‘Chicago Fire’ season 3, episode 19 review: Would you watch a ‘Chicago Med’ series?

We give executive producer Dick Wolf a ton of credit for continuing to be so ambitious. “Chicago Med” is just one more addition to a franchise that has been around since “Law & Order” and “Homicide,” and now we’ve moved all of it over to the Windy City. Tonight’s episode of “Chicago Fire” brought us into the hospital, and gave us a story that felt at times a minute or two away from going full-on “Walking Dead.” Hey, they’ve already got Laurie Holden as a part of the cast!

What we liked mostly about “Chicago Med” was that it seems like there could be some interesting characters here, with Holden among them. We also liked the emphasis on the pace, as well. Sometimes, “Grey’s Anatomy” and hospital dramas can feel a little slower because you are dealing with romances and long-simmering stories. That did not happen here.

What worked against the new series at the same time was simply a matter of it trying to do a whole lot at once, and not often all of it was successful. There was so much going on between characters of two different shows, and when you had the possible terrorism thrown in there, this was a madhouse. We know that there was no real logical way to keep the Chicago Fire crew there if the hospital was operating normally, but this made it very hard to gauge what the actual show would be.

Best-case scenario is that this is “ER” all over again. Worst-case is that this is a misfire that is not even on the schedule next fall. We’re not sure on the future of this just yet. As for the “Chicago Fire” part of this, though, it was pretty great. You had some great story for Severide, smart use of flashbacks, and really emotional moments. It’s a little bit of a mixed bag, but we did at least enjoy the finished product … even if we’re not sure we will see the spin-off again. Grade: B.

Would you watch a spin-off series all about “Chicago Med”? We want to hear from you right away in the comments! Also, head over here to preview what lies ahead on “Chicago Fire,” or click here to get some other TV updates on all we cover via our CarterMatt Newsletter. (Photo: NBC.)