Warning: spoilers ahead for the Season 9 premiere of Chicago Med, called "Row Row Row Your Boat on a Rocky Sea."

The doctors and nurses of Chicago Med hit the ground running in the 2024 TV schedule with the Season 9 premiere, with a mass casualty event that involved using OR 2.0 to save a young life, a patient who died after OB/GYN Hannah pitched in outside of her specialty, Archer feeling conflicted about his upcoming kidney transplant, Maggie hiding that Ben wants a divorce, and more. This is the first season without Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead, but the ED brought in Dr. Mitch Ripley (played by Luke Mitchell) over the time jump. According to the showrunners, fans shouldn't expect Mitch to fill Will's shoes.

Mitch got off to a glowing start in the Season 9 premiere, to the point that I for one barely noticed that Will was nowhere to be seen. He was confident, competent, and seemed to get along well with the rest of the ED, which can't be said for everybody who has ever joined the staff! I can't be the only one who remembers the issues with Dr. Archer after he first arrived, right? There was more to the newcomer than almost anybody knew, however. He came to Med with a history with Dr. Charles, causing some complications in his very first episode, which wasn't quite the case with Will back in the day. 

When I spoke with Chicago Med's co-showrunners, Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov, I asked how the newcomer fits into the ED and whether he fills Wills shoes. Schneider explained:

The Season 9 premiere revealed that Dr. Charles had treated Mitch twenty years earlier when he was a kid, and the ED newcomer believes that Charles overmedicated him and then abandoned him. The psychiatrist said that his rotation had probably just ended and that's why he moved on, and he complimented Mitch on how far he's come from when he was violent as a youth, but it's clear that Med isn't finished exploring their history. 

Diane Frolov went on to share what they were looking for in the actor to play the new character and why S.H.I.E.L.D. alum Luke Mitchell was the right fit:

Coming across as "charming and funny and warm" certainly comes in handy for hiding his history with Charles from the rest of the ED. Andrew Schneider confirmed that his backstory is currently a secret from everybody else, saying:

Stay tuned for more between Dr. Charles and Dr. Mitch Ripley! I'm not saying that I won't miss Will after his ER-esque departure to reunite with Natalie, and that Season 8 finale is worth revisiting with a Peacock Premium subscription. But I'm already invested in this story between the two doctors, and I'm glad to hear that more is on the way. The showrunners also already confirmed more between Dr. Charles and Liliana, so it sounds like Oliver Platt's character will have a lot going on. As for what's happening next week, check out the promo:

For more Chicago Med, keep tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. You can enjoy a full night of One Chicago action, with Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. All three are expected to run for thirteen episodes, so you won't want to miss a single one if you're a fan!

Chicago Med ended Season 8 all the way back in May 2023 with plenty of stories unfinished, although Will Halstead's journey in Chicago seems over. With the Season 9 premiere quickly approaching, the cliffhangers large and small can finally be resolved. Showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of the hit medical drama's return to NBC, and shared which stories they were particularly excited to pick up again for the 2024 TV season.

I spoke with the Chicago Med bosses about the episodes that will air in light of the the end of the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike, starting with the Season 9 premiere on January 17. After explaining what's on the way with Hannah and Archer after the six-month time jump, they selected the stories they were happy to finally be able to continue.

• Andrew Schneider: "Well, how about Charles and Liliana?"
• Diane Frolov: "We won't see that pairing until a little ways into that season."
• Andrew Schneider: "They're living together now. It's a real bright spot in Charles' life but her difficult brother will come back to be a problem."

Dr. Charles found himself lucky in love in Chicago Med's eighth season when he unexpectedly fell for the musically gifted Liliana, who works as a cleaner at the hospital. While he'll have a storyline involving the new doctor played by Luke Mitchell, it seems that the love story with Liliana is going strong. In fact, Schneider went on to confirm that "Charles and Liliana are living together." That's not to say that her brother won't find ways to complicate their relationship (again), though!

Whether or not complications are on the way for her, Sharon Goodwin is getting a little love as well in Season 9, and she certainly deserves some happiness after dealing with Jack Dayton up last year. Diane Frolov previewed: 

As for the identity of this doctor, fans will have to wait until Med returns to learn more about him and whether he's a familiar face. Goodwin will also have some new weight on her shoulders on the job. Andrew Schneider revealed that the hospital "has a new administration, bought by a consortium of business people," which at least partially resolves one of One Chicago's biggest 2023 cliffhangers. The co-showrunners went on:

• Diane Frolov: "Right now [with the new owners] it's a little smoother. It's not so erratic." 
• Andrew Schneider: "There will be some ethical issues with a new board member who has a conflict of interest, and that comes back to Goodwin."
• Diane Frolov: "But we're not coming into the season with [the question of] what's going to happen to Med. That's been resolved."
• Andrew Schneider: "When we come into the season, the hospital's functioning well."

While the hospital may be functioning well when Med starts up again for Season 9, that's not necessarily the case for all of the characters' relationships. Maggie's marriage hit some rough patches in Season 8, and fans shouldn't expect her life to be perfect after the six months of the time jump. Andrew Schneider confirmed that professionally, "Maggie decided to stay as Med, which is her home." He went on: 

Schneider also previewed that "Maggie's marriage is not going well as a result of things that happened last season," and it's sounding like perhaps Dr. Charles and Liliana's love story may be going the strongest once the show returns! At the very least, fans can celebrate that Maggie decided not to take a tempting job at another hospital. 

The Season 9 premiere of Chicago Med is called "Row Row Row Your Boat on a Rocky Sea" and will see the entire team joining forces to help when the ED is filled with patients following a crash. Charles has a feeling that he already knows the new ED attending (a.k.a. Luke Mitchell's Dr. Mitch Ripley) while Archer is having doubts about the kidney transplant from his son Sean. 

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, January 17 at 8 p.m. ET for the Season 9 premiere of Chicago Med, followed by Chicago Fire – which starts Season 12 with some Stellaride tension – at 9 p.m. ET, and then Chicago P.D. – starting Season 11 with some big changes for Upton – at 10 p.m. ET. 

After Chicago Med ended Season 8 with Will Halstead leaving Chicago and the future of the hospital itself uncertain, NBC's hit medical drama is returning soon in the 2024 TV schedule. A six-month time jump means a lot has changed between the last episode in spring 2023 and the premiere of Season 9, and I spoke with showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider about what's ahead. And how could I not ask about the dynamic between Hannah Asher and Dean Archer?

Hannah and Archer may not have started out in the ED on the best of terms, but they formed a strong friendship in Season 8 that even took actress Jessy Schram by surprise. In the Season 8 finale (available streaming via Peacock Premium subscription), the two debunked his son's suspicions that there was a secret romance between them, and she was doing her best to be there for both of them as Sean relapsed just when he was set to donate a much-needed kidney to his dad. 

When the showrunners spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of Season 9, they addressed the chemistry between Schram and Steven Weber and what the future holds for their characters. Diane Frolov said: 

Considering that Hannah's closest relationship in the ED prior to Season 8 was with Will and Archer's was with Ethan, who could have known that the season would end with Will and Ethan gone from the hospital, and Hannah fast friends with Archer? Andrew Schneider weighed in: 

Fortunately, whatever changed in the hiatus between seasons that was longer than usual due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike, Hannah and Archer's friendship is evidently going strong. Some early looks at Season 9 show them interacting, but fans will have to wait until the upcoming premiere for all the context. 

The six-month time jump just so happens to equal the amount of time that Sean needed to wait after his relapse to be allowed to donate his kidney to his dad, and Hannah was very much wrapped up in what Schram described last season as the "emotional triangle" with the two Archer men. The co-showrunners previewed what's ahead after this time jump, including whether or not the triangle will be back. Diane Frolov said:

Archer didn't lose all of his hesitation about letting his son donate a kidney just because six months have passed, but he'll clearly have to make a choice sooner rather than later if his surgery is scheduled for the next day! And the unconventional triangle with Hannah and the Archer men has been settled, with Andrew Schneider adding:

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, January 17 at 8 p.m. ET for the Season 9 premiere of Chicago Med and the latest on Hannah and Archer. The medical drama didn't end on any life-or-death cliffhangers like Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. did, but the hospital going up for sale is certainly a twist that will need to be resolved! A new doctor (played by Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Luke Mitchell) will also debut in the premiere, so be sure not to miss it. 

You can enjoy a full night of One Chicago action on January 17, with Chicago Fire Season 12 premiering at 9 p.m. ET (with Fire showrunner explaining a Stellaride moment from the trailer) and Chicago P.D. Season 11 at 10 p.m. ET, all on NBC. Don't forget to check back with CinemaBlend for more from the Med showrunners!

Warning: spoilers ahead for the Season 8 winter premiere of Chicago Med, called “A Little Change Might Do You Some Good.”

Chicago Med is officially back for Season 8 in the 2023 TV schedule with a winter premiere to pick up where the fall finale left off with Ethan getting his happy ending with April and the big reveal that Jack Dayton had bought Gaffney Med. “A Little Change Might Do You Some Good” packed a lot into an hour. As a departure from the norm, however, Dean sent two doctors out of the ED in a move that he might not have made earlier in the series, which fits with what showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov said about opening him up to show “new sides." 

A brutal car accident turned out to be even worse than it initially seemed, when Dean and Dr. Lieu learned that their patient’s pregnant wife was missing in the woods where they’d crashed. Lieu managed to convince Dean that his search and rescue experience meant that he should join responders in trying to find her, and Dean decided that Hannah should go with him to help the pregnant woman. It’s hard to imagine Dean trusting Hannah nearly enough to send her out into the field once upon a time, as he previously wasn’t shy about disapproving of Goodwin allowing her to return to the hospital after her drug issues. 

Sending her with Dr. Lieu may seem like a small show of faith, but it showed how very far he has come from the man who came to the hospital with a lot of baggage and poor communication skills. Now the ED Chief, he and Hannah have been bonding throughout Season 8 since performing some surgeries together and Dean letting her in on the secret of his kidney problems. When Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov previously spoke with CinemaBlend, they weighed in on what led to teaming the two doctors up in Season 8:

The character who was best able to open Dean up prior to Season 8 was Ethan, but that wasn’t going to be possible in the long run with actor Brian Tee deciding to leave the show. By giving him another character to open up to, he could continue to develop past his negative traits and show more positive new sides. Sure, he’s still blunt with his opinions, but he’s not harsh in the way that he once was. 

Andrew Schneider went on to say that Steven Weber and Jessy Schram are “great together,” and Diane Frolov elaborated:

It remains to be seen if Archer will form stronger bonds with characters other than Hannah to continue showing new sides. She and Dr. Lieu worked well together on their search and rescue mission, so it should be interesting to see if Med has more of them in store. The NBC description for the next episode that airs on January 11 reveals that Hannah and Dean will use the new opiate abuse A.I. program. 

See what happens with new episodes of Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, ahead of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. You can also revisit past episodes streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. 

Chicago Med is currently in its winter hiatus, with no new episodes until the 2023 TV premiere schedule kicks off in the new year. Fans were left with a lot to think about after the fall finale’s big reveal about the hospital, not to mention Ethan getting his happy ending by marrying April and starting a new health initiative (off-screen) in the Windy City. Now, another doctor has been cast for the back half of Season 8, while showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider had some promising comments for CinemaBlend about the possible return of a former star after appearing in the fall finale.

With another couple of weeks to go before Med is back on NBC, let’s dig in to what the new character is bringing to the medical drama and then what the showrunners had to say about bringing back none other than Roland Buck III as Noah Sexton!

T.V. Carpio Joins Chicago Med As A New Doctor

In a season full of departures including Guy Lockard as Dr. Dylan Scott, Asjha Cooper as Dr. Vanessa Taylor, and most recently Brian Tee as Dr. Ethan Choi, Deadline reports that Chicago Med has cast Big Sky alum T.V. Carpio as a new doctor. Carpio's character is Dr. Grace Song, who is brought into the mix by Jack Dayton. 

