One Chicago Bringing Back These 2 Characters Is Exactly What the Epic Crossover Needs

Lloyd ‘Happy Trails’ Farley: the man, the myth, the legend. What can be said about this amazing – and humble – man that hasn’t been said before? Or, more accurately, what can be said in public? Born in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Lloyd is a master of puns and a humorist, who has authored one pun book to date – Pun and Grimeish Mint – and is working on a second. His time with Collider has allowed Lloyd’s passion for writing to explode, with nearly 1,000 articles to his name that have been published on the site, with his favorite articles being the ones that allow for his sense of humor to shine. Lloyd also holds fast to the belief that all of life’s problems can be answered by The Simpsons, Star Wars, and/or The Lion King. You can read more about Lloyd on his website, or follow his Facebook page and join the Llama Llegion. Happy trails!
Sign in to your Collider account
Last year’s One Chicago crossover, “In the Trenches,” stands as one of — if not the best — of the highly popular, not-frequent-enough events in the franchise’s history. NBC is going back to the well with all three series — Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. — crossing over on March 4. The trailer for the crossover boldly proclaims that “No one does crossovers like Chicago,” and while that’s very true, and there are explosions galore, topping last year’s “In the Trenches” is going to be a challenge.
At least it looked that way. Then the last 10 seconds of the promo played, which proved that they are not only prepared to top it, they’re also prepared to blow the minds of their fans with what may be the biggest explosion in the crossover itself: the return of Upstead, also known as Chicago P.D. alum Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) and Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos). And it’s what the crossover needs.
‘Chicago P.D.’s Halstead and Upton Have a Complicated History
Driving the possibility of an incendiary reunion is a long, complicated history between Upton and Halstead. Upton is introduced as a detective, collaborating on a case with Intelligence in the Season 4 episode “Fagin,” before accepting Voight’s (Jason Beghe) offer to join the unit in the next episode, “Army of One.” After her first partner, Erin Lindsay, leaves Chicago (and Sophia Bush leaves Chicago P.D.), Upton is partnered with Halstead, and the pair becomes a cohesive unit, developing a deep friendship that has them looking out for one another even outside the work environment, with Upton pushing Halstead to find help for his PTSD, and, in turn, Halstead helping Upton confront the abuses of her childhood at the hands of her father.
Upton and Halstead’s Relationship Took a Dark Turn on ‘Chicago P.D.’
-
Image via NBC
Then came that season’s tenth episode, “I Can Let You Go,” and the Upstead train comes to a disastrous halt. After weeks of no communication, Upton reaches out to his boss overseas, to learn that Halstead had extended the length of his assignment without telling her. It’s a raw, heartbreaking moment, a cruel end with no reasonable explanation, and a proverbial slap in the face to someone who, finally, had put their trust in someone only to see it taken away. Upton files for divorce in the Season 11 opener, and, in “More,” Upton makes the decision to leave the unit, and Chicago, looking to find healing away from the city that brought her together with Halstead, and ultimately pulled them apart.

The brief moment in the trailer doesn’t give us much, but those few words from Halstead are tinged with fear, not knowing how it will be received but recognizing that it isn’t likely to be received well. Upton’s look is a cross between “are you f**king kidding me” and uncertainty. What we do know is that both always put the job first, and with lives in the balance, that won’t change. Where it goes from there? Take shelter.