Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 3 Review: Completely Shattered
Please note this review contains significant spoilers for Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 3, “Completely Shattered.”
Not even some fun with goats could make this episode of Chicago Fire feel okay.
The title of the episode says it all. Chicago Fire Season 11 Episode 3, “Completely Shattered,” takes away a quickly beloved character and shattered a fan-favorite relationship in an instant.
It’s hard to watch, and it feels entirely unnecessary.
RIP Chief Hawkins.
After everything Hawkins and Violet have been through in order to be together, it feels like a slap in the face for it to end to this way. They had just overcome the messiness with their perspective roles in the fire department, and they were showing signs of a healthy, sweet romance.
Add to that, Hawkins started out as a character who seemed unlikeable, only to become one that was quite the opposite.
That growth, and the different sides we were able to see to him, made for really good television. And the romance between him and Violet was something else altogether. Hanako Greensmith said herself that everyone was surprised by the reaction to their coupling, but really, it had everything to do with chemistry.
They were just getting started, and considering that they had a fairly easy way to make Hawkins less present on screen, it hurts even more to see him killed off so suddenly.
It’s even worse if you consider how rarely Chicago Fire raises the stakes to this level and actually goes through with it. More often than not, the firefighters come out of the most dangerous, life-threatening situations in one piece, even when perhaps, they shouldn’t.
I’m not saying I wish it had been someone else to go, but after every firefighter came out okay, only for Hawkins to rush over to a victim and get caught in a building collapse? That feels like shock value for the sake of shock value.
Now, all that said, that moment does lead to some stellar performances. The way everyone comes together to pull Hawkins out is heartening and really does show the family element among the group.
Hawkins is gone when they pull him out, his eyes still open, making this feel even more traumatizing. It’s devastating to watch.
Violet’s reaction to the whole thing makes it all the more emotional, from standing back and watching everyone dig to her full-on screaming and tears is gutwrenching and visceral.
It’s the best performance we’ve seen from Hanako Greensmith so far, and it really shows her talents. I expect — I hope — this means some interesting new developments for her character moving forward. Otherwise, this will be really difficult to move past.
Elsewhere on the episode, Severide is once again playing fire cop, and that’s all fine and good. It’s nothing new for him, but it is fun to watch. And this time, he’s forced to work with a reluctant Detective Pryma, which is a nice way to call back to the last case Severide was involved with.
It’s Kidd’s storyline on this episode that provides the much-needed levity. She challenges Herrmann to a bet for his office, one that involves corralling a bunch of goats. It’s a bad idea, and of course, Herrmann has plenty of experience doing exactly this.
I do love these light-hearted moments on Chicago Fire, and this is an episode where we certainly needed one.
Stella then goes on to another plan to get herself an office, which involves swapping out the laundry room with Carver’s help.
It’s a little unbelievable, but with so many lieutenants at Firehouse 51, it is a problem that needs solving. And Stella is certainly right that it doesn’t look good to be the only woman with that title without an office.
Seeing her in charge is definitely one of my favorite things about this season so far, though I’m not sure what to make of the dynamic between her and Carver just yet. I’m curious to see how all of that plays out.
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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.