We’re still a month and a half out from the return of One Chicago Wednesdays (January 17); two of the shows ended with the main characters in the hospital in critical condition, and neither is portrayed by any of the three actors who will be exiting in 2024. (Details about all three departures have yet to be revealed.) But is it possible that neither Fire nor P.D. will kill off a character? Yes, it is, despite the firefighters, paramedics, and police officers being in a dangerous line of work.
Tracy Spiradakos‘ upcoming departure from P.D., after she played Detective Hailey Upton on the NBC drama since Season 4, was first announced on October 25. It’s unknown how many episodes she’ll appear in. While Upton could be killed off — she was in some seriously dire straits as recently as near the end of last season — it seems more likely that she’ll live (or, at least, that’s the hope, so there’s no more heartbreak coming for Upstead). Also likely is that her husband, Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer, who left last season), will, at the very least, be mentioned if he doesn’t appear as part of her farewell. Will she join him? (He left to work overseas, then chose to extend his time there.) Will she leave Chicago behind for somewhere else? Whatever happens, we’re thinking there’s less than a 50 percent chance she’ll die.
About three weeks later, it was announced that Kara Killmer, who joined Fire as paramedic Sylvie Brett in Season 3, will also be leaving (and too will be in an unknown number of episodes). She was part of one of the show’s Season 11 finale cliffhangers — her ex-boyfriend Casey (Jesse Spencer, who returned for a guest spot) proposed — so it’s a bit easier to imagine how she’ll be written out. And considering we just watched her fight to adopt a baby, plus she joined 51 after Shay (Lauren German) was killed, we don’t think death is in the cards for her, either. After the up and down journey to get to that proposal, our bet is that she says yes and leaves behind Chicago for Oregon to be a family with Casey and the three kids (he moved to watch over his late friend’s sons).
Then, two weeks after that, it was revealed that Alberto Rosende will be playing firefighter Blake Gallo for one last episode, with his exit coming in the Fire Season 12 premiere. (He first appeared in Season 8.) Gallo might be the one out of these three most likely to be killed off if 51 is going to lose someone, but we still don’t think it will happen. After all, Violet (Hanako Greensmith) just lost her boyfriend — she doesn’t need to grieve her ex, too.
Meanwhile, Fire put Mouch (Christian Stolte) in the hospital with an injury sustained on the job, and it looked like he was bleeding out the last we saw him. And over on P.D., Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) was shot as things went sideways in his undercover op; it’s unclear what happened after he was rushed to surgery after significant blood loss before he was found. There haven’t been any reports of either Stolte or Flueger leaving One Chicago, though that could also be to keep the resolution to both cliffhangers secret.
But what do you think? Let us know in the comments.
One Chicago, Season Premieres, Wednesday, January 17, 2024, 8/7c, NBC