The One Chicago 2025 Crossover Event Cements The Franchise's Greatest Strength

Contains spoilers for "Chicago Fire" Season 13, Episode 11, "Chicago Med" Season 10, Episode 11, and "Chicago P.D." Season 12, Episode 11

The latest One Chicago franchise crossover, "In the Trenches," shows off a million different things that all three shows do well, while lacing in enough time for real characters. There's action with real, pulse-pounding stakes; there are moments of in-fighting featuring strong, principled and balanced arguments. And there's the relationships which develop between the series' characters. Surprisingly strong partnerships form during the crossover between Adam Ruzek (Patrick Flueger) and Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), for instance. But the special spotlights one shared strength all three shows usually have — their romantic couples. 

While all three programs have definitely had their romantic foibles and some missed opportunities, "In the Trenches" manages to show off three couples we actually like — Kidd and Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), Kim Burgesss (Marina Squerciati) and Ruzek, and — most importantly — Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) and Randall "Mouch" McHolland (Christian Stolte), whose connection anchors the disaster's central plotline and makes the entire story worth watching.  

"In the Trenches" spotlights exactly why romance is such a worthy focal point for all three series. Mouch has, for instance, been making a lot of career advancements lately — but he's been so distracted that he actually forgets his wife's birthday. To be fair, while that seems like something the sweet-as-candy Mouch might never do, they're in the middle of a high-stakes disaster. But when the chips are down, Mouch literally wrenches open an elevator door to save Trudy from a building implosion and her triple gunshot injury, then sits by her side while she survives two crashes at the hospital — that's true love. There's a reason why they're the best couple on "Chicago Fire."

Then there's Stella and Kelly, who have been working so hard they have no time to take a vacation. Stella tells Kelly they need to make time for their relationship — and when she gets stuck in a tunnel collapse and is nearly crushed and suffocated to death, they definitely decide to take the time for an extended holiday. 

Kim literally becomes Adam's lifeline to the outside world during that same tunnel collapse, ferreting news of what's going on down there to the surface before everyone in the car suffocates. When they're finally alone, their devotion shines, proving that they top the list of couples on "Chicago P.D." Once again, the One Chicago world proves that sometimes love really is all you need.