The latest One Chicago crossover is one of the best in the franchise’s history, as it delivers a numbing and anxiety-inducing spectacle that never once lets viewers catch their breath. It isn’t often that I find myself thoroughly intrigued with cases outside of the character dynamics being established but that certainly wasn’t the case with this one.
There’s plenty that stands out, like Stellaride finally coming to a place where they can take some time for each other is incredibly important, and the angst we get prior to that (along with the adorable scene at the beginning) makes the episode that much more exciting. However, it’s Christian Stolte as Mouch, whose performance left me in awe.
Chicago Fire thankfully hasn’t killed off one of the original characters since Otis. (And I’m still bitter over Hawkins!) Yet, for a split second there, the One Chicago 2025 crossover stacks the stakes so high that I legitimately thought Chicago P.D. and, by extension, Chicago Fire would be losing a key player with Trudy’s death. It doesn’t help that Mouch forgot her birthday, which would’ve made the outcome far worse because grief is already a heartbreaking emotion and doesn’t need to be paired with guilt, too. What matters is that the episodes are so well-crafted and so thoroughly engrossing that anything was possible in the three-part TV event.
Every single performer also adds to the stakes, making every tense moment far more riveting. So when Mouch is at her bedside, begging for her to wake up because he has absolutely no clue how to move on without her, Christian Stolte makes us feel all of the character’s emotions right alongside him. He makes us ache and break for both Mouch and Trudy as this tragedy tests them (and us) in a way that makes for a great piece of television because she survives. Trudy making it through the experimental surgery and being able to remember details about her shooter is how I want my expectations subverted. With shows like this, death is more likely than survival, and today, the world is too dark of a place to witness fictional deaths, too.
Today, a beloved character surviving tells me that a show cares more about humanity and telling hopeful stories than shocking ones. Because shocking the audience is no longer as exciting when we know the reasoning behind it is simply to cause a buzz. This way, the show (and this specific crossover) acts as a significantly more memorable bit of the show’s history because it allows the characters to come out on top. It allows love to endure. It allows the choice to save lives to not only feel justified but hopeful.
I’m not naive enough to believe that it can always be this way on a procedural, but there’s something indescribably excellent about the fact that the show ensures that Trudy survives. It’s not her time. But it’s definitely Christian Stolte’s time to remind us of what a compelling, remarkably vulnerable performer he is and what a gem Mouch continues to be, especially regarding Trudy.
Now streaming on NBC and Peacock: What are your thoughts on the One Chicago 2025 crossover? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©(Photo by: Peter Gordon/NBC)