While Jack Dayton adding a new doctor to Gaffney Med would have been all but inconceivable prior to the fall finale, the episode ended with the reveal that he bought a controlling interest in the hospital after the early success of OR 2.0, meaning that he’ll be able to make changes whether Goodwin likes them or not. The showrunners already previewed “complications” on the way, as well as changes to “Goodwin’s role in the hospital.” 

Considering that Goodwin regularly has the ED’s back (including a speech to Will and Vanessa after they broke some rules to buy drugs) whereas Jack is a businessman rather than a medical professional, it’s easy to see where the complications could come in pretty quickly in the new year! But what did the showrunners have to say about the possible return of Noah?

Will Chicago Med Bring Back Roland Buck III In 2023?

Roland Buck III recurred on the One Chicago medical drama for years as Noah Sexton, April’s younger brother who became a medical student and then resident by the time of his departure Season 6. He ultimately had to leave his job after crossing a line to allow a patient (who wanted to kill himself after the death of his wife) to inject himself with enough drugs to die. Instead of reporting Noah to the authorities and costing him his medical license (at the very least), Ethan fired him, and Noah left to pursue residency in Atlanta. 

The Season 8 fall finale marked the actor’s first (and so far only) return to Chicago Med since Noah was booted from the ED. His appearance amounted to little more than a cameo so that he could be there for his sister’s wedding, but it did deliver two reveals: Noah is on good terms with Ethan despite Ethan firing him back in the day, and Noah is evidently working in Chicago, as he left one scene at Med because he had to “head back to work.”

So, if Noah is back in Chicago, does that mean that fans could see more of him in the second half of Season 8? I asked the co-showrunners that very question, and Diane Frolov shared:

The showrunners “talking about” bringing back Roland Buck III as Noah for the second half of Season 8 isn’t exactly a guarantee, but it’s a good reason to be hopeful that Dr. Sexton will be back in the mix in the not-too-distant future! While the character didn’t reveal where he was working in his brief fall finale scenes, it seems that he’s officially back in town. Andrew Schneider went on to address how Buck fits into Med:

While characters like Colin Donnell’s Connor (who had an open ending back in Season 5) and Kristen Hager’s Stevie haven’t returned after their departures, Noah has already turned up again, and that may not be the last time. Be sure to tune in to Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC in the new year to see what happens next, starting with the winter premiere on January 4. 

If you want to revisit some of Noah’s past episodes or even the Season 8 fall finale, you can find all of Chicago Med so far streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. Plus, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. set up some exciting episodes in 2023, with Fire's fall finale ending on an explosive cliffhanger and P.D. finally closing a terrifying case after running through many possible endings. 

Warning: spoilers ahead for the fall finale of Chicago Med Season 8, called “This Could Be the Start of Something New.”

The fall finale of Chicago Med’s eighth season was bound to be game-changing due to the much-hyped departure of Brian Tee as Dr. Ethan Choi. Fortunately, showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider weren’t kidding when they previewed a happy ending and church wedding for Ethan and April, and that happy ending is a relief in light of how the episode concluded. Jack Dayton – who has already proved that he has a blind spot when it comes to actual patient care – has bought a controlling interest in Med, and according to the showrunners, the aftermath is going to be complicated. 

First things first: let's dive into what happened. Jack Dayton’s financial and tech support of the hospital after being saved by Crockett seemed too good to be true for some time… and now the characters found out that there are some strings attached. Crockett hasn’t loved being shoved into fame by Dayton, and had some trouble when the revolutionary OR 2.0 didn’t want to let him use his own expertise during a surgery, when he’d already been hesitant about doing the procedure in front of an audience of businesspeople. For a bit there, it seemed like Dean’s reference to HAL from 2001: A Space Odyssey wasn’t too much of an exaggeration! 

The doctor who was well-versed in OR 2.0 was able to override the tech and let Crockett use his own techniques, but it was an example of business and technology potentially getting in the way of saving lives, and the gratitude for the new operating room didn’t seem to extend to the doctors wanting Jack Dayton even more involved in their work. Goodwin, Will, Dr. Charles, and hospital lawyer Kalmick found out about Dayton buying the controlling interest at the very end.

While it wasn’t a life-or-death cliffhanger like the fire at the end of Season 7, comments from the showrunners indicate that this still counts as a game-changer for the characters who are sticking around. When Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider spoke with CinemaBlend about the fall finale, I asked about what’s on the way with Dayton and the OR 2.0. They shared that “trust” issues are just one of many complications on the way, saying: 

• Frolov: "There are going to be a lot of complications. Not just medically, but ethically."
• Schneider: "This is incredibly expensive technology, who's gonna pay for it all? What patients are going to be allowed to have access to this technology?"
• Frolov: "And as you saw, how much do you trust the machine? What is the human role with technology?"
• Schneider: "It's a tool, but it's a very expensive tool, and you still need a surgeon using that tool."

While it’s much too early to predict what will happen if there’s a standoff between the businessman and the doctors, Dayton could be stuck if the surgeons are pushed far enough that they refuse to operate. I can imagine characters struggling with not being able to use OR 2.0 to save everybody, if it turns out that the technology is saved for the super rich. Plus, there’s the whole issue of whether the tech can be trusted as much as a human! 

As would be expected after Crockett’s reluctance to do the surgery – and what may have just been good luck that it worked – Diane Frolov confirmed that he “has conflicts about it.” He’s certainly the biggest character who would be using OR 2.0 and has the closest bond with Dayton, so the second half of Season 8 might be rough for him. I'd also love to get Dr. Abrams take on the tech.

So, now that the businessman has controlling interest in the hospital, will he allow them to go about their medical business as usual or change how everything works? According to the showrunners, he definitely didn’t buy Med just out of the goodness of his heart to let them keep carrying on as they were. Schneider and Frolov said:

• Schneider: Big time! It changes Goodwin's role in the hospital. Supply chain issues will be resolved, but at some expense to other issues in the hospital.
• Frolov: There'll be issues of, as Andy said, power, priorities, policy.
• Schneider: Jack was into flash, not necessarily comprehensive patient care. He's not a doctor, he's a businessman.

Changes to Goodwin’s role could be bad news for everybody, as she tends to have the backs of the doctors and nurses as much as possible, and is often willing to stand up to the board. She even indicated to Will and Vanessa that she was okay with their illegal methods of getting drugs for a patient, except for the fact that they’d hidden it from her. Goodwin usually wants to prioritize patient care over money; Dayton may not be in the same book, let alone on the same page. 

So, what’s going to happen in the second half of Season 8, with Ethan gone from the ED and Jack Dayton suddenly in a position of power? Find out when Chicago Med returns in the 2023 TV premiere schedule on Wednesday, January 4 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, ahead of Chicago Fire Season 11 and Chicago P.D. Season 10. If you’re not looking forward to a month without any One Chicago action, you can revisit past episodes streaming with a Peacock subscription.

The end of 2022 is quickly approaching, and that means the fall finales of the three One Chicago shows. While there are reasons to be excited for all of them, Chicago Med has something special in store for Ethan: no less than a happy ending. That’s not to say that there won’t be complications, but co-showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider opened up to CinemaBlend about giving Ethan the ending he deserves… and characters who may not get such happy endings to close the year. 

But let’s start with the good news, following the reveal in the previous episode that Ethan and April were engaged! 

The latest episode revealed that Ethan and April were done wasting time after getting back together, and planning to get married very soon. Ethan was all smiles about the good news, and the wedding was set to be a big church event. Now, big weddings don’t always go well on Chicago Med, as Will and Natalie know well, but co-showrunner Diane Frolov promised that it’s “safe to say” that Ethan and April’s nuptials will go a lot better than when Manstead tried to tie the knot. She then previewed what the actual ceremony will look like:

Co-showrunner Andrew Schneider added that it will be traditional “in every way,” and the look at the ceremony (seen above) proves that the happy couple put together a beautiful wedding pretty quickly, complete with a gorgeous dress for April and a huge smile for Ethan. Even the priest looks thrilled for them! 

Of course, fans have known since back in October that actor Brian Tee was leaving the show in the fall finale, and the stage hadn’t really been set for Ethan’s departure at that point other than reuniting him with April. So, did the Med showrunners have an alternate plan for his exit, in case actress Yaya DaCosta hadn’t been able to return? 

Diane Frolov shared that they “always wanted a happy ending for him,” and Andrew Schneider elaborated: 

Not only did the Chicago Med team have time to plan ahead for Ethan’s exit well before viewers found out that he was leaving, but they had Yaya DaCosta on board for April’s reunion with him leading to marriage. Frolov went on to explain why the relationship works differently this time around:

Ethan went through some tremendous changes over the last couple of seasons, and the previous episode even established that he might have a calling important enough to take him away from Med without leaving Chicago. Ethan was upset that the medical system failed a man because he didn’t have access to the care that could have saved his life. If that’s how Med says goodbye, what better way? 

Well, Ethan getting a happy ending with the woman he loves doesn’t mean everybody on the show will have an easy time in the fall finale. Crockett has been in a difficult position ever since saving Jack Dayton turned him into a sort of celebrity, and Dayton coming into the mix helped with the supply chain shortages. He even made a huge (although undisclosed) donation to the hospital after telling them that asking for $10 million wasn’t enough.

While that should be good news, a huge donation doesn’t necessarily come without some expectations. When I asked if Dayton offered his support with some strings attached, Diane Frolov previewed:

Dayton attaching himself to Med (and Crockett) hasn’t necessarily been a bad thing so far, but he also hasn’t seen the workings of a hospital quite the same way as the doctors and nurses. Andrew Schneider went further to explain what sets the character apart from the others:

Diane Frolov agreed and added that he “doesn’t understand medicine,” even though he’s a “businessman, a developer, an engineer.” He also seems very used to getting his way with his resources, which presents a weak spot, as Schneider said: 

Can Jack Dayton become accustomed to taking patients into account instead of just engineering and developing? He helped save a life earlier in Season 8 by creating a set of lungs, but that was more of taking on a challenge than wanting to serve the greater good. While he has helped the hospital a lot already, a donation with strings attached doesn’t necessarily bode 100% well. 

Even though Maggie doesn’t seem to be facing health issues anymore, there have been a lot of ups and downs for her in Season 8 due to the return of Grant to her life. Spending time with him was easier to explain when Vanessa was still around, as they were her biological parents. After Vanessa left and Maggie almost kissed Grant in his car, she made the questionable decision not to tell Ben about their car accident. When I noted to the showrunners that Maggie not telling Ben seemed like a disaster waiting to happen, Andrew Schneider said:

Fans will be able to see some fallout from Maggie’s decision, and it’s probably safe to say that she may regret not only what she did in getting close to Grant again, but also not telling Ben about the accident. Diane Frolov shared her take:

While Maggie was getting too close to Grant for comfort almost as soon as he returned to her life, the near-miss kiss and car crash happened after Vanessa left. According to Schneider, however, Maggie's decisions about her ex had nothing to do with their biological daughter leaving. The co-showrunner said:

Clarity should be good for Maggie, but it sounds like it could come at the cost of her realizing just how much of a mistake she made. Depending on if (or when) Ben finds out, it might be a while before she’s as happy in marriage as Ethan and April! All things considered, there seems to be a lot to look forward to in the fall finale before Med returns in the 2023 TV premiere schedule.

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, December 7 at 8 p.m. ET for the fall finale of Chicago Med, ahead of the fall finales of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. If you’re not ready to give up the One Chicago action during the hiatus, you can find past seasons streaming with a Peacock subscription.

One Chicago came back in a big way for the fall with some intense premieres, but now Chicago Med joins the likes of Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire in losing another key character before even hitting the halfway point of the current season. Brian Tee, who has been part of Chicago Med as Dr. Ethan Choi going back to the beginning of the medical drama, is stepping away after eight seasons. The news comes not long after Guy Lockard left Med as Dr. Dylan Scott. 

Why Brian Tee Is Leaving Chicago Med

Fans will see the last of Brian Tee as a series regular in the ninth episode of Season 8, according to Deadline, which will air in December. Assuming that Med follows its usual schedule, Episode 9 should serve as the midseason finale. The actor decided to leave the hit series after his six-year contract expired to give him more time to spend with his family. 

