As a long-time fan who has witnessed the evolution of Firehouse 51, I must admit, I was taken aback when Dermot Mulroney joined the cast as Chief Pascal in Season 13. Initially, I thought his tenure would be brief, much like Brett Dalton’s Lt. Pelham who filled in before Stella Kidd took over. But after hearing Mulroney’s comments about Pascal not seeing his role as temporary, I’m starting to see the new chief as a permanent fixture at 51.
In the autumn of 2024, Chicago Fire embarked upon a fresh chapter in its timeline, with Season 13 marking the first time Eamonn Walker’s Chief Boden was absent from the series. Taking his place is Dermot Mulroney’s character, Chief Dom Pascal, who recently joined the One Chicago universe. Given that the firefighters and paramedics were encountering a new chief for the first time, some tension was inevitable. However, some of Mulroney’s comments during interviews offer insights into the dynamic at Firehouse 51 as the season progresses.
Initially, when it was revealed that Fire had chosen Dermot Mulroney as their new chief instead of promoting Herrmann as Boden desired, I thought Mulroney’s tenure would be brief, only until Herrmann was promoted in Season 13. Just as it seemed inevitable that Brett Dalton’s Lt. Pelham was a temporary replacement for Truck until Stella Kidd took over as lieutenant in Season 10, Pascal appeared to be a character not meant for the long haul. (You can rewatch their storyline on Peacock with a subscription.)
Based on what Mulroney shared with TV Insider, there seems to be a possibility that Pascal might yield his position to Herrmann, if Herrmann manages to clear the required tests.
It seems to me that Pascal was strategically placed in Herrmann’s vicinity following Eamonn Walker’s exit in Season 12, setting him up as a potential successor to the chief’s position. However, with Pascal now on board, I don’t envision any vacancy at the chief’s desk anytime soon. Consequently, the writers will need to address this situation creatively.
If Herrmann is set to take the lead role at Firehouse 51, it seems like Pascal might face some challenges, as it’s clear that the new chief doesn’t view his position as temporary. Showrunner Andrea Newman described Pascal’s arrival as causing quite a stir at Firehouse 51, and Dermot Mulroney’s portrayal of the character has been disrupting the firehouse dynamics rather swiftly.
Criticizing Stella over the Truck turnover and mentioning that the Truck and Squad lieutenants being married isn’t standard didn’t win Pascal favor with 51 (or Fire fans) in general, considering Stellaride already have a complex storyline without Pascal as an added complication. After I supported the concept of new characters joining Chicago Fire last season, it might be appropriate to view Pascal as a permanent addition to the firehouse instead of just filling Herrmann’s temporary role!
I’m quite curious about whether, when, and in what capacity the character of Boden might return for Season 13 of Chicago Fire. When it was announced that Eamonn Walker would be leaving before the Season 12 finale this spring, there was a possibility that he could reprise his role on a recurring basis without committing to being a main cast member again. Since Boden is still with the CFD, one might speculate that he could make an appearance and introduce some unexpected elements into the ongoing storyline involving Pascal at Firehouse 51.
For now, it remains to be seen, but unlike the departures of Dawson in Season 7 and Casey in Season 10, Chicago Fire hasn’t sent Walker away from the Windy City. Instead, Dermot Mulroney as Dom Pascal continues his role as 51’s chief in upcoming episodes on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. These episodes will be sandwiched between Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. If you’d like to rewatch past episodes of all three shows, they are available on Peacock.
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2024-10-31 04:07