Who is the new chief on ‘Chicago Fire’?

Season 13 of Chicago Fire kicked off on Wednesday Sept. 25th 2024 with all the smart and tough characters fans have loved for years. But it would be dull if a new season premiered without at least a few shifts, and viewers are curious to learn more about the new chief at Firehouse 51.

As Chicago Fire was the first Chicago TV show, every episode gives the necessary backstory for the other spinoffs, but it’s also worth watching thanks to the unforgettable characters that feel so real. Since Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) left Chicago Fire, fans have been waiting to meet the new chief. Now the time has come, so let’s find out more about him!

The new Chicago Fire chief, explained

According to NBC.com, the new chief on Chicago Fire is Chief Dom Pascal, played by Dermot Mulroney. NBC.com explained a few details about Mulroney’s character: he and his wife are separated, and he has a happy attitude. It also sounds like he knows exactly what to do in a crisis, which is of course necessary in a job like this one. He is also from Miami.

From a detective in Scream IV to a dad who is Jess’s love interest on New Girl, along with a creepy reporter on American Horror Story: Cult, Mulroney’s career has been unpredictable and fun to follow along with. Since he is as comfortable on a sitcom set as he is when starring in a scary project, he’s a great choice as the new chief on Chicago Fire who can approach chaotic situations with ease and a smile.

But even though Chief Pascal has been described as an optimistic character, it’s never simple when a new boss comes around. Mulroney told Us Weekly that Pascal has “new rules” and is “extremely moral.” He also explained that his Chicago Fire character is “gonna lay down the way he sees that things should go.” That sounds terrible for the other characters… and great for fans of the procedural.

Since Bowden was the chief from seasons 1 through 12, there are likely to be growing pains as everyone gets used to having a new person around. Even if your new manager is a total sweetheart, every leader instills a different kind of dynamic in their team, from joking around to being more serious. On a show like Chicago Fire, everyone takes such pride in their work that it can be tough and complicated when a new authority figure comes in and tells them what they should be doing.

It’s also a good idea to give Chief Pascal a complex and emotional personal life. While it would be exciting enough to watch him running Firehouse 51, it will be even more interesting to find out why he and his wife split up and if there’s any hope of them getting back together. Pascal is a fascinating new addition to Chicago Fire and while viewers miss Bowden, Deadline reported that he will be a recurring cast member at some point instead of a main one. It would be fun to see Bowden visit his old colleagues and see what he thinks of Pascal.