Tee will also pursue new jobs in the entertainment industry, including directing. In fact, he’ll return to Med in the second half of Season 8 behind the camera, as he is slated to direct Episode 16. While this is sad news for fans who have been watching Ethan’s journey for the better part of a decade, Chicago Med already showed how the series can explore stories without him, as Tee was absent for several episodes of Season 7. (You can revisit Season 7 streaming with a Peacock subscription.)

Ethan still had some major emotional arcs following his gunshot wound at the end of Season 6, with his father dying and then more secrets coming out about a whole other life that his dad hid from him while still living. Ethan has seemed more at peace with himself in Season 8 after being “tremendously changed” (to quote the showrunners) in Season 7, and had a sweet reunion with April. 

How Chicago Med Is Already Setting The Stage

Looking back in light of the news of Brian Tee leaving Chicago Med, it seems that some of the drama’s moves regarding the character have been in service of Ethan's upcoming departure. Speaking with Deadline, the actor previewed that what Med has “been planning for Dr. Choi’s sendoff” is "fitting" and "beautiful," which suggests that fans don’t have to worry that a tragedy is on the way for him. 

Plus, one of his major arcs prior to Season 8 was his promotion to ED Chief, which first caused some tension with Will (who wanted the job for himself) and then resulted in Steven Weber joining the cast as new ED doctor Dean Archer, who knew Ethan from his days as a commanding officer in the Navy. 

When showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of Season 8, they confirmed that this storyline for Ethan had officially come to an end. In response to my question of how the two doctors would be working together after the past tension over the ED Chief job, Frolov shared: 

Reconciliation makes sense as a step toward an upcoming farewell! Archer has certainly settled into the role throughout Season 8 so far after Ethan decided to officially give him the top ED job back in the spring, and Ethan hasn’t struggled with working under him. Andrew Schneider elaborated on why the switch hasn’t caused any problems:

There was no way to know ahead of Season 8 that Ethan and Archer working well together could be in service of Ethan leaving and Archer remaining, but fans can enjoy that the old friends can continue treating patients together on good terms, even in the stressful arena of the ED. 

Brian Tee marks the third series regular to leave Chicago Med over the past two seasons, although his stint has been much longer. Kristen Hager left the medical drama in Season 7 after less than one full season as a full-timer, while the Season 8 premiere was the final episode for Guy Lockard (also a new Season 7 addition)  as Dylan Scott. 

See how Chicago Med tells Ethan’s story in his final episodes of Season 8 on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The show also recently escalated some conflict between Dr. Charles and his new fellow (although that may be for the best), so a lot has been happening. Elsewhere in One Chicago, Fire has the aftermath of a tragedy to deal with following a big death, and P.D. has to move on after losing Jesse Lee Soffer as Halstead (and one star shared some insight into how it will happen). 

Spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of Chicago Med Season 8, called "Winning the Battle, but Still Losing the War."

Chicago Med gave Dr. Charles a colleague to work closely with in the eighth season, but not by bringing back Sarah Reese. Dr. Nellie Cuevas (played by Lilah Richcreek Estrada) is a psych fellow working alongside Charles, and after they gently butted heads early in the new season, their disagreement in "Winning the Battle, but Still Losing the War" boiled over into real conflict. By the end of the hour, however, it seemed that the conflict might be good for both of them. 

The stakes were already high when the teenager they'd diagnosed with schizophrenia in the Season 8 premiere (only to have his parents refuse to let them treat him) was brought back into the ED, and he was suffering more than ever. His mom was finally willing to listen and allow the doctors to try and help him, but helping him showed the stark differences between how Charles and Nellie approach psychiatry. 

While experience taught Charles that sometimes the only way to build trust is to play into delusions, Nellie cited clinical evidence that made her want to do the exact opposite. He wasn't thrilled, but the real fight didn't start until after she administered some heavy drugs to the young man when he grew agitated. For her, medicating him was the right move; for him, it destroyed their chances of building trust. 

And all things considered, the conflict may have been inevitable based on what kind of doctor Nellie already was when she began working with him. Chicago Med co-showrunner Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of Season 8 and explained how Nellie fits into what had been a well-oiled machine in the ED:

Co-showrunner Andrew Schneider added that she's "very firm in what she knows and how she thinks patients ought to be approached," which is the cause of "conflict with Dr. Charles." They made a bit of a scene in the ED when Charles went off after learning that she'd ordered drugs for their patient, and neither seemed ready to back down in the moment, so why would conflict between two psychiatrists be a good thing? 

Well, Nellie may be firm in what she knows and how she thinks, but her final scene of the episode proved that she's not completely inflexible and unwilling to learn from Charles' decades of experience in their field. She visited him in his office to tell him that she talked to the boy's mother about letting him spend a few nights in the psych ward so that they could talk to him and get to know him before writing him a prescription. 

Even after Charles gave her the out of acknowledging that the situation was chaotic when she'd ordered the drugs, she admitted that she probably jumped to meds too quickly, and knows that she relies heavily on the literature and standard of care because she doesn't 100% trust her own instincts. Charles reassured her that it took him years, and he promised that she could get to a place of trusting herself to make the right calls.

And this breakthrough almost certainly wouldn't have happened if they hadn't had their conflict earlier in the episode. Neither of them enjoyed the argument (and probably wouldn't have had it in the middle of the ED if cooler heads could have prevailed), but they seem to be on better terms after their disagreement than they were before. 

See whether their new status quo as colleagues sticks with new episodes of Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, ahead of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m in the 2022 TV premiere schedule. Nick Gehlfuss recently shared one thing that will never happen for Will Halstead, and the problems with the the supply shortages (which the showrunners opened up about) aren't going anywhere, so be sure to keep tuning in. 

Chicago Med had some surprises in store throughout its Season 8 premiere, ranging from Jo’s death to Dylan’s decision to depart to the reveal that Jessa was the one who had set Will’s apartment building on fire. Possibly the biggest shocker came at the very end, when Ethan ran into none other than April at his father’s burial site. That had a loaded exchange that suggested there were still strong feelings between them; in light of the showrunners’ comments about how much he has changed, what does the future look like for April and Ethan?

Even though Brian Tee appeared in far fewer episodes of Season 7 than usual, he had an important arc through his recovery from being shot, his decision to pass the ED Chief role on to Archer, and then everything he learned about his father after his death. When showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider recently spoke with CinemaBlend (about the conflict on the way to the hospital and more), I asked about how much everything he went through last season and his discoveries about his dad changed him, and Frolov shared that he’d been “tremendously” affected. Schneider went on to say: 

Schneider added that Ethan has “no desire to be in charge anymore” as well, so there’s no conflict between him and Archer about the leadership role in the ED, and he confirmed that Brian Tee will be back full-time for Season 8. So, in light off all of his tremendous changes and ability to see more of the gray areas in his job and his life, how will he deal with the return of April?

Well, Med wasted no time in showing that these two people who loved each other very much in the past are still drawn to each other. After Ethan established that she’s back in Chicago after becoming a nurse practitioner, they both made sure that the other hadn’t been married. It also seemed that distance and time apart didn’t change how much she cared about him and his family, as she visited his father’s burial site because she wanted to pay her respects rather than an excuse to run into him. 

She didn’t just come back for a one-off appearance now that Yaya DaCosta’s Fox series has been cancelled. Diane Frolov told TVLine that DaCosta will be back as April “in a couple more episodes” and has a “big storyline” on the way. Whether that’s to develop (or deliver closure for) the relationship with Ethan or something involving medicine remains to be seen, but viewers can look forward to seeing how a changed Ethan interacts with April in Season 8.

They didn’t part on bad terms, to the point that there were big questions about how Med would pay off on April confessing her love in what was then Yaya DaCosta’s final episode as a series regular. It seems that answers are now on the way. After all of his physical and emotional pain during Season 7, we can only hope that his interactions with April lead to some more happiness. 

The premiere of Med was eventful all around, with the medical drama losing not only Dylan but also Pamela (which sets up a big storyline for Crockett) and toying with whether or not Hannah and Will can truly get a clean slate (with the stars sharing their thoughts). Keep tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago Med Season 8, ahead of Chicago Fire Season 11 (which already delivered some bad news for Brettsey) at 9 p.m. and Chicago P.D. (with its brand new theme) Season 10 at 10 p.m. ET. 

Spoilers are ahead for the Season 8 premiere of Chicago Med, called “How Do You Begin to Count the Losses.”

Chicago Med returned with an action-packed premiere that paid off on the deadly Season 7 finale, and all of the major characters survived the fire. (Jo wasn’t so lucky.) That said, the medical drama still said goodbye to two characters before the end of the hour: Dr. Dylan Scott decided that he needed to leave Chicago after Jo’s death, and Dr. Pamela Blake transferred to a different hospital for rehab after Crockett’s decision jeopardized her medical career. Med co-showrunner Andrew Schneider opened up about how he’ll have to move on from Pamela leaving. 

When showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend about Season 8, I noted that Crockett had a personal and professional bond with Pamela. After Frolov confirmed that Pamela does indeed blame him for the outcome of the surgery, Schneider previewed what’s next for Crockett: 

Pamela’s decision to leave goes back to her giving Crockett power of attorney before going under the knife for her surgery. When complications arose, he chose the route most likely to save her life but result in loss of mobility, which her daughter and Dr. Abrams insisted was not what she would want. Now, she’s off to a neuro rehab center in Boston. 

Abrams noted the “irony” of Crockett’s decision taking out the chief of transplant surgery and bumping himself up the ladder in that department (which was obviously not Crockett's goal). After Goodwin shot down his attempt to leave transplant, he pulled off a pretty miraculous save in a liver procedure. While Blake fully intends to return (and not work with him), for now his future in transplant surgery is apparently bright. 

Andrew Schneider’s details about a “wealthy Chicago entrepreneur” point toward the character whose casting was announced back in August, with Sasha Roiz of 9-1-1 and Grimm fame coming to the show. It sounds like he’ll be part of an important storyline for Crockett, whose future otherwise is kind of a blank slate after the events of the premiere. (Stars Nick Gehlfuss and Jessy Schram couldn’t 100% say the same for Will and Hannah.) 

Joining transplant and working with Pamela (and the sticky relationship with her daughter) was his biggest story by the end of Season 7 (which you can revisit streaming with a Peacock subscription), and it sounds like he’ll make more of a name for himself as opposed to working at Pamela’s right hand as the eighth season gets into gear. 

Combined with everything else that happened in the premiere – including Dylan’s departure, April’s return (following the end of Yaya DaCosta’s Our Kind of People), and Chicago P.D.’s Burgess crossing over to reveal that Jessa torched Will’s building – ”How Do You Begin to Count the Losses” set the stage for what should be an exciting new season. 

Tune in to NBC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET to catch new episodes of Chicago Med. The medical drama opens a full night of One Chicago action, and the other two shows got off to intriguing starts as well. Chicago Fire is set to continue Severide’s dangerous storyline after the bad Brettsey news in Season 11, while Chicago P.D. has a brand new theme for what showrunner Gwen Sigan dubs the “messy” dynamics of Season 10. 

The long wait to find out the fates of several major Chicago Med characters is nearly at an end, with the Season 8 premiere of NBC’s hit medical drama quickly approaching in the fall TV schedule. Season 7 ended with Will Halstead and Dylan Scott trapped in a burning apartment building, with both stairwells engulfed in flames. Hannah Asher seemingly escaped, but Jo was wounded in the scuffle with a shooter. Now, showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov have opened up to CinemaBlend about that fiery cliffhanger, the VasCom storyline, and the ongoing conflict on the way. 

