With Dr. Will Halstead appearing in Chicago Med season 11, some wonder if more original characters will make their way back to Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, and all signs point to yes. In particular, the return of one fan-favorite doctor (who has been missing for six years) is more likely than ever now. Nothing has been confirmed, but the evidence is piling up.
As of season 11, only two original cast members remain — S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin and Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles. Technically, Marlyne Barrett, who plays Maggie Lockwood, is still attached to the show. But Maggie has been absent from Chicago Med season 11, and it’s unclear when she’ll return. The good news is that the series has other special appearances planned.
Chicago Med Showrunner Confirms The Return Of Original Cast Members
Allen MacDonald Wants More Characters To Return
During an interview with TV Insider, Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald addressed whether fans can expect to see more familiar faces in season 11 after Halstead’s multi-episode arc. Nick Gehlfuss is the only original cast member confirmed to return, as of the writing of this article. However, according to MacDonald, he plans on bringing more back. The Chicago Med showrunner said:
“It is my plan to bring back all the original cast members at some time or another, so I think that’s a watch and see sort of thing. But what’s important to me is, as I bring them back, that I bring them back one at a time for the most part.”
MacDonald went on to explain how Chicago Med season 10 featured the return of Dr. Sarah Reese, while Halstead is scheduled to appear at the beginning of season 11. Their respective returns didn’t coincide with one another. As the showrunner said, he doesn’t want to bring back multiple original characters at the same time, which is why Reese and Halstead’s special appearances didn’t overlap.
Also, MacDonald wants the original Chicago Med characters’ returns to feel organic. It remains to be seen exactly how Halstead’s trip to the Windy City plays out and why he stays for longer than just one episode. As for Reese, though, she came back to Gaffney for the sake of Dr. Charles’ story.
Ultimately, MacDonald worries that he won’t be able to give each returning original character their due if they all come back at once. That’s why the One Chicago TV show is spreading out its special appearances. Just because Halstead is reuniting with his former colleagues in Chicago Med’s 200th episode doesn’t mean that other departed characters can’t pop in later in the season.
After Will Halstead, Connor Rhodes Should Be The Next Character To Return To Gaffney
Colin Donnell Exited The One Chicago Universe In 2019
After learning that the Chicago Med showrunner wants to bring all the original cast members back, the interviewer couldn’t help but ask about Colin Donnell, who played Dr. Connor Rhodes from the pilot to the season 5 premiere. Rhodes is a fan-favorite character. So, many have been eagerly awaiting his return to Gaffney, and now, it could happen as early as season 11.
MacDonald revealed that there has been a “big push” to bring Rhodes back now that Halstead is confirmed to appear in Chicago Med season 11. Thankfully, the showrunner is all for the idea. He said, “I would love to welcome Colin back to the show.” MacDonald then implied that NBC will try to make it happen once the writers have the right story for Rhodes.
While the showrunner didn’t confirm that he and the other Chicago Med producers had a set plan in the works to reintroduce Rhodes to Gaffney, his comments suggest that it’s in the cards. It’s seemingly inevitable, just as long as Donnell is open to the idea. And since the actor evidently isn’t working on any other shows, perhaps his schedule is wide open.
The stars could very well already be aligned to bring Rhodes back to Chicago Med in season 11. Or the writers could already have a plan in motion for his return. Whatever the case, Donnell reuniting with the cast and crew of the NBC medical drama series is more possible than ever, and it might just happen sooner than anyone thinks.
How Chicago Med Can Bring Back Colin Donnell In Season 11
Rhodes Could Easily Pop Back Into Gaffney
Rhodes didn’t exactly leave Gaffney on the best of terms in Chicago Med season 5. His ex-girlfriend, Dr. Ava Bekker, killed Rhodes’ father in an attempt to win him back, and she later died by suicide. Afterward, Donnell’s fan-favorite Chicago Med character decided to move out of the city for a fresh start during the season 5 premiere.
Since then, the audience hasn’t heard anything about where Rhodes is or what he has been up to in the years since he exited Chicago Med. While being left in the dark concerning Rhodes’ whereabouts has been disappointing, it’s a blessing in disguise. Because Rhodes’ status is unknown, the writers have free rein when it comes to weaving him back into the story.
They can do anything they want to bring Rhodes back to Gaffney. Perhaps he’s ready to come home. Or Donnell’s character is visiting Chicago when he is forced to go back to his old stomping grounds. The Chicago Med writers can certainly get more creative than that, but anything is essentially possible when it comes to Rhodes’ highly anticipated return.
New episodes of Chicago Med season 11 air on Wednesdays at 8 pm ET on NBC, followed by Chicago Fire season 14 at 9 pm ET and Chicago PD season 13 at 10 pm ET.
