Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald is fulfilling his promise of bringing back at least a few familiar faces this fall for season 11!
Nick Gelhfuss is set to reprise his role as Dr. Will Halstead in the upcoming eleventh season, marking his first return to the show since exiting at the end of season 8 after eight seasons in the role. While it is not yet known how many episodes Gelhfuss will appear in, Deadline is reporting that his return will be in a guest-starring role, hinting that we'll get to see Halstead back in a limited capacity.
Halstead was a key member of the Chicago Med ensemble for the show’s first eight seasons, playing a significant role in many key stories. After eight seasons, Gehlfuss stepped away from the show at the end of season 8 with the writers crafting an ending that both left the door open for his return but also provided fans with a satisfying conclusion to his time on the show.
In the season 8 finale, Halstead decided to leave his job at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center in order to move to Seattle, where he reunited with Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto) and her son Owen. It was a moment that gave fans of the longtime on-again/off-again couple, giving the pair a happy ending in what has been one of the show's best exit storylines.
It's going to be interesting to see what brings Halstead back to Chicago and how long he'll stick around. There has not been any confirmation of whether Torrey DeVitto might also stage a return to the show, appearing alongside Gelhfuss, but there is a chance it could happen.
Following the season 10 finale, MacDonald told TV Insider that he intends "to at least bring back one if not two or more original cast members [from the series premiere] in the next season."
The idea of getting to see Gehlfuss and Natalie both return together is truly exciting as it would be so great to not only get an update on their relationship, but to get to see the pair back together again on-screen in the new season! Perhaps they both come to Chicago to seek help from a member of the current team of doctors with a case they were working on back in Seattle. This is a tactic Grey's Anatomy has used in the past when bringing back former stars for guest spots, and it would be a fun way to see the pair back in action in a limited capacity.
Regardless of whether Halstead returns with Natalie or comes to town solo, we can only hope that the writers will provide us with some sort of exciting update about the couple's relationship! We also wouldn't be opposed to Halstead giving us a quick update on the status of his brother Jay, should the Chicago Med writers be listening.
Chicago Med returns Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 8/7c on NBC!