Chicago Fire season 13, episode 8 recap and review: "Quicksand"

The Chicago Fire season 13 fall finale did not disappoint. It had a mixture of drama, humor, and tension. We also got a little more of Pascal and his wife!

Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from Chicago Fire season 13, episode 8

The episode promised us a few things. We’d see Carver look after a dog, Mouch and Herrmann got ready for their officer tests, and there was a little more about Pascal and Novak.

Let’s just start with the dog. Carver may end up getting one of his own. He quickly stepped up to look after the dog of one of the patients on a call, knowing that there was nobody else to look after him. One of the best things was getting a mention of Tuesday. Ritter shared that Tuesday used to hate leashes and would get into trouble at the firehouse, which was why he had to leave her home. The show hasn’t been the same without Tuesday, so just a mention of her was perfect.

Well, maybe we’ll get a new firehouse dog through Carver. He learned a bit about compassion and unconditional love. This could be just what he needs to deal with his loneliness.

Mouch and Herrmann prepare for the officer tests in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 8

The new episode focused a little on Mouch and Herrmann getting ready for their respective officer exams. They even went through their plans for Herrmann to take the chief exam and then get Pascal’s seat. That would open Engine for Mouch to be the lieutenant there.

The needed to find a way to take their minds off the exams, and it led to Kidd giving them her paperwork that she needed to complete. Kidd also mentioned that Severide was in Michigan on a case, but that he would be coming back early, so there’s no need to worry there. Kidd was just dealing with a build up of paperwork, but it looked like Mouch was the one left with it. Kidd is organized with all her notes.

Herrmann got out of it thanks to Monica Pascal turning up at the firehouse. It’s the first time we’ve seen her here, and everyone in the firehouse was immediately shocked to meet her. Hopefully, we’ll get to see more interactions considering how much of a family Boden and his wife became at the firehouse and how much Cindy is a family member at the firehouse.

This was a great chance to see some growth for Monica and Dom, though. They’ve seemed so toxic up to this point, but we get to see the love that is there between them. Dom wants to keep Monica safe, but he’s going about things the wrong way. As he realizes he needs to soften up a little, he gets her the card for the training place the CPD goes to so she can learn how to handle a firearm. She may not actually want this, but she does appreciate that Dom is finally listening to her.

Novak reacts on a call in Chicago Fire

We haven’t seen Novak react too much to the negative things she’s seen on calls. She can usually just brush it off and get on with her day. That was until the Chicago Fire season 13 finale. One call was too much, and it wasn’t the man with the mangled leg!

She and Violet were called for a wellness check. As they forced their way into the apartment, they found out they were blocked by a man hanging from the ceiling. The two quickly got in and got him down. He was still alive, and while Violet was able to get to work on helping him, Novak screamed angrily at him. She couldn’t help but chastise him for his actions.

It’s clear that this is a personal matter for her. She struggles to open up to Violet, and it’s actually a talk with Pascal that leads to her eventually opening up. Novak takes a trip to the house she grew up in, with the woman living there giving a solemn smile when she learned Novak was one of the “Novak children.”

I think it’s clear that she lost a brother to suicide. It’s something that haunts her, and now she’s turning to Violet for some support. Firehouse 51 can be difficult for some to get into as they shift to accepting this family. We’re seeing that shift for Novak now.

Ritter struggles to deal with the next step

This episode certainly needed some comic relief, and Ritter was the one to offer that. He shared that he and Dwight were talking about their relationship, and they agreed to moving in with each other. Only Ritter didn’t really want to do that. He likes his space, and he’s worried that things will take a turn for the worst if they do move in.

I appreciate that Ritter loves his space. There’s nothing wrong with not wanting to take that next step. Quite honestly, I couldn’t see myself living with someone again. I love my own bed, and I don’t even have to share a bunk room with a bunch of firefighters.

In the end, Kidd and Carver encourage Ritter to head over to see Dwight. We don’t get to see how that conversation went, so I’m hoping Dwight understood.

Cruz is threatened in the Chicago Fire season 13 fall finale

Of course, we knew that there would be trouble for Cruz in the episode. He got a bullet placed in his locker, and then there was one placed on his car. At first, he thought it was a joke from Tony and Capp, but it soon turned out to be something much more serious.

His brother, Leon, turned up with word that someone from their past was out of prison, getting early release. This person is now after Cruz, and it’s a person who could lead to Cruz getting in some serious trouble with the law (and with the gangs in Chicago!).

We’re left with a cliffhanger, though. Will Cruz turn to someone for support or try to deal with this alone when the series returns?

Chicago Fire season 13 returns on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 9/8c on NBC. Catch up the following day on Peacock.

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