One Chicago fans are shocked by Jon Seda and Colin Donnell’s exits, but see other Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med actors who were also let go.
The One Chicago fandom was rocked on Friday by the news that Jon Seda, Colin Donnell and Norma Kuhling were leaving the franchise—and that it wasn’t their decision.
The trio of stars were removed from Chicago PD and Chicago Med respectively, due to “creative reasons” that mean it was the producers’ choice not to bring them back next season. It’s a huge shocker, given that two of the three were original cast members on their shows, and also some of the most popular cast members in the franchise.
But the reality is that this isn’t new; One Chicago has been letting go of actors for years, and it’s just happening more frequently—and to more high-profile stars—now.
Click through this slideshow to look back at all of the other Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD series regulars who were dismissed from their respective shows.
Lauren German
Who she played: Leslie Shay on Chicago Fire
When she was written out: German was only a series regular for the first two seasons, but she made a guest appearance in the season 3 premiere to tie up her character’s storyline.
What happened to her character: Shay wasn’t the first main character to be killed off Chicago Fire (that distinction goes to Dr. Hallie Thomas, Casey’s first fiancee), but her death was the first that truly shocked One Chicago fans. She was killed in the second season finale, when she was struck in the head by a falling beam during a call to a burning building.
In the third season, it was revealed that the fire wasn’t just an accident: Shay was the victim of arsonist Adrian Gish (played by Prison Break star Robert Knepper). Or at least, that was what he was called, because Chicago PD later found out that wasn’t even his real identity. Gish got what he deserved, though, as he was eventually shot and killed by Antonio Dawson.
Why it happened: For dramatic effect. Then-executive producer Matt Olmstead told the media at the time that killing a character in the season finale was one of the ideas tossed around in the writers’ room, and that it eventually “gained momentum.” But at least Shay’s name is permanently memorialized on the door of Ambulance 61?
Charlie Barnett
Who he played: Peter Mills on Chicago Fire
When he was written out: Barnett was credited as a regular for the first three seasons, but was written out before the end of season 3. His last appearance was in the episode “You Know Where To Find Me,” which was actually a line Mills said to Gabriela Dawson (Monica Raymund).
What happened to his character: After progressing from candidate to full-fledged firefighter and striking up a romance with Dawson—though it was clear even then that she was going to end up with Casey—Mills moved to North Carolina to help his family run their restaurant. He hasn’t been seen around One Chicago since, and was only briefly mentioned.
Why it happened: He got the boot to bring in someone new. Olmstead explained that Mills was written out “solely based on bringing in new people for new stories.” For his part, Barnett has plenty of new shows lined up on Netflix, though he said in January he’d be open to coming back as a guest star—and has had some kind of discussions about it.
Unfortunately, discussions don’t often mean more than talking about it, and it’s hard to see where Mills would fit back in since the person he shared his biggest storyline with has now also left the firehouse. Unless he just came by to drop off another care package?
It’s probably worth noting that several of the new people who were brought on after Charlie Barnett didn’t last long before their characters were written off Chicago Fire, too. But more on that in the next slide.
Teri Reeves, Steven R. McQueen and Dora Madison
Who they played: Dr. Hallie Thomas, Jimmy Borrelli and Jessica “Chili” Chilton on Chicago Fire, respectively.
When they were written out: Hallie didn’t even make it through the first season, while Jimmy was promoted from recurring to series regular in season 4 only to be dropped early in season 5, and his love interest Chili was only credited as a main cast member for a mere 14 episodes in season 4.
What happened to their characters: After her relationship with Casey went back and forth and back again, Hallie was killed in a fire at her clinic during season 1. Jimmy made a mistake in the field that left him maimed and unable to continue as a firefighter in the opening story arc of the fifth season. Chili was the only one who was physically unharmed, but was fired over her own mistake after battling a drinking problem.
Why it happened: All three of these characters were technically One Chicago series regulars, but it always felt like none of them were actually going to be main characters. Hallie was the only character in the original Chicago Fire cast who didn’t work at the firehouse, and by mid-season 1 the show was already all in on a Casey-Dawson romance.
As for Jimmy and Chili, they served their purpose for respective stories and then, like Mills, were also moved aside. Michael Brandt called the former’s exit “driven by the story” and Olmstead said that Chili was let go to surprise viewers.
Rachel DiPillo
Who she played: Dr. Sarah Reese on Chicago Med
When she was written out: DiPillo was a regular for three seasons before saying goodbye in the season 4 finale. Though the door is reportedly open for her to return, she hasn’t been seen at all this season.
What happened to her character: In the season 4 premiere, Reese decided to finish her psychiatric residency at Baylor University—in Texas—because she was that upset that Dr. Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt) didn’t tell her that her father Robert Haywood (recurring guest star Michel Gill) was a murderer.
Since then, she’s been kind of glossed over. No one other than Dr. Charles seemed to really have a reaction to her leaving, and Reese wasn’t seen or even mentioned at what was supposed to have been Will and Natalie’s wedding. Apparently, being angry at her surrogate father has meant she’s keeping her distance from the entirety of One Chicago.
Why it happened: No explanation was given as to whether Sarah Reese’s exit was because Rachel DiPillo wanted to leave the show or because Chicago Med wanted to drop her character, but the details we do know make it sound a lot like the latter. Co-showrunner Andrew Schneider told One Chicago Center that “if we can find a good way to bring her back later, we’ll entertain that.”
