We're officially one week away from the long-awaited returns of the One Chicago shows after an extended hiatus due to NBC's airing of the Winter Olympics. As devoted fans know, the series return with the highly anticipated three-part crossover event, which is special for a reason even beyond the simple fact that it's the franchise's semi-annual event.
When NBC unveiled the first promo for the One Chicago crossover, the network surprised longtime fans with the unexpected returns of Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton. For the first time since their individual departures from the series, Chicago PD stars Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos are reprising their roles, and per a new crossover preview, they could be more excited.
"Coming back to Chicago feels like coming home. I loved getting to see where Hailey has ended up and being reunited with the cast and crew (from all three shows)! It was my absolute highlight. I am thrilled for fans to see our three-hour long adventure, along with an Upstead reunion," Spiridakos told Entertainment Weekly about returning as Upton for the first time since leaving in season 11.
Soffer agreed with his off-screen better half about their thrilling return, telling the publication that their appearance felt "natural." As he said to EW, "There’s something about Jay and Chicago that’s always going to be in my DNA. Coming back felt natural. I was excited to see where he is now, and I’m grateful I got the chance to honor how much that character means to me."
There's no doubt that Halstead and Upton both mean as much to fans as they do to their performers, and getting the chance to catch up with them, even if it's only for this crossover event, also couldn't be more special. We have missed seeing these characters, and more specifically this pair, on our screens. Like Spiridakos said, it feels like coming home for fans, too!
Halstead and Upton's reunion might get some long-time fans in the door for the One Chicago crossover, but based on the synopsis and latest trailers, it's shaping up to be an unmissable three-hour spectacular. In the interconnected "Reckoning" episodes of Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago PD, the various teams respond to an emergency dealing with a jet that's gone missing in air.
But when the passenger jet goes silent, an even more curious and deadlier mystery begins to unravel, which sends the teams crossing paths with Upton and her team at the FBI while Halstead has been undercover. Their cases intersect and end up relating directly to the mystery in play with their former colleagues in Chicago.
Even though Soffer and Spiridakos expressed how glad they were to return to the One Chicago universe after years away, the actors and real-life couple didn't divulge whether Halstead and Upton would be rekindling their flame. Naturally, the exes will have to feel something when they are thrust back together in such high-stakes circumstances. Give the fans what they want1
The One Chicago crossover event airs Wednesday, March 4 at 8/7c on NBC.