Parents' Guide to

Chicago Fire

By Kari Croop, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Fire drama's blazes mix with solid story, mature content.

TV NBC Drama 2012
Chicago Fire Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 12+

Based on 9 parent reviews

cal199
cal199 Adult
January 28, 2022
age 6+

Awesome Show!

This is a most terrific program. The only reason I gave it just 4 stars is because the medical aspect and even some of the fire fighting does not fit. On many occasions, these things are so badly represented and are simply wrong. I know this as a physician. Example. When Boden's wife went into labor, it's her first pregnancy and with her first contractions, she is ready to deliver. That is so ridiculously unlikely that it is a joke. On the fire fighting side, the episode where the helicopter crashed on top of a building, it was about to fall off, yet 3/4 of the copter is on the building top, so the weight is back and it should not fall. There are many more like these, for sure. Otherwise, it is a great show, very suspenseful, and usually the plots are different.
WestDundeePolice
WestDundeePolice Adult
November 16, 2020
age 11+

My Favorite TV Show is Chicago Fire the Best for Ever.

Familes should know this review of Chicago Fire is for Kids 11 Years Old or Older.
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Centering on the firefighters, paramedics, and rescue squad workers of Chicago Firehouse 51, CHICAGO FIRE picks up in the wake of an on-the-job tragedy that resulted in the death of one of their own and stirred tensions between truck leader Lt. Matthew Casey (Jesse Spencer) and rescue squad leader Lt. Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). But there's no time for blame when the city's next big emergency strikes, forcing everyone to pull together in spite of their differences.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (20 ):

The best thing going for Chicago Fire, which bears the mark of Law & Order creator Dick Wolf, is that it bears the mark of Law & Order creator Dick Wolf. But that doesn't mean it's a must-see show -- only that, if you do see it, you can expect to find a solid story and an ensemble of serviceable characters. (And, in a few years, perhaps, a multi-city franchise.)

Chicago Fire, like so many other TV series, falls victim to Beautiful People Syndrome -- the compulsion to cast actors who are more believable as underwear models than working-class heroes who risk their lives every day. But in this case, even distractingly good looks aren't hot enough to compete with the elaborately staged fire and rescue scenes that, in the end, are the real stars of the show.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the lives of firefighters and other types of rescue workers and the level of risk they assume every day. What are the real-life consequences of working in a high-risk -- and high-stress -- profession? How honestly does the show portray the downsides to these "heroic" jobs?

  • How does Chicago Fire compare to other series about firefighters in terms of violence and general realism? Do these characters seem believable to you? Why or why not?

  • What are the potential risks to having a romantic relationship with someone you work with? Are interoffice affairs as common in real life as they are on TV?

TV Details

  • Premiere date: October 10, 2012
  • Cast: Monica Raymund
  • Network: NBC
  • Genre: Drama
  • TV rating: TV-14
  • Last updated: November 16, 2022

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