Unfortunately, Boden’s return to Firehouse 51 during this Wednesday’s Chicago Fire (NBC, 9/8c) is not going to be a happy one.
The former chief-turned-deputy commissioner is back at his old stomping grounds to investigate a firefight that went horribly wrong, leaving one of the first responders in peril.
“When Boden comes in, that firefighter is now in [the] hospital, and he, potentially, will lose his life by the end of the episode,” former series regular Eamonn Walker previews of the hour.
And there’s more bad news for 51: Until Boden arrives, “they had not taken onboard how seriously bad the situation they’re in is, but Boden lets them know this could be your last day as a firefighter,” Walker shares.
For Walker, returning to the NBC drama where he spent 12 seasons playing the beloved Chief Wallace Boden was both “amazing” and “not easy,” he reveals in the below Q&A. The actor also talks Boden’s dynamic with new chief Dom Pascal, his feelings about Herrmann’s reluctance to take on the chief role, and why this week’s installment is “different from what you’re used to as an episode.”
How did it feel to be back after some time away? Was it easy to slip back into playing Boden?
It wasn’t easy. [Laughs] I’ve been away a long time, and as you can tell, the first thing is I don’t sound anything like Boden. So the first week out, I had this [thought], “How do I get Boden’s voice back?” So I called up Tanera Marshall, who is my voice coach in Chicago, and I was like, “I need three days with you to get Boden’s voice back. I can work on the physicality later, but let’s get his voice back. That’ll be the start of the journey.” So seeing her, after working with her on every single episode for all of those episodes, was amazing, in and of itself. And then [I] went into costumes and saw those guys, the whole costume department, and then the journey began. I put the costumes on, and I had his voice, and then Boden was back. It was fantastic to be back with the people I love and who love me back, and the welcoming was amazing. They have a very, very special place in my heart.
Chicago Fire Boden Returns
How has Boden been since we last saw him? Is he happy in his new job as Deputy commissioner?
[Laughs] Happy? Hmm, subjective. [Laughs] He’s in a learning curve of what it is to be Deputy commissioner, being at the beck and call of the commissioner, but also to have the entire Chicago Fire Department to be taken care of. And it’s not like taking care of a firehouse. It’s a very different animal, and so he’s learned. By the time you meet him in this episode, he’s pretty good at it. He comes into this episode, under this rushed situation because a firefighter had been left behind in the fire and nobody knew until the PASS alarm went off, to investigate his old favorite firehouse, and his old friends and people he loves, and with the potential of him firing [someone]. It’s quite heavy.
These are, obviously, people that he worked with a long time, he formed close friendships with. How is he navigating his professional duties with his personal ties to 51?
Well, that’s the thing, what you’ll see in this episode is some of the people want and expect that old relationship back, and it plays out in some of the scenes. It’s like the relationship doesn’t change. It will never change even if I fire you. I’m still going to love you. But my job is to find who is responsible for this thing that should’ve never happened. So that dynamic playing out on-screen, it’s quite a thing to be able to do with the ones who I know and love in real life. David Eigenberg and myself, and Taylor [Kinney] and Miranda [Rae Mayo], we had these scenes which touched everyone’s hearts.
So it sounds like maybe it’s not the happy reunion that everybody hoped for.
Not the one that you would like. [Laughs] No, it’s a very specific situation that they have to deal with now, because the fallout from it is, potentially, terrible for the entire Chicago Fire Department. So Boden is on it, almost before the night is out. It’s only just happened. The firefighter has only just entered the hospital, they are operating on them as we speak, and he’s going back to the firehouse, dealing with this now. So none of those relationships and stuff that you would want because you carry all those episodes inside of you, none of that’s relevant because what you’re dealing with is somebody that’s dying.
Chicago Fire Boden Returns
Showrunner Andrea Newman described this episode as “a thrill ride unlike any we’ve done before.” It sounds like it’s a very uniquely formatted episode. Can you talk about what makes it special?
Well, the writing of it is different from what you’re used to as an episode. I don’t want to give too much of it away, because I would like you to discover it as you’re watching it. But in all the episodes I have ever done, we never shot and filmed an episode like this, and it’s as close to a movie as you’re going to get within an episode. The thrill ride is for you trying to figure certain things out. While watching the episode, the script is doing that with you. So as smart as you are, you’re going to try and double guess what we’re doing, and we’re aware that you’re doing it, and that’s what this episode is.
Dermot Mulroney told me you, literally, embraced him when you came in to film this episode. But what does Boden think of Pascal?
[Laughs] Well, in this moment, which is the very first time that you see them meet, what Boden thinks of him is irrelevant. Because, as I said, the heightened situation is the thing that’s immediately apparent, and so, he is discovering what he thinks about Pascal as he’s asking him these questions, and he’s discovering him in how he answers it. So you, as the audience members, are aware of exactly what’s been going on with Pascal. Boden is only dealing with what’s in front of him, and so that, in and of itself, is revealing. And so, because of that, it will throw certain things out during the episode that will make you think, “What is Boden going to do?”
Before Boden left 51, he told Herrmann that he wanted him to replace him as chief at the firehouse. But in the episodes since then, Pascal’s gotten the feeling that Herrmann’s not really wanting that job. Is that something that Boden’s picking up on at all in this episode? Does he have any conversations with Herrmann about becoming chief?
That same thing that Pascal picks up on will be a discovery for Boden within this episode, I can give you that. But there’s no resolve to it, because growth is painful, and you don’t just one day pass an exam and all of a sudden you know how to do the job. No, now you’ve got the paperwork, and now you have to discover what the job is… There’s a learning curve. Boden knows both Herrmann and Mouch will have to go on their learning curve to make up their mind about who and what they really are. But the lessons should be coming for them all the time, not only from Boden, but from Pascal, too. Everybody goes, “Chief, chief, chief, chief, chief,” and they don’t really know what it means. What it means is you’ve got everybody in that firehouse, you have their lives in your hands, and anything you say, you make one mistake, which is what’s happened in this episode, a person dies, and that’s pretty heavy. Not everybody wants that.
Chicago Fire Boden Returns
Do you think Boden would be upset if Herrmann didn’t want to be chief?
Well, that would depend upon the reason. I think Boden would listen to Herrmann. I’ll find out whether he gets upset later, but he would definitely listen, because the one thing that we know about Boden is he’s a very reasonable man. And as understanding as he is, he doesn’t pick a side and just stick on that. He’s not stubborn. If you have a good enough reason, he can buy into it.
Fans have been clamoring for your return all season long, and obviously, Boden’s still within the world of Chicago Fire, he hasn’t left the city. I have to ask you: When can we expect to see you next?
Oh, my God, you haven’t even seen this one yet! [Laughs]
I know, but fans are already going to want more! I know they are!
[Laughs] Well, tell the fans from me I love their loyalty. It touches me in my heart, and I’m very happy for that. I just want them to see this episode, because many doors have been opened up from filming this episode. I can’t tell them what the future holds. Once a part of Chicago Fire, always a part of Chicago Fire. But I can say have a look at this episode and then, we’ll discover what happens in the future.
Chicago Fire fans, are you excited for Boden’s return? Hit the comments with your hopes for the episode!
