awkward small talk by the coffee pot.
- After the first call, Matt and Kelly chat about their plans for later, more specifically Friday night, Matt’s is tame so Kelly suggests going out on the town, Matt agrees.
Get back in the game.”
- Their plan-making conversation continues a bit later on in the shift. Matt rattles off some of their “old stomping grounds”, which happen to be sports bars. Turns out that’s not what Kelly had in mind.
- Matt and Kelly go out to a pop up club, Kelly doesn’t waste any time finding a woman to flirt with.
- The next morning, Matt is nursing a hangover, meanwhile Kelly wanders out of his room just fine with a woman in tow.
“It Wasn’t About Hockey” 7×14
- The ladies head out of town for a girl’s weekend in an effort to avoid both Valentine’s Day and the chili cook-off shift.
“What I Saw” 7×15
Part I of a Fire / P.D. crossover event.
- The episode begins with Stella and Kelly running into each other in the locker room while he’s changing, she tries to joke, “Nothing I haven’t seen before, it’s just, no need to cover up.” He says he’s just putting on his station gear.
- After a call, back at the station, one of the victims from the fire goes to thank Stella and asks her out for dinner and a drink. She shoots him down, because she’s sure it’s just a “rescue crush”. He’s persistent so she lets him know that she’ll be working at Molly’s and he can visit her there for a drink.
- Later in the episode at Molly’s, Kelly watches Stella greet Keith, the guy from the fire, Matt is like:
If you’re still carrying a torch, you might want to talk to her.”
- Kelly says, “Nah, it’s all good” and changes the subject.
- The next day, Stella and Kelly chat while “spying” on Grissom and Boden. She’s checking in on him and the situation because of Grissom’s connection to Kelly’s dad, but he brushes her off.
- At meal time in the common room, Brett and Foster grill Stella about Keith. They ask if she’ll be seeing him again and remind her that she hasn’t gone out on a date since she broke up with Kelly. They all decide that he is pretty adorable before the an alarm rings and they head out on a call.
- Kelly tracks down Stella the following morning, admits that she was right about the Grissom situation and he looks like he want to say more, but Keith shows up and she reveals that they have plans.
“Fault In Him” 7×16
- No non-work interactions or developments between Kelly and Stella to speak of in this episode.
Chicago P.D.
“Brotherhood” 6×10
- After Adam gets himself entangled in an Officer Involved Death (OID) situation, much to Voight’s chagrin, the rest of the team rolls up on scene. Voight promptly meets them and tells them all to get back to the district, the less they know the better. Hailey looks worriedly over at Adam, but doesn’t get anything out of Voight as to what’s going on. She’s clearly troubled about walking away from the situation.
- Once Voight arrives back at the precinct Hailey again asks what’s going on. Voight remains cagey with information and just says that Antonio is taking some time off with his family and Adam is dealing with an OID.
- When Adam gets back to the station and the team has settled down to work on the case Hailey keeps looking over at Adam. She’s clearly upset with him, and for him.
- Later in the episode, in the surveillance van, Hailey asks Jay if he’s okay with the the Adam OID situation, he’s not but also doesn’t want to talk about it.
- After meeting with IRT again, Hailey confronts Adam, she wants him to talk to her, to tell her that he didn’t just make a possibly career ending move for some police loyalty brotherhood reasoning. The conversation gets heated and she admits that she cares about him.
Listen! This has nothing to do with police loyalty. It has to do with you. I care about you”
- Jay walks in on the two fighting, having overheard them from the stairwell, he firmly tells them they cannot be having this conversation here.
- While out posting flyers to track down their suspect suspect, Hailey and Adam hear a call over the radio about a carjacking and kidnapping in progress. They join the chase and manage to get them cornered by playing chicken. Adam is driving but Hailey gives him the go ahead to pull such a bold move.
- Back at the precinct, Hailey sees Voight sitting in his office, no one else is up in intelligence so after an internal debate she goes in and pleads with him not to let Adam do this. She even brings up Olinsky. Voight tells her to stop and walk back out the door, she responds:
I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to be risking my career for a guy I’m dating. But here I am. He has my loyalty, and I don’t know how to help him. So I’m asking you.”
