‘Chicago Med’ brings back an original star for Season 12, seven years after his exit
'Chicago Med' is bringing back one of its original stars for a major Season 12 storyline. Colin Donnell will reprise his role as Dr. Connor Rhodes in two episodes of the NBC medical drama, marking his first appearance since leaving the series in 2019. People exclusively confirmed that Donnell’s return begins with the Season 12 fall finale on December 9. In the episode, Sharon Goodwin, played by S. Epatha Merkerson, asks Connor to help a young heart patient who needs a complicated and risky surgery.
Showrunner Allen MacDonald said the character’s comeback had been a priority since he joined the series. “Dr. Connor Rhodes was the very first character fans met in the opening scene of 'Chicago Med''s premiere episode in 2015, and he’s one of my absolute favorites in the history of the series, so bringing him back home to Gaffney Chicago Medical Center has been an absolute priority for me since I joined the show,” MacDonald told People. “I’m so thrilled that Colin Donnell has agreed to return in his iconic role, bringing with him all of Connor’s warmth, intelligence and complexity. Both Colin and Connor have been missed,” he added.
Donnell exited 'Chicago Med' in the Season 5 premiere in 2019. His departure followed a dramatic storyline involving the murder of his wealthy father, with Connor initially suspected of the crime. He eventually discovered that his ex-girlfriend, Dr. Ava Bekker, had killed his father in an attempt to bring them closer. When Connor refused to let Ava disappear, she died by suicide. The events led Connor to resign from the hospital. Before leaving, he told his mentor, Dr. Latham, that he needed to go “somewhere where all I will be is just another doctor.”
When news of his departure broke in April 2019, Donnell thanked the show's cast and viewers in a message on X. “I love my #ChicagoMed #OneChicago family dearly,” he wrote. “And a special thank you to all the fans that have made these last four seasons so amazing.”
Merkerson, who plays Sharon Goodwin, and Oliver Platt, who plays Dr. Daniel Charles, remain the show's only original cast members besides Donnell's returning character being a former original. The series has also welcomed back several familiar faces in recent seasons, including Nick Gehlfuss and Torrey DeVitto in Season 11 and Rachel DiPillo in Season 10. Since leaving the medical drama, Donnell has appeared in 'FBI: International' and 'Zero Day'. He also recently completed a Broadway run in Ragtime. Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
