The many romantic misadventures of “Chicago Fire” characters are as integral to the show as the building fires and other dangers they face for a living. At this stage of the show’s 11-season run, ranking every couple on “Chicago Fire” can be an arduous task, simply because there’s been so very many of them.
However, not every viewer can get behind the show’s various cutesy couples with the portmanteau fan nicknames. On the contrary, multiple viewers have expressed the sentiment that the firehouse romances are a far too predominant aspect of “Chicago Fire.” In one Reddit discussion about unpopular opinions about the show, one redditor wasn’t afraid to make their feelings known. “All the interhouse dating is really weird, and most of the characters are very holier-than-thou which is pretty annoying,” they wrote. In another, similar discussion, user u/sleepy_cinderella had similar thoughts about workplace dating, and u/Tonysbiggestfirefan8 went on to wonder why the good people of Firehouse 51 barely ever expand their dating horizons. “Isn’t there anyone else out there for them to date in the city of Chicago?!” they wondered. “It’s getting almost boring.”
Some fans are bored with the firehouse romances, but understand why they happen
Though the romantic aspects of the show are a red flag to some viewers, even the fans who don’t much care for all the firehouse romance have expressed understanding about the practical aspects of such matters. According to u/pedalsteeltameimpala, Firehouse 51’s romantic antics aren’t entirely unheard-of in real life, either. “I’ve read from a hand full of real life first responders though that the inner-house dating is common depending on the house and department,” they wrote, asserting that “Chicago Fire’s” attention to such matters isn’t quite as unrealistic as one might initially believe.
Another redditor pointed out that plenty of Firehouse 51’s characters are actually in a relationship with someone outside their immediate work environment. “Casey and Severide are the lead characters, they won’t put them with some random non firefighter related person,” they argued. “They did it with Hermann, Cruz, Boden but we don’t really see much of their spouses, it’s different for Casey and Severide.”
It makes sense that the show doesn’t really focus on romantic relationships with partners who have careers outside first responder professions. After all, it is called “Chicago Fire,” and not, say, “Chicago Fire and Accounting.” Besides, the romantic aspect of “Chicago Fire” is obviously a huge part of the show that’s unlikely to go away in a hurry … which the fans who don’t enjoy it all that much are clearly aware of, as several of them specifically consider their opinions unpopular. Hopefully, they find solace in other aspects of the “One Chicago” franchise.
