EW looks back on the NBC series’ most exciting and emotional moments.

The 20 best Chicago Fire episodes, ranked

EW looks back on the NBC series' most exciting and emotional moments.

January 7, 2026 6:33 p.m. ET

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Monica Raymund, Eamonn Walker, and Jesse Spencer in 'Chicago Fire'. Credit:

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty (2); Elizabeth Morris/NBC

Television history has a long legacy with firefighters and paramedics, from *Emergency!* and *Third Watch* to *Rescue Me* and the *9-1-1* franchise. The longest-running current series is *Chicago Fire*, which premiered in 2012 and is still going strong in its 14th season.

Executive-produced by Dick Wolf and created by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, *Fire* revolves around the daily operations within House 51.

The heart and soul of the series is Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), who’s been around since the pilot. Other key figures have included — but are in no way limited to — Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer), Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund), Leslie Shay (Lauren German), Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg), Otis Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov), Randall “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte), Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso), Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), and the man who ran the firehouse for 12 seasons, Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker).

Given its genre, the series inevitably features a lot of high-stakes action, but crew 51 is also a tight-knit family, which means there’s a lot of love and emotion, too. Here are 20 episodes that best capture the action, excitement, drama, and emotion of *Chicago Fire*.

“Never Say Goodbye” (Season 12, Episode 13)

Christian Stolte, Michael Bradway, Jake Lockett, and Miranda Rae Mayo in 'Never Say Goodbye'.

Adrian S Burrows Sr/NBC via Getty

There are two common types of episodes that pop up on lists like this: season finales and character finales. Case in point, this season 12 finale, which forces viewers to say goodbye to one of the series' most important figures, Chief Boden.

He doesn’t die, thankfully, but he does get promoted, and the episode gives him a proper farewell as a series regular. For a firefighter to “get his flowers” without having them put on his grave is a pretty big deal, and Boden earned every bit of the moment.

“Too Close” (Season 13, Episode 15)

Miranda Rae Mayo and Hanako Greensmith in 'Too Close'.

Peter Gordon/NBC

It’s a sign of how many exciting, emotional episodes *Chicago Fire* has delivered that this one only barely makes the cut, because it contains one of the most stark, realistic moments of the show’s entire run. As Boden’s successor at 51, Chief Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) had a rough road to achieve acceptance. But by this point, he’s won almost everyone over, which is why this episode's ending is such a gut punch.

Since it’s only from last season, we won’t spoil what happens, but it’s such a shocking, powerful conclusion that leaving it off the list would be an injustice.

“Show of Force” (Season 10, Episode 12)

Alberto Rosende, Miranda Rae Mayo, and Christian Stolte in 'Show of Force'.

Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

This would qualify as a memorable episode if only because the first call is for an escalator accident, i.e. the stuff of nightmares if you’ve ever dreaded the possibility of getting sucked into one. The *real *reason it makes the cut, however, is because it provides Stella Kidd with the long-deserved chance to truly shine as a leader, both on a call and on a case involving a firefighter getting the shaft from a higher-up.

On top of all that, this is the episode where Severide asks Stella to marry him. *Stellaride forever!*

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“Not Like This” (Season 2, Episode 10)

David Eigenberg and Jesse Spencer in 'Not Like This'.

Sometimes a *Chicago Fire* episode isn’t necessarily a must-watch because it’s wall-to-wall firefighting action. Here, however, we have a story revolving around the despicable Gail McLeod (Michelle Forbes) and her quest to shut down the firehouse. Needless to say, it fails. A heart-swelling crowd of neighborhood people turn up on the doorstep, parading around with signs and chanting, “Save 51!”

Turns out it’s more than just those people: 1,000+ individuals have called their senator’s office to complain about the suddenly no-longer-impending closure. After that comes the firefighting action, but it’s McLeod’s well-deserved downfall that most fans remember.

“A Coffin That Small” (Season 1, Episode 19)

Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) and his team in 'A Coffin That Small'.

The attempted rescue of a young boy goes sideways despite the crew’s best efforts. As if they didn’t feel bad enough already, they soon discover the victim had recently toured the firehouse — and loved every minute of it.

Later, Herrmann attends a fireman’s memorial service and is horrified when he notices no one set up the appropriate farewell that even a retired first responder deserves. When the young victim’s funeral happens, Herrmann realizes there’s a way to honor the child while also reminding locals what a proper fire department sendoff looks like.

“The Chance to Forgive” (Season 6, Episode 15)

Miranda Rae Mayo in 'A Chance to Forgive'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBC via Getty

What initially seems like a shooting in the middle of a house fire turns out to be a more bizarre accident: Flames reached a collection of loaded guns and ammunition and set them off. The mother of the teenager who owned the guns is shot in the back and Otis is gravely wounded, with a preexisting medical condition making the damage even worse.

Everyone’s hanging on by a thread, but the conclusion ends up being happier than you’d expect, including the start of the still-ongoing romance between Severide and Kidd.

