Review: NBC's 'Chicago Fire' fails to ignite
Lots of pretty firefighters and paramedics, but not many compelling characters
- Critic's Rating C
- Readers' Rating B-
Taylor Kinney's torso is on display in "Chicago Fire."
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October 10, 2012 at 4:00PM EST Reply to CommentThe picture you chose totally cracked me up. Shockingly good looking man.
Among a season of somewhat spectacularly medium to mediocre shows this show blends right in. Not as boring as Made in Jersey (sob, RIP!) but not doing much to be something memorable.
I am giving it a few episodes for the cast I do like but it's not the easiest slog.
Action_Kate
October 10, 2012 at 4:06PM EST Reply to Comment...what is the point of hiring Jesse Spencer and not letting him use his delicious accent?
sally t So true. Had Spencer merely done a few supporting movie roles or even been on a short-lived series that would be one thing. But for the last eight years we heard his genuine Aussie accent on a iconic drama, and then he immediately goes right into a new series where he has to speak with an American accent that anyone with half a brain should realize is going to be scrutinized more than most. I'm not sure what the point was of hiring him for this role, either. Seems to me there are plenty of buff American actors out there that could have filled the role.
October 10, 2012 at 4:21PM ESTheatseeker
October 10, 2012 at 9:16PM EST Reply to CommentI usually give shows like this a shot because I'm a paramedic working in a firehouse and I get a kick out of seeing my job on screen. I can say unequivocally that of all the fire-rescue shows I've ever seen (Third Watch, Trauma, Rescue Me, more that I can't remember the titles of), this is by far the most laughably unrealistic and inaccurate one of the bunch, from both a fire and a medic perspective (but especially the medic stuff--GOOD GOD NO). I sat through the pilot like Dwight Schrute in that scene where Jim is faux-recounting the plot of Battlestar Galactica. Horrible. Just awful.
Beyond that, it's a crappy show with crappy writing and crappy acting, so yeah, nothing to see here, move right along.
Prettok
October 11, 2012 at 12:20AM EST Reply to CommentHow is Eamon Walker's Chicago accent?
quicksloth
October 11, 2012 at 12:46PM EST Reply to CommentBefore I learned Eamonn Walker is in this, the inept commercials NBC has aired gave me zero reason to want to watch. It looks like the same tired, hamfisted, shallow tripe we've been subjected to over and over from the various networks. Now that I know Eamonn Walker is in it, I'll give it a shot but this review gives me reason to believe it will be a wasted hour. In any case, as ever, the fault is with viewers since they rarely fail to support idiotic nonsense about pretty cops/doctors/FBI agents/etc. while systematically ignoring virtually anything with a hint of complexity or ambiguity.
November 23, 2012 at 4:33PM EST Reply to CommentWrite a comment...me and the wife both enjoys Chicago fire
Me
January 5, 2013 at 2:36PM EST Reply to CommentI love Chicago Fire. I watch it every week. It's better than a lot of the other crap on television. Maybe it improved overtime (I never saw the beginning episodes)...or maybe Alan Sepinwall is too shortsighted and egotistical to know what unfolds as good storyline and what holds an audience or not.
Jayneisthebest
February 4, 2013 at 6:01PM EST Reply to CommentI love the show, i watch it every week. Its a lot better than a lot of other shows. Just because you don't like it doesn't mean others don't. And since when does a show have to be realistic to be good? (aka Walking dead?!?, Any soap opera, ect ect).
Firefighter
March 6, 2013 at 4:29PM EST Reply to CommentI think Chicago Fire has improved quite a bit since the first few episodes. I am a full time firefighter and so I can see where the errors are when it comes to how the medicals are performed and also any of the other runs they have. But I still enjoy the show and also the publicity that our profession gets with this show. The only ones who really see the errors are those of us who know better, and I just take this as a chance to think about what I would ACTUALLY do in certain situations that are depicted here. All in all, I think it's a better show than most of the other trash out there.
PayJay1 I like the show. Sure it could use some work but tv isn't what it used to be. There is some believable character development and I don't think you should totally trash the series just because it's not like some of the others. Because to be frank some of the other shows you've compared it too aren't that great themselves. All I'm saying is don't cast or off completely until you've seen it.
May 13, 2013 at 7:26PM ESTPayJay1 Sorry didn't mean to put that as a reply lol wrong button.
May 13, 2013 at 7:28PM EST