A blast from the past for Casey was never going to end with two old friends catching up of beers at Molly's. Poor Kannell on showed up on Chicago Fire Season 5 Episode 19 so that he could go through an extremely traumatic experience, get himself in deep trouble, and have Matt save his ass.

Such is the fate of a recurring guest character.

Meeting Casey childhood friend was nice, even if I'm not super into the path that story is headed down. Like Kidd, I'm much more interested in what Kannall can tell us about a certain Alderman's childhood than I am in his survivor's guilt.

We know that Matt's mother went to jail for murdering his  abusive father, presumably while Matt was a teenager. I don't recall there being mention of who raised him after that, or how he handled such upheaval.

Based on Kannall's comments about Casey being the one to inspire him to join CFD, the squad member knew him during that time. It's not tales of youthful mischief I'm after. I want the nitty gritty on that part of his life, the deep dark secrets and experiences that shaped the man Firehouse 51 knows.

Kannall: Matt Casey! Respectable guy. Officer on the CFD, happily married, and a damn alderman to boot.
Matt: Can't be entirely respectable.
Kannall: Just saying. You done good, brother. Considering the homes you and I came up in? It wasn't necessarily in the cards.

• Permalink: Just saying. You done good, brother. Considering the homes you and I came up in? It wasn't...

As for the whole tortured Jason trying to do what he thinks is noble, but is actually just insanely misguided... Like I said, I'm just not into it. It feels like a variation on stories already told. And how long can he try to carry the blame with the other squad member alive?

I mean, the guy's awake, and will be talking to supervisors about what happened soon. If he let's Kannell take the blame, he proves himself unworthy of the sacrifice, and if he doesn't, the whole arc just ends. 

Maybe if Farage had died it would make sense, but the way it stands, it's just frustratingly pointless. The point of these arcs isn't the crazy dramatic event after all, it's how the characters deal with said events and grow because of them. I just don't see that happening in a meaningful way this time. 

Family. Community. Solidarity. These are the things that sustain us through the hard times. They are also the things that make this department strong.

Boden

• Permalink: Family. Community. Solidarity. These are the things that sustain us through the hard times....

While we're at it, I'd also like to know more about Kelly's background, specifically what makes him so incredibly dense. Thank god for Stella, or he might never have put it together that Anna had relapsed.

One thing I can't let go: Where was that doorstep? I mean, it's a three and a half hour drive between Illinois' largest city and it's capitol. That's before you factor in Chicago traffic, by the way. 

But somehow I don't think that Anna went and bought (or even rented) a three story row home in the Windy City. And we can assume it's not her dad's since she was lamenting over her lack of a local support system.

The story of Kelly and Anna's relationship is pretty much a downer, what with the recurring threat of her up and dying. But I'm also finding humor in how Kelly Severide, man whore extraordinare, seems to be an idiot savant at relationships.

I mean, half the time he has no real clue as to why she's upset, but he still finds ways to make it better. 

Admittedly, he did much better this time around then he did when she admitted that she was lonely in Chicago. Ice skating is romantic, but it doesn't really address feelings of isolation that one may experience when they move to a new city for a boy.

I just want you to know, like it or not, you're loved and you're not alone.

Kelly [to Anna]

• Permalink: I just want you to know, like it or not, you're loved and you're not alone.

With the two leading men dragging us down with the heavy stories, thank god for the ladies. It may not have served any lasting purpose, but Sylvie and Gabby's adventure punishment was delightful.

I could put together a whole slide show of Monica Raymond gifs from this episode, hand to god. In fact, I was tempted to just put up all those gifs with some funny comments and call that my review, because those were the best parts.

I just adore Gabby when she's being a snarky pain in the ass She's the woman I wish I could be sometimes, except I know that in the real world, bosses don't put up with that kind of attitude. 

So I just instant message these hilarious clips to my friends and fellow Fanatics when I'm frustrated. I can't suggest it enough. It's thoroughly cathartic. 

Maybe this should be a new category at, say, the People's Choice Awards. Honestly, it takes a special kind of skill to squeeze relatable emotions into no more than fifteen seconds without using sound. 

In addition to the high gif-ability of the retraining day story, I loved that it highlighted the differences between the Ambo 61 partners. 

Their differences allow them to riff off one another, and they have an element of The Odd Couple humor (Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, all other incarnations are just wrong). 

Opposites attract in friendships just like in romance. These two women are just fantastic together.

The ladies will be back to more serious efforts on Chicago Fire Season 5 Episode 20 ("Carry Me") as they have to find an innovative solution to save a young girl. The official release actually says they "get crafty" and forgive for hoping that that's word play and that we'll see the EMT's raiding a Michael's for supplies.

The promo may have been all about Kelly and Anna, but I'm laying money on the theme really being more about Jason Kannell and Casey. This isnt officially being called a two-parter, but I think the title's make it pretty obvious it is one.

Not that our favorite new couple won't be featured. Kelly will help an widow, and of course, it'll turn out that she's really the one helping him. It's TV. That's how it works. Patients and victims always help the hero's see some vital truth pertinent to their current issue.

Amongst all that heaviness, there'll be a refreshing palate cleanser of humor when Cruz and Otis get a new roommate. Did you forget they lived together? It's been so long since we've been to their place!

I'm sticking with what I know. And right now, I know that I'm here, and so are you. And that's enough.

Kelly [to Anna]

• Permalink: I'm sticking with what I know. And right now, I know that I'm here, and so are you. And...

Don't forget to watch Chiago Fire online if you missed anything in "Carry Their Legacy" or any other episode! 

Now that you've completed the assigned reading, it's time for a little homework guys! We want to hear your thoughts in the comments section.

Let us know if you think Anna will be "cured by love" or fulfill the odds, if Otis will ever work up the courage to ask Marcy out, and what will happen to Casey's childhood chum.

Bonus points for explaining if you watch Fire for the rescues, the relationships, or the ridiculously good-looking people!

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