As fans of Chicago Fire will know very well by now, there's been quite a cloud of sadness over Season 8 of the action-packed show. The season premiere saw the gruesome death of long-time firefighter Otis, and while Firehouse 51 has been getting on with the business of fighting fires, just like Otis would have wanted them to, the loss had led to lots of changes for Cruz and the rest of those left behind at the firehouse. One of those changes was the introduction of a brash new firefighter with heart, Blake Gallo. Now, we know that Gallo will be around a lot more.
Shadowhunters alum Albert Rosende, who plays Gallo, was brought in during Chicago Fire's second episode this season as a young firefighter who is clearly so committed to the job that he's willing to bend the rules, disobey orders and put his life at even more risk to try and save lives. His actions encouraged Casey and Severide to stick up for him with Boden and get him a spot at 51. While Rosende came on as a recurring player, according to Deadline, he's now been bumped up to a series regular.
While we don't have any hints right now as to what storylines are coming up for 51's newest full-time firefighter, Albert Rosende's promotion to Chicago Fire regular will likely do a lot to expand Gallo as more than just a Casey / Severide combo with a tragic backstory. Before Boden allowed Gallo to officially join Firehouse 51, we found out that the reason he became a firefighter is because of surviving a house fire as a child...one that killed the rest of his family.
Luckily, there are plenty of places where Chicago Fire can take Rosende's Gallo when the series returns in 2020. He's been given some solid scenes with Darren Ritter, 51's candidate, so it seems like a good friendship might be developing there. And, because Ritter is being mentored by Hermann and Mouch, this could bring Gallo closer to the two vets, as well as bridging the gap between Ritter, Casey (who's going to be in the middle of complicated stuff with Brett) and Severide (provided he survives the fall finale, anyway).
Aside from making sure the new guy has some clear friends and mentors in the house, let's not forget that we basically know nothing about him beyond his tendency to take extreme risks and what happened to his family. While he certainly calmed down with the crazy, life-saving moves as the first half of Season 8 developed, his personal life is a mystery. Is pizza his favorite food? Does he play video games in his spare time? Might Gallo be a neat freak? Does he like country line dancing and taking long walks in the rain? Tell us, Chicago Fire!
Albert Rosende's stint as a Chicago Fire regular will begin when the show returns from holiday hiatus on Wednesday, January 8 at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. For more of what you can watch when the new year dawns, be sure to bookmark our 2020 premiere schedule and Netflix premiere schedule!
