In many TV seasons, there’s an episode that exists largely to complete the bigger picture. These episodes push along the overarching plot and character arcs but don’t have anything memorable happening in them. The “filler episode” can still be great even if it doesn’t stick in the viewer’s mind, though, and that’s the case with Chicago Fire Season 12, Episode 7, “Red Flag.” There’s not a single scene that will go down in the NBC show’s history — but fans can clearly see what’s coming around the bend.
“Red Flag” sets up some new dynamics and plot points that will be relevant in the remainder of the season. Hanako Greensmith gets to take center stage and delivers with her extra screen time. And the case of the week is entertaining enough, as Kelly Severide gets himself into yet another action-packed spot of trouble. But by One Chicago standards, it’s a pretty tame episode because it’s building to a larger payoff.
Chicago Fire Gives Violet Another Nemesis
One More Character Has Their Sights Set on Firehouse 51
The main plot in “Red Flag” goes to Violet Mikami, because everyone has been waiting to see who Violet will be partnered up with since Sylvie Brett got married and moved to Oregon. Chicago Fire introduces Jared Lennox, who seems like a perfectly average paramedic until he starts talking. Lennox questions Violet’s decision-making at the fire of the week and the remainder of the episode cycles through all the reasons why. Is it really that his old Paramedic in Charge let him have more input? Is he a sexist who has problems taking orders from a woman? Or is he a villain in disguise?
The plotline is carried by Hanako Greensmith’s performance as Violet; it’s pretty amazing to see how she’s grown from a guest character a few seasons ago to now being Chicago Fire‘s incumbent paramedic. Greensmith conveys Violet’s annoyance very well, but in order to confuse the audience as to Lennox’s true intentions, sometimes the writing gets awkward. For example, Violet and Stella Kidd theorizing that Lennox might be sexist feels like a big leap to make, simply because Lennox’s former PIC was a man. It’s equally possible that he’s just a jerk… which winds up being the case.
Lennox is essentially the Frank Grimes of Chicago Fire. He doesn’t understand how Firehouse 51 is operating by its own rule book — and he’s not entirely wrong. 51 has always done things its own way, and as such, they often come into conflict with other members of the department. The problem with Lennox is how he handles the situation: choosing to file complaints, including one against Violet, after a single shift on the job. And it also creates another problem for the show: audiences have seen 51 fighting to defend itself before. What’s going to make this time feel different? But if nothing else, this will mean more screen time for Greensmith — and Wesam Keesh is a pretty good addition to the show, for as long as he gets to stick around.
Chicago Fire Sends Severide to the Rescue Again
Taylor Kinney’s Hero Helps a Family in Need
Another concept Chicago Fire fans will be familiar with is Kelly Severide being an action hero. Taylor Kinney’s fan-favorite character regularly winds up in life-threatening situations, whether he’s protecting himself or someone else. In “Red Flag,” he becomes the protector for a young woman named Maya — after he learns that the money found at the fire scene was cash that Maya was holding for a dangerous group called GK-13. Needless to say, the bad guys want their currency back, and throughout the episode Severide does everything he can to keep Maya safe. He protects her from a drive-by shooting and the efforts of some overzealous Chicago cops. (It’s always interesting how the police are portrayed so well on Chicago P.D., yet many of the generic cops who appear on Chicago Fire are terrible people. It’s almost like watching two separate departments.)
This subplot concerns figuring out where the rest of the money is and keeping it from falling into the wrong hands. Severide eventually learns that Maya’s grandmother knew about the stash all along, and she tells him about using some of the funds to bail out her grandson and get the whole family away from Chicago. Lo and behold, the final arson report claims that the missing money is gone — and Maya and her family have disappeared. This is Severide doing the right thing even if it’s in a grey area, which is one of his defining characteristics, and so it’s no surprise that Kinney is spot-on with his performance. But what happens in “Red Flag” is basically Tuesday for Kelly Severide. It’s exciting enough, but nothing out of the ordinary.
Is Chicago Fire Foreshadowing the Rest of Season 12?
Episode 7’s Cliffhanger Isn’t the Only Unresolved Point
While “Red Flag” tees up the battle of Lennox and Paramedic Chief Robinson against Firehouse 51, that’s not the only storyline that it moves forward. Darren Ritter gets a new love interest as Chicago Fire continues to develop Ritter — but here again, the writing is awkward in order to stretch out the plot. The audience spends the whole episode thinking that a firefighter filling in for Gibson is possibly homophobic, only for it to be a whole lot of nothing when the duo finally talk to one another at Molly’s. Ritter’s real concern is that the man he spent the night with is a cop, and he’s worried about how being a “cop lover” will be perceived. (Kudos to the writers for working in a reference to the marriage between Ritter’s mentor Mouch and Trudy Platt, who are rightfully described as “OGs.” Mouch is actually at the heart of the episode’s only glaring weakness — his story about getting a parking ticket feels like it’s jammed in to provide comic relief, but actor Christian Stolte sells it with his total commitment to Mouch’s misplaced indignance.)
The whole subplot feels like it could’ve been resolved in five minutes, but that can be overlooked since Ritter is getting more development. With the departure of Alberto Rosende as Blake Gallo, and with Violet’s storyline now being focused on her promotion and whoever her new partner turns out to be, Ritter needs something to do. He’s an underrated character who still has a lot of potential. “Red Flag” sets him up for something new. That’s why the episode is still worth watching. There aren’t any surprises in the story, regardless of how shocked Violet is when Boden tells her about Lennox’s many complaints. But there are points here that are obviously going to grow into bigger things as Season 12 continues. The show just needed an episode to lay the groundwork.
