Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) was the anchor of Chicago Fire for a dozen seasons. Sure, he had his personal dramas, but the character felt like an immovable object, someone who was reliable and supportive for the rest of 51. He left in the season 12 finale, with the promise of returning in a limited capacity.
You might have noticed that Boden has not returned. The character has not appeared once in the current season, despite promises being made by both Eamonn Walker and showrunner Gwen Sigan that he would still be around. It’s been a disappointing realization.
The thing is, Chicago Fire is coming up on a situation in which bringing Boden back would be perfect. At least, for an episode. The promo for “Too Close” proves that there is going to be a major loss for 51 and lots of emotional fallout.
When Chicago Fire debuted in 2012, it immediately separated itself from other Dick Wolf procedural by putting its characters at the forefront of its storytelling. While the Law & Order franchise puts a significance on its weekly cases, the pioneering One Chicago series has people like Severide, Matt Casey, and Wallace Boden’s personal arcs incorporated into its storytelling. One way to emphasize this was by establishing a regular hang-out spot, which ended up being Molly’s. What makes the bar more special is that it is owned and operated by some of the people in Firehouse 51.
Every time that Molly’s has been featured in Chicago Fire, its bar has always been manned by Herrmann and Kidd (previously, Gabby Dawson), prompting me to wonder how it operates when they are on shift. That query is answered in “Bar Time,” as we see Ambo 61 respond to an incident at the establishment and see other workers keeping it open. Admittedly, it’s quite bizarre seeing other people in what’s distinctly a Firehouse 51 hangout place, but it makes sense that business operates even as Herrmann and Kidd are doing their day-job.
When Violet Mikami and Lyla Novak find their way to Molly’s, however, there’s one familiar face waiting for them — Jack Damon, Benny Severide’s secret son and Kelly Severide’s brother. After getting fired from Firehouse 51 by Chief Pascal, he found his way back to the Chicago Fire Department, albeit in a different firehouse, where he is making his mark. As it turns ou, it was Damon who called 911 after a woman at the bar suddenly collapsed. Briefly, I worried that the incident may have something to do with how the drinks were being served, but thankfully, that isn’t the case.
Every time that Molly’s has been featured in Chicago Fire, its bar has always been manned by Herrmann and Kidd (previously, Gabby Dawson), prompting me to wonder how it operates when they are on shift. That query is answered in “Bar Time,” as we see Ambo 61 respond to an incident at the establishment and see other workers keeping it open. Admittedly, it’s quite bizarre seeing other people in what’s distinctly a Firehouse 51 hangout place, but it makes sense that business operates even as Herrmann and Kidd are doing their day-job.
When Violet Mikami and Lyla Novak find their way to Molly’s, however, there’s one familiar face waiting for them — Jack Damon, Benny Severide’s secret son and Kelly Severide’s brother. After getting fired from Firehouse 51 by Chief Pascal, he found his way back to the Chicago Fire Department, albeit in a different firehouse, where he is making his mark. As it turns ou, it was Damon who called 911 after a woman at the bar suddenly collapsed. Briefly, I worried that the incident may have something to do with how the drinks were being served, but thankfully, that isn’t the case.
