Alvin Olinsky will NOT be returning for Chicago PD season 11
Who among us doesn’t miss Alvin Olinsky (Elias Koteas)? He was the old school cop done right. Crooked at times, sure, but always with the intent to do right, and instill justice wherever he felt it wasn’t being served. He was a tether to the old days of Chicago PD‘s IU, and the old mindset of Hank Voight (Jason Beghe).
Unfortunately, the Olinksy tether was cut when he died in season 5. He was killed in prison, and frankly, we don’t think Voight has ever fully recovered. Olinksy’s death was the end of an era, and a guarantee that he will not be coming back to Chicago PD in season 11.
Is Olinsky returning to Chicago PD?
Don’t get us wrong: One Chicago has brought back dead characters before. We got to see Andy Darden (Corey Sorenson) return to Chicago Fire in season 3, after dying in the pilot, but examples of this happening are generally few and far between. The franchise likes to look forward rather than backward, and Chicago PD has never really been reliant on flashbacks.
In reality, the closest fans will get to an Olinksy sighting is a visit to the character’s gravestone, which actually happened in season 10. Voight and Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) paid a visit to the cemetery in the episode “The Ghost in You,” and despite being it being a small part of the overall story, it was a powerful tribute to the character. It’s obvious that Olinksy’s passing, and the circumstances in which it went down, still take a toll on Voight.
Watch One Chicago on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!
It may be a bitter pill to swallow for longtime fans, but it’s for the best. Chicago PD has thrived as a show that has evolved over time, and replaces beloved characters with other beloved characters, instead of relying on nostalgia or attention-grabbing cameos that add little to the story.
The only thing more disappointing that Olinsky’s death would be an attempt to bring the character back that falls flat with the viewers. We always have the old episodes to go back to if we want to see Olinsky work a case.
On the bright side, the actor who plays Olinksy, Elias Koteas, is staying busy. He starred in the action-thriller The Baker (2022) opposite Ron Perlman and Harvey Keitel, and appeared in a few episodes of the Amazon legal drama Goliath. Koteas has aways been a reliable character actor, so there’s plenty of places to see him, even if it’s not in the Windy City.
Next. One Chicago stars promote strike on IG. dark
For the latest Chicago PD spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.