After Chicago Med Shouted Out Will Halstead And Brought Back A Former Series Regular, There’s A Different Character I Want Back ASAP

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Spoilers ahead for the winter premiere of Chicago Med Season 10, called “No Love Lost.”

In the TV lineup for 2025, Chicago Med makes its comeback, resolving the nerve-wracking cliffhanger from the fall finale where Goodwin was stabbed and Archer barely managed to reach her. As Steven Weber hinted, the storyline got quite gritty! Fortunately, Archer performed a complex surgery to save Goodwin’s life (and future quality of life), and she reconnected with an old ED doctor from her past while also acknowledging Will Halstead during her recovery. It sure would be great to see another former character appear in Season 10!

It’s not just me, fellow Chicago fans, who have gotten a touch of nostalgia since Rachel DiPillo returned as Dr. Sarah Reese in Season 10, her first appearance since the fourth season premiere. So, when Goodwin playfully asked if Will Halstead might follow suit after recognizing Reese, I almost thought it was possible given the expression on Dr. Charles’ face that Nick Gehlfuss could actually make a surprise entry as a winter premiere treat. If the show can bring back Torrey Devitto for Gehlfuss’ farewell, why not do something similar to mark Goodwin’s recovery?

Indeed, it wasn’t like that at all, and Dr. Charles’ emotional state was understandable given his best friend’s brush with death. However, hearing Will’s name in an episode starring Sarah Reese made me realize that Dr. Connor Rhodes, unlike Will, didn’t receive the closure he deserved or a chance to wrap up his story like Reese did. Could we perhaps bring back Colin Donnell before Season 10 comes to an end?

I’ve long admired Colin Donnell on Chicago Med, so much that I wished he would continue in FBI: International as a way to compensate for his sudden departure from the One Chicago series. However, it was another One Chicago alum who took over as the lead of FBI: International when TV schedules were announced for fall 2024. Donnell’s swansong on Med was the Season 5 premiere, which addressed both Connor and Ava’s departures, leaving many questions unanswered following the Season 4 finale. If you’re interested, you can rewatch his final storyline with a Peacock subscription.

In simple terms, Donnell and Norma Kuhling appeared only once during the fifth season, indicating they wouldn’t return again. Quickly following, Ava confessed to killing Connor’s father, then self-harmed when Connor refused her support. Unlike Ava, Connor didn’t die but chose to depart from the hospital, unwilling to bid farewell to anyone except Goodwin. And that was the end of it.

The co-showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov stated at the time that Connor’s departure occurred because there was a sense that his storyline had reached its culmination, and they believed Ava would not have a happy ending. However, they also mentioned that Connor is still alive off-screen and there might be a chance for him to return.

Under Schneider and Frolov’s leadership, such an event never occurred. However, when Allen MacDonald joined as the new showrunner in the fall, a change that coincided with his viewing of all 176 episodes from the first nine seasons before Season 10 began, there was a possibility that Connor’s tale might be revisited, maybe even for a single episode or two similar to Rachel DiPillo’s return as Sarah Reese?

Currently, fans of Chicago Med can anticipate what’s coming up next as Goodwin has managed to pull through her ordeal and persuade Archer to remain at Gaffney. Fresh episodes will keep rolling out every Wednesday at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on NBC, preceding Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. A three-part crossover event is planned later this month.

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2025-01-09 06:07