Chicago Med is gearing up for its season 10 finale. There are lots of story threads to wrap up with the current roster of characters, but showrunner Allen MacDonald knew what he was doing when he told TV Line that we will be seeing the return of a former Med star.
MacDonald confirmed that some "unexpected faces" will be in the mix for the finale. The final minutes of the hour will have some big shocks with lasting ripple effects," he explained. "It's going to be a very long summer for Chicago Med fans!" Since we have such an enticing lead to go on, we figured we'd go through the list of characters who are still alive, and determine how likely their return would be.
Might come back: Dr. Ethan Choi
Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) had one of the most exuberant exits in Chicago Med history. The character rebounded from his physical and psychological struggles to not only reconcile with and marry April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta), but launch his own medical practice in season 8.
Choi is a likely candidate to return for the season 10 finale because he still practices medicine in the Windy City, and could be brought it to help out his former co-workers. Plus, Brian Tee has directed a few Med episodes since leaving the cast, proving he's still friendly with the production.
Definitely won't return: April Sexton
April also benefited from the storybook ending that we alluded to above. The thing is, Yaya DaCosta doesn't want to disrupt this ending by returning to Chicago Med. The actress recently spoke about it during an interview, and she confirmed that she has no plans to return to the medical drama anytime soon.
"I don’t foresee her returning to the show," DaCosta noted to TV Insider. "I really love that ending. I think it did feel like an ending." She said that she was appreciative of this addition to April's story because of how much she disliked her character's initial exit. "I think when I left the first time, there wasn’t any effort put into nicely tying up the storyline," DaCosta said. "It was a great opportunity for me to come back for a few episodes, get married to him, and go off into the sunset on our mission."
Could resurface: Vanessa Taylor
Remember Vanessa Taylor (Asjha Cooper)? She brought a youthful energy to Gaffney Medical Center, before a sudden and very unexpected departure in season 7. She decided to go to the Philippines to work at a health foundation. She went as far as to refer to the foundation as her "calling," much to the surprise of her mother, Maggie (Marlyne Barrett).
A lot has transpired for Maggie in the seasons since, however, and it would be an interesting period in her life for Vanessa Taylor to resurface. The character still works in the medical field, and unlike many of her former Gaffney peers, she has not suffered a trauma or life-altering tragedy.
Probably won't see again: Natalie Manning
Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) officially left Chicago Med in season 6, but she returned to help transition Dr. Nick Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) off the show in season 8. They now live together with Manning's son in Seattle. Another storybook ending, and another instance of an actress not really wanting to mess with it.
"I did not feel like Natalie and Will got the ending that they deserved at all," DeVitto told NBC. It was her desire to see the two characters end up together that brought her back, but now she feels like she is content with Dr. Manning's legacy. "[It was] such a great experience, but there was nothing in my head that was like, 'Oh, I hope to come back,'" she concluded.
Just might surprise us: Crockett Marcel
Crockett Marcel (Dominic Rains) is a prime example of a character who suffered a tragedy on the job and who left Gaffney Medical Center as a result. We completely understand his reason for leaving in season 9, but given how recent his departure was, and how open-ended the storyline remains, the notion of Marcel returning to Gaffney may not be as far-fetched as you might initially think.
It would be nice to see Dr. Marcel again, if, for nothing else, a chance to see him go out on a more hopeful, or perhaps even redemptive note. We will find out whether any of these characters return when the Chicago Med season 10 finale airs on May 21.