Spoilers ahead for the second episode of Chicago Fire Season 9, called "That Kind of Heat."
The big romance of Chicago Fire for the first six seasons was between Dawson and Casey, and they seemed like the permanent power couple of the series right up until Season 7 returned without Dawson on board. The grand Dawsey saga has left me feeling weird about Casey and Brett from the moment they started looking at each other a little too long to be fully platonic, and "That Kind of Heat" has me wondering if Fire is trying to turn Brettsey into Dawsey 2.0.
In fact, there was one scene in particular that sent me flashing back to Dawsey days gone by. After an episode of lingering glances and loaded moments following a near-death experience for Brett (and a pretty epic leap from a moving firetruck from Casey), Casey showed up at Brett's apartment unannounced, and all it took was one big impulsive kiss for them to wind up making out inside in no time at all.
It's almost exactly how Chicago Fire hooked Dawson and Casey up back in Season 2. While the rest of the episode following the first kiss definitely wasn't something that Dawsey ever did, that scene left me comparing all things Brett/Casey to Dawson/Casey.
I may as well admit now in case it's not already apparent that I've never been a big fan of the idea of Brett and Casey turning romantic, based at least somewhat on how they look kind of similar to each other, and Brett was literally instrumental in Dawsey tying the knot back in the day. Dawson's ex-husband who still loves her hooking up with her Chicago BFF just didn't feel like the makings of a new power couple.
Despite that, seeing Fire finally give Casey and Brett their moment in a way so similar to an iconic Dawsey scene really made me feel for the diehard fans of the good ship Brettsey, who at least deserve romantic scenes that aren't reminiscent of what Casey had with Dawson. If Fire is or was going to give them a serious shot at romance, Dawson either needs to be directly addressed or left out entirely, and it felt for a while like Casey's rendezvous with Dawson in Season 8 was going to be forgotten.
After Brett got her brief moment of happiness at finally seemingly getting Casey, everything came falling down and it became clear that Chicago Fire is definitely not leaving Dawson out entirely. Brett bravely asked Casey what he would do if Dawson came back right that moment and asked him to leave with her, and Casey couldn't lie and definitively say that he had fully fallen out of love with Dawson. Maybe I should really be asking if Casey is the one trying to recreate Dawsey!
Honestly, this roadblock for Brett and Casey might be for the best, at least for now. Dawson was an issue that was bound to come up between them, and better for it to happen now than for it to happen the next time there is a possible reappearance from Monica Raymund, who didn't rule out reprising her role. They haven't crossed any points of no return, and Brett turned Casey away without even knowing about what happened during his night with Dawson in Season 8.
If Brett and Casey do manage to overcome the not insignificant issue of Casey still loving Dawson, then they have a shot at a strong, open, and honest relationship. As much as Chicago Fire hasn't won me over to Brett/Casey, I can see myself getting on board if they're able to move past the Dawsey past rather than Brett and Casey just ignoring it on the chance that the Dawsey theme doesn't start twinkling over the soundtrack again.
New episodes of Chicago Fire air on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, between new episodes of Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. hey arreET. For more viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule and our 2021 winter and spring premiere guide.
