Warning: major spoilers are ahead for NBC’s latest One Chicago crossover in the 2026 TV schedule, called “Reckoning” and available streaming now with a Peacock subscription.
One Chicago always raises the stakes for crossover events, which has meant uniting the heroes of Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med for a possible city-wide infection, an explosion so big that it freaked out the locals in real life, and – as of 2026 – a passenger jet bringing a deadly chemical to the Windy City and the clock ticking until many more people would die.
That said, the twist that might keep fans talking this year was the return of Upton and Halstead years after they exited Chicago P.D., and P.D. showrunner Gwen Sigan opened up about why the pitch to actors Tracy Spiridakos and Jesse Lee Soffer was “easy.” But first things first!
How The Crossover Ended Upstead’s Story
While some fans were likely holding out for a romantic reunion for the pair, Halstead had a lot of explaining to do about what he did (or didn’t do) by abandoning Upton for her last two seasons of Chicago P.D. Jesse Lee Soffer left in early Season 10 with a decision so divisive that I had to ask the showrunner if he needed to be redeemed in the crossover. Tracy Spiridakos stuck around through to the end of Season 11, and Upton suffered for a lot in those last two seasons after how Halstead left.
To his credit, Jay did try several times in the crossover to start a conversation with her that wasn’t just about the case, with Hailey understandably refusing to engage for the majority of the death-defying three-parter. He finally got his chance at the very end, approaching her just as she was packing up to leave the precinct. After establishing that her flight wasn’t until the next morning, he admitted that he only stayed on the crossover’s case because she was there, and she acknowledged that she was only there because he was.
But time was running out, there was still one big thing he needed to do, and… he did it! In one fell swoop, Halstead apologized for how he left Chicago, how he’d lost himself in the job with the Intelligence Unit, and for losing her. It was a heartfelt enough apology that Upton said she was sorry as well, then asked when his flight was leaving. He smiled and said that he didn’t care, and the Upstead saga ended on screen with the two heading out for a drink together
What Gwen Sigan Told Us About Pitching The Actors On It
Upton and Halstead didn’t exactly ride off into the sunset, but their ending was true to the circumstances of their original exits. Upton was understandably reluctant to open herself up again after what she went through, and Halstead at least trying to make amends felt like a return to form for his character rather than a reboot. Besides, getting a drink together has always been the thing that works for the duo. Who knows what the future holds for them?
I for one was perfectly happy with that ending, and perusing social media in the day since the crossover aired tells me that plenty of people agree. But what about Jesse Lee Soffer and Tracy Spiridakos, who hadn’t returned since their respective exits in Season 10 and Season 11? When I spoke with the One Chicago showrunners about the crossover event, P.D.‘s Gwen Sigan explained how the two actors were pitched on that ending for their characters:
In a way we basically said ‘You’re gonna love it,’ and they did. [laughs] We sort of knew what they would want too, and this is kind of what they would want. So yeah, it was an easy pitch to get them on board, because I think they couldn’t have been happier to get to to come back and do some more scenes together.
Sigan had previously shared that one of the goals in bringing the two former stars back was to deliver some scenes that originally “would have felt really cathartic” but weren’t possible due to the actors leaving in different seasons, and the “Reckoning” crossover was a way to feel “like they were completing some sort of story they had together.”
So, was this really the end of Upton and/or Halstead’s story in One Chicago? They were both alive and on good terms with all of their former fellow first responders, and the crossover didn’t actually establish what Jay would be doing next after his cover was blown. Nothing has been confirmed at this point, but fans can always hope that they’ll be back as guest stars every once in a while. Soffer’s FBI: International ended last year, while Spiridakos’ new show is set to premiere later in 2026.
For now, you can always keep on tuning into NBC’s Windy City action on Wednesdays, starting at 8 p.m. ET with Chicago Med, continuing at 9 p.m. ET on Chicago Fire, and wrapping with Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. You can also revisit the crossover streaming on Peacock, and I highly recommend watching it with limited commercial breaks to feel more like a One Chicago movie event.
