The chances of Jay Halstead returning to Chicago PD just went up after a new Jesse Lee Soffer update. As one of the original cast members of One Chicago’s police procedural, Soffer’s character was beloved for so many reasons. He started as somewhat of a more rogue member of Intelligence until he settled into a leadership role as Hank Voight’s second-in-command. Sadly, however, Soffer’s exit as Halstead in Chicago PD season 10 was rushed and ultimately disappointing. Since the show left the door open for his return, hope remains that he will eventually come back to the Windy City.
Losing a beloved character has always been difficult, especially someone like Halstead. That being said, ensemble changes are not really new to One Chicago. Work for Intelligence continued until he left, with Chicago PD season 12’s cast seeing brand new faces joining Voight’s special team. On the other hand, Soffer landed another Dick Wolf production in FBI: International as Wesley Mitchell, the Fly Team’s replacement for Luke Kleintank’s Scott Forrester. The actor has returned to his original procedural as a director but never reprising his role, which could change moving forward in light of a new CBS update.
FBI: International’s Cancelation Makes Jesse Lee Soffer’s Chicago PD Return More Possible
Soffer’s Time As Mitchell Is Coming To An End
As has been reported, CBS has canceled its FBI spinoffs, FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. There’s no official reason for the network on pulling the plug on both projects, but considering that the flagship FBI show is moving forward, there’s a widespread assumption that the decision ultimately boiled down the the cost of their production. Somehow, despite FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International being some of the most-watched series this TV cycle, their ratings aren’t enough to warrant a renewal. This frees up Soffer’s schedule, increasing the chances of him reprising his role as Halstead in One Chicago.
Between Soffer’s return after he exited the show as a director and his comments about being open to revisit the character, it shouldn’t be difficult to recruit him to come back, whether via a special arc or a full-time Intelligence member.
Now, this is not a guarantee that Soffer will indeed appear in Chicago PD, assuming that it gets renewed for season 13. NBC has yet to order another year for the whole One Chicago franchise, but considering their past history with Wolf Entertainment and the show’s steady viewership, it’s likely that the franchise will return. Between Soffer’s return after he exited the show as a director and his comments about being open to revisit the character, it shouldn’t be difficult to recruit him to come back, whether via a special arc or a full-time Intelligence member.
Why Jay Halstead Still Needs To Return In Chicago PD
Halstead’s Story Needs Fixing
As previously mentioned, Soffer’s exit as Halstead was utterly disappointing. The character’s decision to move to Bolivia without even consulting his new wife, Hailey Upton, is a taint on his otherwise solid character. Even his justification for wanting to very abruptly leave Intelligence and Chicago was very weak and even uncharacteristic. Since he left, Tracy Spiridakos has followed suit, meaning it would be difficult for Halstead and Upton to reconcile. However, seeing him back in the Windy City to explain his uncharacteristic actions should be enough for Chicago PD to stage his return.
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Chicago P.D.
- Release Date
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January 8, 2014
- Showrunner
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Dick Wolf
- Directors
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Dick Wolf
- Writers
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Dick Wolf
