Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 18 Review: Firehouse 51 Leaves One of Their Own Behind
Chicago Fire Season 13 Episode 18, “Post-Mortem,” breaks form for a unique episode that brings back Wallace Boden and keeps the viewer in suspense for the entire hour.
The story is told in flashbacks as Boden, in his role as Deputy Commissioner, tries to put together the pieces of what happened to cause one firefighter to be left behind in a terrifying house fire. He arrives at 51 to speak with Severide, Kidd, Herrmann, and Pascal individually to have them all walk him through what happened.
As they recount the events of the previous night, those details are revealed to the audience, leaving us guessing which firefighter is currently fighting for their life in the hospital.
Telling the story this way leaves the viewer in suspense over who was left behind and also who, if anyone, is responsible. Thankfully, it turns out it was no one’s fault, but rather the chaos of the fire on a night where everything that could go wrong, did go wrong, as Boden puts it.
This is also a rare episode that focuses entirely on one plot point, which works well for the most part. Despite the action-packed scenes, the episode does lag a bit at times.
That’s partly because of the technical explanations being given to Boden, but also, in trying to keep the mystery of which firefighter had been left behind, some of the emotion of seeing which firefighter is which as they battle the house fire is lost.
The show does a good job of keeping them all ambiguous, and in a lot of ways, this is probably the most realistic way to show what’s happening.
I’ve learned from talking with real firefighters as well as actors on Chicago Fire that the thing we don’t see on a TV show is just how dark everything is when there’s a fire like this. For the story to be told the way it is on this episode gives viewers a better glimpse of that reality.
Near the end, it’s revealed that the firefighter left behind was Jack Damon. It’s one of the most surprising ways this could have gone, given the lack of emotional indication from Severide throughout the episode. (Not that we’d expect a lot, but… you know, some.)
That he’d be called away from the hospital when his brother is the one in surgery doesn’t sit well with me. It seems that all could have waited given those circumstances.
Damon is ultimately okay, though it’s possible he could have long-term health effects. Severide assures him that whatever happens, they’ll get through it together, and it’s a sweet moment.
More endearing than that is the way Boden stands by his old firehouse and even supports Pascal.
Yes, he’s at Firehouse 51 to find out what went wrong. If someone is at fault, it’s clear he’ll do what has to be done. He’s all business for most of the episode, and it’s comforting to have that presence back.
Beneath all of that, though, this is still his firehouse family, and he goes to bat for them in a clear report to the committee where he says that if he had been the one leading the call that night, he wouldn’t have done anything differently.
How could they say no to that?
Pascal, meanwhile, has been worried that Boden is out to get him. That he’s looking for a way to get Herrmann into Pascal’s seat as Chief. On some level, that could be true, but the bigger question becomes whether or not that’s something Herrmann actually wants.
When it all comes down to it, if anyone had been blamed for a firefighter being left behind, it would have been Pascal. Why? Because he’s the figurehead, and he’s the one calling the shots. Herrmann ponders whether he could have made such a call — and says he doesn’t envy Pascal for having to make those decisions.
Whether or not Herrmann will take over, and whether or not he wants to, has really been the throughline all season. There’s a look of respect he and Pascal share across the room at the end of the episode, and it could have a few different meanings.
There is also a sadness in seeing Pascal look on the rest of the group, with Boden at the center. He still feels like an outsider, but Boden’s support of Pascal could change that.
What did you think of this episode of Chicago Fire? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to leave your own rating!
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Chicago Fire airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
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Ashley Bissette Sumerel
Ashley Bissette Sumerel is a television and film critic living in Wilmington, North Carolina. She is editor-in-chief of Tell-Tale TV as well as Eulalie Magazine. Ashley has also written for outlets such as Rolling Stone, Paste Magazine, and Insider. Ashley has been a member of the Critics Choice Association since 2017 and is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic. In addition to her work as an editor and critic, Ashley teaches Entertainment Journalism, Composition, and Literature at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.