Since the infernos of One Chicago tend to happen on Chicago Fire rather than Chicago Med, Will and Dylan’s lives were in serious jeopardy as of the end of the Season 7 finale. After all, they're doctors, not firefighters! While the showrunners didn’t spoil exactly what will happen when Season 8 kicks off, Andrew Schneider confirmed that the resolution was planned back when the cliffhanger was written:

It sounds like fans shouldn’t expect each of the characters to receive the same resolution, which may or may not be a good thing. Hopefully at least nobody else will be shot, as what seems to have happened to Jo! Will and Dylan have enough problems to deal with thanks to the fire engulfing the building that Will had so recently purchased. Diane Frolov revealed that Med “had help from Fire” in making the fiery cliffhanger happen, and Andrew Schneider elaborated:

It makes sense that the Chicago Fire team would lend a hand for Chicago Med raising the temperatures. Since the cliffhanger at the end of Fire Season 10 only involved two characters who were well outside of the city, some of the rest of the Firehouse 51 crew were presumably available to lend a hand earlier than usual on Wednesday nights. The showrunners didn’t specify just which characters might be crossing over to help out Will and Dylan, so fans will have to tune in to find out! 

Unfortunately for Will, the fire seemed extreme enough that his use of the VasCom payment to buy the building has already gone to waste. Hopefully he hadn’t moved all of his personal belongings into the apartment already, or he may have lost a lot more than just his VasCom money. As for whether or not that storyline ended at the conclusion of Season 7, Schneider previewed:

Dr. Cooper’s fate wasn’t entirely resolved by the end of the seventh season, although he pretty much carried himself past the point of no return when he did cocaine in front of Will back in November. It’s probably safe to say that he won’t be reinstated as a doctor at the hospital, and we won’t be seeing how the trial goes from within the courtroom (which tracks after the cancellation of Chicago Justice), but there may be some answers on the way.

But what about the conflicts that are surely on the way once Chicago Med resolves the fiery cliffhanger and moves forward? When I asked what the showrunners were looking forward to fans finally getting to see from Season 8, Diane Frolov shared:

Hospital shortages are real-life issues facing the medical community, ranging from staff to supplies to resources. This certainly isn’t the first time that Chicago Med has touched on issues in the real world, as when it included COVID in the story, and the shortages will evidently be an ongoing issue in Season 8. Andrew Schneider continued:

“Dramatic situations” are part of the fun of One Chicago, and it sounds like fans have a lot to look forward to with the resolution of the potentially deadly cliffhanger as well as what comes next. Let’s just hope that no other parts of Will’s life (and livelihood) quite literally go up in flames in the foreseeable future! 

The Season 8 premiere of Chicago Med airs on Wednesday, September 21 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, which opens a full night of One Chicago action. Fire Season 11 debuts at 9 p.m., with P.D. Season 10 premiering at 10 p.m. If you want a refresher on how the 2021-2022 TV season ended for the three shows, you can do so streaming with a Peacock subscription and check out our breakdown of where we left off for Fire, P.D., and Med.

Chicago Med delivered a surprise return in Season 7 when none other than Jessy Schram showed up in a cliffhanger to reveal that Hannah Asher is back, and much better off than she was the last time that viewers saw her. Hannah is bringing her talents as an OB-GYN to the ED, which means not only spending time with Will as her ex, but also filling the vacancy left by Stevie’s departure to Michigan. Showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov weighed in on why now was the right time to bring Hannah back, as well as what it means for Will. 

Jessy Schram’s return as Hannah Asher came not too long before it was confirmed that Stevie’s departure really was for good, as Deadline reports that Kristen Hager has left the series after less than one full season as a regular. The door is still open for her to return, but fans don’t have to worry that the ED will feel empty without another doctor. Hannah is healthy in a way that she never was during her original run on Med, although Dean Archer’s reaction to her indicates that not everybody will have absolute faith in her recovery. 

Showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend and other outlets in honor of the 2022 One Chicago Day, and shared why now was the time for more Hannah. Schneider explained:

Hannah didn’t exactly have a happy ending when she left Chicago back in the Season 6 premiere, as she went from overdosing to deciding that she needed to leave the Windy City behind for the sake of her own health, and the relationship with Will wasn’t healthy for either of them. (Dr. Charles said as much back in Season 5.) She was visibly improved in her first scene back, and now fans will get to see her improvement with her on board as a regular. Diane Frolov elaborated on bringing her back in the second half of Season 7:

Hannah’s arc evidently isn’t going to end by the time of the Season 7 finale, which is fast approaching as of the end of the 22-episode order for the 2021-2022 TV season. The plan at this point is at least for the story to continue into Season 8, which is already guaranteed thanks to the massive three-season renewal back in 2022. The next several episodes will shed some light on what to expect from her (and her dynamic with Will) with Stevie gone, but Andrew Schneider raised the point of why she can be essential to the ED: 

For all the times that Will or Ethan or anybody else has yelled for somebody to call OB over the years of the show, who can argue that having an OB-GYN on hand wouldn’t be a great asset for the ED? Her status as a doctor with that specialty also helped make it easier to understand why Med would bring her back after all of her troubles in Season 5 and early Season 6. They need somebody with her qualifications, and she was ready to come back!

As for whether or not Will will be ready for her to come back, fans will have to wait and see. He was very invested in their relationship before she left Chicago, but a lot has happened for both of them since, and it’s not like Will doesn’t have experience in working with exes without falling head over heels again. The showrunners previewed how Will will handle her return, with Diane Frolov saying:

She was already facing a challenge right out of the gate when she first appeared in Season 7, with Dr. Archer questioning whether she was ready to return. Will definitely did try to save her from herself during their relationship… which was basically why Dr. Charles advised against Hannah starting a romance while early in her recovery. It should be interesting to see if sparks fly between them again, or if Hannah is a completely changed woman. Andrew Schneider added that she’s “determined” to “outrun her reputation,” with Frolov commenting that the show will “keep going back to that dynamic.”

See Hannah Asher back in action with Stevie Hammer gone with new episodes of Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, ahead of Chicago Fire (which is adding a new paramedic who is definitely not Brett 2.0) at 9 p.m. and Chicago P.D. with the Intelligence Unit family in action at 10 p.m. Chicago Med’s Marlyne Barrett also recently weighed in on Maggie dealing with her trauma, and that certainly doesn’t sound like something that the show is done exploring. To relive some of the earlier days of One Chicago, you can find all three shows streaming with a Peacock subscription.

April 6 is also the One Chicago Day for 2022, and fans can check out the official One Chicago YouTube page for some fun content. All three shows are going strong as part of the nine-show Dick Wolf TV universe, and will return for the 2022-2023 TV season.

Spoilers ahead for the midseason premiere of Chicago Med Season 7, called “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished… In Chicago.”

Chicago Med returned to NBC in 2022 with enough of a time jump to show some of the fallout from Goodwin’s decision to report the VasCom Medicare fraud to the FBI. She (and Will) attracted a lot of attention for their roles in bringing the case to light, and not in a way that anybody other than the feds really seem to appreciate. While Will mostly had to deal with some snarky comments from Stevie, Goodwin is being pressured on multiple fronts in a season in which she has been struggling to stabilize her diabetes. Her glucose levels weren’t the best in this episode, and the showrunners previewed what’s ahead with her struggles.

Goodwin had mentioned her diabetes in previous seasons, and it was in fact the reason why she did not return to the hospital as early as others did while Med was still tackling the COVID pandemic. According to co-showrunner Diane Frolov, actress S. Epatha Merkerson had a part to play in the decision for Goodwin to struggle with her diabetes in Season 7. Frolov shared:

Chicago Med has been going slowly with this storyline for Goodwin, with her trouble stabilizing her diabetes increasing as the stress of the VasCom fraud case continued to build. Turning the case over to the FBI ultimately increased the level of stress, and there’s no indication that it’ll be letting up any time soon. Co-showrunner Andrew Schneider elaborated on the reasoning and goals for this storyline:

The midseason premiere made it clear that the storyline is continuing into 2022, and it’s looking like things could get worse before they get better when it comes to Goodwin’s health. Even her fun evening out with Dr. Charles that was supposed to de-stress her was ruined when Cooper showed up! At least she has Dr. Charles in her corner, and it seems like he might be a port in a storm for her. After all, the only other person who was in on the investigation with her was Will, and he’s dealing with his own issues. 

The good news is that Chicago Med isn’t going anywhere now that it has returned from its winter hiatus, and you can find the next new episode of Season 7 on Wednesday, January 12 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The promo for the next episode doesn’t give away what’s up next for Goodwin, but it definitely looks like an intense hour of television. Take a look:

For more of what you can watch now and in the coming weeks now that we’re into the new year, check out our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule. The TV universe that includes Chicago Med will get even bigger in February, so there’s a lot to look forward to when it comes to the Dick Wolf TV shows. Plus, fans won't have to wait too long to see Brian Tee back as Ethan again on Med!

Chicago Med closed out the first half of Season 7 with an episode that set up some serious fallout for characters in 2022, but Brian Tee was absent as Dr. Ethan Choi in the midseason finale. Ethan has spent most of Season 7 off screen to recover from his gunshot wound at the end of Season 6, and his brief return to the ED came to a painful end, but is that it for Season 7? Chicago Med showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider previewed when Ethan will be back, and what kind of story will be involved.

Ethan was well on the road to recovery when he returned to the ED back in November, but his work took too much of a physical toll on him, and an MRI confirmed that he needed a big surgery requiring at least a couple more months of recovery. He’s not gone for good, though! When I spoke with showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider, Frolov shared when fans can expect to see him again: 

Ethan will be back, but that doesn’t mean he’ll have an easy time of it! Moving storylines involving Dr. Charles can be emotional for all characters involved, for better or worse, and Ethan had a lot of baggage even before his most recent injuries. Plus, Ethan’s biggest storylines have primarily involved April or, more recently, Steven Weber’s Dean Archer as his former commanding officer, so it should be interesting to see what the show has in store with this new story with Dr. Charles. 

As for whether or not this “moving story” bodes well for fans who have been waiting to get Ethan back full-time, only time will tell. Andrew Schneider did preview a bit of what Episode 12 has on the way for his arc, however, saying:

Chicago Med has explored his past before, particularly with regard to how his history with the Navy affected him, and the arrival of Dr. Archer added some workplace complications due to that history. His sister Emily also appeared in several episodes in earlier seasons. Still, compared to a character like Will, Ethan has more blanks that could be filled in, and a moving storyline for him could be just what Season 7 needs.

And Episode 12 isn’t too far off! The midseason finale was the ninth episode of Season 7, and Chicago Med will return with the tenth in early January. Based on how the show wrapped in 2021, the first episodes back will have some loose ends to deal with, particularly when it comes to Will and Goodwin with their fraud investigation. 

Be sure to tune in to NBC on Wednesday, January 5 at 8 p.m. ET to catch the midseason premiere of Chicago Med, followed by the returns of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. For more of what to watch and when to tune in, check out our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule!

Spoilers ahead for the midseason finale of Chicago Med Season 7, called “Secret Santa Has A Gift For You.”

Chicago Med celebrated the holidays with an episode featuring a tree lighting, carols, ugly Christmas sweaters, and even a neurosurgeon dressed like Santa Claus, but it wasn’t exactly the merriest of episodes. Characters dealt (or didn’t deal) with some secrets, while Goodwin made a decision regarding Will’s fraud investigation that could have long-term consequences. Throw in Dylan’s work with a baby to continue showing how far he has come from his days as a cop and Crockett kissing Blake of all people, and fans have a lot to think about over hiatus. Fortunately, the showrunners have shed some light on what’s on the way in 2022 after the midseason finale.

The episode ended with plenty of unanswered questions about what comes next, but the biggest cliffhanger happened when Goodwin decided to tell the FBI about the VasCom Medicare fraud, resulting in both Jessa and Cooper being arrested in the middle of the Med Christmas party, with FBI agents swarming. The board had specifically said that the FBI shouldn’t be told to keep any heat off of the hospital, and Goodwin gave Will the impression that they both needed to let the case go.

It was as much a surprise to Will as anybody else that Goodwin went to the feds, and according to showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov, that story isn’t done just because two culprits have been arrested.  Schneider previewed how “Secret Santa Has A Gift For You” sets up what happens next on the show with this storyline:

Even though Jessa and Cooper will evidently pay for their crimes, the storyline isn’t over. Whether that means the fallout will come from the FBI in a continued investigation or just Goodwin facing the music from the board for going against their directive remains to be seen. However it unfolds for her and for Will, we can only hope that the stress doesn’t affect her health any more than it has already! 