- Voight assures her that he’s doing everything he can to help him, but also let’s her know that however this plays out is ultimately up to Adam.
- Jay finds Hailey outside of the interrogation room, she apologies for not telling him about her and Adam. He’s more than understanding, saying, “We’re good. And we’re always gonna be good”.
“Trust” 6×11
- As Hailey and Adam leave a Kelton political fundraising event, Adam takes a phone call. Once he’s finished she asks about COPA, but there’s nothing new to report. He asks if she wants to go out afterwards, but Hailey declines saying she’d rather go home. However, they get a call so it’s a night of work instead.
- Hailey and Adam can be seen standing together at the hospital while waiting on news about Kevin after he was shot.
“Outrage” 6×12
- After the tough case, Hailey and Jay are out doing their “thing that works” – having a drink and talking. She gets a text, which Jay correctly deduces is Adam, which serves as the cue to wrap it up for the night and meet up with him.
“Night in Chicago” 6×13
- No non-work interactions or developments between Adam and Hailey to speak of in this episode.
“Ties That Bind” 6×14
- Hailey and Adam flirt while preparing for an undercover sting, Kim walks in on them. Cat’s out of the bag.
- Before heading to Wisconsin to bust an illegal firearms seller, Hailey runs in to Kim in the locker room and tries to explain the situation with her and Adam. She doesn’t get very far before Kim is like I don’t want to talk about it, let’s focus on getting the guys with the guns.
About me and Adam…it just sorta happened.”
- Adam wants to take the lead on finding Hailey and Kim, but Voight promptly shuts him down: “No Antonio will, I know what’s going on in your head… This isn’t about you right no Adam, so just stand down and follow orders.”
- Adam’s worry for Hailey and Kim compromises the rescue efforts. He fumbles the money handoff when he sees the guy’s bloody and bruised knuckles and is made shortly thereafter.
- Adam and Antonio are first to get to Hailey and Kim, who have basically taken matters into their own hands, but he checks that they are both okay upon arriving on the scene.
- Hailey and Adam arrive back at the precinct, assuming he was with her while she was getting patched up, and join the rest of the intelligence crew, where Voight tells them all that their private lives cannot get in the way of them doing their jobs.
- Back in the locker room Kim checks on Hailey. After some brief small talk about how they are both okay after the case went way sideways Hailey is like, “There’s something I gotta say.” Kim acquiesces, but suggests that the talk be done over whiskey.
- Cut to them sharing a drink – Hailey reveals to Kim why she didn’t tell her about her and Adam (she dated a Sergeant in her unit once before and it ended badly professionally and personally). Kim is cool about the whole thing saying, “I get it. I get it. We’re good Hailey.”
“Good Men” 6×15
Part II of a Fire / P.D. crossover event.
- No non-work interactions or developments between Adam and Hailey to speak of in this episode.
“The Forgotten” 6×16
- While preparing Voight’s longtime CI Lexie for one more op, she teases Adam about his beard situation. Hailey just looks on amused.
Interestingly enough, for a relationship that dissolved in episode 10, Chicago Fire spent the next five episodes dealing with the fallout between Kelly and Stella. Their breakup was a consistent story thread with strong follow-through that impacted not just those two, but also their closest friends in the firehouse.
However, on Chicago P.D., where real feelings were expressed, there were only two episodes to heavily feature the relationship since its winter return. (And those “big episodes” had more to do with other people discovering their relationship than anything actually going on between Hailey and Adam.) Three of the other episodes in the latest run only featured a handful of glances or mentions of them even dating. And the remaining two didn’t touch on it at all.
Now I get that 7 episodes is hardly reflective of Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. as a whole. Especially since both have surpassed the 100 episode mark, but based on how the two TV shows are currently portraying their respective professions it’s evident that one is able to more consistently tell stories about its characters outside of the cases and calls of the week.
To all the Chi-Hards out there, what’s your take on all of this? How do you feel the One Chicago shows have handled character plot lines as of late? Where does Chicago Med fall on the scale of characters vs cases? Sound off in the comment section below.
