Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 1 Review: Hold on Tight
Unsurprisingly, Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 1, “Hold on Tight,” starts out with a bang. We pick up right where we left off, with someone mysterious arriving to the cabin while Stella and Kelly are on their honeymoon.
It’s an action-packed beginning, and it’s the kind of opener that leaves you a bit breathless. Unfortunately, it’s also yet another instance of Chicago Fire resolving a cliffhanger way too quickly.
With so much suspense built up over the hiatus, it’s a letdown when the payoff is over within just a few minutes. That’s not to say it isn’t fun to watch both characters spring into action and to see Severide attack someone with a fishing spear — it certainly is.
It’s also nice that the episode opens with a romantic moment before the two are interrupted. (Though my goodness, the quickness with which Stella and Kelly both get themselves completely clothed does require some suspense of disbelief.)
The good news is that the story doesn’t end with Severide pinning this guy and the cops showing up. Severide remains affected throughout the episode, and he’s determined to make sure that the mole that was found to be in the Chicago P.D. gets what he deserves.
It is the most emotional we’ve seen his character in a while, and a really great performance from Taylor Kinney. His desperation and the fact that what he’s gotten himself into now affects Stella is almost bringing out a new side of him.
I also have a feeling that the whole thing is going to come back to bite him later. For better or worse, Kelly Severide is a stubborn man who isn’t afraid to take matters into his own hands.
In this case, he goes out of his way to see to it that the mole is outed, and that means “losing a friend” in the police department — whatever that means. It’s hard to say if his call is actually the right one, all things considered.
Meanwhile, we really get a chance to see Stella Kidd shine as a lieutenant. It’s truly the best thing about this episode.
Everything about her screams confidence in her new role, but then a new firefighter joining Firehouse 51 really forces her to show her leadership. Mason is gone (that was fast) and now the latest firefighter to join the team just so happens to be someone from Kidd’s past.
His name is Sam Carver, and apparently, they did not get along well back at the Academy.
But Boden insists he’s 51 material, and that means Kidd has to make it work. She does a couple of things that show great leadership on her part.
First, she invites him out to Molly’s to clear the air, opening the way for a frank conversation. Second, she shows him his place during a call, largely to see how he’ll handle it. And he does that well.
It’s the way she stands up to Boden, though, that really stands out. He’s unhappy that Kidd sidelined Carver during that call, and Stella not only explains her reasoning clearly, but she insists it’s time for Boden to take a step back and let her lead.
It’s exactly the kind of thing that made her such an obvious choice for this kind of leadership role all along.
Of course, we also have to talk about Violet and Hawkins.
Violet and Brett are both commiserating over their relationship troubles, with Violet unsure about exactly what’s gone wrong in hers. The fact is, she has no idea what Hawkins did for her at his own expense.
And it’s Gallo who winds up helping remedy this. I love the friendship that’s developed between Gallo, Ritter, and Violet, and especially the way Gallo and Violet have been able to have that kind of relationship considering their past.
Gallo ultimately has Violet’s best interests at heart, so when he runs into Hawkins and finds out what he did for her, he makes sure Violet learns the truth. It’s setting aside some of his own feelings, to be sure, and it’s really endearing.
Violet and Hawkins then reunite and all seems to be well in Hawkami land. Thank goodness. It’s definitely a positive thing for the story to keep this relationship intact for the time being.
Especially as another key relationship officially ends. I’m a little thrown by the fact that Brett and Casey’s long-distance relationship is still unclear at the start of this episode, considering how things ended on Chicago Fire Season 10 Episode 22. That felt very final to me, and like the closure they needed.
Apparently, though, we needed one last moment to seal the deal. It’s a shame, but it’s best for the story since Jesse Spencer is no longer on the show.
I do very much appreciate how long they kept that going, and that Casey had that sort of distant presence for much of Season 10. It’s also a nice detail that it’s a visit from Kyle that ultimately pushes Brett to make that difficult phone call.
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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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.
One thought on “Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 1 Review: Hold on Tight”
One Chicago is losing its luster! 10/19 Med was difficult to follow, the usually kind & all doctors should be like Dr. Charles along with the whiny old lady needed Adderal.Fire-Wake me up when it’s out, this episode of PD needed a cast! WHERE WAS EVERYBODY? Did Squad take furlough? Severide just wasn’t connected & needs some “Just for Men” ! Character was boring, I was snoring. Halloween was more trick than treat. Disappointing waste of time, electricity.
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