The FBI agents who turned up to make the Christmas party arrests seem to be entirely different from the feds who have been causing trouble for Will’s brother over on Chicago P.D., but Med isn’t done with stories that touch on the CPD. The introduction of Dylan in Season 7 as a CPD cop-turned-doctor has taken the show in some new directions, and that’s definitely not over. Diane Frolov weighed in on whether Season 7 will continuing exploring his past: 

That conflict between his past as a cop and present as a pediatrician has been fleshed out thanks to several appearances by P.D.’s LaRoyce Hawkins playing Officer Kevin Atwater, in a TV season where crossovers within One Chicago are still relatively rare. Andrew Schneider spoke about making those Atwater crossovers happen for Dylan’s story: 

So, fans should prepare for the show to delve back into Dylan’s backstory in the second half of the season, and likely with LaRoyce Hawkins showing up as Atwater some more. Whether or not there are any more elaborate crossovers remains to be seen; One Chicago previously would air one big crossover between Med, P.D., and Chicago Fire each season, and then one between P.D. and Fire, but production precautions have prevented those kinds of events over the past two seasons. 

Another new character who has gotten some meaty story material in Season 7 has been Stevie, whose complicated relationship with her mom spilled over into her work life earlier in the season. Her mom has departed Chicago, but is the storyline really done? Diane Frolov previewed what’s ahead:

Chicago Med set up some exciting new storylines for the second half of Season 7, even if it seemingly wrapped up some plots like Will’s undercover investigation. There’s also the absence of Ethan to account for, and after Crockett’s kiss with Blake, it’s easy to understand why the showrunners already said that his flirtation with her daughter “complicates things” ahead! 

The bad news is that Chicago Med won’t be back next Wednesday with a new episode on NBC to reveal the initial fallout of the cliffhanger, as the show is headed into winter hiatus for a few weeks. For when Med (as well as Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and more) will be back in the new year, be sure to check out our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule, and check back with CinemaBlend for more One Chicago coverage for Med, Fire, and P.D.!

Chicago Med will soon air its final new episode of 2021, and all signs point toward the winter finale delivering some must-see twists before the end of the hour. The show has been building some storylines up to the point that something is going to have to give, and based on comments from showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov, there are going to be some “shocking revelations” and big developments in some of the most suspenseful storylines, including Will’s fraud investigation and Crockett’s work with Dr. Blake.

The show is wrapping 2021 with a holiday-themed episode, but that doesn’t mean that it will be a merry hour from start to finish. Called “Secret Santa Has A Gift For You,” the winter finale will have a lot going on just based on the episode description. When I spoke to showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov ahead of the episode, they previewed what’s on the way with the holiday-themed winter finale. When asked just how merry everybody at Med can really get at this point in Season 7, Frolov revealed that “they try” and are “doing a lot of this for the kids there,” and Schneider elaborated:

Would it really be a One Chicago finale if there weren’t some shocks in store? Still, the promise of revelations is a lot to be excited about. Even if the episode ends on a cliffhanger, as One Chicago finales are known to do, then at least fans are going to be getting some big reveals to tide them over until the winter premiere in 2022. And based on what the showrunners had to say about Will’s storyline, some of the biggest events of the episode will likely center on his storyline. 

Considering that the seven seasons so far have proven that Will Halstead isn’t exactly inclined to let things go when he feels strongly about them, it seemed unlikely that Goodwin trying to call off the fraud investigation would stick, and Diane Frolov confirmed that the winter finale will deliver on that front:

She didn’t say whether everything coming to a head will be for better or for worse for Will, but at least he’s not the one who committed fraud … unless lying to Cooper counts. Andrew Schneider shed a little bit more light on the development for Will’s storyline:

The previous episode revealed that even though Will was seemingly not ready to drop the fraud investigation, he also wasn’t afraid to mix business with pleasure, as he agreed to a night out with Jessa. She is of course mixed up in the whole VasCom mess, although it appears not quite to the extent of Cooper with his very dirty hands. According to Frolov, she has a part to play in the upcoming episode:

Neither of the Chicago Med bosses confirmed whether or not Jessa will appear in the second half of Season 7 in the new year, so whether or not Will has a future with her may depend one whatever happens with the “climax” of the fraud storyline. And as big as this story has been, it’s definitely not the only one in “Secret Santa Has A Gift For You” on December 8. Crockett’s complicated dynamic with Sarah Rafferty’s Dr. Blake will get another twist. Diane Frolov previewed what’s on the way when I asked if Blake will be sticking around for a while:

Crockett has been toying with the idea of pursuing a transplant surgery fellowship working with Dr. Blake, and it appears that her expectation that he drop everything whenever she calls him for a surgery didn’t fully turn him off after the previous episode. If he does go for that fellowship, it would mark a big change for the character who lost the woman he loved not so long ago. Diane Frolov shared when the plan started for this to be Crockett’s path in Season 7:

Crockett growing to see a future at Med at least means that something good came out of his heartbreak of losing Natalie (and not being part of Torrey DeVitto’s surprise final scene in the Season 7 premiere). The potential bad news is that the sparks that are flying for him are with Blake’s daughter. Frolov acknowledged that “that complicates things,” and Schneider chimed in to say “yes, yes” about whether that storyline will continue. As for what fans can expect in the winter finale beyond Will and Crockett, Frolov shed some light:

All things considered, Chicago Med has a winter finale in store that fans do not want to miss. The final episode of Med in 2021 airs on Wednesday, December 8 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC to kick off a full night of One Chicago winter finale action. Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas has already shared that fans should start worrying about what’s in store with one particular storyline, and Chicago P.D. has spent the ninth season building to what could be the point of no return for three key characters. 

Be sure to tune in to NBC on December 8, and check out our 2022 winter and spring premiere schedule for when One Chicago and more shows will be back after the winter hiatus. 

The departure of Torrey DeVitto as Natalie Manning continues to affect the doctors of Chicago Med, even though Season 7 hasn’t spent too much time dwelling on her absence beyond some moments in the premiere. Now, Crockett is going to be "questioning his future" after his relationship with Natalie ended when it seemed to be going so well, and change is on the way. So what exactly does that mean for him? Showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider dropped some details. 

Crockett has already made some changes in Season 7 after losing Natalie, not the least of which was agreeing to mentor Vanessa (which may or may not backfire on him). That’s not the end of what’s in store for him, as Chicago Med co-showrunner Diane Frolov previewed his outlook to TVLine, saying:

Crockett has been a key part of Chicago Med as a trauma surgeon following the dramatic departure of Connor, but evidently he’s going to put some serious thought into specializing as a surgeon. That does raise the question of whether he’d need to spend more time up on the surgical floors and less time saving lives down in the ED, but Dean Archer is a trauma surgeon as well, so the ED wouldn’t necessarily be left in the lurch. Not that Dean Archer is the #1 doctor to trust to make decisions! 

There’s also the question of what kind of specialty he would pursue that he hasn’t necessarily put all of his focus on yet. It would be interesting if he pursued pediatrics, given the loss of his daughter, and potentially showing the lasting influence of Natalie, but he has shown his talent in pretty much all areas. It should be interesting to see where Med takes him next professionally. But what about his personal goals as a character? Co-showrunner Andrew Schneider shared:

Andrew Schneider went on to tease that Crockett will “find a very interesting new romance” in Season 7, which could be a good thing for him moving on from Natalie… or a bad thing, depending on whether or not Vanessa is involved. A romance with Vanessa seems like a pretty terrible idea for him, in my book, especially if he’s becoming more grounded and looking to “set down roots.” Will it be a newcomer who hasn’t debuted yet, or a familiar face?

As somebody who never would have guessed that Natalie and Crockett would be dropping L-bombs on each other after he started his stint on Med building a love triangle with April and Ethan, I won’t rule any existing character out. Stevie could be a possibility as a newcomer, but her interactions have been primarily with Will or Dylan (who has had some strong storylines of his own) so far. Whatever happens, change is on the way for Crockett, for better or worse. 

Find out with new episodes of Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Med is doing quite well in the ratings so far in the 2021-2022 TV season, although there have also been some surprises with how it has compared to Chicago P.D.. One thing that is certain: One Chicago (with Chicago Fire in the mix as well) is crushing for NBC.

Chicago Med ended Season 6 by saying goodbye to no fewer than four major characters from the ED. Ethan's departure will last only as long as it takes him to recover from his gunshot wound, but Goodwin finally fired Will. Fortunately, Nick Gehlfuss wasn't going anywhere, and Will is back in the ED for Season 7. But how is Med bringing him back, when Goodwin had more than one reason to fire him, even with Natalie's confession? Showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider previewed what's on the way when it comes to Will, and one bridge at least that he burned.

Will skated on thin ice with Goodwin plenty of times before his actions ultimately sabotaged the clinical trial and led to Kender pulling out of Gaffney Med last season, so her firing him was arguably a long time coming from a practical standpoint. Co-showrunner Diane Frolov shared what their dynamic will look like in Season 7 once Will makes his big return:

Although Diane Frolov didn't reveal the exact concern that will motivate Goodwin to bring back Will, working more closely together will evidently be good for them. In the first six seasons, Goodwin did tend to find out about Will's bolder actions only after they caused trouble rather than his successes on a daily basis, so perhaps working together on a more regular basis will help her see how his instincts can really pay off.

Fans will have to wait until the premiere to find out why Will gets to return when he crossed so many lines back in Season 6. The early looks at the premiere only yield so many clues, and the previews show Goodwin praising the "fire" that Will brings to his work, but also that Dean Archer may not have the friendliest of feelings toward him. If that's the case with Archer until Ethan recovers and returns, at least Will's bond with Crockett will be stronger after losing Natalie, according to the showrunners!

As for the connection he formed with Tehmina Sunny's Sabeena Virani last season, they worked well together and formed a solid bond, but Will also did a pretty solid job of ruining what they had by breaking the rules of the trial. Co-showrunner Andrew Frolov weighed in on whether or not Will fully burned that bridge:

So, fans of Dr. Virani's in Season 6 shouldn't count on seeing her again in Season 7, but at least she got an open-ended exit like Connor did, rather than a very definitive departure like Ava. But viewers may not have time to miss Dr. Virani, as Chicago Med has added a number of new characters for Season 7 with a couple of new ED doctors. Steven Weber was also promoted to series regular status for Season 7, so Dean Archer evidently isn't going anywhere.

See what's next for Will, Goodwin, and all the rest when Chicago Med returns for Season 7 on Wednesday, September 22 at 8 p.m. ET to kick off a night of One Chicago action on NBC. Chicago Fire will follow with a "terrifying" opening of Season 10, according to showrunner Derek Haas, at 9 p.m. ET. As for Chicago P.D., stars Jason Beghe and Tracy Spiridakos previewed the fallout on the way for the Intelligence Unit, as well as with the relationships with Halstead.

Chicago Med wrapped Season 6 with a lot of questions for fans to ponder over the months of hiatus, and the seventh season premiere on NBC is almost here to finally deliver some answers. News broke ahead of the finale that Yaya DaCosta and Torrey DeVitto were leaving the series as April and Natalie, and then the episode delivered a shocking twist that resulted in Ethan having to take a break from the ED for a while, and Will was fired. Now, the showrunners have opened up about how Med is handling major character absences to start Season 7.

Ethan of course did survive being shot at the end of Season 6, and early images for Season 7 confirmed that Nick Gehlfuss will be back as Will Halstead despite Will's firing, but what about the gaps left in the lineup by the departures of April and Natalie, and Ethan still recovering? Some brand new characters are coming on board, and co-showrunner Andrew Schneider previewed what they'll bring to the ED with Natalie and April gone:

Maggie and her team of nurses will evidently be able to shoulder the load of ED cases in Season 7, with a couple of new physicians in the mix. Former cop Dr. Scott will be played by Guy Lockard, known for appearances on The Village and The Blacklist, with Dr. Hammer played by Kristen Hager of Condor fame. Both joined Med as series regulars on a show that features a number of characters who have been around from the beginning, so their perspective as newcomers certainly should be interesting!

