Why does One Chicago have an issue with pregnancies onscreen?
Anyone who tunes into the trifecta of shows knows that a pregnancy rarely pans out for any of the main characters. The issue often extends to secondary and supporting characters as well.
One could argue that the heroes of this franchise have demanding, stressful jobs, and pregnancies falling through or avoided are a part of that, but real people in the same situations adapt to them every day.
Stellaride Hits a Milestone, Just Not How We Expected
Stellaride fans have longed for this couple to get back on track, fall into sync with one another after a series of contrived plot devices that challenged them, and focus on the next step of their lives together.
By Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 12, the hour delivered something many fans desired for this couple: an agreement to start a family.
It was an illuminating hour that introduced Stella’s cousin/pseudo-brother, Cole, and some much-needed background about Stella’s family life and childhood.
As a young child, she lost both of her parents, moved in with her aunt, and subsequently helped that aunt through post-partum depression while helping raise the younger kids.
Stella stepped into a maternal role early on in life, and we’ve seen how she’s transferred that to other scenarios, such as her Girls on Fire mentorship program.
She’s prime for motherhood, as long as she desires it, and it seems she’s in the perfect place in her life and relationship with Kelly to want children.
The exciting revelation veers toward predictable territory when she shares that she doesn’t want to endure a pregnancy. Stella wants to pursue adoption and provide a child (or children) with the love and support she found and experienced growing up as an adoptee.
Stella Choosing Adoption Makes Sense for HER But is Frustrating Because of the Franchise
Here is the thing — for Stella, the arc makes sense. Stella has also witnessed and worked with many children and teens who may need a loving, stable, supportive family.
Stella also is in her prime as a firefighter lieutenant and a pregnancy wreaks havoc on the body and would sideline her in the field and her career for nearly a year.
If anyone is an organic fit for an adoption storyline, it’s Stella. However, the issue is that Chicago Fire has never tried to showcase a pregnancy arc for one of its main stories well.
They’ve all resulted in some form of tragedy, and if the series introduces children into the equation, it’s via adoption.
If Chicago Fire, or even One Chicago in general, ever threw us a bone with pregnant characters, it’d be much easier to embrace Stella and Kelly’s decision and roll with it.
As it stands, one of One Chicago’s most iconic couples may head down a family planning path that’s more of the same. It’s making it difficult to feel excited about this development when they’re retreading the same water we’ve seen time and again.
One Chicago’s Adoption Arcs are Redundant
There is nothing wrong with adoption; the entire One Chicago franchise has emphasized this since its existence.
These adoptive stories onscreen and with such diversity are beautiful, and adoption tales are beneficial to depict onscreen and even to normalize and validate.
We’ve seen Cruz adopting Javi, Brett choosing to adopt Julia, Casey taking care of Ben and Griffin, and Gabby trying to adopt Louie.
Chicago Fire is up to its eyeballs in adoption stories, and that’s only the one series in the franchise.
Over on Chicago PD, their attempt at tackling parenthood resulted in Burgess and Ruzek adopting Makayla, and that’s it.
However, when allowing their characters to thrive in pregnancy, One Chicago always drops the ball. The most successful of the entire franchise is Natalie on Chicago Med, and even she faced complications and nearly died and lost Owen.
She also endured her pregnancy as a widow, but given that the series opened with a pregnant Natalie, it doesn’t feel quite the same as the other situations. Pre-series pregnancy gave Natalie a shot that none of the shows have gotten since then.
The Franchise Only Shows Pregnancies If They’re Rooted in Trauma
No one else had a fighting chance of a pregnancy, as the franchise seems to subscribe to the notion that the more drama surrounding a beloved character carrying a child, the better.
It’s tiresome and frustrating that these storylines always look the same whenever the franchise introduces them. There is very little they can do to spruce up this arc for Stella and Kelly that we haven’t witnessed already.
One has to wonder if there’s a genuine conflict with depicting pregnant characters in their respective fields.
It’s disconcerting that there doesn’t appear to be space for women to endure a full-term pregnancy, happily give birth, and continue their jobs.
The implication suggests that these women become less compelling or would be incapable or hampered from doing their jobs well if they were pregnant.
And no one considers that there is a compelling avenue in showcasing what it’s like for the thousands of medical professionals, firefighters, paramedics, and cops who successfully maintain their careers while birthing children.
One Chicago Lacks Creativity When Exploring Family Planning Arcs
One Chicago doesn’t even seize any opportunities to write in a pregnancy when one of their actresses’ is expecting.
Usually, that’s a great thing — it can suck when a series forces a pregnancy into the script when it doesn’t fit to accommodate an actress’ pregnant state.
Plus, it’s often amusing to see all the creative ways shows utilize to hide them in the first place.
However, when One Chicago opts to write stories that specifically revolve around pregnancy and repeatedly resort to miscarriages and adoption plots, it makes you reconsider any preconceived stances on hiding them.
Off the top of my head, One Chicago had beloved characters experience miscarriages three times! Each incident was more horrific and heartbreaking than the last.
One Chicago’s Fixation with Horrific, Traumatic Miscarriage Arcs For Beloved Characters Raises Questions
Gabby’s non-viable pregnancy resulted in a miscarriage during Chicago Fire Season 4 Episode 4, and it was devastating. It destroyed her and Casey.
They went on to foster Louie briefly at the end of the season, but they lost that opportunity at parenthood, too. In hindsight, Gabby had to deal with the loss of one of her best friends, Shay, a miscarriage, and losing Louie, all within the span of two seasons.
Meanwhile, April learned she was pregnant in Chicago Med Season 2.
It wasn’t by Ethan, which is what fans would’ve loved, so maybe that was through the process behind her learning that the baby had no heartbeat in Chicago Med Season 2 Episode 15, resulting in a miscarriage.
However, the series still opted for a tragic end rather than allowing April to be pregnant. On top of that, she and Ethan pursued IVF together, with the entire process driving them apart, only for it to be a total bust because of April’s fertility issues and health.
A Refusal to Show Successful Pregnancies in the Franchise is a Limited Approach to Telling Diverse Stories on Womanhood
Of course, Kim Burgess had one of the most devastating pregnancy journeys across the franchise.
She and Ruzek’s pregnancy was a beautiful way to bring these former lovers and close friends back together in some capacity, as Burzek has always been a fan-favorite ship.
It also livened up things in Intelligence. Voight, whose son died and grandchild relocated, was genuinely excited about this news.
Atwater appeared ecstatic about the opportunity to become an uncle to his best friends’ future child.
Trudy and Kim had their special connection over the news.
And none of it prevented Burgess from doing her job, although she’d likely have to make modifications as she got further into her pregnancy.
However, the One Chicago Pregnancy Curse struck again during Chicago PD Season 7 Episode 13 when Kim suffered a miscarriage after one of the most horrific beatings the series has shown thus far.
Chicago Fire May Spare Stella the One Chicago Curse, But Pregnancy Arcs Remain a Pitfall of the Franchise
It was so needlessly violent and appalling that it angers me even to recall the incident. Kim’s assault was brutal and sick, and the outrage over her miscarriage as a result was unrelenting.
Kim’s miscarriage was disturbing and a step too far for this franchise regarding the trauma they subject their female characters to, let alone the specific issues regarding pregnancy and birth.
Maybe the silver lining of Stella’s straightforward goal of adoption is that we can avoid yet another repeat of a brutal, traumatic, and tragic pregnancy.
That said, One Chicago has a disturbing precedent with this issue, and it’s as archaic as frustrating. What’s the deal?
Over to you, One Chicago Fanatics. How do you feel about the franchise’s approach to pregnancy? Let’s hear it below!