The mononymic character has been Firehouse 51’s ace-in-the-hole since the show’s debut.
The dedicated first responders of Firehouse 51 are the beating heart of Chicago Fire and, while many exceptional firefighters have put their lives on the line for the job, Randall “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte) is one of the most passionate.
Mouch has been the beloved comic relief of Chicago Fire since the pilot episode of the NBC nail-biter, assisting in hundreds of intense calls and emergencies. Featured in over 200 Chicago Fire episodes — as well as making several Chicago Med and Chicago P.D. guest appearances — Mouch is a bona fide One Chicago fan favorite.
Between his romance with Chicago P.D.‘s Trudy Platt (Amy Morton) and his steel-tight bond with his fellow firefighters, no one can resist falling in love with the magic that is Mouch.
Read on to relive everything that’s happened to Chicago Fire‘s man, myth, and legend: Randall “Mouch” McHolland.
What does “Mouch” stand for?
Mouch’s nickname was inspired by his affinity for kicking back and watching television on the station’s couch, prompting the firefighters of the 51 to tease that he had become “half-man, half-couch.” The firefighter even has a personalized pillow that holds down the fort when he’s away from the television.
The nickname stuck, but rest assured — Mouch is one of the hardest workers the Chicago Fire Department has ever seen, always willing to go above and beyond when the stakes get high.
After a health scare sparked a new lease on life, Mouch launched an initiative to ditch his beloved moniker in Season 12, Episode 2 (“Call Me McHolland”). Mouch shockingly insisted that his colleagues begin referring to him as “McHolland” instead of Mouch, asked to replace the name “Mouch” on his locker, and requested a new uniform.
What happened to Mouch at the beginning of Chicago Fire?
Introduced in the premiere of Chicago Fire, Mouch was one of the most seasoned firefighters of Firehouse 51, known for his upbeat demeanor and comedic look on life. Mouch’s wholesome combination of compassion and experience made him a trusted confidante to many of his colleagues and, while he had many friends at the station, his ride-or-die and best friend was fellow Firehouse 51 veteran Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg).
In the debut season of Chicago Fire, Mouch was a single man looking for love: It seemed that his charm and humor had scored him many friends in the firehouse, but when it came to women, he had a bad habit of freezing up.
After learning Japanese, he began dating a Japanese woman named Mari whom he met online. She paid him a visit in the Season 1 finale (“A Hell of a Ride”) before heading home, but the pair ultimately didn’t work out.
Lucky for Mouch, after many failed dates and unsuccessful connections, the tides began to turn in a romantic direction in Season 2.
Who is Mouch married to on Chicago Fire?
In the Season 2 finale of Chicago Fire (“Real Never Waits”), Mouch attended the wedding of Chief Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker), which was a fateful night for the single firefighter. During the reception, Mouch met the loveable Trudy Platt, a desk sergeant with the Chicago Police Department. The pair instantly hit it off and began dating shortly after.
Fans got to check in on the smitten lovebirds in Season 3 of Chicago Fire, when their relationship began to flourish and reach new heights.
After a season of dating, Mouch decided to take their relationship to the next level — but not without some hurdles. In Season 4 of Chicago Fire, Mouch bought a ring to propose to Trudy, but his historic lack of romantic panache made for a less-than-impressive proposal when he showed up at Trudy’s station to present the engagement ring to her with a lackluster pitch.
Upset by Mouch’s lack of preparedness, Trudy gasped with horror at his blubbering attempt. “A proposal is supposed to be the most romantic moment in a woman’s life,” she told him before huffing off, leaving Mouch gobsmacked and confused about the future of their relationship.
Trudy later apologized for her response, telling Mouch, “That proposal was really messy and half-assed. But then again, so are you. But you are also the kindest and most honest man I’ve ever met. I would be the luckiest girl on earth to call you mine.”
She then flipped the script by proposing to Mouch instead. Mouch happily accepted, telling her that marrying her would be his “greatest honor.”
In Season 4, Episode 18 (“On the Warpath”), Mouch and Trudy tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony at Molly’s, surrounded by their Firehouse 51 and CPD loved ones. “Plouch” has since been the One Chicago power couple of the franchise.
Who is Mouch’s daughter on Chicago Fire?
