For many people, TV shows are escapism. When going through the motions, many people grow attached to the characters and the storylines that unfold. They laugh with them. They cry with them. They cheer and they also mourn. However, there is one word the writers hate their work being described as, and that is “cringey.”
Unfortunately, a lot of TV shows that are present today fall into this pit and Chicago Fire is one of them. Most fans will agree there have been certain scenes that haven’t felt right with them. Sometimes it’s done intentionally but there are also times where it comes across as lazy. Here are a couple of examples of some of the show’s cringiest moments.
Boden Catches Otis & Katie (Season 2, Episode 13)
There have been many awkward and cringey moments on Chicago Fire, but one that sticks out was Boden catching Katie and Otis hooking up. This all occurred in the episode “Tonight’s The Night,” when several residents are forced to seek solace at the station after their homes are left without any power.
To get some privacy, Katie and Otis decide to hide out in the showers. However, what they don’t expect is for Boden to walk in on them just as they were hooking up. It’s not surprising that Otis was embarrassed. Out of all the people to walk in on them, it had to have been his well-respected boss. The poor guy couldn’t catch a break.
Shay’s Plan B (Season 1, Episode 19)
In Season 1, viewers saw Shay and Severide contemplate having a child together after the paramedic asked him to be her donor. The issue was, Shay didn’t have the proceeds to fund the insemination, which meant she had to come up with Plan B. As fans remember, Shay’s Plan B created one of the most awkward and uncomfortable situations ever.
Not only did she say that she would probably cry as a result of their union, but Shay also created a pretty graphic picture of what she expected. At one point, she even used the words “mounted.” It was surprising that Severide didn’t feel degraded because Shay’s plan wasn’t exactly the best. At least they found a better solution at the end.
Welch Reveals Casey’s Relationship To Dawson (Season 3, Episode 15)
Everyone knows that Dawson and Casey didn’t have the easiest of relationships. Occasionally, when the strain became too much, the pair would take a break and reevaluate their situation. This was especially seen in Season 3, when Casey and Dawson struggled to keep their professional and personal lives separate.
While fans knew they would reunite in the future, their faith was a little shaken when Casey hooked up with Chief Pritchen’s ex-wife. While fans hoped that Casey would have had the courtesy to tell her first, they couldn’t help but cringe when Casey’s rival, Welch, told her. One could easily feel the tension and awkwardness after this.
Brett & Antonio Flirting (Season 5, Episode 1)
In Season 5, another romance between the police and fire departments blossomed when Brett and Antonio started dating. However, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing as Brett and Antonio were shown to be awkward and squirmy around one another. Want an example of this? Look at their flirtation in Molly’s bar.
While the actors had great chemistry, viewers couldn’t help but cringe in embarrassment at some of the lines they delivered. Examples include: Sylvie’s “I’m a regular David Copperfield” or Antonio’s sexually suggestive “magic hands” quip. It’s not surprising that Gabby looked off-guard because it was really corny and cheesy.
Cruz’s Proposal To Zoya (Season 2, Episode 8)
There have been several great and memorable romances on the show. Fans have seen great pairings like Dawson and Casey, Severide and Kidd, Mouch and Trudy, and Herrmann and Cindy. However, if they had to choose the absolute worst, it would have to be Zoya and Cruz.
Back in Season 2, viewers saw that Cruz was quite smitten by Otis’ cousin, Zoya. The problem was, she was pretty keen on Severide and didn’t pay him any attention. That was until Cruz agreed to marry her so she could acquire a green card. Fans couldn’t help but cringe because it just made Joe look desperate. Thank goodness they eventually called it off because now he is happily married to Chloe.
Shay, Dawson, & The Nudist Social Call (Season 2, Episode 10)
Over the first two seasons, Shay and Dawson have been called out on some iconic and weird cases. In this episode, there was a little bit of both as Shay and Dawson responded to a call that saw a man stuck in a leather harness after a sexual encounter went wrong.
Already, fans were wincing in embarrassment for the man as they see the leather has cut him. The scene became even more awkward and creepy when the male participant decided to take this as an opportunity to sniff Gabby’s hair. Dawson’s uncomfortableness literally radiated through the TV screens.
Protesters Take Over The Firehouse (Season 8, Episode 19)
A lot of fans also believed the episode where 51 was taken over by protesters was pretty cringey, particularly because of how random it was. As fans know, 51 was locked down after some peaceful protesters chained themselves to the trucks in an attempt to get their community firehouse reopened. Boden was going to leave the protesters be until things escalated when they took over the common areas.
Fans didn’t like this episode because the situation was unrealistic and unbelievable. Why would protesters target a firehouse and not the alderman or mayor’s office? Don’t forget the cringey and random community video they made at the end.
Jimmy’s Accident (Season 5, Episode 2)
In the early stages of Season 5, tensions between Jimmy and Boden reached a boiling point when the young candidate decided to hold the Chief responsible for his brother’s death. As a result, he becomes insubordinate and starts defying orders. However, his recklessness ends up costing him his career when he is severely injured during a call.
While viewers felt a wave of sympathy after seeing Jimmy’s injuries, many believe he brought it upon himself. After Boden instructed the fighters to wait, Jimmy took this as an opportunity to defy him and spark rebellion by rallying the other members to help him. Fans were disappointed that he allowed his grudge to affect his judgment.
Severide Refuses Kidd’s Offer (Season 5, Episode 1)
Although Severide and Kidd have one of the strongest relationships on the show, it wasn’t always the case. In the early stages of their romance, Severide and Kidd got off to a rocky start as Kelly allowed his commitment issues to get in the way. As fans remember, Severide gave up his room at Casey’s apartment to allow Gabby and Louie to move back in.
Since he was essentially homeless, Kidd offers to let him stay at her place until he gets back on his feet. Overthinking the offer, Severide panics and tells Stella that he “isn’t good with monogamy.” Fans couldn’t help but wince at his response, particularly since it seemed to imply the night they spent together meant nothing. Even Cruz told him he could have handled it better.
The Christmas Cheek Kiss (Season 1, Episode 10)
Out of everything wrong in Chicago Fire, fans agree that Casey ‘friend-zoning’ Dawson was the most awkward to watch. From the very first episode, it was clear that Dawson carried a torch for Captain. Once Casey and Hallie broke up, it seemed that Gabby’s feelings weren’t one-sided as Casey agreed to attend a Christmas party as her date.
It did look like romance was on the cards for the two, especially since they were seen flirting with one another on numerous occasions. However, just as Gabby attempted to kiss him, Casey rebuffs her by going for her cheek. While Casey was trying to be respectful because she was tipsy, Dawson takes this as a rejection and storms off. It seemed a little childish when she wouldn’t let him explain himself either.
