Chicago P.D. ended Season 7 with Hailey Upton still in New York, working with the FBI and delivering the very first crossover between One Chicago and FBI to connect those two TV universes. At the time, Upton said that she missed Chicago (and her partner) and was definitely planning on coming back. Now, Chicago P.D. showrunner Rick Eid has revealed Upton's feelings after spending some time there, and they raise some questions about her future in Chicago and relationship with Halstead.
When asked how Upton's time on FBI would impact her arc on Chicago P.D. after why she was sent to New York in the first place, showrunner Rick Eid told CinemaBlend:
The duration of Upton’s trip won’t impact her arc on Chicago P.D. But she loved her time at 26 Fed and is approached about working there on a full-time basis.
Upton may have not been a fan of New York pizza, and she may have missed what she left behind in Chicago, but Rick Eid confirms that she "loved" her time working with the FBI. Her time there must have gone well, even if viewers didn't get to see the everything that had been planned due to the production shutdowns that cut Tracy Spiridakos' run on FBI short.
If the feds want her full-time, she clearly straightened out her act, as Voight hoped! As for what Halstead hopes, it's probably safe to say that he hasn't exactly had his fingers crossed that Upton would potentially leave Chicago for good, and not just because that would be the second time he lost somebody he loves to the FBI. Of course, it's possible she could have gotten the job offer from the Chicago field office.
So, what does Upton loving her time with FBI's 26 Fed and the job offer mean for Upstead? Well, fortunately for fans who wouldn't want to lose Upton, Tracy Spiridakos promised to CinemaBlend back in the spring that she would be back to Chicago P.D., shortly after new broke of the big three-season renewal. Rick Eid previously also weighed in on what's up with Upstead in Season 8, saying:
This season, we will continue to explore Upton and Halstead’s evolving relationship and the complexities of working together while dating, which is especially challenging when you’re cops working to apprehend extremely dangerous criminals.
All signs point toward Upton at the very least staying in Chicago, if she and Halstead are going to be dating and working together to catch criminals. They're also both described as "cops" rather than mentioning Upton as a fed, but it's also worth noting that the Chicago P.D. showrunner isn't going to drop all the details about what's in store before the show returns. We can only speculate in some areas.
The promo for Chicago P.D.'s return in 2021 reveals Upton telling Halstead about the job offer at a bar, and Halstead doesn't look thrilled about the prospect of potentially losing her to the FBI. Maybe he should have asked her about it over some Chicago pizza to remind her of what she would be missing if she left! She certainly had nothing good to say about New York pizza.
In all seriousness, Upton loving her time on FBI and receiving a job offer definitely doesn't mean that Upton will be leaving Chicago P.D., but that doesn't rule out some Upstead drama along the way. If anything, maybe it opens the door for more future crossovers between FBI and One Chicago, if crossovers become safe again in the foreseeable future.
For now, the most crossover action that fans should probably hold out for are mini crossovers between the three One Chicago shows on NBC and between FBI and FBI: Most Wanted on CBS. The three shows of One Chicago return in 2021 on Wednesday, January 6 starting at 8 p.m. ET with Chicago Med, continuing with Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET, and finishing with Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.
For more of what to watch in the new year, check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more on what's in store with One Chicago in the not-too-distant future.
