It’s hard to imagine a time when Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide wasn’t the seasoned detective fans know and love today on Chicago Fire.
But like every star within the One Chicago universe, his long-running tenure began with a single line. And for Severide, those first words instantly showcased his grit.
The cast of Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. came together in a February 2021 YouTube video to revisit their very first lines, leading to some throwback delights for the One Chicago stars. The compilation soon sent viewers into a nostalgic spiral, with many Chi-Hards reminded of their first impressions of these fan favorites. While some of the One Chicago stars had lines based on the madness in front of them — Brian Tee’s first line as the brilliant Dr. Ethan Choi was frantically requesting an X-ray — others underscore how much these Chicago first responders have grown.
Severide’s opening moments in Chicago Fire instantly captured the firefighter’s cool confidence that would soon become his hallmark.
Severide’s first line on Chicago Fire was a toss-away joke about his late best friend Andy Darden, who tragically died in the line of duty later in the pilot episode. In truth, Severide’s first scene is a moment before disaster.
“Andy makes Squad the day I no longer am in charge,” Severide teases with his fellow firefighters in the scene, getting a chuckle from his Firehouse 51 buddies.
While rewatching the scene in 2021, Kinney couldn’t help but note the passage of time — most relatably, its impact on his joints.
“Things hurt a little longer than they used to when that [line] was first uttered,” Kinney teased as another Season 1 clip showed the firefighter heartthrob with no shirt on.
Kinney’s first line was fairly simple, but it established him as someone worth paying attention to as the firefighters zoomed toward the ill-fated call.
While Fire started it all, Chicago P.D. built on the franchise’s momentum thanks to a fearless Intelligence Unit of compelling characters. In the One Chicago video, Jesse Lee Soffer enjoyed rewatching the former womanizer Jay Halstead in his P.D. debut. The detective’s first line?
“Could I please send a couple of Long Island iced teas for the ladies in the corner?” Halstead asked while ordering drinks at One Chicago watering hole, Molly’s.
Soffer broke down the scene with a smirk. “So I guess at the beginning of the show, Jay Halstead was undercover and on the prowl.”
As for Trudy Platt (Amy Morton), her first line comes after a chummy Intelligence Unit member hits her with a “good morning sunshine” while strolling into the precinct. The not-having-it Trudy didn’t waste time with pleasantries.
“Funny,” Platt deadpans, snatching the paperwork from him. As one of the most no-nonsense cops on Chicago P.D., Morton’s first line perfectly captures her beloved yet barbed sarcasm. Morton commented on how the years have softened Trudy — a bit.
“I’ve become a much nicer person and less sarcastic,” Mortan said, giving the camera a knowing look.
Patrick John Flueger made an explosive P.D. debut as Adam Ruzek, as indicated by his first line. As former Intelligence Unit lead Olinsky (Elias Koteas) visited the Chicago Police Academy in search of a passionate young recruit, he walked in on a lesson in which the students were tasked with disarming a suicidal citizen. Ruzek, well, got creative with the assignment.
“You wanna kill yourself?!” Ruzek screamed at his partner before tackling him and skillfully retrieving the gun. “I’ll do it!”
It’s as dramatic a first impression as you get, and it remains one of Flueger’s favorite memories from filming the series. After all, it charmed Olinksy enough to land Ruzek in the Intelligence Unit. “That’s actually still my favorite scene that I’ve done in this show,” Flueger said with a smile.
Don’t miss the return of all your favorite One Chicago stars this fall. Watch the Season 14 premiere of Chicago Fire, Season 13 premiere of Chicago P.D., and Season 11 premiere of Chicago Med on Wednesday, October 1, on NBC, and streaming the next day on Peacock.