“Telling Her Goodbye” (Season 5, Episode 16)

Eamonn Walker in 'Telling Her Goodbye'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

When a gang leader and his soldiers need a hideout after one member is gravely injured, they commandeer 51 to find someone with the medical skills to save him. Unfortunately, they’re a desperate crew, and their leader is fully prepared to shoot anyone who doesn’t follow instructions.

On the other hand, 51 has one major thing going for it: Severide is inside and undiscovered, keeping quiet while trying to figure out the best moment to strike. There are some great twists and turns leading to a shocking but very satisfying ending.

“The Last One for Mom” (Season 4, Episode 20)

Joe Minoso in 'The Last One for Mom'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

“Thank God that dog’s here.” So says Det. Bianca Holloway as she watches her son, J.J., playing with Pouch, Firehouse 51’s canine mascot and — it must be said — a very good boy. It’s a throwaway remark, but winds up holding legitimate weight as the episode progresses.

On her way to testify in a mob case, Holloway is killed by a hitman. Severide, who’d been watching J.J. in his mother’s absence, can’t bring himself to tell the kid what happened.

J.J.’s aunt picks him up, and she’s the one who ultimately breaks the news. Severide — with the tearful approval of everyone at 51 — sends Pouch with the boy when he leaves, instantly turning every pet-owning viewer into a sobbing mess.

“The Sky Is Falling” (Season 4, Episode 13)

Kara Killmer in 'The Sky Is Falling'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

The Windy City is suddenly besieged by a string of bomb threats, but in the midst of all the false alarms, a real situation emerges in the form of military-grade smoke grenades, which points to a terrorist threat. That threat becomes a stark reality when 51 goes on a call that turns into a mass-shooting event.

Yes, fires are scary, but a mass shooting? That’s terrifying on a whole different level. There are lots of *Chicago Fire* episodes that wrack up the tension, but this one keeps viewers wringing their hands as soon as the shooting starts and doesn’t let up until it’s over.

“My Lucky Day” (Season 9, Episode 5)

David Eigenberg and Joe Minoso in 'My Lucky Day'.

Adrian S. Burrows Sr./NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

When the crew goes to deal with a fire at a storage facility, Herrmann and Cruz get stuck in a broken service elevator with two civilians, one of whom was injured when the elevator initially started to fall. Their reception is so bad that no one else from 51 can hear them, while the stability of the elevator is precarious at best — and only getting worse.

The entire episode takes place in the elevator, but it never feels overly claustrophobic. Eigenberg and Minoso are hypnotically good from start to finish.

“I Am the Apocalypse” (Season 3, Episode 19)

Jesse Spencer in 'I Am the Apocalypse'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

What starts with an ammonia leak that sends a ton of folks to Chicago Med suddenly turns into a hellscape when a delirious patient declares, “I am the apocalypse!,” tells everyone they’ll be dead in two weeks because of something “worse than ebola,” and pulls the pin on a grenade.

Cue a total lockdown of the hospital as everyone tries to figure out if the guy was bluffing, all while putting out the fires (and tending to the victims) left by the explosion. That includes — oh, no! — Severide. This was the backdoor pilot to *Chicago Med*, and it’s top-notch.

“No Regrets” (Season 2, Episode 7)

Eamonn Walker and David Eigenberg in 'No Regrets'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

After a train derailment involving a truck containing liquid propane, 51 is forced to fight the fire all by its lonesome — and with a low water supply, no less. The ambulance crew has to perform an impressive amount of triage, and it doesn’t help that Shay is struggling with PTSD.

Guest star Dylan Baker plays a doctor who happens by the site and helps out, while a combat medic on the train helps rescue fellow passengers. To this day, "No Regrets" features one of the most epic disaster scenarios in the show’s lengthy run.

“Going to War” (Season 7, Episode 2)

Joe Minoso, Tony Ferraris, Kara Killmer, and Annie Ilonzeh in 'Going to War'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBC

The title of this episode is Chief Boden’s description of what's ahead, uttered as the 51 crew prepares to head inside to battle a blaze on the 20th floor of a skyscraper. With a disaster at those (literal) heights, it should surprise no one (particularly not those who’ve seen *The Towering Inferno*) that this is going to be a massive affair.

That means, you guessed it, it’s a crossover episode, this time between *Chicago* *Med* and *Chicago P.D*. Severide’s effort to save a boy trapped by flames is worth the price of admission, but, oh, that cliffhanger ending with Kidd is a rough one.

“Carry Me” (Season 5, Episode 20)

Kamal Angelo Bolden and Jesse Spencer in 'Carry Me'.

Matt Dinerstein/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

There’s a lot going on in this episode with the rest of the crew at 51, but Severide’s arc that stands above the rest. It’s a sad but beautiful narrative involving Anna and her terminal illness, which dovetails into the story of an elderly woman named Ellie (guest star Jenny O’Hara) who refuses to move out of her fire-damaged house, which is officially unsafe for habitation.

