10
“Telling Her Goodbye” – Season 5, Episode 16
IMDb Rating – 8.9
Chicago-Fire2Image via NBC
There’s nothing like a tense hostage situation with almost every primary character involved to peak an audience’s heart rate, is there? Well, fans were met with that very scenario in the sixteenth episode of season five when fleeing gang members sought shelter inside the firehouse, much to Chief Boden’s (Eamonn Walker) and Christopher Herrmann’s (David Eigenberg) audible annoyance.
The ensuing chaos saw fan favorites Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) shot in the shoulder, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) beaten up, and Herrmann with an apparent heart attack, leaving viewers on the verge of a coronary event, as well. Threats to the lives of Firehouse 51’s members were a constant throughout this episode’s entirety, and if that’s not enough to create a lasting impression, what is?
9
“The Last One for Mom” – Season 4, Episode 20
IMDb Rating – 8.9
Kelly Severide in Season 3 of Chicago FireImage via NBCUniversal
As a firefighter, there are hard days on the job, and then there are the days that make someone question their sheer will. For Severide, season four episode “The Last One For Mom” pushed him to his emotional limits. Tasked with watching a little boy named J.J. while a cop friend testifies in court, he’s more than up for spending time with the kid he’d formed a bond with over previous episodes. But, things go awry very quickly.
Halfway through the episode, J.J.’s (Maxwell Jenkins) mom is shot before she can testify, later dying from her wounds during surgery. Severide and the rest of Firehouse 51 do everything they can to ensure J.J. gets the best project for school, keeping him protected from the news until his Aunt can get there. But every time he mentions his mom throughout the episode triggers a twinge in the hearts of the firefighters and viewers.
8
“I Am the Apocalypse” – Season 3, Episode 19
IMDb Rating – 8.9
Three doctors talkingImage via NBC
The One Chicago shows aren’t afraid to get down and dirty when it comes to covering real-world issues. These have been tackled in many ways over the years, from drug-related crimes all the way through to terrorist-level threats. For Chicago Fire, one of their most impactable episodes came when “I Am the Apocalypse” was released in 2015. The nineteenth episode of season three is intended to introduce viewers to the members of the franchise’s new show, Chicago Med. But it ended in disaster when a man infected with an unknown disease pulled the pin on a grenade in the hospital’s waiting room.
Fans were introduced to Jay Halstead’s (Jesse Lee Soffer) brother, Will (Nick Gehlfuss), as he started his first day at the hospital. His first task? Tending to the injured in the explosion. It’s one of Fire’s most memorable, given its upsetting nature, but also because it left Severide with life-threatening injuries after he selflessly attempted to tackle the man to the ground. Whether he would live or die remained unknown throughout the episode, keeping viewers gripped and worried at the potential loss of a beloved character.
7
“Sacred Ground” – Season 8, Episode 1
IMDb Rating – 8.9
Losing a character can be one of the most heartbreaking aspects of falling in love with a TV show. Fans grow attached to its characters and their relationships, as well as the universe as a whole. So, when it comes to saying goodbye to a member of that family, it makes for some downright gut-wrenching episodes.
“Sacred Ground” is arguably the most emotional of them all. Brian Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov), better known to his team and fans as Otis, was part of the beating heart of Truck 81 for eight years. He was a constant presence throughout the first seven seasons, so when his life came to an unexpected end in the first episode of season eight with his best friend, Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso), by his side, it was nothing short of devastating.
6
“I’m Not Leaving You” – Season 7, Episode 22
IMDb Rating – 8.9
David Eigenberg in ‘Chicago Fire.’Image via NBC.
The Chicago shows aren’t shy about a good cliffhanger. Although good, they’re usually accompanied by frustration and unbearable anticipation at the idea of having to wait months for answers to the burning questions they leave behind. It’s not uncommon for shows like these to have cliffhangers that’ll leave the life of a favorite character on the line, and season seven was no different.
“I’m Not Leaving You” saw many a favorite at risk when a raging inferno put multiple Truck 81 and Squad 3 members in the line of fire. A Mattress Factory blaze left over fifty workers trapped in the building’s basement as the firefighters worked to get everyone out safely. But pressure continued to build, and the blaze worsened, ending the season with a prolonged shot of a pressure meter climbing and a horrendously unnerving whistling as the screen faded to black.
5
“Going to War” – Season 7, Episode 2
IMDb Rating – 9.0
