Chicago Fire Review: Dead of Winter (Season 9 Episode 7)
It feels a little like the old days any time we get to see Severide and Casey working together.
On Chicago Fire Season 9 Episode 7, “Dead of Winter,” the two take it upon themselves to investigate a suspicious fire at a homeless encampment.
It’s a bit of a break from the relationship drama both had been dealing with, and it’s more opportunity to see their friendship and partnership, which doesn’t always get the focus it deserves.
These are also both men who are happy to go above and beyond their duties — they do it all the time. Too much, really. It’s a bit tired for both of them to go off investigating something and risking themselves in the process, but it’s fun to watch them do it together.
And they are both good at it. There’s a reason Severide was working with OFI at one time, and Casey’s always shown a skill for this sort of thing too. Plus, they’re passionate and they’re heroes, right down to their core. It’s one of the reasons Chicago Fire is something of a comfort show — because it centers on heroes who make it their mission to help people, even if when it does mean going above and beyond.
They figure out the person responsible, though sadly, there is a casualty of the fire.
It’s also not just any fire. It’s one that’s set on purpose at the homeless encampment, which highlights a bigger issue. What this episode does is to really give the homeless a face, from Casey’s friend to the girl Ritter winds up helping, pointing out that with a few bad breaks, anyone really could wind up in that situation.
I’m glad that Ritter gets a storyline with this amount of substance on this episode. He really goes out of his way to help the girl he meets to find a place to stay, and we learn it’s because he has a friend who had gone through something similar. It really could happen to anyone.
Unfortunately, I’m still not quite invested in Ritter. He’s no longer even a new character, but he feels that way. This episode certainly helps, but only a little.
Meanwhile, Cruz has a close call at that same fire. He comes out with just a scratch, but it has him worried about Chloe since they have a baby on the way. The two hesitated in their relationship once because she was worried about what it would be like to be married to someone who always puts their life in danger, and now the stakes are even higher.
Lying, though, isn’t the right decision. Interestingly enough, it’s Severide who offers the best advice on that, having just gone through a bump with Stella over communication issues.
It’s a treat to see Chloe again, and it’s even better that she could care less about Cruz’s confession about his injury. She just wants to share in the joy that they’re going have a baby boy. It’s a really sweet moment, and if any character deserves that right now, it’s Joe Cruz.
As for the whole #Brettsey situation, Casey and Brett are drifting further apart as Brett decides to go for it with the cute firefighter she met a couple of episodes prior.
Agreeing to go out with him is a good choice for her — she shouldn’t be waiting around for anyone — but my heart just breaks for Matt Casey over it. Maybe, just maybe, this will be the last obstacle before they can work it out.
—
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.