'Chicago Fire' Season 9 Premiere Review: Toned down episode presents new normal and ends with two lives in danger
Spoilers for 'Chicago Fire' Season 9 Premiere
The second hour of NBC's 'Chicago' Wednesdays brings us the ninth season of the OG show, 'Chicago Fire'. We are immediately introduced to the new paramedic, Gianna "Mack" Mackey (Adriyan Rae), and opposed to 'Chicago Med', it's a much lighter start. We learn that Mack has known firefighter Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) since they were kids and Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) remarks that Mack will fit right in – Cruz is pretty excited for Mack's arrival at the firehouse. We also learn that Stella Kidd's (Miranda Rae Mayo) Girls on Fire program was scrapped due to the pandemic but she continues to fight passionately for it, talking to her proud boyfriend, Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). Of course, Kidd's persistence pays off and Girls on Fire is approved to be restarted, impressing Boden.
Mack's first call starts soon after – she and Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer) have to deal with a man who has overdosed. As they are tending to him, another man comes up behind them and points a gun at Brett, telling her that if the man dies, the paramedics die as well. However, Brett perseveres and talks Mack through, and when the need comes, takes the patient to the hospital in spite of the gun pointed at them. We later learn that the OD patient passed away due to heart failure.
Clearly, all this is a bit much for Mack for her first call and while she is quiet, she seems to be adjusting well, even making sandwiches for the firehouse that gets the nod of approval from Captain Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer). Speaking of Casey, we see that he is still just as concerned about Brett as he talks to her when she returns from the call, even offering to call CPD to enquire about the man who pointed a gun at them. When Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) comes to speak to them, they learn that they have to keep working as the man is on the run. Mack is concerned and candidate Blake Gallo (Alberto Rosende) introduces himself to her. Seeing this, Cruz tells him to stay away from her.
Meanwhile, Christopher Hermann (David Eigenberg) and Randall "Mouch" McHolland (Christian Stolte) are talking about doing a treasure hunt to revive sales at Molly's, the bar they run, and Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) volunteers to help write a poem that will serve as a clue. While Mouch and Hermann struggle, Ritter effortlessly spits rhymes, leaving his senior firefighters impressed.
Later, when the shift ends, we see Brett leaving the firehouse and head home. However, she feels there is something wrong -- that someone could be watching her. She calls Casey to come when she sees that the door to her house is open. He rushes over and checks her apartment. He also says that he will stay over at her house and sleep on the couch until the man who threatened her is caught. Casey and Brett then drink beer and play a game -- rousing every "Brettsey" heart watching. It was quite funny to see Casey doing a terrible Australian accent when the actor, Jesse Spencer, is, in fact, Australian. The laughing leads to a quiet moment and Brett gets flustered.
Of course, Kidd notices that Casey is not in his room and that he slept over at Brett's, exciting her. Just as she is gossiping with Severide, Casey returns and gives them an update.
Later that day, the firefighters are called to a major fire at a photography studio. This is characteristic of a premiere and finally raises the stakes in an otherwise toned-down premiere. Brett continues to guide Mack as they deal with smoke inhalation patients. We like seeing this side of Brett – we had seen a bit of it with Emily Foster (Annie Ilonzeh), but with Mack, Brett's leadership skills come out in full flare. Inside the studio, Kidd pulls off an impressive save as she gets a trapped Severide and a civilian out of the studio just in time.
Boden is impressed with Kidd's work at the studio and calls her to talk to her. He tells her about the history of Chicago's first all-Black company of firefighters. He tells her that there are not enough women or people of color in positions of power in the Chicago Fire Department and wants Kidd to aim higher and take the lieutenant's exam. When Kidd expresses doubt, Boden praises her and says she exhibits all the traits of a leader.
Kidd tells Severide about Boden's suggestion and while Severide is proud, Kidd herself is not sure. He reassures her about there being enough time and that she has him to give her unlimited help, whenever she needs it.
Usually, we feel that 'Chicago Fire' episodes are stronger than 'Chicago Med'. This time around, however, 'Chicago Med' had a very strong premiere, so the beginning of 'Chicago Fire's' ninth season felt a little unimpressive. Nevertheless, it might be comforting for some viewers that 'Chicago Fire' is the show that has the least changes – except for the social distancing another Covid-19 protocols – and the episode was still strong enough and matched for the show's long run.
Of course, the most impressive part of the episode is that Stella Kidd is finally getting her due. As the only female firefighter on the show, we have seen that it has not been easy for Kidd. But it looks like Season 9 is going to be about Kidd's career and we are truly excited for what awaits her – and we love that Severide is providing her all the support she needs. We also love that the show acknowledged the lack of women and people of color among firefighters, something we had griped about before.
Unfortunately, the cliffhanger that the show missed out for its Season 8 finale was finally brought in for the Season 9 premiere as Brett and Mack are driven out of the road by the assailant who attacked them before. The ambulance crashes, so what comes next will only be revealed in one week.
'Chicago Fire' airs on NBC on Wednesday nights at 9/8c.