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Wallace Boden started out as the Battalion Chief of Firehouse 51 in Chicago Fire. The character, played by Eamonn Walker, remained in that role for the first 12 seasons of the series, making him the commanding officer of most of the main cast.
However, by the time Chicago Fire reached season 13, Wallace's role was reduced, with him no longer being a series regular. The show depicts him being promoted to Deputy Fire Commissioner, which leads to his departure from Firehouse 51. Since then, Wallace Boden has remained on the show in a recurring capacity.
Wallace Boden's replacement as the Battalion Chief of Firehouse 51 is Dom Pascal, played by Dermot Mulroney.
Wallace Boden was the original Battalion Chief in Chicago Fire
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Wallace Boden was introduced in the Chicago Fire series premiere as the Battalion Chief of Firehouse 51. He commanded key members of the Firehouse 51 team, such as Lt Matthew Casey, Lt Kelly Severide, Paramedic in Charge Gabby Dawson, and Leslie Elizabeth Shay, among many others.
The people in Firehouse 51 saw considerable turnover throughout Chicago Fire's run, but Wallace remained on the team to provide a stable guiding hand throughout the first 12 seasons of the series.
Wallace Boden's time as Battalion Chief was characterized by his intense loyalty and protectiveness towards his subordinates and his relationship with schoolteacher Donna Boden, which began in season 2.
Wallace's first major promotion came in season 10 of Chicago Fire, where he was appointed Station District Chief. However, his promotion in season 12 would set the stage for his eventual departure as a series regular. This story arc began with the episode All In The Dark, where he discovered that the current Deputy Fire Chief, Gloria Hill, was nearing retirement.
Consequently, Wallace was in the running to succeed Gloria alongside Paramedic Field Chief Robinson. The latter proved to be a ruthless competitor for the title, as she began a smear campaign against Firehouse 51 by manipulating Jared Lennox into filing a complaint against Paramedic in Charge Violet Mikami.
Realizing that Lennox had become a liability, Wallace fired him. He then took his complaint up the chain of command to Gloria Hill, who removed Robinson from the running to succeed her.
In the season 12 finale, Wallace accepted the position of Deputy Fire Commissioner, thus ending his tenure at Firehouse 51. While this ends Wallace Boden's time as a series regular, he may continue to reappear on Chicago Fire in a recurring capacity.
Why was Wallace Boden demoted to a recurring character?
Wallace Boden was demoted to recurring character status due to the cast turnovers arising from the series' longevity. In a 2024 interview with TVLine, showrunner Andrew Newman had this to say:
“Honestly, longevity is really just part of it. [In] storytelling and in terms of real life, 12 years is a long time and things need to change, just dynamic-wise. You want new characters and you want new dynamics.
Her sentiments were echoed by Chicago Med showrunner Andrew Schneider, who also admitted that changing out cast members was how Wolf Entertainment kept long-running shows fresh. Andrea Newman further remarked on how fortunate she considered herself for working on a show that has gone on for as long as 12 years.
Chicago Fire, alongside the remainder of the One Chicago franchise, is available for streaming on Peacock.