Guy Lockard and Kristen Hager aren't the only Med actors to receive series regular status for Season 7, as Steven Weber, who recurred in the second half of Season 6 as Dr. Dean Archer, will also be around as a regular. The sixth season ended with Archer stepping up to fill Ethan's shoes as ED Chief while Ethan recovers, since Will certainly wasn't going to get that job. But how will Archer do as ED Chief, after his methods turned out to be a little questionable (at least to Ethan) last season? Co-showrunner Diane Frolov shared what kind of leader he is without Ethan around:

None of Ethan's issues with Archer last season had to do with his skills as a surgeon, and even his occasional medical mishap wasn't really any worse than anything any of the other doctors have done. After all, we can't have a medical drama without some drama when it comes to the medicine! The preview for the new season suggests that some friction could be on the way with Archer and Will upon Will's return, but it should be interesting to see Archer as leader without Ethan around to make the final calls.

As for how other characters will act in light of the missing characters, Crockett will have sustained a loss with Natalie leaving the hospital after things were going so well for them in their relationship, aside from the occasional miscommunication and misunderstanding. The good news? According to Diane Frolov, Crockett won't be spiraling despite the the departure of the woman he loves. The co-showrunner shared:

Consider me intrigued! Crockett wasn't Will's biggest fan when he had his suspicions about Will and Natalie, but evidently the absence of Natalie will be good for their dynamic. Of course, Crockett will be a familiar face for Will in his return, with Ethan gone for at least some time, Natalie not coming back, and two newcomers in the ED, so it seems there's a lot to look forward to with the new season of Med.

Chicago Med returns for Season 7 on Wednesday, September 22 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC to kick off the first night of One Chicago action in the 2021-2022 TV season, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. All three shows have cliffhangers to resolve, with a number of Fire heroes' lives in jeopardy at the end of Season 9 and Burgess' fate on P.D. currently unknown on top of the unanswered Med questions, so be sure to tune in, and check back with CinemaBlend for more One Chicago!

Chicago Med boasts a large ensemble cast of doctors and nurses dedicated to saving lives in the ED and beyond, but it also raises some questions about why these characters do the things that they do. Charge nurse Maggie Lockwood is about as dependable a character as can be found in all of One Chicago, and Season 6 is finally going to fill in some blanks about her past.

Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov shared what’s on the way for Maggie as the sixth season continues, telling CinemaBlend:

Although neither Auggie nor Ben have appeared in Chicago Med Season 6 so far, the showrunners confirm that the show is going to pick up on Maggie’s story from Season 5. Maggie and Ben found love with each other despite (or possibly because of) the dire circumstances of their meeting, and decided to take Auggie in to try and help him. And it wouldn’t be Chicago Med if saving him was simple!

Chicago Med has revealed bits and pieces of Maggie’s past over the years, but this story is primed to expand her story even more. For her sake after everything she has gone through (and puts up with) at Med, I just hope that they manage to save poor Auggie.

The showrunners previously said back in Season 5 that although Auggie’s plight would continue to worry Maggie and Ben, it would “only serve to bring them even closer together.” Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider elaborated on how fans will get to learn more about Maggie in Season 6:

Bad news for the doctors who hate having to talk about themselves to Dr. Charles, but characters continuing to check in with him is good news for fans looking for insight! A little therapy might have been a long time coming for some of the Med characters with their levels of stress. It should be interesting to see if Maggie is more open to speaking with Dr. Charles, as opposed to characters like Will and Crockett who try to avoid the chats at all costs. All things considered, it’ll probably be a very good thing if Dr. Charles can wrangle April and Ethan in for a chat.

Fortunately, Chicago Med will soon return with more of Maggie as well as the rest of the characters, some of whom have been handling COVID better than others. See what happens next with new episodes on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Although One Chicago crossovers involving Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. along with Med might not be able to happen in any kind of significant way this season, Chicago Wednesdays will still deliver plenty of action in the winter TV lineup.

The long-awaited return of Chicago Med in 2021 delivered not only some big changes to some characters, but also set the stage for what's on the way in the rest of the sixth season. Will Halstead has already made it pretty clear that the heart failure medication clinical trial is going to be a priority for him, and the Med showrunners confirmed that the conflict with Ethan as new ED Chief isn't over yet. But what about a romance for the man known for dating within the walls of Med?

Between Will's relationships with Nina, Natalie, and most recently Hannah, he has shown a willingness to dive straight into workplace romances regardless of how messy they're likely to get, with Hannah as a prime example. Now, it seems that Will may have his eye on another doctor at Med in the sixth season. Chicago Med bosses Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend about Will in 2021, and shared this about what the dynamic between Will and newcomer Dr. Sabeena Virani will look like:

Oh, Will. Well, let it not be said that the pandemic has changed Will in any fundamental ways that will prevent him from bending the rules and forming attractions to coworkers! Of course, Will being attracted to Dr. Virani doesn't mean that he'll pursue a relationship with her, or if she'd reciprocate considering he might not be handling her clinical trial the way she wants.

The showrunners also shared that "there will be times when he doesn't do everything quite above board," and not according "to the strict rules of the trial," although for the right reasons. In fact, he'll do some things for the patients that could get him in trouble when it comes to the trial, and things are going to get complicated.

Will may wind up attracted to Dr. Virani, but we shouldn't count her among Will's hospital love interests just yet. In fact, Will will be working more with another female character in Season 6 as well, and that almost certainly won't lead to sparks flying. April will join Will in working on his trial.

Besides, to be fair, Will isn't that much of an outlier when it comes to One Chicago characters dating within the workplace. Natalie is seemingly on her third hospital love interest since her relationship with Crockett is going to be "significant" as Season 6 continues, Will's own brother over on Chicago P.D. has fallen for two out of two partners (although over the span of eight seasons), and Chicago Fire has been on long enough that it feels like most of the main characters have dated within the CFD at some point.

Would One Chicago really be as engrossing as it is without the relationships that guarantee some serialized stories? After all, these characters are almost all so invested in their work that they don't have all that much time to meet people outside of their jobs, and Will is no exception. I still think Hannah wasn't exactly his best decision, but that relationship definitely made for a complex storyline! So, is Will heading toward another hospital relationship?

We'll have to wait and see whether anything comes of his attraction, but there definitely seem to be plenty of layers to his clinical trial storyline worth checking out. Chicago Med returns to NBC with the next new episode on Wednesday, October 27 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET, with more options on our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule.

Warning: spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of Chicago Med Season 6, called “Do You Know The Way Home."

Chicago Med has returned to NBC after nearly two months of hiatus and then one extra week of delay, and “Do You Know The Way Home” set up the doctors and nurses of Med for some dramatic storylines. As Ethan tried to settle into his job as ED chief at just about the most stressful time imaginable to take over the department, he faced resistance from April, and that conflict isn’t anywhere near done. In fact, it’s going to get “very personal,” and April won’t even be Ethan’s only source of stress in the ED. Chicago Med showrunners spoke with CinemaBlend about the episode and what comes next.

With some of the biggest drama of the 2021 return coming from Ethan pulling April from her work on the COVID ward and April definitely not being happy about it, Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov broke down what the changes mean for their relationship, such as it is in Season 6:

In “Do You Know The Way Home,” both April and Ethan had some valid points to their arguments. While Ethan had wanted to bring April back to the comparative safety of the ED throughout Season 6, he also needed her back for very pragmatic budget reasons that had nothing to do with his feelings. As for April, her work in the COVID ward has been meaningful to her, but the decision about her future there ultimately lay in Ethan’s hands. And apparently, the conflict will get “very personal” with the return of Noah instead of get better!

Diane Frolov revealed that April will get to return to the COVID ward after this episode, “but not as full time,” and instead will “rotate in.” The conflict in the 2021 return with April begrudgingly returning to the ED fortunately resulted in Ethan and April along with Dr. Charles saving a young girl who had been kidnapped, but the issues aren’t going away. April also won’t be the only source of stress for him and his ED relationships. The showrunners explained:

Noah Sexton, played by Roland Buck III, was last seen in the second half of the fifth season that was cut short back in the spring. His return to Med in Season 6 might not be a happy homecoming if it results in even more conflict between April and now-ED Chief Ethan. Fans won’t have to wait long to see Noah back in the mix, though, and Ethan will evidently have to deal with Will tension as well.

Will initially didn’t react too well to Ethan landing the top job in the ED, after getting his hopes up that he would be named chief before learning from Goodwin that he had never been a contender. When I asked if Will had ever been considered for the job by the Chicago Med writers, the showrunners shared why Ethan was the right choice:

"Leeway" definitely sounds like Will! Despite the big promotion at the end of last year, 2021 is shaping up to be a rough year for Ethan. As if taking over the emergency department of a particularly crisis-prone hospital in the middle of a pandemic wasn’t complicated enough, he’ll be dealing with stress from his former fiancée and the man who wanted his job. The showrunners summed up what Ethan is facing:

Ethan is seemingly facing some mighty challenges in the new year, and he won’t necessarily be helped by April or Will, with Will focusing on his clinical trial instead of exclusively on ED work. In a twist that few might have seen coming before Season 6, Will and April will actually join forces on an endeavor that could further their divides with Ethan:

Well, at least things are going well for one pairing on this show! Chicago Med will return to NBC with the next new episode on Wednesday, January 27 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. If you’re still in the market for some new and/or returning viewing options in the new year, be sure to check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule.

Chicago Med debuted its sixth season with a brand new storyline right off the bat due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that the winter hiatus is almost at an end, fans will soon get to see how Med continues approaching the pandemic after those first two episodes in the fall. According to the Chicago Med showrunners, this will involve changes in how the characters approach the pandemic, different characters working together, and Will Halstead causing some trouble again.

Chicago Med showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider spoke with CinemaBlend about what's in store with the show in 2021. Frolov explained the challenges of tackling a COVID storyline when the real-life situation is changing so rapidly:

True to life, healthcare workers in the One Chicago universe are going to be vaccinated, which was not an option back when the Season 6 premiere was coming together. In that episode, the doctors and nurses working in the COVID ward were struggling to even try and treat the patients, with April in particular invested in the risky but important work.

With the developing COVID stories and new priorities developing, the impact of the pandemic on the ED will result in some changes to which of the characters work closely with each other. Andrew Schneider shared what's in store as the characters move forward with the evolving nature of the pandemic:

Will and April haven't exactly been the closest of the doctors and nurses in the ED over the years of Med, with more emphasis on some of their other relationships. As of the first two episodes of Season 6, Will moved on from his disappointment at not being named ED Chief to join forces with newcomer Dr. Sabeena Virani on a clinical trial for a heart failure medication, and April will evidently become invested in this new mission once the COVID ward doesn't require as much of her time.

Of course, the clinical trial more or less fell into Will's lap after he said goodbye to Hannah and then lost out on the ED Chief job due to his knack for breaking the rules. When I noted to the Chicago Med showrunners that Will might have been the only one surprised that he wasn't the top choice to lead the ED, they teased:

"Complications" are par for the course when it comes to Will Halstead, so at least fans can count on the fact that the pandemic hasn't fundamentally changed that about him! Will's passion as a doctor has enabled him to make some spectacular saves and breakthroughs over the years, so working on a new drug that could potentially save a lot of lives could be right up his alley.

That said, the Chicago Med showrunners hinted that Will is still going to be very... well, Will Halstead in his approach. Diane Frolov shared that he "does things the way Will does them," and Andrew Schneider elaborated:

Will's passion for saving lives has gotten him in serious trouble before, and his approach to the "strict rules" for this trial could do the same but on a different level. Dr. Virani doesn't have the same kind of experience with Will that the rest of the key characters do, so it should be interesting to see how she reacts to Will doing things that aren't entirely above board. Will his approach put the clinical trial itself in jeopardy?

