3 One Chicago characters we didn’t expect to return in 2023

One Chicago loves to bring characters back. There’s been nearly ten of years of episodes to pull from, and that’s from three different shows. There have been cameos, surprise references, or full on returns that left fans shocked and/or relieved and helped to bring closure to a previously unresolved arc.

Chicago Fire has leaned on this heavily in 2023, and we’ve already done a write up on the character returns that shook us. In the interest of thoroughness, though, we decided to look at Chicago Med and Chicago PD and determine which of their returns left the biggest impression in the last year.

Did April Sexton return to Chicago Med season 8?

April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) coming back to Chicago Med was a definite surprise for long time fans. The character left in a hurry, and things felt mostly unfinished between her and the cast she had spent years being a part of, so it was an enormous relief to see her walk through the doors at Gaffney and revive her relationship with Ethan Choi (Brian Tee).

The mid-season finale of season 8 have April the sendoff she deserved. She was going to start a new life with her husband, and together they announced that they would be helping those who were less fortunate in the Windy City. We’d love to see her again, but at least we know she’s in a much better place now.

Did Nina Chapman return to Chicago PD season 10?

Nina Chapman (Sara Bues) is not a character that Chicago PD fans were necessarily waiting on, but her return led to one of the most emotional and tense episodes in season 10.

The assistant district attorney called upon Voight (Jason Beghe) and the rest of the team to help find out who killed her former informant, but the more Voight uncovered, the more he realized that Chapman was hiding things.

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Chapman appeared in a handful of PD episodes between seasons 9 and 10, though it’s difficult to gage if she will return in the future. Either way, she left a big impression.

Did Makayla Ward return to Chicago PD season 10?

Makayla Ward (Ramona Edith Williams) made her PD debut in season 8, but she really rose in prominence during season 9. The character, who was adopted by Burgess (Marina Squerciati), was kidnapped, leading to frantic manhunt to retrieve her.

Makayla has resumed a more secondary role in season 10, but her being present for Burgess’ panic attack speaks volumes for both characters. Burgess has been through a lot in the last few seasons, and much of her desire to keep in under wraps stems from her desire to be a strong role model for Makayla. Thankfully, she’s addressing her trauma in a more healthy manner these days.

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