Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallOutdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchBoden wanted Christopher Herrmann to succeed him as Firehouse 51’s chief, but Herrmann was not ready for the job. A June 2024 report said a new battalion chief, provisionally named Dom Pascal, would take over instead. Season 13 then explained why: Herrmann had missed the captain’s test, and Pascal returned to the Chicago Fire Department after a decade in Miami.
Did Boden want Herrmann to be his replacement?
Yes. In the Season 12 finale, which aired May 22, 2024, Wallace Boden told Herrmann, “I want you sitting in this chair as my replacement.” But that was an intention, not a completed appointment: Boden said Herrmann first needed a promotion to captain and then had to pass the battalion chief test. TV Insider reported the exchange and the conditions.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Chicago Fire: Season Twelve | $28.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Chicago Fire: Season Eleven [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Xxf1SPcML._SL160_.jpg)
|
Chicago Fire: Season Eleven [DVD] | $13.37 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
![Chicago Fire: Season Ten [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51tGQBkGq5L._SL160_.jpg)
|
Chicago Fire: Season Ten [DVD] | $13.37 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
![Chicago Fire: Season Nine [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51kKQoU8D2S._SL160_.jpg)
|
Chicago Fire: Season Nine [DVD] | $9.99 | Buy on Amazon |
That distinction matters. Herrmann was Boden’s preferred successor in principle, but he had not qualified for the position. The June report that Firehouse 51 would get a different chief was therefore a change from Boden’s stated plan—not evidence that he had formally installed Herrmann and then reversed course.
Who replaced Boden at Firehouse 51?
A June 15, 2024, TV Insider report said Firehouse 51 would get a new battalion chief provisionally named Dom Pascal. The report attributed its casting information to sources close to the NBC production and cited Deadline for further details. It described Pascal as a former CFD member who had spent the previous decade as a chief in Miami. Because the name was provisional in that report, it is best understood as early reporting rather than a formal appointment announcement from Boden.
#1 Best Overall
The Season 13 premiere, which aired September 25, 2024, brought Pascal back to the CFD after ten years in Miami and established him as the house’s new leader. He made clear that he would not try to reproduce Boden’s approach: “I’m not Chief Boden. I’m not trying to be. I have my own leadership style. I do things my own way. You should all expect there will be some changes to Firehouse 51.” TV Insider’s premiere recap records the scene.
Why didn’t Herrmann take over in Season 13?
He still had career steps to complete
Herrmann was a lieutenant, not a battalion chief, when Boden named him as his hoped-for successor. Actor David Eigenberg addressed the leap in a July 22, 2024, interview with TV Insider, saying, “The character can’t make a shift to a chief unless we were deep into TV falsehoods.” He explained that Herrmann would need to become captain and go through further steps. Read Eigenberg’s comments at TV Insider.
He missed the captain’s test
The premiere supplied the immediate plot explanation: Herrmann became ill and missed the captain’s test. He planned to try again, but that meant he was not yet on the path Boden had set out for him. Meanwhile, Pascal was available to lead Firehouse 51 after returning to Chicago.
How did the show frame Pascal as Boden’s successor?
Pascal was presented as a different kind of leader, not as a new version of Boden. On September 24, 2024, showrunner Andrea Newman told TVLine that Pascal “is not Chief Boden, and he doesn’t have any intention to be.” Newman’s TVLine interview framed that contrast as part of the character: Pascal would bring his own style to the house rather than attempt to fill Boden’s place by imitation.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Rank #3
What happened to Herrmann’s chief ambitions?
By the Season 13 finale, Herrmann had decided against becoming chief. In a May 23, 2025, report, TV Insider cited Newman as saying Herrmann stepped down to be a regular firefighter so Mouch could be lieutenant on Engine. Newman also described Pascal’s bond with Firehouse 51 deepening after the crew supported him through personal and professional crises. TV Insider’s finale report explains how the season resolved both leadership arcs.
So the answer changes over the course of the story: Boden wanted Herrmann to follow him, but Herrmann had not met the prerequisites when Pascal arrived—and by the finale, Herrmann no longer intended to pursue the chief’s job.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
