Chicago Fire Is Replacing Another Character From Firehouse 51 With A Stranger Things Vet, But Not For The Reason I Expected

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Season 14 of Chicago Fire has already seen a lot of shake-ups, and we’re still almost halfway through the season. After losing Carver and Ritter, Firehouse 51 also had to say goodbye to Mouch, who was transferred to a different firehouse. While Stella’s absence was brief, Chief Pascal, played by Dermot Mulroney, is leaving the show. Though not unexpected given what’s been happening with Severide, the One Chicago universe is gaining a new face – an actor familiar to fans of Stranger Things.

According to Deadline, Pedro Pascal’s current storyline will wrap up with Episode 14, though he is expected to participate in the upcoming crossover event centered around a plane crash in early March. Because NBC is pausing One Chicago programming in February to make room for the 2026 Winter Olympics, Pascal will appear through March, but his return after that is unclear. The break is predicted to last for the remainder of Season 14, though there’s a chance he could reappear before the season ends.

Although actors on Chicago Fire have missed episodes occasionally, Dermot Mulroney’s departure as Chief Pascal appears to be a longer break. It’s reportedly connected to the character’s storyline, meaning fans shouldn’t expect Pascal to simply disappear without explanation when Episode 15 airs. A new character will take over in Episode 16.

I wasn’t surprised to hear Brian Mulroney’s character was being reduced on Chicago Fire, as it seemed to set the stage for Kelly Severide to take on more leadership responsibilities, which could have been a positive step after his recent emotional progress with Stella. However, the show didn’t use this as an opportunity for Severide to step up while the character was gone. Instead, Chicago Fire cast an actor from Stranger Things to fill the role at Firehouse 51, which was an unexpected choice considering the existing Squad lieutenant.

Rob Morgan is a recognizable face to many, especially as Battalion Chief Hopkins on Chicago Fire. Though you might not know his name, you’d likely recognize him! I particularly enjoyed his role as Officer-turned-Chief Powell in Stranger Things. While his character’s story ended with some uncertainty at the close of Season 5 – another actor took over as Police Chief – fans won’t have to wait long to see Morgan portray another emergency responder in a new role.

According to reports, Morgan will play Battalion Chief Hopkins, a new character at Firehouse 51 with a troubled history from managing other fire stations in Chicago. He quickly tries to take charge, which could cause friction with the existing team.

It would be great if Boden could reappear briefly to share information about Hopkins, or if Mouch could offer some details he’s picked up from neighborhood gossip. However, with only five episodes left this season, Rob Morgan, who appears in Episode 16, won’t have much screen time at Firehouse 51. He’ll be in four episodes total, including the season finale.

The next episode isn’t expected until mid-to-late March, giving fans time to speculate about what will happen. While you wait, you can rewatch favorite moments between Chief Pascal and Severide by streaming previous episodes of Chicago Fire on Peacock. And with the Olympics still a couple of weeks away, don’t miss new episodes of Chicago Fire on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on NBC, airing between Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.

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2026-01-23 14:10