Red Rag the Bull is the sixteenth episode of the third season and the 62nd overall episode of Chicago Fire.
Summary
After a tactical error lands him in hot water, Chief Pridgen enlists Welch to help shift the blame to Casey.
Plot
At a clinic, Mouch learns that a security glitch resulted in the compromise of his anonymity as a past sperm donor, and since his donation resulted in conception, he may receive contact from someone claiming to be his child. Sure enough, a kid named Emmett leaves a voicemail on Mouch's cellphone and expresses a desire to meet his biological father. Mouch, afraid, deletes the message, but Platt convinces him in private to meet Emmett. After all, they could share an incredible connection. With that in mind, Mouch drives to the diner and spots Emmett outside... and proceeds to drive away in fear.
Back at 51, Chief Pridgen confronts Casey and lets him know he's fully aware of Casey's relationship with his ex-wife Beth. In turn, Casey goes nose-to-nose with Welch and demands he stay out of his business. Welch, not one to back down from a fight, refuses to relent and points out that Casey made the choice to sleep with Pridgen's ex, not him. But when Casey attempts to quell the tension between him and Pridgen, the interim chief makes it clear that he doesn't want an apology.
The squad responds to a structure fire and soon discovers a nearby emergency down the street. Pridgen redeploys Casey and his team to cover the rescue rather than help with the current fire, but his tactical move results in an unaccounted-for building manager - who throws himself through a window and ends up in critical condition. The firehouse finds itself under investigation for negligence, and when the investigators question Pridgen, he skillfully manages to shift blame from him to Casey. Severide overhears Pridgen and confronts Welch, who once again rejects a plea to support Casey, certain of Pridgen's victory. Nonetheless, Severide makes an appointment with Chief Tiberg to issue his official side of the story.
Meanwhile, Brett presents Dawson with an interesting proposition - a double date with her, Cruz and a cute guy from Chicago Med named Phil. After Dawson agrees, Brett finalizes plans before informing Cruz, who stresses at the prospect of going on a double date with Casey's former fiancée. Cruz builds up the courage and eventually asks for Casey's permission - and an irked Casey reminds him that he's Dawson's lieutenant now, nothing more. But when the double date occurs, it quickly veers into awkward territory and Dawson later admits that she needs a friend more than a boyfriend. Brett agrees to be there for her.
Frustrated by his predicament, Casey visits Boden for advice. Turns out the chief knows about all the goings-on at 51 - including Casey's fling with Pridgen's ex-wife. He vows to help Casey despite his furloughed status, but when Herrmann comes by to check in on Boden, Donna corners him with a surprise comment: her husband needs to return to the station. He's driving her crazy.
When Pridgen learns about Severide's statement, he warns Severide that his move could prevent any kind of future promotion, especially in the event of Boden's reassignment after his furlough. To help his cause, Pridgen pulls Welch into his office and asks him to sign a pre-prepared statement that backs his version of the events, not Severide's. A call prevents Welch from providing his signature, and he heads out with the rest of the squad. They tend to some injuries until a drive-by shooting takes the whole squad by surprise - and Casey tackles Welch to save him from a string of bullets. This moment secures Welch's decision and he refuses to lie for Pridgen... and the irate interim chief responds by relieving Welch of his position.
However, Chief Tiberg reacts with his own move once he hears that Welch's statement connects with Severide's - he sends Pridgen packing from 51. This allows Boden to return, and when the announcement comes through after the shift, the entire firehouse cheers in celebration. It's good to be back to normal.
Cast
- Jesse Spencer as Matthew Casey
- Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide
- Monica Raymund as Gabriela Dawson
- Kara Killmer as Sylvie Brett
- Charlie Barnett as Peter Mills
- David Eigenberg as Christopher Herrmann
- Yuri Sardarov as Brian "Otis" Zvonecek
- Joe Minoso as Joe Cruz
- Christian Stolte as Randy "Mouch" McHolland
- Eamonn Walker as Chief Wallace Boden.
Recurring Cast
- Matthew Del Negro as Pat Pridgen
- Kenny Johnson as Tommy Welch
- Melissa Ponzio as Donna Robbins
- Randy Flagler as Capp
- Amy Morton as Trudy Platt
Guest Cast
- Anthony Ferraris as Tony
- Kurt Ehrmann as Chief Tiberg
- Alex Weisman as Chout
- Steve "Chik" Chikerotis as Chief Walker
- Tim Ryder as Phil
- Lily Mojekwu as Veronica Harrington
- Alan Ball as Duncan
- Michael Harp as AJ
- Margot Thorne as Sarah
- Joe Keery as Emmett
- Jacquline Williams as Officer Becerra
- F. David Roth as Brent Daniels
- Grace Melon as Deirdre
- TayLar as woman
- Amanda Wells as secretary
- Nicholas Caesar as security guard
- Ulises Acosta as teenage boy