While on the subject of Will Halstead, I just had to ask the showrunners something I'd been wondering throughout the early episodes of Chicago Med Season 6: is Will's surprisingly long hair a nod to the state of a lot of people's hair during the pandemic, or just actor Nick Gehlfuss growing it out? Fortunately, Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider confirmed the answer:

While some of the other doctors and nurses at Med have managed to look pretty well coiffed, Will embodies what has become the new normal for a lot of people during the pandemic... hair-wise, at least. I don't know if he has ever looked less like he's related to his brother over on Chicago P.D., but at least Med went out of the way in Season 5 to answer the burning question of why they don't look alike!

In all seriousness, the demise of Will's relationship with Hannah was a catalyst for his story to start the sixth season, and it should be intriguing to see where the rest of the season takes him. See what Chicago Med has in store for Will, April, and the rest of the hospital when it comes to COVID when Season 6 picks up again on Wednesday, January 13 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.

All three One Chicago returns were delayed from their scheduled premieres, but they have been officially rescheduled, and fans have a lot to look forward to. For more of what's on the way, check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule.

The long wait for the return of One Chicago is almost at an end, and Chicago Med is going even further in 2021 when it comes to the relationships between some of the characters. Manstead seems over and done with for now, and Ethan and April don't seem to be getting any closer to a romantic reunion, but Natalie and Crockett's dynamic is only getting stronger. Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of the Season 6 return and shared what's in store for the duo.

At this point in the Med season a year ago, sparks were flying between Crockett and April, while Natalie was still at the center of the head trauma-induced love triangle with Will and Philip. When I noted that few fans likely could have predicted back then that a nuanced dynamic would develop between Crockett and Natalie, showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov explained how Med is approaching their relationship in Season 6. Frolov said:

Natalie and Crockett took a big step forward from their status as just coworkers thanks to their shared trauma in Season 5. At the time, I had my doubts about a relationship being a good idea, but as Diane Frolov noted, Chicago Med has taken its time in building up their bond. Natalie helped him out in a huge way in what turned out to be the Season 5 finale, and he has opened up to her more than anybody else.

No wonder their dynamic qualifies as "significant" if it's progressing even further! Natalie did move out of her home and is living alone in Season 6, after all, so it's not like there's anything stopping her from spending more time with Crockett. If anything, perhaps they'll lean more heavily on each other due to the pandemic, based on what fans saw in the first two episodes of Med Season 6. Andrew Schneider elaborated on what brings them together:

Natalie liking Crockett more and more as she sees more of his baggage could actually bode well for a romantic relationship, if that's where their dynamic goes in the 2021 portion of Season 6. Crockett undoubtedly has more layers of mystery to his past, but she knows at least some of the biggest heartaches that he has gone through. And hey, Natalie has experience with complicated relationships!

Showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider didn't spoil everything that's on the way for Crockett and Natalie, but they did confirm that more of Crockett's past is on the way. When I mentioned that fans have learned more about his layers via this relationship, they shared:

Dr. Charles evidently won't be the only major Chicago Med character dealing with ex-wife drama in Season 6, although there may be considerably more tragedy with the arrival of Crockett's ex considering the loss of their child. Still, fans can only wait and see. For now, we can look forward to the upcoming return of Chicago Med after the long hiatus following only two new episodes.

You can find the 2021 premiere of Chicago Med on Wednesday, January 6 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. Be sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more on what's in store when it comes to One Chicago in the new year!

The long wait for the return of One Chicago is almost at an end, and Chicago Med will kick off premiere night on November 11 to reveal the new pandemic status quo. After ending Season 5 early due to production shutdowns, Med will tackle the COVID-19 pandemic when it launches Season 6, and viewers shouldn't expect the doctors and nurses to get back to business as usual by the end of the premiere. Showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov shared some of what to expect from the COVID stories, One Chicago crossovers, and more.

The Season 6 premiere, called "When Did We Begin To Change," will see the Chicago Med staff adjusting to the new normal of working during the COVID pandemic, with Choi, Lanik, and April on the front lines to fight the illness, and a One Chicago trailer reveals the new state of the ED for all the doctors, nurses, and patients. Co-showrunner Andrew Schneider explained the emotional toll of the pandemic on the various characters, saying:

The doctors and nurses of Chicago Med have close bonds with each other, and even a knack for connecting with patients, so it's no surprise that they'll have an "emotional toll" to deal with on top of everything else. With Ethan and April both working on the front lines, they'll have very valid reasons to worry about each other on top of everything else, and the Season 6 premiere will deliver complications for more characters as well.

Will's somewhat ill-advised relationship with Hannah will seemingly hit some obstacles, and Dr. Charles will have to clear the air with his young daughter due to recent events. The de facto Season 5 finale saw Will deciding to trust Hannah, and Dr. Charles learned that teenage girls can be trickier than he thought. Season 6 will evidently pick up on those elements. What Season 6 won't be able to deliver right off the bat is a big crossover. Andrew Schneider explained:

One Chicago usually delivers one mega-crossover at some point in the fall TV season involving Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D., with last fall's "Infection" event actually featuring a quarantine. Unsurprisingly, COVID protocols mean that large-scale crossovers won't be happening in the foreseeable future, but Andrew Schneider revealed that there's hope for 2021. Chicago Med also received a huge three-season renewal while Season 5 was still airing, so the show isn't going anywhere in the next few years.

Besides, Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas revealed that Med and P.D. characters will appear in the Fire Season 9 premiere, so One Chicago has still found ways for smaller crossovers. My money is via Zoom calls, but Zoom is definitely better than nothing! Med also has plenty going on without crossovers. Co-showrunner Diane Frolov teased where Natalie and Crockett stand on their relationship, following their unexpected bonding in Season 5:

Natalie was instrumental in helping Crockett escape at least one part of his past from New Orleans at the end of Season 5, and that evidently wasn't the end of their bond. According to Diane Frolov, they'll continue to get closer in Season 6. That said, Frolov and Andrew Schneider revealed earlier this year that Crockett's past in New Orleans will continue to affect his relationships, "particularly with Natalie."

Of course, this raises the question of the future of Manstead: do Will and Natalie have a shot of getting back together? For the time being, their storylines (and relationships) seem to be taking them in different directions. In fact, Will is going to be a major part of a new plot involving a new character, played by Tehmina Sunny.

The Pandora actress will recur in Season 6 as Dr. Sabeena Virani, who will approach Will about leading a clinical trial for a new medication. Co-showrunner Diane Frolov shared what makes him appealing to Sabeena and the clinical trial:

Say what you will about Will and some of the decisions he's made over the five seasons and counting of Chicago Med so far, but there's no denying his passion! Even if he won't be hanging out with his brother over on Chicago P.D. any time soon, he'll have plenty to keep him busy. All things considered, it sounds like Chicago Med fans have a lot to look forward to in seeing how the One Chicago show handles COVID and how life goes on despite the pandemic.

Be sure to tune in to NBC on Wednesday, November 11 at 8 p.m. ET to catch the Season 6 premiere of Chicago Med. Stick around NBC for the rest of the night for the Chicago Fire Season 9 premiere at 9 p.m. ET and the Chicago P.D. Season 8 premiere at 10 p.m. ET. For more of what's on the way in the coming weeks, check out our 2020 fall TV premiere schedule!

Warning: spoilers ahead for the Season 5 finale of NBC's Chicago Med, called "A Needle In The Heart."

The fifth season of Chicago Med has come to an end with "A Needle In The Heart." Although this ending episode comes several installments shy of the original Season 5 order due to the production halt, it still delivered some finale-worthy reveals and raised some questions worth pondering over hiatus. With Will determined to make his romance with Hannah work, sparks still flying between April and Ethan, and Natalie learning some secrets about Crockett, "A Needle In The Heart" was a big episode.

Luckily, Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov answered some burning questions from CinemaBlend about the Season 5 finale. Given that "A Needle In The Heart" wasn't originally meant to serve as the finale, the showrunners said this about making any changes once it was clear it would close Season 5:

Apparently, finishing "A Needle In The Heart" was a close call for Chicago Med Season 5, considering Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov's reveal that shooting finished on the very same day as the production halt. If the schedule had been even a little bit delayed, Med viewers likely wouldn't have gotten the finished product that they did with the finale on April 15.

The showrunners were clear that "A Needle In The Heart" was a "powerful" episode for the end of Season 5, even if that's not how it was originally written. Given that it proved that the story of April and Ethan isn't over, Will is approaching his new relationship with Hannah differently, and there's a lot more to Crockett than anybody could have guessed, there's plenty to think about over the coming months.

Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov clarified whether the murder plot that brought so many of Crockett's secrets to the surface and deepened the relationship with Natalie will continue:

Who could have guessed that the same doctor who originally seemed like he might not have much more to do than help expose Philip and complicate April and Ethan's relationship would have so much depth by the end of the season? Honestly, if you would have told me back in the first half of Season 5 that he would have a relationship with Natalie that could be affected, I might not have believed it.

That's not to say that the relationship with Natalie -- which is not romantic as of the end of Season 5, despite some sparks flying -- will be entirely smooth, now that his past from New Orleans is following him to Chicago and Natalie is interested in his story. If the relationship does turn romantic in Season 6, she won't be the first half of Manstead to move on.

Will has of course been deepening his somewhat ill-advised romance with Hannah, and he chose to believe her explanation for connecting with an ex-boyfriend/addict rather than let his suspicions ruin their relationship in the finale. This isn't quite what Will seemed capable of when he was still hung up on Natalie in the beginning of Season 5.

Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov explained what Will is doing differently with Hannah than he did with Natalie:

Will his newfound maturity be enough to keep his "special bond" with Hannah as something healthy for both of them? Short of a larger-than-usual time jump between Season 5 and Season 6, Hannah should still be relatively early in her recovery when Med picks up again in the new season.

The good news is that not only has Chicago Med been renewed for the 2020-2021 TV season, but it along with the rest of One Chicago has been renewed for a whopping three more seasons, which is more than can be said for the Dick Wolf shows on CBS (which now technically share a universe with One Chicago thanks to the recent Chicago P.D./FBI crossover). The Med showrunners previously shared they have a "creative jump" on Season 6.

While Chicago Med (as well as Fire and P.D.) end their current seasons on April 15, there are still some current and upcoming TV options that you can find out our spring TV premiere schedule.

Only a couple episodes of Chicago Med are left in Season 5, but the season won't end without delivering a confrontation that has been a long time coming. The upcoming April 8 episode of Med, called "Just A River In Egypt," will finally see the tension between Ethan and Crockett come to a head, and that's not all. The plot will thicken with Will's potentially misguided relationship with Hannah, and Maggie will have a source of worry despite her and Ben's recovery.

Fortunately, Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov previewed what's to come in "Just A River In Egypt." Asked what kind of clash is coming between Ethan and Crockett, they said:

A confrontation between Ethan and Crockett has been building ever since sparks started flying between Crockett and April, which was well before the kiss that may have ruined everything. The trailer for "Just A River In Egypt" indicates that the confrontation will be physically violent; while this won't be the first time a fight has broken out in the ED, it could have disastrous consequences for at least some relationships.

One relationship that doesn't need any help when it comes to complications is Will and Hannah's budding romance. According to the episode description for "Just A River In Egypt," Will is going to side with Hannah "on a risky treatment plan." While Will seems to be confident in Hannah's recovery, not everybody else in the ED has shared his sentiments.

Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov weighed in on whether Will's romance with Hannah can survive all the personal and professional complications from her recovery:

Well, Will does have experience with relationships that aren't easy, and he seems determined to pursue this relationship with Hannah. Still, Dr. Charles was against the idea of a romance of any kind for Hannah within the first year of her recovery, and he hasn't spent 30+ years a psychiatrist without knowing how to evaluate people. Hey, Will turning Hannah in and then dating her in her recovery certainly would be a story to tell the grandkids!

Maggie and Ben seemed poised to have the least complicated relationship on Chicago Med once they were both deemed healthy and were able to get married despite some wedding obstacles. In the previous episode, however, their honeymoon was delayed when a young foster kid by the name of Auggie came into the ED needing help.

