At long last, Chicago Fire season 13, episode 14, “Bar Time,” has officially answered a question I have had about Molly’s for many years. Following an intense 2025 One Chicago crossover that saw Firehouse 51 at the center of the rescue, Chief Dom Pascal’s team is officially back on their turf. However, that doesn’t mean that things have slowed down for them. In the last couple of years, there were some major developments in terms of personal arcs, including Kelly Severide and Stella Kidd exploring the option of adoption, while Sam Carver struggles with alcohol abuse.
In Chicago Fire season 13, episode 14, “Bar Time,” however, Firehouse 51’s shift features several storylines. Because Chief Pascal is away on a different assignment, new captain, Christopher Herrmann takes over his job. Meanwhile, Carver continues to work through his personal struggles, which encounters a major setback after his friend-turned-stalker ambushed Violet Mikami. Finally, Joe Cruz can’t seem to go home after being repeatedly pulled back to the station. Amid all these, however, Chicago Fire sneakily offers a definitive answer to my long-standing question about Firehouse 51’s favorite hangout spot, and frankly, it makes sense.
Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 14 Finally Shows Other Workers At Molly’s
Molly’s Continues To Operate Without Herrmann Or Kidd
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.
Why Molly’s Is Such An Integral Part Of Chicago Fire
It’s The Backdrop To Many Personal Connections For Firehouse 51
Hangout places are normal, especially for network shows. However, most of them are typically in sitcoms, such as the Central Perk for Friends, the bar for Cheers, and MacLaren’s Pub for How I Met Your Mother. While my favorite fictional detectives take time to unwind in the same spot, those establishments aren’t given as much importance as Molly’s. As Firehouse 51’s favorite pub, scenes set in the bar allow Chicago Fire to shine a light on its characters outside their day job. Since its ensemble is its backbone, this is a very important aspect of its storytelling.
Beyond that, Molly’s also offers Herrmann a retirement gig, once he finally decides to walk away from firefighting. At the end of Chief Boden’s tenure at Firehouse 51 in the Chicago Fire season 12 finale, he chose the veteran firefighter to be his replacement. However, the process of ascending to the proper rank would take time. It doesn’t help that Herrmann started the process late. Now that he is already a captain, I fear that he may not be even that interested in the job. As seen in Chicago Fire season 13, episode 14, he struggles taking over for Chief Pascal.
If Herrmann decides to suddenly retire, however, which appears to be something he has been contemplating a lot lately, Molly’s will allow him to continue spending time with his old team.
