Even though it's hard when our favorite characters leave a show, the best part about long-running shows is their inevitable (or at least hopeful) return sometime in the future. Thankfully, Chicago Med gifted fans with the surprise comebacks of not one but two of the show's original stars.
In the Chicago Med season 11 premiere, we knew to expect Nick Gehlfuss back as the original star's guest appearance was heavily reported and teased by the network. But fans were completely shocked when Will Halstead's grand return to Gaffney turned into a two-part event that included the completely unexpected return of Torrey DeVitto as Natalie Manning.
Both Gehlfuss and DeVitto hadn't appeared on Chicago Med since season 8, making their homecomings an extra special celebration for long-time fans. And according to showrunner Allen MacDonald, we can expect to see more fan-favorite characters and stars from the past coming back to Gaffney just like Will and Natalie. He's already teasing guest appearances for season 12!
As MacDonald shared with TV Insider, "I have mentioned several times that I have an intention to bring back as much of the original cast as I can. Hopefully, we have plenty of years to be able to do that. But yeah, I’m planning to bring back probably a couple at least next season."
That's exciting! MacDonald didn't confirm that an original star, or multiple original stars, will definitely make an appearance in Chicago Med season 12, but he did confirm that it's part of the plan. Whether an original star kicks off the season premiere with a bang again remains to be seen, and if that were to happen each season, it would get predictable. They have to keep us on our toes!
MacDonald was specifically asked about the possibility of Colin Donnell coming back as Connor Rhodes or Maggie (Marlyne Barrett) returning after being name-checked in the penultimate episode of season 11. The showrunner didn't directly address the probability of either character being in the running for a comeback in season 12, but they are clearly two of fans' top choices.
Chicago Med has quite the roster of former main characters in contention for returning in season 12 even beyond Donnell and Barrett. The medical drama already brought back Rachel DiPillo as Sarah Reese for a recurring role in season 10 following her departure early in season 4. Yaya DaCosta recurred in season 8 as April Sexton after leaving the show in season 6 but hasn't been back since, and Brian Tee hasn't reprised his role as Ethan Choi after leaving in season 8.
But those aren't even the only stars that MacDonald has to choose from to bring back as their are plenty of other late additions to the main cast that aren't technically "original" stars that haven't been back to Chicago Med since their exits. Needless to say, there are lots of great possibilities and it will be exciting to see might turn up for a surprise visit in season 12.
There's definitely something in the water when it comes to One Chicago bringing back fan-favorite characters from the past. For the three-part crossover event, former Chicago PD stars Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos reprised their beloved characters Jay Halstead and Hailey Upton. It was a big year for the Halstead boys returning to Chicago. Too bad they didn't cross paths!
Chicago Med showrunner hints we've seen the last of one of the show's most disliked characters
The final episodes of Chicago Med season 11 took an unexpectedly darker turn for Dr. John Frost as the season revisited his traumatic experiences growing up as a child actor and his rocky relationship with his parents, who failed to protect him. It all began when Frost’s parents, James and Celeste, showed up in town hoping to reconnect with their understandably estranged son.
Frost would eventually agree to meet with his parents, and he came to learn that his father’s health was in decline due to his MS diagnosis. As the season progressed, Frost would come to learn that his father was not suffering from MS, but rather he had a tumor on his spine which was causing MS-like symptoms. He’d also come to learn that his dad knew about the tumor but didn’t explore treatment out of fear.
By the time Frost found out the truth, his father was no longer eligible for a medical trial which could provide treatment designed to shrink the tumor. Despite their fractured relationship, Frost didn’t want to give up on his dad and agreed to sign on for a Nick of Time reboot series in order to make the money needed to pay for his father’s expensive treatment.
It was clear from the start that Frost did not want to return to acting, but it was a means to an end to make the money needed for his father’s treatment. He was all set to proceed with the project until the reboot’s producer surprised him at lunch with the news that Ainsley, the woman who played his mom on the show and took advantage of Frost as a teen, had been added to the cast.
Upon learning the news, Frost chose to walk away from the reboot which was when he’d come to find out that his father knew about his relationship with Ainsley and never stepped in to protect him. Instead, he turned a blind eye. This led to another fallout between Frost and his father, one that was short-lived as Frost would learn in the penultimate episode of the season that his dad’s treatments were not working and he’d been moved to hospice care.
The season finale saw Frost make peace with his father as he stayed with him through his final hours and remained at his side until his father passed as the finale came to a close.
Jessalyn Gilsig not expected to return for Chicago Med season 12
Needless to say, the back half of the season was particularly trying for Frost in many ways, but it was one that allowed the show to close the book on the past as the show focuses on how Frost will move forward. With the closing of this book, Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald seemed to indicate that we’ve seen the last of a character that quickly became one of the show’s most disliked characters: Ainsley.
While you can truly never say never in the world of television, MacDonald appears to have all but confirmed we’ve seen the last of Ainsley on Chicago Med. In speaking with Parade following the finale, MacDonald noted that while they’ll always make reference to Frost’s past and to Nick of Time and Ainsley, specifically, they’ve closed the book on that—seeming to hint that while Ainsley might come up in conversation, she won’t be popping back up on the show directly.
“There’s a weight lifted off his shoulders. I think the past has always been something he’s run away from, that he thought he didn’t need to deal with it but it was actually weighing him down more because he wasn’t. We’ve spent the last two seasons with him slowly confronting the past and growing from the processing of it, and now I believe next season he’s going to move on,” MacDonald revealed. “There will be other challenges next season for Dr. John Frost, but as far as the past and Nick of Time and Ainsley, those are things we’ll always make reference to, but I feel like we’re closing the book on that, on the past, and now he’s going to move forward.”
As much as we love Jessalyn Gilsig, who was phenomenal in the role of Ainsley, it does make sense for her appearance in season 11, episode 19, “Exit Strategies," to serve as her final episode on the show.
Frost will surely continue to unpack the events of his past in the new season as he works on his relationship with his mom following his father’s death, but we don’t need to see Ainsley back again as it’s time the show began to allow Frost to reclaim his future and move forward. Thankfully, that seems to be the plan, and we’re certainly eager to see what season 12 will bring for Frost as he begins this new chapter in his story!
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