Chicago Fire: Carver’s New Problem Is The One Chicago Story I Didn’t Know I Needed, And I Already Hope It’s Not Over

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Warning: Contents may contain spoilers for the upcoming episode titled “Born of Fire”, which is part of Chicago Fire‘s thirteenth season, and can be streamed the following day with a Peacock Premium membership.

In the episode titled “Born of Fire,” Chicago Fire offered some intriguing plotlines to follow, such as delving into Stella and Severide’s decision to adopt, discovering the nickname ‘Stellaride,’ and Mouch and Herrmann contemplating their futures after passing the CFD officer exams. A returning storyline that doesn’t resonate too strongly with the characters is Carver’s struggle with alcohol, which was subtly addressed in “Born of Fire.” However, I’m a bit unsure about how extensively this issue will be further explored given the 2025 TV lineup.

In Episode 13, I found myself at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, a significant step for me as I confessed my struggles aloud for the first time. Unfortunately, my initial encounter was with a character who proved to be far from favorable, going so far as to breach the privacy of a fellow member, Violet, by invading her apartment.

In other words, I wasn’t too worried about Carver’s AA companion potentially causing trouble because he was caught in the act within an hour. However, what truly made me feel that this type of story had been long overdue was the subplot involving Molly. Particularly, Carver found it challenging to socialize with his Firehouse 51 friends as they usually hang out at bars all night, and he wasn’t prepared to discuss why he was avoiding such places.

It struck me that Carver’s struggles made me realize that much of the socializing depicted in One Chicago, specifically Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D., often occurs over drinks at a bar. Contrastingly, the doctors in Chicago Med seem to prefer coffee and less alcohol. However, Hannah recently found herself in an uncomfortable situation when Ripley’s friends persistently pressured her about drinking.

Fire demonstrated exceptional understanding by highlighting Carver’s sacrifices in terms of lost friend time due to his commitment to sobriety. As a nondrinker, I found this portrayal particularly authentic, since it resonated with my own experiences and underscored the prevalence of socializing centered around alcohol in today’s society – a poignant observation that stood out among the stories told on One Chicago this year.

In “Born of Fire”, the storyline seemed to race ahead so quickly that I have some concerns whether the first responder drama involving Carver’s socialization issues has been put on hold temporarily. By the end of the show, Carver was back at Molly’s, surrounded by Violet and likely other friends who will learn about his struggles.

While Carver’s alcoholism may not have been completely healed through friendship, I’m hoping that the series “Fire” explores this aspect further, perhaps subtly hinting at it. The preview for the upcoming episode, set to air on NBC at 9 p.m. ET on February 25, suggests a crisis is imminent, one that will likely demand everyone’s attention. Here’s a peek:

I’d really enjoy watching Carver change his social interactions during his sobriety journey, but I also sincerely hope he gets a chance to relax a bit before the end of Season 13. In the meantime, don’t forget to keep watching for the exciting events at Firehouse 51 on NBC every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET, nestled between Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.

Additionally, you have the option to watch past episodes of each series on Peacock, including the epic three-part crossover reminiscent of the Avengers.

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2025-02-20 07:07