Severide's still dealing with the fallout of losing Anna on Chicago Fire Season 5 Episode 21, but that doesn't mean he's not working hard. Instead of going on a bender this time, it seems he's decided to take out his frustrations on newbie Jason Kannell. 

But is everybody tiptoeing around him really for the best? Kelly's at his best when he's taking care of somebody else's problem, so maybe Joe should have told him about his problems with the brass. For Kelly's sake. And for Kannell's. 

I understand where Joe was coming from, of course, keeping it off his CO's plate. It's just that Severide doesn't take well to being coddled. It just makes him more difficult. 

And it's not like Cruz was really thinking everything through rationally anyway. Does he ever? It seems rare in his own life. Really, these guys could all use a few good sessions with Dr. Charles. 

This is a firehouse. It's not group therapy.

Severide

• Permalink: This is a firehouse. It's not group therapy.

Maybe Joe can spend some of his new found free time looking up scholarships for Leon so that he's not carrying the entire load himself. I'm pretty sure writing an essay about how you escaped gang life and ended up in college could win you some grant money.

It is more than a little crazy that he was suspended for doing his job. Even if it hadn't been his job, if he'd just been a patron, the guy who was threatening to sue was clearly in the wrong. I'd want an investigation into this new "streamlined" method!

As for optics, if you can't spin that story into "Local firefighter hero on job and off," than you have no business being in PR. And the legal counsel shouldn't be concerned with optics anyway, just if the case has merit in court. Which it didn't. 

What does this guy have against firefighters? We're lovable heroes!

Mouch

• Permalink: What does this guy have against firefighters? We're lovable heroes!

I don't want to hate too much on the idea of Joe's suspension, because it could have been an interesting three or four episode arc, but it just turned into a sloppy way to introduce Mouch's potential retirement.

Which came out of nowhere. I mean, he hasn't even had an bad injuries lately! 

It's hard to believe that Christian Stolte will be leaving the firehouse anytime soon. Mouch is (almost literally) a fixture at 51, and ties Fire together with Chicago PD by virtue of his marriage to Trudy. Besides, if he's going to leave, I can't see him selling gas detectors.

Though I could see him going to work for the Union full time...which would have the added benefit of keeping him around the house from time to time. 

While Mouch's retirement seems hard to believe for reasons having to do with the real world and NBC trying to keep a franchise going, I was absolutely floored by the revelation that Papa Dawson is retired and  broke.

First of all, he seems plenty young enough to still be working. The only way retirement makes sense is if he was a cop like Antonio, but then how would they have afforded that lavish anniversary party every year?

Hotel ballrooms ain't cheap.

Continuity issues aside, I'm less worried about him, and more worried about how this will impact Fire's OTP. They're just getting back on track after losing Louie; somehow I don't think that having Gabby's father to stay is going to be a breeze. At least Matt has two jobs to escape to. 

I'm glad that we're finally getting some stories involving politics and other alderman, but why oh why was Daniel Eric Gold cast as some kind of sociopathic power grabber? I'm glad he's got work, but I just can't see him as anything other than Ugly Betty's ex-boyfriend.

Despite the confusing casting,I really hope that this is setting up an arc for next season, not just for the finale. Or may I once again pitch a Chicago City Hall spin-off to anybody from NBC or Dick Wolf's office that may be reading? Anybody want to second that idea?

We'll find out if this will be a one off or something bigger  by the end of Chicago Fire Season 5 Episode 22 ("My Miracle"), because somehow Casey has the time to take on Alderman Douchebag in between dealing with Papa Dawson being a terrible house guest and trying not to die in the fire of the decade.

It's easy to understand his frustration with Raul if he's been hanging around for two months, as Cruz's presence at the warehouse fire would indicate, but it's also possible that it's only been a few days since Mouch still hasn't made a decision about retirement.

I've seen you handle plenty of stressful situations, Joe, and this, this is when you shine.

Mouch

• Permalink: I've seen you handle plenty of stressful situations, Joe, and this, this is when you shine.

You can watch Chicago Fire online and see if you can figure out the schematics for that coat dryer -- seems like a great Kickstarter! 

Remember, we want to hear your thoughts on "Sixty Days," so tell us: Do you think Joe's suspension was justified? Should Mouch retire? How do you like Papa Dawson blew his savings?

Elizabeth Harlow was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the organization in October 2018.