Chicago Fire's highest rated season 13 episode (so far) might surprise you

Chicago Fire has had an interesting season 13. The show has gone through lots of changes, be it the arrival of Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) or the departure of Jack Damon (Michael Bradway). It hasn't been the highest rated in terms of fan reception, but season 13 has seen a steady uptick in IMDb scores as its worn on.

This is a positive sign, given that the two lowest rated episodes of the season were the first two. Most of Chicago Fire's current season has floated around the high 7s in terms of user score, but there is an episode that has stood out from the rest for positive reasons. Fans have given this episode an 8.1 on IMDb, making it the only episode from season 13 to cross the 8 mark (so far).

"Through the Skin" is the most acclaimed S13 episode

The episode in question? "Through the Skin." The episode a nice change of pace from the three that preceded it, as the aforementioned Damon had been transferred, and the focus was placed back on the characters that fans have come to know and love.

Violet Mikami (Hanako Greensmith) took center stage, and effectively put her career on the line to perform a C-section on an unconscious women. It was one of the most surprising developments of the season thus far, and it showed the extent of Violet's dedication to doing her job right.

She was reprimanded and nearly canned for her decision, but it ultimately worked out, and lives were saved. Another reason why "Through the Skin" scored so high with fans, though, was the emphasis on the ensemble.

The episode balances multiple storylines

Chicago Fire has always been most entertaining when it shuffles through various subplots, and is able to balance the different personalities that make up Firehouse 51. Violet is one speed, but then there's Mouch (Christian Stolte) and Cap (Randy Flagler), who decide to help Cruz (Joe Minoso) look for his son's stolen bike.

Again, completely different speed, and far more comedic than the Violet subplot. There's also Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), who is still dealing with the fact that his half-sibling, Damon, disobeyed a direct order. Severide is typically the anchor of the show, and while used sparingly, his presence is very much felt here.

"Through the Skin" makes a case for being the most well-balanced episode of season 13 to date, and as such, we hope Chicago Fire writers decided to attempt a similar balance in 2025.