Chicago Fire Season 15 Episode 1 Review: One Character’s Future Takes a Devastating Turn

After a cliffhanger that had audiences wondering which firefighters would make it out alive, Chicago Fire Season 15 Episode 1, “New Blood,” picks up right where we left off.

It’s perhaps one of the best season premieres Chicago Fire has had in recent years, largely because of how well it handles that cliffhanger. 

Chicago Fire tends to resolve cliffhangers like that too quickly, but this premiere builds on the action instead. The first several minutes are suspenseful in a way that makes you forget to breathe, especially since the characters whose lives are in danger feel like the ones who currently all have the most to lose.

Thankfully, no one is killed in that devastating building collapse; however, one is very seriously hurt.

The collapse leaves Joe Cruz with a spinal injury that could be permanent. There’s a possibility for some meaningful character development, along with guilt that other characters feel, plus the optics of how Firehouse 51 handled the fire in the first place. 

It’s the sort of thing that happens all too often: an accusation against Firehouse 51 that something was done incorrectly and caused harm. In this case, Joe is being blamed for making a bad call and destabilizing a wall in the building that collapsed. 

So, not only is it possible that Joe may never walk again, but he’s also grappling with guilt that turns out to be unnecessary. 

Severide does what he does best and ultimately proves Joe wasn’t at fault. Instead, Joe did exactly the right thing to save as many people as possible. 

As positive as that news is, the episode ends on an emotional note when it comes to Joe. He reveals to Herrmann that his recent MRI results show that even on the small chance he could walk again, he’ll most certainly no longer be able to be a firefighter. 

It’s a powerful scene between both men, who both do their best to hold back tears. Joe’s own guilt over the victims who did die, plus an implied layer of guilt about his family, make it that much more heartbreaking.

Add to that, Herrmann still feels as though it should have been him, which is why he goes through most of the episode unable to face Joe in the first place. 

Knowing that Joe Miñoso will be leaving Chicago Fire at some point suggests this may be true. While oftentimes the show will bring on miracles for characters, it doesn’t feel like that’s what’s going to happen here.  

This does, however, still feel similar to something we’ve seen before. Otis once had a scare that he may never walk again as well. 

While Joe’s injury and the details of the fire are central to the season premiere, the episode also brings in new characters and sets up some new dynamics. The episode title, “New Blood,” is appropriate because a group of firefighter candidates arrives at 51 for a rotation in their training. 

And this group? Well, they are a hot mess. The good news is they have Stella Kidd to whip them into shape. 

Stella is always great in roles like this, and her leadership skills have gotten even better. When this group of competitive candidates proves that they can’t work together and are so chaotic that they cause Lizzie to get hit by a car, Stella decides that the group will be evaluated together instead of individually.

It’s a smart strategy that should be fun to watch in upcoming episodes. 

Overall, Chicago Fire Season 15 Episode 1 is a solid season premiere, and it’s one that shows character development for just about everyone while setting up clear changes in the firehouse. 

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

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