That was certainly a nail-biter.
We weren’t sure if everyone would make it out alive for the first few minutes of Chicago Fire Season 10 Episode 1. And just when it seemed like they were in the clear, Cruz was down for the count.
We really couldn’t be sure if the firefighter and father-to-be would make it out of this alive, and the moments that followed Severide dragging an unconscious Cruz out of the water were pretty scary.
Fortunately, we didn’t have to grieve another fictional firefighter, as Cruz made it out of this relatively unscathed, but while he may be fine physically, he can’t seem to shake what happened to him.
He can play him as out of sorts on the stress of planning the baby shower all he wants, but something else is going on. After nearly dying, it’s understandable Cruz would be a little shaken up, but there’s more at play here.
Cruz may have PTSD after his near brush with death, and given how often these firefighters experience life-and-death situations, you’d think it’d happen more often.
The show has never adequately addressed the mental toll this job can take on them, and I’d love it if the series delved more into that this season.
It doesn’t even have to be as open and shut as an official diagnosis, but at the very least, it’d be interesting to see Cruz confront the trauma of what happened to him in therapy.
Therapy can be stigmatized, but here’s hoping Chicago Fire brushes past that and has Cruz see someone anyway. Because even if Cruz doesn’t have PTSD, coming so close to death has impacted him.
If Cruz had died, it wouldn’t just be that he was dead. He would have left Chloe a widow and his unborn child fatherless. That’s a lot for anyone to process, especially someone who faces close calls every day.
Cruz’s job puts him at risk of leaving Chloe and their unborn son every time that bell goes off, so it’s easy to understand why Cruz would be hesitant about jumping back into a profession that jeopardizes his ability to be there for his family.
Unfortunately, Cruz’s fears won’t just go away because he wants them to. He’s going to be forced to confront them at some point, so let’s hope the show provides us with a nuanced look at the mental health being a firefighter can take on someone rather than the mess we’re expecting it to be.
Then, there’s Boden, who will sadly be “leaving” 51. Of course, leaving is in quotation marks because we all know this move won’t be permanent.
Firehouse 51 has been pulled apart so many times over the past decade, but they always manage to come back together.
They’re family, after all, and you can’t break those bonds, no matter how hard some may try.
Therefore, it seems like the first half of the season will find Boden dealing with his promotion to deputy district chief and the ups and downs that entails before some hail mary pass allows him to move the district headquarters back to 51.
It’s a storyline we’ve seen played out time and time again, but Boden’s promotion puts a twist on it, as him leaving will shake up the dynamics at 51.
It’ll be interesting to see how the firefighters handle things once Boden is gone, as they can no longer go to his office and get some of the chief’s pattened brusque but heartfelt advice.
With Boden no longer right down the hall, 51 will have to figure out what a chiefless firehouse looks like, though it may not be that long if my thinking pans out.
Boden’s promotion to deputy district chief technically means there’s an open battalion chief spot, and who better to assume that position than Casey.
Remember, Casey was promoted to captain after making an incredible save. Well, he just made another superb save when he rescued that teenage boy stuck on the roof.
So, the brass may see that footage — remember, people on the streets were videotaping his extraordinary rescue — and give him another promotion.
And with Casey promoted to battalion chief, that leads an open spot for an office on Truck 81, which would go to Kidd. I have this all worked out in my head, so now we need the writers to make it happen.
Because while losing Boden is hard enough, it would be doubly unfair if we lost Kidd too. That can’t happen.
Lastly, things were pretty smooth sailing on the relationship front, as both Brettsey and Stellaride were on the upswing. Of course, things can’t stay this way forever, as one couple will inevitably face some relationship drama.
My bet is on Stellaride as they prepare to make their way down the aisle. Kidd is 100% committed to getting married, but after a conversation with his mother, Severide may not be as sure.
His fears over being like Benny could mess with his head and make him rethink his desire to get married. That doesn’t mean that he’s not wholly committed to Kidd, but, likely, she won’t see it that way.
There will probably be some back and forth, and cold feet before the pair eventually wed in the 200th episode, which happens to be this season.
It’s a roundabout way of getting Stellaride married while still injecting some drama before their big day, but as long as they say ‘I do,’ we shouldn’t complain too much.
Some stray thoughts:
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How long do we think it’ll be before Gallo and Violet jump back into bed? They may be at each other’s throats right now, but as they say, there’s a fine line between love and hate. Plus, their side business will give them plenty of opportunities to spend some quality time together. -
I love how everyone at 51 already knew Casey and Brett were together. It’s so obvious, but it was still cute watching them try to sneak around. They thought there were being all inconspicuous, but they weren’t fooling anyone.
So what did you think, Chicago Fire Fanatics?
What’s going on with Cruz?
Will Boden and Kidd leave 51?
Will Severide have cold feet before walking down the aisle?
Don’t forget to hit the comments below to let me know your thoughts. If you missed the season premiere, remember you can watch Chicago Fire online at TV Fanatic.
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Jessica Lerner is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.
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