But it hasn’t happened yet, and with Reese gone the show has focused a little less on psych cases anyway, so One Chicago viewers probably shouldn’t hold their breath on this one. There’s just not that push to bring her back, since Charles has moved on without her now.
Colin Donnell
Who he played: Dr. Connor Rhodes on Chicago Med
When he was written out: Connor’s last episode is officially to be determined, though he’ll be leaving by the end of the season and the season finale is a mere four episodes from now—on May 22.
What happened to his character: Also to be determined. Chicago Med‘s powers that be haven’t said anything about how Connor will be leaving the hospital, nor has the fourth season really set up anything that looks like it could lead to his exit.
He already had one major job offer from the Mayo Clinic that he accepted and then went back on at the start of this season, when he agreed to stay in One Chicago and run his hybrid OR, so could he possibly be courted away to another hospital for good this time? He’s certainly talented enough to run his own department someplace.
At the same time, since he just turned down a job to remain in Chicago, the show is going to have to make a very convincing argument for why he’d change his mind again.
Why it happened: Both Connor and his ex-girlfriend Dr. Ava Bekker (Norma Kuhling) are being taken out of Chicago Med for “creative reasons related to the characters’ story evolution.” Or, the writers don’t feel they need to keep them around anymore based on where their stories went this season. It seems Connor may have been a victim of most of his storylines revolving around his relationship, or lack thereof, with Ava.
Norma Kuhling
Who she played: Dr. Ava Bekker on Chicago Med
When she was written out: Kuhling will have been a regular for just two seasons by the time she leaves the series, after being first introduced as a guest star in the Chicago Med season 2 finale. As with Colin Donnell, producers haven’t said when her last episode will be, but the season 4 finale is only four episodes from now. She could leave in that episode or any of the ones before.
What happened to her character: There are more clues as to why Ava is leaving One Chicago than there are for her ex-boyfriend Connor Rhodes. Unlike Connor, Ava spent the entirety of season 3 in a tailspin from being an abrasive character to being painted as a potential sociopath. With the way that she’s behaved all season—including possibly intentionally injuring herself, possibly staging a kidnapping hoax, and we still don’t know if she traded sex for funding—there’s no way she would realistically continue having a job.
Presumably her exit from One Chicago will have to do with one or all of the above controversies. At least, hopefully it will, because at this point fans deserve answers as to whether she’s done all of the things she’s been accused of or not.
Why it happened: Both Kuhling and Donnell are being written out of Chicago Med for the aforementioned creative reasons. In her case, it makes a little more sense, since the show has had Ava implicated in so many things that there’s really no place for her storyline to go but somewhere out of the hospital. In that case, though, isn’t that the fault of the show for painting her into such a despicable corner?
Elias Koteas
Who he played: Det. Alvin Olinsky on Chicago PD
When he was written out: Koteas was a series regular for the first five seasons, until One Chicago fans were well and truly stunned by Olinsky’s abrupt ending in the season 5 finale (though his last episode on screen was the episode before).
What happened to his character: Having been incarcerated and charged with a murder that Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) committed, Olinsky was stabbed while behind bars and revealed to have died of his injuries. But in the season finale, “Homecoming,” it was revealed that the attack had nothing to do with his current predicament.
He had been targeted by the vengeful relative of someone that Olinsky had helped bring down years earlier; his being in prison just provided a convenient way to get revenge. Voight later murdered the man who’d ordered the hit on Olinsky, which led to the rift between Voight and Antonio that started this season.
Why it happened: To punish Voight, somewhat. Chicago PD showrunner Rick Eid said that the writers felt Voight had to suffer a consequence after everything he’d been through in season 5, so they took away his best friend. If that was the intent, though, it’s hard to visualize since the actual circumstances of Olinsky’s murder had zero association with Voight whatsoever.
Olinsky has been name-checked a couple of times this season, which opened with his memorial service. But fans are still incredibly upset over his death, and the series still has a big hole in it that the character left behind.
Jon Seda
Who he played: Det. Antonio Dawson on Chicago PD
When he was written out: There’s no official timetable for when Antonio will leave One Chicago, but it ostensibly has to be on or before the Chicago PD season 6 finale, which is just four episodes from now on May 22.
(If you’re counting, that means there could be three main characters all having their last episodes on the same night, since both Chicago PD and Chicago Med are airing their season finales on the same evening.)
What happened to his character: We don’t have any official word on how Antonio is going to be written out, but the only big development he’s had in this season is the drug addiction that he had and recovered from off-screen between episodes. It’s hardly been mentioned for a while now, though, and Antonio seems to be fine, so it would be surprising if that came back and cost him his job now.
Maybe he’ll leave Intelligence to spend more time with his family? His daughter Eva was abducted by a drug dealer this season, meaning that both of his kids have been kidnapped over the course of Chicago PD history. His job also cost him his marriage to Laura Dawson (America Olivo). Maybe Antonio just decides he doesn’t want any more grief?
But then again, that was also somewhat of the explanation for him going over to the State’s Attorney’s Office on Chicago Justice (that he wanted to spend more time with his family), so Chicago PD is going to have to make an incredibly strong argument for why he’d walk away from the team after just coming back two seasons ago.
Why it happened: Jon Seda is being released from the show for the same “creative reasons” that his Chicago Med counterparts are leaving. Considering that Seda has been a significant part of three One Chicago shows, counting his recurring arc on Chicago Fire, this decision is a big surprise. The producers have gone out of their way to keep him around before, but now they’re letting him go? Something’s changed and it’s obviously huge.
For the latest Chicago PD season 6 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.