Chicago Fire Review: Hold Our Ground (Season 8 Episode 10)

After a cliffhanger that left Severide in serious danger, he’s not only okay, but he’s back in his rightful place on Chicago Fire Season 8 Episode 10, “Hold Our Ground.”

Unfortunately, the whole thing is a bit underwhelming. It happens often that cliffhangers are resolved so quickly on this show that it feels like there’s little payoff, and this is another example of that. Just a few more moments could have done the trick, but instead, we blow past it in just a couple of minutes.

It does offer an opportunity for Severide to shine as a hero once again. One of the reasons Chicago Fire is so enjoyable is that its heroes are so perfectly heroic. Of course Severide is the kind of guy who would save the arsonist. And when the arsonist who tried to kill him asks why, Severide’s answer is simple: he’s a firefighter. 

And as good as he is working for OFI, even his boss there knows it’s not really where he belongs. He “fires him” and sends him back to 51. Although Severide was only there for a short time, it was a really good move to have him explore that kind of work. He’s always had a talent for it, and it’s part of his father’s legacy. But let’s face it, it couldn’t have lasted very long.

Neither could this flirtation with Seager. That was all just enough to bring up some jealous feelings for Stella, which go away quickly when Severide charmingly passes on Seager’s attempt to keep working with Severide (and commenting on his eyes! Well, I get that).

Meanwhile, there’s this silly feud between Foster and Brett that we learn comes from some insecurity on Foster’s part. Mostly, it’s unbearable to watch, but it does result in some good female friendship moments once Stella intervenes. By the end of the episode, all is well, thank goodness.

The feud with the other firehouse is also a bit unpleasant to watch, and it’s yet another thing that makes this mid-season premiere pretty underwhelming. It’s because the boundary lines have been redrawn and now the two firehouses overlap, which immediately leaves Gallo unsettled because he strongly dislikes (read: has a huge crush on) the medic there.

But the overlap is definitely changing the dynamic and creating some competition, which should probably be more interesting than how it plays out. That said, it does have potential, and it’s a pretty good way to introduce some new characters. 

The most endearing part of this episode comes from Mouch, who finds a letter stuck to his shoe after an accident involving a mail truck. He is determined to get the letter to its rightful owner, even though it turns out to be a difficult task since he can’t read the address. 

It’s personal for Mouch, who counted on letters to communicate with his dad when he was a child. And once he finds the person who the letter was for, we realize his determination is worth it. It’s the last letter this woman’s husband sent just before he died in the line of duty.

What winds up being a really small moment on the episode, and one of the smaller stories, is really the most impactful.

Other thoughts:

• The chase that occurs when the folks of Firehouse 51 go after the thief who stole their tool is intense, and one of the more entertaining moments on the episode. I also love the way Brett braces herself for impact.
• I’d have liked to see Casey deal a little more with the fact that he slept with his ex-wife. I have a feeling that’s going to come back up somehow, but if it doesn’t, I’m going to be disappointed.

What did you think of this episode of Chicago Fire? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.

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