Throughout the summer, we’ve been hit with teases of a new member at Firehouse 51, budget cut drama, and more. The Chicago Fire season 14 premiere is here, and it’s time to get into the details.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS for the Chicago Fire season 14 premiere.
It doesn’t take long to get into the drama and the heartbreak. Remember in the Chicago Fire season 13 finale when Kidd shared the exiting news that she and Kelly are expecting a baby? Sadly, that is not the case.
We open the episode with Kidd being told that she’s suffered a miscarriage. It is early days in the pregnancy, and not uncommon, but that does not mean it isn’t disappointing. And as someone who has been right where Kidd is now, I can completely empathize with the feelings, and I hope to see this storyline go somewhere rather than it being brushed under the carpet like it usually is.
Severide is there for Kidd, making it clear that she has nothing to apologize for, because, well, she doesn’t. He wants her to lean on him. Men, Severide is showing you how to be in a moment like this!
Meet the new Firehouse 51 member in the Chicago Fire season 14 premiere
While that is going on, we cut to some higher-ranking officials discussing a problem firefighter, and this problem is going to Firehouse 51. It’s clear that Pascal isn’t happy about it, but he doesn’t have a choice in the matter. Firehouse 51 is the CFD's choice, and it sounds like it’s his last hope.
At the firehouse, we learn that it’s been a month since the Chicago Fire season 13 finale, and Herrmann is still in his office. Cruz sticks his nose in it, calling Herrmann out for the slow decision. It doesn’t help that Mouch is using the table in the break room to do his paperwork.
Then we get to meet the problem firefighter, Sal Vasquez. Pascal shows him around, and then Vasquez gets to meet Kidd in the locker room. The arrogance is clear from the start, and Kidd is not impressed. A call stops them from chatting, giving everyone a chance to see what Vasquez is like as a driver, with Herrmann and Ritter both agreeing that he’s a little heavy on the peddle. If only that was the only issue he’ll have!
The call is at a gas station, where there’s a car on fire barrelling down the road. Before getting the order, Vasquez pulls a U-turn and heads after the burning truck, while Squad 3 deals with the situation at the gas station.
An update about Carver and Damon in Chicago Fire
There is an injured woman there, with the attendant sharing that two men tried to rob her and got away. One of the men got in the truck, and he certainly hasn’t made it judging by those burn marks on him! The second guy got away on foot, but it doesn’t take long for Severide to take him down.
What Firehouse 51 wants to know is where PD is. They turn up late to the call, and it’s just the first sign of an issue that Chicago is about to have.
Back at the firehouse, we get the Carver update that we need in the Chicago Fire season 14 premiere. Violet shares with Novak that she hasn’t heard from Carver since he moved. The two agreed that they wouldn’t contact each other so that Carver could get the fresh start that he needs. That is not the update that we wanted!
Meanwhile, Ritter shares that Dwayne has moved to New York, and the two have been texting and calling each other a lot. However, Dwayne was supposed to show Ritter around his apartment in a video call, and that never happened. Have things slowed down already?
Then comes the update about Damon, as Michael Bradway has left the series due to another project he’s landed. Mouch shares that he’s not getting to know Vasquez because everyone he gets to know has left. Carver left, and Damon has transferred to another firehouse. This certainly keeps the door open to see Damon again in the future if Bradway’s schedule allows.
As a news report of the gas station attack is shown on TV, 51 continues to question why it took so long for CPD to show up. They’re not impressed with the new mayor, or her "talking head."
Kidd also isn’t impressed with Vasquez. When she pulls him up for making the U-turn without an order, he points out that it wasn’t like that order wasn’t going to come. In a way, I’m with him. He took the initiative needed at the time. However, his insubordination and lack of respect for Kidd is going to cause a problem.
Ritter’s exit arc is set up
Kidd is so unimpressed at Vasquez, that she asks to see his resume. Pascal is cagey about the entire situation, and we know why based on the start of the episode. I just wish he would be honest with Kidd right now. Pascal tries to turn it on Kidd about the loss of firefighters from the house recently, but Kidd can tell that something is off.
As for Mouch, he decides it’s time to talk to Herrmann about the office to get an end date on moving out. Naturally, Herrmann decides to play the sorrow card, sharing how he’s lost income because of the demotion and how he is struggling with the retaining on Truck. This gets Mouch to back off again, but how long can this last?
There’s a little bit of flirting between Vasquez and Novak, which isn’t all that surprising. I get a sense that something is going to happen between them, as it tends to do with Novak when there’s a cute boy.
Speaking of cute boys, Ritter decides to see Mouch for a favor. Is it possible that Trudy can find out what’s going on with Dwayne? It’s not that Ritter is freaking out, but, well, he is!
