Chicago Fire Season 11 Finale Review: Dramatic & Packed Send-off For Firehouse 51

Aside from wrapping up the year, the intense Chicago Fire season 11 finale, “Red Waterfall,” is also a launching pad for what’s to come.

The jampacked Chicago Fire season 11 finale leaves several plot lines unresolved, setting up a very interesting season 7. One Chicago franchise’s inaugural show has had a tumultuous year, both on and off-screen. Chief Boden’s fearless firefighters have been subjected to a mix of personal and professional woes, and the outing stays true to that storytelling approach as it juggles multiple storylines for several Firehouse 51 members. Aside from wrapping up the year, the intense Chicago Fire season 11 finale, “Red Waterfall,” is also a launching pad for what’s to come for Engine 51, Rescue Squad 3, Truck 81, and Ambulance 61.

Unlike its predecessor, which was mostly focused on Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide’s wedding, the Chicago Fire season 11 finale has more diverse storytelling. It juggles multiple big plot lines involving some of the show’s most prominent players. On the heels of the news that Kelly Severide has changed course about his OFI training without letting Stella come to terms with the true status of their marriage. Meanwhile, Matt Casey returns to Chicago primarily for work, but he finally gets the courage to make a move to rekindle his romance with Sylvie Brett. Their reunion ends with him getting down on one knee and proposing marriage. Amid these relationship arcs, Firehouse 51’s most veteran member, Mouch, finds himself fighting for his life in the hospital after getting shot on the job.

While Kidd and Severide’s complicated set-up is a big talking point, Chicago Fire opts to focus on Casey and Brett’s love story for its season 11 finale. Despite Jesse Spencer exiting the series, however, Chicago Fire has opted to keep the door open for their possible reconciliation, allowing for Casey’s proposal to happen. Their reunion is a big cause for celebration for “Brettsey” fans, but it’s curious what the long-term plan is for the couple. Brett has yet to respond to the proposal, but it’s worth noting that there isn’t any mention of Casey coming back to Chicago. This means that if she says yes, she either moves in with him across the country, or they just go back to their long-distance set-up, which renders their original separation useless. Regardless, both options are less than ideal. If Chicago Fire can’t do their romance justice, then they should have just left it alone. It doesn’t help that the trajectory of their romance brings back Gabriella Dawson comparisons.

At least it appears like Chicago Fire knows what the future holds for Casey and Brett. Sadly, things are so much bleaker with Kidd and Severide. Taylor Kinney’s leave of absence is supposed to only be temporary, but months after his final appearance in One Chicago, not much is known about his situation, including when he will be back as Severide. To be fair, the Chicago Fire writers rewrote scripts and significantly changed the trajectory of the back half of season 11 to accommodate Kinney’s request. However, one can’t help but wonder if they are gearing up to permanently write Severide out of the show by complicating things. They could have stuck with their explanation about him partaking in the OFI training, and we would have understood. Meanwhile, Chicago Fire could have used this separation to develop Kidd’s professional arc as Truck 81’s lieutenant. Instead, the writers not only fixate on Severide’s absence, but they are also ruining his character, painting him as an avoidant and inconsiderate husband.

Given the nature of their jobs, Firehouse 51 isn’t new to injuries and near-death experiences on a call. The late reveal of Mouch’s injury is a perfectly-executed plot twist. Somehow, it gives weight to the supposed threat that has Casey joining a Homeland task force and flying twice to Chicago in the last few weeks. Despite being a procedural, Chicago Fire‘s backbone has always been its characters, and in a finale that is heavy on the romance, it’s nice to see the show’s best relationship highlighted — the friendship between Mouch and Herrman. Only time will tell if Mouch survives this ordeal, but hopefully he’ll pull through.

Overall, it is quite impressive that Chicago Fire is able to juggle multiple plot lines in its year-ender. There’s a good balance of action and grounded moments, something that the show is known for. More importantly, it leaves us with a lot to discuss during the summer break, keeping us engaged and excited to learn what’s next for Firehouse 51.