Firehouse 51 just isn’t the same without Wallace Boden! Fortunately, Eamonn Walker returns as the beloved now Deputy commissioner in the Wednesday, April 16, episode of Chicago Fire. (His last episode as a series regular and last appearance until now was the Season 12 finale.)
He’s back in “Post-Mortem,” to investigate a disastrous firefight and the surrounding mystery that left one of their own in peril. Below, Walker previews his return.
How was it though to step back into Boden’s shoes, but have it be a Boden who has to question these firefighters that he cares so much about and question the person who is now in his office?
Eamonn Walker: Yes. All of those things had made an impact, and so when I stepped back in as Eamonn and I walked onto Cinespace lot and I hadn’t been on the lot since I walked away, I was like, “Oh my God, I’m back,” and, “Okay, let’s do this.” And then I went and got changed, put the uniform on — this, that and the other. And then I walked onto the set, and there was the cast and the crew and the production. There was like a round of applause and a welcoming no other. There were tears and I was very like, “Okay, well thank you. That’s a little overwhelming, but let’s go back to work. Let’s do it. Let’s move.” So it was amazing to go back.
In the promo, Boden says the night before was every firefighter’s worst nightmare. Then the logline teases that one of their own was left in peril. So what can you say about what happened that leads to Boden coming in? How bad did it get?
Oh, it’s bad. The only reason a Deputy commissioner has turned up at a firehouse is because it’s bad… The chief would normally handle this, but right now, because what’s in question is the choices and decisions you made, every officer is likely by the end of the night going to be fired. So that’s why the Deputy commissioner is there, and the fact that they’re his friends and extended family makes it doubly hard. But you know Boden, he will 
do his first job. And so part of the thing that is being played out is they want that old relationship back and Boden not allowing it to happen because the seriousness of the incident is the thing that must be played out first.
What can you say about that firefighter that was in peril?
I can say this: I’m not going to tell you who it is. Nice try though. It is a fan favorite, and that’s why this episode works so well. That’s why the writing, when the moment they sent it to me and said, “Do you want to come?” I was like, “Definitely.” Because it’s very special. The way it’s shot is amazing. It’s new for Chicago Fire. And Reza [Tabrizi] who shot this particular episode was so excited to shoot it, and when he explained all of his ideas for it, I was like, “Yeah, this is a movie. This isn’t a normal episode of Chicago Fire in any shape or form.” So I hope that you will be on the edge of your seat because we were when we were making it.
When I spoke with Dermot Mulroney, he said that Boden goes full inquisitor. Compared with which firefighters does Boden really have to specifically do that?
If you’re an officer, you’re in question because you’re the ones who make all the decisions about to save the people in the house and to make sure that your fellow firefighter come home, and one of them didn’t. One of them got left behind, and that can’t happen. And not only did they get left behind, they got hurt, and they’re potentially going to die. And we have to make sure that we know what we’re going to do and who’s responsible come morning. And this right now, this investigation is happening, the fire is still not out. The investigation has begun then — that’s the immediacy of this investigation and how intense it all is.
What can you say about those conversations that Boden had with Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo), Severide (Taylor Kinney), and Herrmann (David Eigenberg)?
They’re difficult, and they’re not wanted. They don’t want to be in this situation. They don’t want to be on the other end of Boden’s ire. You’ve watched enough episodes, you know who Boden is. And they don’t want to disappoint him either, which is always worse.
And for a majority of these people who are now officers, Boden’s taught them what they know. So it’s different with the chief, but the chief is on the hook, and every officer in that house is on the hook, and nobody knows who’s going to be there by tomorrow morning. And let’s put it this way: If this person dies, a head will roll.
Speaking of the chief, how would you describe Boden and Pascal’s dynamics? Because showrunner Andrea Newman told me it’s contentious and then Dermot called it a great standoff.
I wouldn’t say it’s a great standoff or anything like that. I’m going to turn around and say there’s a crackle between the two of them. It’s a really nice tightrope between the pair of them because in some ways, they’re very similar but at the same time completely differentnt. And that crackle is the thing to watch. It’s the thing I think will keep you on the edge of your seat, how these two tall pillars of the firehouse have to make out their differences.
But there’s only one person who’s going to win at the end of that, and that’s the person in the hierarchy, and that’s Boden if he decides to make it. But here’s what you know about Boden is he’s a very fair man, and he will only pull that trigger if you are at fault. And if you’re not at fault, he will fight for you. And so that’s what’s on the line. So what I would say is there’s a crackle and there’s mistrust, but that’s a one-way street.
