4 One Chicago characters who probably won’t be back in 2024

One Chicago has never had as many cast questions as it does heading into 2024. The franchise has seen the departure of several characters, and the fate of several others were left unresolved during the last round of season finales. There’s a chance we could be looking at wildly different ensembles when Chicago Med, Fire and PD return to NBC.

As we wait for production to start on the One Chicago shows, we decided to revisit the previously mentioned season finales and determine which characters are guaranteed not to return to the small screen in seasons 9, 12 and 11, respectively.

Why did Ethan Choi leave Chicago Med?

Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) had an unpredictable final run on Chicago Med. The character had been part of the Gaffney Medical Center team since day one, but his health issues, coupled with the business of the actor who played him, led to long stretches in which he was absent.

He returned to the fold in season 8, but it was quickly cut short when he decided to marry April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) and start his own practice in Chicago. While the possibility of seeing Choi again are decent, given that he still lives in the city, Tee has made it clear that he wants to try out different roles, and perhaps even move behind the camera. We don’t anticipate that Choi will be making any surprise cameos in season 9.

Why did Jay Halstead leave Chicago PD?

Probably the most controversial exit from 2023. Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) quit the Chicago police department and moved to Central America to help fight drug cartels. It was a sudden and major life decision, and it has, unsurprisingly, led to marital disaster with Upton (Tracy Spiridakos). There’s been some phone calls and brief communication with Halstead in PD season 10, but all signs point to the character not coming back. He’s changed, and maybe not for the best.

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it’s sad to see, and a bit frustrating, given that Soffer is still involved with PD as a director, but he seems dead set against reprising his character so soon after leaving, so it’s safe to assume that he will not be seen when 2024 rolls around.

Why did Jason Pelham leave Chicago Fire?

Jason Pelham (Brett Dalton) pulled off a magic trick. He had the unenviable task of replacing Casey (Jesse Spencer), and managed to not only win over fans, but the respect of the people he worked with at the 51. He was a solid presence, and it was sad to see him leave when Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) stepped up to claim the lieutenant role.

Pelham made a brief cameo after he left in season 10, but given the drama that’s been going on at the firehouse, and the subplots that have to be resolved/addressed in season 12, we doubt there will be enough time to squeeze in a Pelham appearance. Especially if we’re dealing with a season that’s half the usual length.

Why did Will Halstead leave Chicago Med?

Both of the Halsteads! Jay Halstead was one thing, but fans were genuinely shocked when Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) decided to follow suit and move to Seattle to be with Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto). It was a nice wrap up point for a character who seemed adrift for the last couple seasons, providing both a happy ending and the suggestion of a new beginning.

Bringing Halstead back to Med so soon would undo the power of his exit. A cameo down the line would make sense, but there’s no real reason why he would come back to the Windy City so soon after saying goodbye. He’ll be missed, but for the sake of storytelling, we hope he stays away for a bit.

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