No, the ending isn’t as happy as you’d prefer — terminal illnesses rarely are — but Severide and Ellie bond over their mutual grief and bring each other solace.

“Deathtrap” (Season 5, Episode 15)

Kara Killmer, Alina Jenine Taber, and Elias Koteas in 'Deathtrap'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBC via Getty

When a fire breaks out at a multi-story warehouse/makeshift dance club and crash pad, the folks from 51 proceed with caution as they navigate through the rapidly collapsing building to rescue a bunch of traumatized teens.

Mouch is wounded in the line of duty, and one of the other victims is Lexi Olinsky, daughter of *Chicago P.D.*’s Alvin Olinsky, which serves to set up a crossover with *P.D.* and the short-lived *Chicago Justice*. There’s a gut-wrenching shot of all the bodies pulled from the building that makes this an unforgettable episode for the saddest of reasons.

“Real Never Waits” (Season 2, Episode 22)

Lauren German and Taylor Kinney in 'Real Never Waits'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBC

When it comes to season finales, you know big stuff is going to go down. In this case, it turns out the boarding school blaze that kicks off the proceedings isn’t even the most devastating call of the episode. There’s also a lot going on in the personal lives of the folks at 51, the biggest being Boden’s wedding, which — despite a glitch with Herrmann’s offer to hold the event at his church — winds up being a beautiful affair.

Unfortunately, the party ends abruptly thanks to a call for a building fire. The episode ends abruptly after the building explodes — with everyone but Boden still inside. Hello, cliffhanger!

“A Dark Day” (Season 2, Episode 20)

David Eigenberg in 'A Dark Day'.

What starts off as a quiet morning outside the hospital before a marathon — Dawson is running, Casey is volunteering — turns instantly horrific after a sudden explosion. We’re talking massive bloody mayhem here. Turns out it was a car bomb, which did profound damage to the garage and took out the ER. Even worse, Dawson was inside the hospital when the bomb exploded and has yet to be accounted for. While Zoe is looking through the rubble, she gets impaled but pretends she’s fine, which comes back to haunt her pretty quickly.

As if all that isn’t bad enough, Boden shows up and immediately recognizes the all-too-real possibility that there could be a second bomb… and he’s right, unfortunately. Fair warning: This is part one of a two-parter that concludes in the *Chicago P.D. *episode, “8:30 P.M.”

“I’m Not Leaving You” (Season 7, Episode 22)

Miranad Rae Mayo, Taylor Kinney, and Jesse Spencer in 'I'm Not Leaving You'. Elizabeth Morris/NBC

Yes, it’s a season finale. Yes, there’s a cliffhanger. No, the episode isn’t wholly without closure. Severide really gets to shine as an arson investigator, which provides him the opportunity to finally solve a mystery his late father never could. As per usual with finales, it’s the end that makes this can’t-turn-away TV, in this case a fire in a mattress factory. As Herrmann puts it succinctly to Ritter, “We’re gonna take a beatin’.”

He’s not exaggerating, which becomes crystal clear when Casey has to tell Kidd to “help the living.” As soon as we learn there’s an industrial boiler that’s about to blow, we know the closing credits are just about to arrive...

“Sacred Ground” (Season 8, Episode 1)

Jesse Spencer in 'Sacred Ground'. Elizabeth Morris/NBC

Season premieres often serve as a release after a stressful summer of waiting, but that doesn't apply here. Not only is everyone *not *okay, they’re still actively in danger. Brett’s arm is in bad shape. Otis… oh, sweet, dear, nerdy Otis. *Chicago Fire* viewers have dealt with the loss of beloved characters before — risk is part of the job — but for something to happen to Otis so soon after he narrowly avoided death, the loss is on a whole other level.

The episode also covers Brett’s country life with Kyle, a new male-model paramedic, and the reinvigorated relationship between Severide and Kidd. But it begins and ends with Otis, and it’s devastating, particularly when Boden translates his last words. That closing shot? They don’t come any more poignant on this series.

“My Miracle” (Season 5, Episode 22)

Monica Raymund in 'My Miracle'.

Elizabeth Morris/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

Another season finale, another reason to hold on tight and prepare for the distinct possibility of waiting several months for the resolution to a cliffhanger. There’s so much going on throughout the episode — Herrmann bonding with an injured kid over their mutual love of the Chicago Cubs, Mouch deciding it’s time for him to retire, Joe getting pissed off at Mouch over being suspended, Casey and Gabby getting into it over her dad overstaying his welcome — but it’s the ending that matters most.

While the team tackles a warehouse fire, Mouch has a heart attack, Herrmann gets caught inside while trying to save him, and Casey’s trapped too because of the spread of the flames. And just as Casey delivers the title-inspiring line over the radio, it’s hello, closing credits. *AAAARRRGGGHHHHHHH!*

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Source: “EW Drama”