In the first season of Chicago Fire, viewers learned that Mouch had been a sperm donor in the past when he needed extra cash. This piece of information ended up playing a significant role in his life in Chicago Fire Season 3, after he learned one of those trips to the sperm bank resulted in him having at least one biological daughter out in the world.
Even more interestingly, a mishap at the bank resulted in some of his biological children learning his identity. This led him to eventually meet his daughter, Lizzie, in Season 3, Episode 17 (“Forgive You Anything”).
While they’ve maintained some distance since their meeting, Mouch and his daughter were able to share a tearful embrace before going their separate ways.
When did Mouch become a co-owner of Molly’s Pub on Chicago Fire?
Upon the tragic death of Firehouse 51’s Brian “Otis” Zvonecek (Yuri Sardarov) in Season 8, Episode 1 (“Sacred Ground”), Mouch’s friend Herrmann — who had been a co-owner of Molly’s with Otis — found himself unable to meet the demands of running Molly’s alone.
As the watering hole of the entire One Chicago franchise, Mouch took it upon himself to make sure Molly’s didn’t close. After doing some accounting, Mouch and Trudy bought Otis’ share of Molly’s, officially becoming owners alongside his best bud, Herrmann.
When was Mouch’s first big brush with death on Chicago Fire?
Throughout Season 5 of Chicago Fire, Mouch was considering retirement. In the Season 5 finale (“My Miracle”), Mouch then suffered a heart attack while fighting a warehouse fire. Herrmann desperately tried to assist his friend, but fans had to wait until the Season 6 premiere to learn of his condition. Mouch ultimately survived the warehouse fire and his heart attack, returning to the station fueled by arecent health kick.
Mouch then gave a rousing speech about how the warehouse fire made him contemplate leaving the job, but the incident highlighted how deeply he cherished his friends and fellow firefighters at 51. Mouch explained he hadn’t had enough time with them or his wife, and that he was staying in hopes of soaking up as much quality time with his chosen family as possible.
How did Mouch almost die in Chicago Fire Season 11?
The Season 11 finale of Chicago Fire saw Firehouse 51 battling an electrical plant fire that was set ablaze by domestic terrorists. Mouch was one of the first firefighters to head into the scene, but got hit by a bullet during an intense shootout with the terrorists. Herrmann whisked him off to Chicago Med to get him the care he needed and, while it initially seemed Mouch was going to be OK, his condition suddenly took a drastic turn for the worse when doctors successfully removed the bullet but his bleeding picked up again.
Chi-Hards were left with an intense cliffhanger when the scene ended before fans could learn of Mouch’s fate.
What happened to Mouch when he returned to Chicago Fire in Season 12?
The Season 12 premiere — picking up six months after the devastating electrical plant fire — showed Mouch returning to Firehouse 51 after an extended leave of absence to heal from his injuries. His fellow firefighters were all elated to welcome him back, but the landscape of Firehouse 51 had changed drastically.
Cherished friends were leaving as new firefighters were settling in, and Mouch couldn’t help but feel like the world had done a lot of rotating while he was gone. In a catch-up with Captain Boden in Season 12, Episode 1, Mouch revealed his concerns.
“51 wasn’t the same without you,” Boden told him.
“It doesn’t feel the same now,” Mouch admitted.
In Episode 2, Mouch asked everyone to start calling him McHolland and, after Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) asked about the sudden switch-up, he revealed his motivation.
“I don’t want my legacy in the CFD to be a spot on the couch,” he confessed. “If I was younger, I might try to make rank, but I’m afraid that ship has sailed. Now, it’s a matter of pride. I want to go out knowing I gave everything I have to this job, that I left it all on the table. And that’s how I want to be remembered.”
Boden was more than willing to accommodate McHolland’s uniform request but took the meeting as an opportunity to learn why he was so adamant about leaving “Mouch” in the rearview mirror.
Boden reminded him of “the Mouch he knew”: It was Mouch who received a Medal of Valor for saving a six-year-old from a party store explosion, who recruited Darren Ritter (Daniel Kyri) to Firehouse 51, and who took a bullet and came back to the station even stronger.
“I could go on and on, but the point is, the Mouch that I know will always be a hero, no matter what name he chooses to go by,” Boden said.
Find out what happens to Mouch next by watching Chicago Fire on Wednesdays at 9/8c on NBC.
