Chicago Fire Review: Last Chance (Season 10 Episode 21)

Things are off with Stella and Severide on Chicago Fire Season 10 Episode 21, “Last Chance.” I can’t decide if it feels like forced conflict, knowing there’s a wedding coming up, or if it makes perfect sense.

I’ve complained a lot this season, after all, about how easily everyone got over the fact that Stella just ghosted on her entire life — Kelly in particular. So that being acknowledged again on this episode makes that all feel a little more realistic.

Yet their awkwardness and tension, it turns out, is more about a fear of commitment. For both of those characters, that makes sense to a degree — think back on both of their histories and it seems obvious they’d have some trouble with this.

But when it comes to the characters they’ve become since then? I’m not so sure. 

Instead, it just reads like the story was trying to show one last conflict before the couple tied the knot, and that’s really unfortunate. 

It does all lead to a tender moment between the two of them that does actually feel authentic, though that moment comes thanks to Kelly getting beaten down in an alley after making an enemy.

Look, the man is a hero and his first instinct is going to be to save a bleeding woman, but would Severide really not see any red flags in that scenario? Not even a little? 

It’s hard to watch him take that beating, and it’s a relief to have it cut away, only to show him bandaged up in the hospital a little later. 

I guess playing fire cop was bound to catch up with him like this at some point, and it’s interesting that he’s continually finding ways to be put in those situations. Not for nothing, it’s fun to see Cruz by his side, too.

It sounds like Severide still needs to watch his back, though, and that’s cause for concern with a wedding coming up and a season finale. I mean, when does Chicago Fire ever have a calm season finale? So I’m nervous that the enemy he’s made might show up again.

Meanwhile, evil Emma is still at it, and it’s actually almost comical how awful she is. She remains even more firm with her blackmailing scheme after Violet saves her life, but really what that does is make the audience fall more in love with Violet and Hawkins as a couple.

And Violet as a member of Firehouse 51 too, for that matter. After all, she hasn’t been on the show all that long, but she’s already become such a key part of the team and such a beloved character on the show, that you can’t help but feel even more defensive about her.

Hawkins has also become a beloved character in a short amount of time, and this storyline helps to push that further. It shows his strengths and allows us to see some different sides to his character that we might not be able to otherwise. 

Plus, Gallo has a chance to step in, which winds up being a really sweet gesture of friendship and loyalty that’s nice to see.

For the comedic storyline of the episode, there’s a bit of a tragedy, and it’s one that allows Mouch to be at… well, his most Mouch. 

Capp manages to break the beloved couch! The way Mouch goes all-in on an investigation of it, realizing right away that someone else had broken it and was covering it up, is absurd and endearing all at once.

It’s exactly fitting for his character and provides some nice comedic relief for the episode. Plus it’s fun to see those sorts of everyday antics going on in the firehouse. 

It is a little bit of a gut punch to see that couch break, though!

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

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