Chicago Fire Review: Welcome to Crazytown (Season 8 Episode 7)
It seems like sparks are flying with Brett and Casey on Chicago Fire Season 8 Episode 7, “Crazytown,” and I, for one, am now completely on board.
Why? Because their characters seem like a natural fit. And more importantly, because this is not a sudden development.
The signs started last season, but any possibility of a romance was thwarted by Brett deciding to say yes to Ryan’s proposal. Now that that’s over, revisiting a spark doesn’t seem like a bad idea, especially now that Gabby has been gone for a while.
The audience has had time to adjust to the idea and even more so, to begin waiting for it. Those curious glances go a long way to a slower burn that will be more satisfying if anything comes of this.
Now, that said, we know that someone special is returning for the mid-season finale: Gabby Dawson. As to what her return will mean? That’s anyone’s guess. But regardless of how it goes, it’s bound to make for some complicated feelings, especially if Casey and Brett do start to get closer to one another.
What I like about how this episode shows us those “sparks” I speak of is that they are subtle, though. These two haven’t fallen into bed together and decided to start a relationship from there.
It’s the little glances, Brett’s realization that she focused a little too much on making sure Casey knew she was single, Casey’s innocent sort of flirting. It’s cautious and innocent. It feels like a couple of teenagers who have crushes on one another but haven’t quite figured it out yet. That’s fun to watch, especially for these two.
It’s also endearing the way Casey learns a little something from Brett. He’s impressed by how she calms a child down when her mother is being held hostage (hell of an opener on this episode, really) and he uses the same strategy in another situation later.
Meanwhile, Severide has been approached to join OFI because of his unique experience and skills when it comes to investigating arson cases. He turns it down, noting that he’s much more interested in things like scaling the side of a building to save a hostage (again, hell of an opener) as opposed to working at a desk.
But it turns out that he doesn’t really have a choice in the matter. Enter Grissom, who we haven’t seen in a while, to make Severide’s life just a little more complicated.
Severide gets transferred anyway, and when he complains, Grissom reminds him that his job is one of public service. What he wants isn’t what matters — and, to be honest, we all know they could use Severide’s skills at OFI.
He’s been doing that kind of work — and had that interest — for a long time now. So much so that it’s become predictable. So to make this move is good storytelling and important development for Severide’s character.
Severide complies, seeming to believe in the public service speech Grissom makes to him. But, he needs something in return. Ultimately, Severide makes a sacrifice for one of his fellow firefighters at Firehouse 51: Herrmann.
Oh, Herrmann. Back to that hell of an opener I keep referencing, Herrmann does what he has to in order to help the situation, which makes it possible to save the hostage and knock a gun out of the hostage-taker’s hand. He’s fearless and smart about his choices, except for the part where he argues with a police officer — and the wrong one, it turns out.
That officer is ultimately pretty terrible. Maybe Herrmann crossed a line, but it was all for good reason. The whole thing is about to cost Herrmann his job as a lieutenant, that is until Severide makes a deal with Grissom.
It’s because of Severide that Herrmann gets the mysterious call that the whole mess is dropped and he can keep his post. Severide won’t ever let him know it was because of him, and that makes it all just a little more wonderful.
What did you think of this episode of Chicago Fire? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Critic Rating:
User Rating:
Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
Follow us on Twitter and on 
Instagram!
Want more from Tell-Tale TV? Subscribe to our newsletter here!
Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.