If there’s one thing NBC’s Chicago Fire always does right, it’s a season premiere episode. Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 1, “A Monster in the Field,” isn’t a perfect episode, but it’s an excellent one nonetheless — jam-packed with new challenges, a new chief, and loads to look forward to in a new season. It’s especially great where character dynamics are concerned, and it feels like the show might have a solid idea of the courses it wants to take this season. We knew that the changes would be massive after losing such a monumental character like Chief Boden, but for the time being, it feels like we could maybe hope for some intriguing development.
The official summary reads: “A new chief shakes things up at Firehouse 51; Violet and Novak work to uncover the truth behind a car crash; Cruz keeps a watchful eye on Severide and Damon’s growing bond.”
For starters, romantic comedy legend Dermot Mulroney steps into the role of Chief Dom Pascal with fascinating motives and complexities. We have one episode with him so far, but seeing where his character could go and how he’ll alter dynamics at Firehouse 51 is intriguing.
However, on a completely selfish note, Chicago Fire Season 13, Episode 1, “A Monster in the Field,” sees Carver return and sporting a beard that made me audibly gasp upon first seeing. He looks great, and more importantly, it’s clear from the season premiere that the show has an angsty, (hopefully) rewarding narrative from him. Promoting Jake Lockett to a series regular was an excellent choice, and I’m already on the edge of my seat, wanting to see what’ll happen.
Chicago Fire’s Season 13 premiere also features some great moments for Stellaride, allowing us to get more insight into how they’re dealing with the changes. In the Season 12 finale, we learned about Kelly’s brother and that he’s open to having kids, so the episode is fully aware of what it’s trying to build upon. Firehouse 51 as a whole is the episode’s focus, but Stellaride are still an example of where so much of the show’s steady heart lies.
Chicago Fire returns to NBC on September 25.
First Featured Image Credit: (Photo by: Peter Gordon/NBC)