It seems Chicago Fire season 14 is about to undergo yet another shakeup to its cast. In an unexpected move, Dermot Mulroney is taking a step back from NBC’s hit drama and will miss an extended number of episodes as the season comes to a close.
As first reported by Deadline, Mulroney will be stepping away from Chicago Fire following the show’s fourteenth episode which is expected to air in early March. According to Deadline’s initial report, Mulroney’s final appearance will occur in Episode 14 leading to a break that will keep the character off-camera into the end of the season when “he may return.”
That’s right, there is a chance that we might not see Pascal back in season 14 following his exit in episode 14. It apparently has not been determined whether Chief Pascal will return in the final episodes of the season with sources noting that scripts for the final episodes of the season have yet to be finalized. This means there is a chance that Pascal may return before the season 14 finale, but there is also a possibility that we will not see him back before the season wraps.
Not only is Mulroney taking a step back from Chicago Fire, but NBC has already cast his replacement with Rob Morgan joining the cast in a recurring role. Morgan is set to play Battalion Chief Hopkins, who will make his debut in episode 16 and appear in four episodes including the season 14 finale.
Chief Hopkins is sure to stir things up at Firehouse 51 with the character being described as having a “long, haunted past in overseeing several Chicago firehouses.” Not only does he come with a haunted past but the character is noted to be “quick to assert authority over his colleagues,” which we fear will spell trouble for the 51 team, particularly Kidd and Severide, who serve as the firehouse’s lieutenants.
Mulroney’s exit from the series is said to be driven by the upcoming storyline planned for his character. Pascal’s departure will be written into the show with Deadline teasing that “viewers will understand more about the decision and Hopkins’ overall role in the season as the story plays out.”
There are two likely options that could explain Pascal’s absence. The first is that he could get injured on the job and be taken out of commission for an extended period of time. However, given the show has already explored a similar storyline with Van Meter, that route seems unlikely. This leads us to the second strong possibility which is that Pascal will end up being suspended or relieved of his position due to the growing tensions between 51 and the mayor’s office.
After Pascal helped Mouch fight to keep his job in the CFD, Mouch’s union rep made it known that 51 had made an enemy in the mayor’s office. It would not be shocking if Pascal crosses a line that results in him being suspended, or for him to fall on his sword if it means protecting 51.
It’s going to be interesting to see how the show writes Pascal out and whether he’ll return before season 14 ends. The one piece of positive news for fans is that Mulroney will appear in the upcoming crossover event slated for March 4, which will unfold during the thirteenth episodes of the current seasons of Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago PD.