An apartment fire linked to a case of rape and attempted murder calls for members of the CPD to team with the Special Victims Unit, which had a similar unresolved case that has eluded them for more than 10 years. This prompts Sgt. Benson to come to assist with the investigation. Doubts among the squad towards one of their own causes Severide to lay down the law and Dawson puts her life on the line during a call.
It's easy to understand why NBC enjoys producing crossover events between Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Law & Order: SVU. Because they share a producer in Dick Wolf, they can easily come together. Plus, it's just fun seeing the leads of all three shows interacting with one another. It helps make the episodes themselves feel like an event that must be watched. That is simply a desirable feeling to have especially during sweeps months. During the last three show crossover event, all shows (especially the ones on Wednesday night) hit highs in the ratings. That's why the three shows will keep staging these events.However, the concepts behind each crossover can be difficult in trying to bring all three units together. These are three separate shows. Each with their own identity which makes coming up with a story that can unify all of them feel purely like plot contrivance. Chicago P.D. and SVU are police investigative shows. Those similarities allow them to flow together more seamlessly. That's why NBC has them paired together on Wednesday nights in the first place. However, Chicago Fire is the odd show out because it doesn't inherently have that investigative structure in its identity. Chicago Fire is about the characters themselves more than the procedural events of each episode. It had to be that way because fires are different than criminal acts. Yes, there is some overlap between them - namely arson. That has been the go to for bringing all the shows together for one story. Chicago Fire is always tasked with kicking things off before handing the investigation off to P.D. and SVU. That's their job. All Fire has to do is serve as a tease to what's to come in the second night of the crossover.
That is simply a structure the shows have been worked into. Chicago Fire has done a very great job in making arson a part of the characters' lives and establishing that Severide is good at handling those investigations. And yet, there still needs to be another crime that takes place that is able to bridge things between arson and the sexual cases SVU has to handled. Olivia Benson just can't come to Chicago to help with an investigation. There has to be some kind of sexual angle to it - which is a prospect that really doesn't have a place on Fire. That's what makes these crossovers awkward in the beginning.
"We Called Her Jellybean" really does act as a normal episode of Chicago Fire. There are elements and plot threads that introduce the events of the crossover that the other two units will take on tomorrow night. And yet, that's not the prime focus. The people at Firehouse 51 can only do so much to help with this investigation. Their jobs are to fight fires, save people in horrible accidents and give them the medical attention they need in the field before transporting them to the hospital. They don't actively investigate anything. So that's a narrative hurdle that keeps the Fire side of things from being as fully engaging as the P.D. and SVU parts. Because of that, this episode still includes subplots focusing on Casey's new shady construction job, the introduction of Brett's new paramedic partner and Otis and Cruz being suspicion about Rice. Those stories have absolutely nothing to do with the crossover - and are largely just keeping the various wheels of the show's plot spinning while not actually stealing the focus.
And yet, the episode does have a purpose by making Gaby a part of the main investigation that brings these three shows together. It is literally just a handful of scenes. Her assistance on determining that the fire was arson and helping the man who lived in the building likely won't be huge factors in the conclusion on P.D. and SVU. But it does give her purpose as the shared universe of the three shows is building up this massive case. Voight and Benson make appearances on Fire to establish the stakes of this horrific crime and the man responsible. It has a profound effect on them. The heads of the three shows - Boden, Voight and Benson - are able to sit down in a terrific scene in the end. But it is still just Chicago Fire handing this case off to the two police units. Fire did its part and not it's up to the detectives to actually investigate and give a fuller picture of the events surrounding this crime. It's not a perfect way to kick start the crossover. It is awkward when there's suddenly a scene with Voight and Benson Skyping each other. That in particular stands out on Fire because even though they share a universe it's odd seeing those two together without an obvious connection to some character from the show that's currently airing. That's the more problematic aspect of these crossovers which unfortunately hurt Chicago Fire more than the other two.
Some more thoughts:
- "We Called Her Jellybean" was directed by Joe Chappelle with story by Matt Olmstead & Tiller Russell and teleplay by Tiller Russell.
- Casey has been working on that strip club construction job for a few episodes now and it still doesn't feel like it has gone anywhere in terms of story. Jack Nesbitt is still a shady businessman and Casey is just finding himself more and more in a situation that he just doesn't belong in. It's actually not a very good story. It feels more like something that should be on Chicago P.D.
- The entire house is still wallowing in Mills' sudden departure. Was he actually a crucial member of the team? Because he as a character never felt all that important to the overall narrative and scope of the show.
- The new paramedic, Chili, feels like the show pushing too hard to make her feel isolated by the rest of the house. That makes things feel unnatural whenever someone interacts with her. They are simply trying too hard which is never what a show should aspire to be doing.
- The accusations against Rice feel like they are coming out of no where. The show has spent time establishing that character as a nice guy ready to get back into this line of work. He has done the job before. And now suddenly, there's suspicion that he's bailing in times of crisis? That just doesn't feel like it had natural buildup as a story. I'm just hoping it doesn't lead to the cliche story about taking less risks since he's a single father. If that were to be true, then why did he return in the first place?
- The killer's MO was very distinctive - 5'5, brown-haired nurse wearing green nail polish who he sexually assaults and then burns. Of course, it had to be that way in order to bring Benson to Chicago.
- Everyone tells Gaby that it was a good save when she rescued the guy who was going to jump out of guilt over what happened to that girl. And yet, I was waiting for someone to yell at her for being reckless and disconnecting herself from the rope. She just as easily could have fallen over too but no one wanted to be that person.
- The universe's go-to connection when it comes to these crossovers has been the Dawson siblings. That has been a great bond between the two shows because both are great characters. And yet, isn't it about time that some of the other characters have formed bonds and friendships? Remember when Severide and Lindsay dated? Now they no longer exist in each other's orbits which feels weird. Benson and Voight have a friendship and that has meaning. Why can't other characters have that connection as well so the shows don't have to rely on Gaby and Antonio all the time?