As Kidd looks in the storage cupboard for a shovel for Vasquez, she comes across some of the baby stuff. It’s time for Violet to come clean about what the firehouse did for them, and it’s clear that Kidd is feeling a lot of emotions about her miscarriage. Out of all the people she could talk to about this, Violet would be able to help, both professionally and as a friend. I can see this storyline taking a darker turn later on.
We do learn that after the failed adoption of the baby, Kidd and Severide decided to put the adoption on hold. How long will that last?
Another call interrupts their conversation, but when they get to the house, they find that there’s no fire at all. Instead, a man runs out of an alley, clearly shot and in need of help. As 51 starts to make their way to the man, a car rolls out and starts shooting at them.
A discussion about PD in Chicago Fire season 14
Just like the first call, there are delays with this second one. In fact, this time, PD doesn’t even show up!
Back at the firehouse, everyone discusses the entire event. Violet decides that she’s going to get some answers from a friend at dispatch, while Kidd and Severide decide it’s time to talk to Pascal. At the same time, Kidd wants to call around the other firehouses Vasquez was at.
You see, Vasquez, who was injured in the shooting but didn't tell anyone, shares that he did a turn at the police academy before joining the CFD. This is a man who likes to switch careers and switch firehouses. That’s a red flag for Kidd, and Severide debates with her whether Vasquez jumped ship or was booted.
As Kidd, Severide, and Pascal talk about CPD, Violet interrupts to share that 911 dispatchers have been laid off quietly over the last month. Now the same is happening at PD, and there are just too many calls for the people around. In fact, 49% of calls are going unanswered, and the city is doing nothing about it! Pascal isn’t happy that CFD wasn’t notified about any of this.
Back with Mouch and Ritter, there’s some scary news. Mouch has learned frorm Trudy that Dwayne was shot while on duty and he’s in surgery.
Ritter rushes off to see Dwayne
It’s not surprising to learn that Kidd made sure Ritter heading straight out to New York to see his beau. Meanwhile, Pascal asks around about anyone who could get answers about what’s going on with the city. 51 have exhausted their contacts for now, but there are a few ideas. What is clear is that even the brass at CFD have had no idea about any of this, so they need to talk to city officials.
As for Vasquez, he decides he needs medical help after all. Novak is the person to turn to. He wasn’t shot, fortunately. He just slipped on his Halligan. Oops! He doesn’t want Kidd to know since he’s already viewed as a problem.
Mouch is struggling to get his incident reports in, blaming it on all the noise. Herrmann, who still doesn’t want to give up the office, realizes that he can’t cause problems for Mouch. Rather than completely moving out of it, though, he suggests that they share it. This is a good enough halfway point. For now at least.
By the way, Mouch played his friend completely. Cruz points out that Mouch turned the report in hours ago, but Mouch knew the guilt would get to Herrmann.
Ritter gets to New York, where Dwayne is recovering from surgery. There's a look of shock and then happiness as Dwayne realizes that Ritter came for him. This has to be the way Ritter is being written out.
Pascal goes to see Annette Davis, who shares that there is a problem within the city, although she tries to blame the previous administration, just like so many do in real life. As Pascal says, it doesn't matter who created the problem, and it's all about solving it. She says that something is being done about the current situation, but he isn’t going to like it. I’m sure we can guess!
Firehouse 51 will get a lot more calls
Pascal returns to Firehouse 51 to share what the city is doing. There are changes come to the firehouses, with some of them shutting down every now and then. There will also be a reduction in the rigs, with rigs going from firehouse to firehouse. While 51 won’t be closed at any point, it could lose a rig now and then. And yes, it’s going to mean longer shifts, more calls, and less time at home.
The bad news continues for Kidd, as well. She’s learned that Vasquez is a problem, but when she goes to see Pascal about it, there’s nothing that can be done. Even with the budget cuts, Pascal still won't agree to having Vasquez let go. Pascal wants her to see this through, knowing that if anyone can train this guy into shape, it’s her. Firehouse 51 is Vasquez’s last hope, and for some reason, Pascal needs it to happen.
Is there some sort of family connection here?
As everyone is leaving the firehouse for their shift, Terry meets with Kidd and Severide. He knows that they asked to stop the adoption, but he has a favor. What about fostering? This all comes off the back of them wanting to foster Natalie, sharing that not all teenagers have a safe place to eventually land. There’s a teenage boy leaving a group home with nowhere to go, but could Kidd and Severide take him in? They don’t give an answer, but what are the chances that they’ll say yes? Probably!
Chicago Fire season 14, episode 1 ends with Vasquez putting his name on a locker. It’s time for him to give this place a chance.
Chicago Fire airs on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.