The 2025 One Chicago season finales aired on Wednesday, May 21st, and as is tradition, they delivered a mix of drama, cliffhangers, and emotional beats. Ranking them by how much they made me cry (a truly subjective and personal metric, of course!):
3. Chicago P.D. Season 12 Finale: “Vows”
While “Vows” had its dramatic moments, particularly with the Intelligence Unit going rogue and Voight’s intense take-down of Deputy Chief Reid (and Reid’s chilling final words), it didn’t quite hit the tear ducts as hard as the other two. The sudden murder of Deputy Chief Reid was a “jump scare” moment more than a tear-jerker.
However, the closest I came to crying was the raw, honest conversation between Ruzek and Burgess in their car. As Burgess expressed her doubts and the overwhelming feeling that everything was going wrong, leading up to their long-awaited wedding, it was genuinely poignant. Their journey has been so long and winding, and to see her grappling with such deep uncertainty right before their “I do’s” (even if they eventually happened) resonated with the emotional weight of their history. It was a great scene for a couple fans have been invested in for years.
2. Chicago Fire Season 13 Finale: “It Had to End This Way”
Chicago Fire often delivers with the emotional gut punches, especially when it comes to departures or life-and-death scenarios. While I braced myself for potential heartache with the announced cast exits (Sam Carver and Darren Ritter), the true emotional standout for me was the unexpected, heartfelt interaction between Herrmann and Mouch.
The dilemma of three officers vying for two Firehouse 51 spots led to a truly touching scene where Herrmann, ever the mentor and friend, made the selfless decision to step down from his captaincy to allow Mouch to become acting lieutenant. Mouch’s emotional protest, arguing that Herrmann couldn’t just do that, and the profound mutual respect and affection between these two long-standing, often comedic characters, was incredibly moving. David Eigenberg and Christian Stolte delivered powerhouse performances that elevated this storyline beyond a simple job shuffle. It was a beautiful testament to their friendship and a poignant reminder of their long careers.
The joyous reveal of Stella’s pregnancy and Severide’s delighted reaction also brought a tear of happiness. After the adoption storyline earlier in the season and their journey as a couple, seeing them finally get this good news was a genuinely heartwarming end for Stellaride, thankfully without a cliffhanger.
1. Chicago Med Season 10 Finale: “…Don’t You Cry.”
This one truly earned the top spot for its multi-layered emotional impact. Chicago Med often delves into the complexities of human suffering and moral dilemmas, and this finale was no masterclass in hitting you in the feels.
The primary tear-jerker was the “Charles Trilogy” storyline, culminating in the final scene between Dr. Charles and his daughter, Anna. Dr. Charles’s journey this season, particularly after his mother’s death and his struggle with loneliness and his own unresolved issues, made this reconciliation incredibly powerful. Oliver Platt’s performance, as he connected with Anna after her car accident, was truly “powerhouse” and had me reaching for the tissues. The showrunner himself admitted it made him cry every time, and I can see why.
Adding another layer of sadness was the storyline involving the terminally-ill young patient, Alea. Her tragic situation was heartbreaking from the start, but the moment she directly addressed the father of the boy whose life she was saving, passing on a message for Noah to “use those lungs as much as he can” in case she died before she could tell him herself, was absolutely devastating. Her selflessness in the face of her own mortality was incredibly impactful.
Finally, the very last scene, revealing Sharon Goodwin pouring her heart out to her ex-husband Bert, whose dementia had advanced to the point where he was kind but didn’t recognize her, was a quiet, profound moment of grief and vulnerability. It was a deeply personal and heartbreaking glimpse into Goodwin’s struggle and the cruel reality of a loved one’s decline.
Between the emotional depth of Dr. Charles’s storyline, the tragic beauty of Alea’s message, and the poignant final scene with Goodwin, Chicago Med delivered the most tear-inducing finale of the 2025 One Chicago season.