The story with Maggie, Ben, and Auggie isn't over just yet. Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov shared how Auggie's case impacts Maggie and Ben moving forward:

Both Maggie and Ben wanted to stay with Auggie rather than head off for their happy massages; as long as they remain on the same page, their relationship with Auggie could be good for all three of them. His foster mom hasn't been able to take care of him. What about Maggie and Ben? Casey and Dawson may have had some heartbreak with their foster son over on Chicago Fire, but that doesn't have to be the case with Maggie and Ben.

Find out what's in store with the "Just A River in Egypt" episode of Chicago Med, airing Wednesday, April 8 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Following Med will be new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m., although P.D. will be missing one of its regulars.

The good news is that all three shows of One Chicago will be back for three more seasons, even if there is currently no way to say when those seasons will be able to pick up again. Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov previously shared that they already have a "creative jump" on Med Season 6.

One Chicago has made NBC the place to be on Wednesdays for a full lineup of shared universe action, with Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. All three series scored massive renewals to guarantee a long future ahead with more milestones to hit, and the next episodes on March 25 promise to deliver more of what fans love about One Chicago. Fortunately, the showrunners for Chicago Med and Chicago Fire shared some of what's still to come in the 2019-2020 TV season and perhaps even beyond.

Chicago Med will kick off the One Chicago block of primetime on NBC at 8 p.m. ET on March 25, with an episode called "In the Name of Love."

"In the Name of Love" will be Chicago Med's first episode following the milestone 100th episode. While Maggie and Ben's story was happy, others didn't fare so well. The truth finally came out about April and Crockett kissing, and Ethan didn't react well, confronting Crockett in the hospital and causing a scene. Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov (who previously named their top moments after 100 episodes) previewed the fallout between April and Ethan:

April and Ethan were engaged and trying for a baby before the Crockett kiss reveal, with April hospitalized after she went a little too far trying to make sure the IVF would be a success. Fans of the Chexton relationship should be reassured by the showrunners' comments that the couple has problems that "need to be overcome" rather than that they simply gave up on their relationship.

Another complicated relationship in Chicago Med Season 5 is Will Halstead and recovering drug addict/gynecologist Hannah Asher. Despite the less-than-ideal circumstances with how they met and the sticky issue of Will turning her in for using drugs, sparks were flying between them again in the 100th episode. Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov shared what to expect from their relationship:

"In the Name of Love" will feature Dr. Charles and Goodwin fearing that Halstead is repeating some of his past mistakes, so he could be facing some complications at work as well as in his relationship with Hannah.

As for Goodwin, a promotional photo (shown above) revealed that her son Michael will make an appearance in the March 25 episode. Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov explained why the time was right to debut another member of her family and the future of the series as it continues:

Be sure to tune in to Chicago Med on March 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC to catch "In the Name of Love." SJ Main Muñoz directed the episode as part of NBC's Female Forward program, and she previewed Natalie's plot with Crockett and more.

So, what's in store on the March 25 episode of Chicago Fire, at 9 p.m. ET following Chicago Med? Fire showrunner Derek Haas teased what's coming in the episode, called "I'll Cover You."

"I'll Cover You" will bring Seager back into the mix again after her stint as Severide's partner at OFI and now the sponsor of Stella's project. Brett will continue to get invested in her birth mom, following Julie's hunt for a place to live in last week's episode. Derek Haas didn't spill any details when asked whether fans should be concerned if Brett is getting too attached to Julie too quickly, but he did tease this:

While Chicago Fire is sometimes sunshine and roses, fans still smarting from the loss of Otis at the beginning of the season (and perhaps nervous about Julie's health after One Chicago's tragic history with pregnancies) might want to start feeling at least a little bit concerned about Brett getting attached to her birth mom. Hey, at least Brett's friendship with Casey is flourishing!

Derek Haas didn't beat around the bush about a different plot in "I'll Cover You" that definitely won't be all sunshine and roses. He previewed Severide teaming up with OFI again:

Apparently his dangerous investigation with Roman during the Chicago Fire/Chicago P.D. two-parter hasn't discouraged Severide from wanting to dive into dangerous situations in the search for answers. The promo for "I'll Cover You" indicates that he'll be at risk of harm again, although seemingly not from something as serious as in the winter finale.

On a less deadly front, Stella will continue her efforts with Girls on Fire in "I'll Cover You." Derek Haas weighed in on whether the Girls on Fire program could continue in the future of Fire:

See what happens next on Chicago Fire when "I'll Cover You" releases on Wednesday, March 25 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Last week's episode included a dangerous stunt that was even more impressive in real life, so it should be interesting to see what Fire has in store next. Chicago P.D. will close out the night of March 25 at 10 p.m. ET with an episode that brings somebody important from Rojas' past back in a risky way.

Unfortunately, all three shows of One Chicago had to halt production due to the coronavirus pandemic that has impacted much of the entertainment industry, so fans should expect shorter seasons than anticipated. For now, however, be sure to stick with NBC on Wednesday nights for Chicago Med, Fire, and P.D. action.

Spoilers ahead for Chicago Med's 100th episode, called "The Ghosts of the Past."

Chicago Med has officially run for 100 episodes on NBC, hitting a milestone that few primetime dramas are able to hit and already have a long future guaranteed. "The Ghosts of the Past" saw Ethan finally learn the truth about April kissing Crockett, Dr. Charles experience a breakthrough with his youngest daughter, and Maggie tying the knot with Ben. These are only a few twists from five seasons and 100 episodes, though, and CinemaBlend asked Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov what storylines or twists they're especially proud of after all this time.

The showrunners (who teased the return of Dr. Charles' daughter after years off screen to CinemaBlend earlier this year) had plenty of stories (some of them bloody) to choose from. Diane Frolov chose to focus on twists that helped viewers who were watching from home, saying this:

While it's a good thing that Chicago Med cases like the epidemic from last fall's three-part "Infection" crossover haven't resulted in real-life diagnoses of flesh-eating bacteria, Diane Frolov revealed that some of the less fantastically frightening cases helped fans. The case of a young woman seemingly having panic attacks that were due to an underlying condition actually aired earlier in Season 5.

There are plenty of other game-changing and memorable stories that aired prior to "The Ghosts of the Past" in Season 5, and it can almost be difficult to believe how much Med has gone through (and put its characters through) over the years to hit 100 episodes. Andrew Schneider elaborated on Diane Frolov's moments and named some specific incidents that they're proud of, including the bloody cliffhanger at the end of Season 4:

Back before Connor departed Med following the death of his father and Ava's suicide, he was at the center of some of Med's biggest plots, including with Dr. Charles' eldest daughter, the two doctors who shaped him into the surgeon he was by the day he walked out, and of course the Ava situation.

Will and Natalie's journey may be ongoing since they're both still on the show, although a Manstead romance may be out of the question for now after their fight earlier this season and Will moving on to Hannah. Nat recovering from her TBI didn't mean the course of true love with Will would run smooth, if it's going to run at all again in the future! Natalie did have a big smile for Will during Maggie's wedding.

What's in store for Chicago Med moving forward? Well, the massive three-season renewal for Med (as well as Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.) means Med should easily hit 150 episodes, and potentially even 200 if all continues to go well! The three shows of One Chicago did have their production halted due to the coronavirus, but for now Med will continue airing new episodes of Season 5 on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

Chicago Med hits its 100th episode milestone on March 18 with the Season 5 episode called "The Ghosts of the Past." The big episode comes shortly after Med (along with Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.) scored exciting three-season renewal orders from NBC, but also shortly after Season 5 production halted due to the coronavirus. Although all three shows of One Chicago are presumably finished filming for the 2019-2020 season now, Chicago Med showunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov shared with CinemaBlend that they're already looking ahead to Season 6.

When asked how the amazing three-season renewal impacted Med right as it hit 100 episodes, Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov responded:

The suspension of production due to the coronavirus does mean that the original completed vision for the end of Med Season 5 likely won't hit the airwaves this spring, but the big renewal news both guarantees a Season 6 and promises more seasons even beyond. While there are still questions about how Chicago Med (as well as Fire and P.D.) will end their seasons prematurely, Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov's comments can reassure fans that the showrunners got a "creative jump" on Season 6 courtesy of the renewals. What a way to celebrate 100 episodes!

Season 5 of Chicago Med has been one of its most intense, with the massive three-part "Infection" crossover, Will and Natalie facing the consequences of the violent Season 4 cliffhanger, and the loss of two longtime doctors all happening in just the first half of the season! The second half has been packed with drama as well, with the Ethan/April/Crockett love triangle, Will's dangerous decisions with the safe injection site and Hannah, a hostage crisis, and everything going down in the 100th episode. What will Season 6 bring?

While it's far too early to speculate with any hope of accuracy about Season 6 (or 7 or 8), fans can probably be confident that crossovers within One Chicago will continue. Not only has NBC delivered an epic crossover event in the fall for the last several seasons, but characters between Med, Fire, and P.D. frequently drop by the other shows, sometimes for two-parters, sometimes for one-offs, and sometimes for cameos.

The three-season renewal presumably means that Chicago Med will be able to hit 150 episodes and potentially far beyond, assuming Med is still producing engaging stories in Season 8. Considering Chicago Fire is currently in Season 8 and renewed through Season 11, and P.D. is in Season 7 and renewed through Season 10, One Chicago clearly has what it takes to stay on the small screen in the long run.

Chicago Med hits its milestone 100th episode on Wednesday, March 18 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, ahead of new episodes of Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. For the foreseeable future, new episodes of Med will continue on NBC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.

Spoilers ahead for the January 15 episode of Chicago Med, called "The Ground Shifts Beneath Us."

Chicago Med set up a love triangle in the first half of Season 5 involving what had seemingly been one of the most solid couples of the series: Ethan and April. Newcomer Dr. Crockett Marcel lived up to the promises that he would disrupt relationships by catching April's eye just when she and Ethan hit a rough patch, and April agreeing to marry Ethan in the winter premiere doesn't mean the triangle is finished.

Showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov weighed in on April's feelings moving into the second half of Chicago Med Season 5, saying this when asked if the winter premiere was the end of April and Crockett:

April may love Ethan and want to have a child with him, but those stirrings she felt for Crockett didn't just go away because of a guilty conscience and the ring on her finger. To her credit, April wishes she didn't have feelings toward him, and she and Crockett have seemed to conflict more than agree in the aftermath of the big kiss. In fact, Crockett even brought it up when he spotted her engagement ring in "The Ground Shifts Beneath Us."

That said, there's no denying that the stakes are lower for Crockett than for April, and the truth eventually coming out might impact him a lot less than her. As Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov noted to CinemaBlend, Crockett is looking at their staus quo in "a much lighter way," and "The Ground Shifts Beneath Us" proved even further that Crockett prefers to avoid making messes of relationships.

Crockett even refused to out Dr. Abrams' young wife when it seemed like she was pulling the plug on him to collect on his life insurance. He also has fewer deep connections to the Med regulars, so any aftermath of the truth coming out might not affect him too much. Andrew Schneider shared that the Med team went the extra mile to avoid making Crockett come across as the villain after the winter premiere:

The question is whether the situation will blow up despite Crockett's best efforts. April's guilty conscience may not let her keep the secret forever, and Ethan proved at the end of "The Ground Shifts Between Us" that he's suspicious of Crockett and not one to let things go. If he keeps picking at Crockett, and April walks in on a brewing confrontation like she did at the end of this episode, then the whole situation could get very messy.

On the upside, maybe a mess would help resolve April's pesky feelings! On the downside... well, maybe Manstead won't be the only big Med relationship potentially ruined for good. And hey, this isn't the weirdest Med love triangle that could have happened! See what happens next when new episodes of Chicago Med air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC as the first hour of the One Chicago block, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET in the winter TV lineup.

Spoilers ahead for the Season 5 winter premiere of Chicago Med on NBC, called "Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore."

Chicago Med returned to the airwaves in 2020 with an episode that jumped more than a month ahead from the fall finale, and it seemingly settled the love triangle for now and dealt a huge blow to Will and Natalie's relationship, but the real heartbreaker of the episode was centered on Dr. Charles. The fall finale ended with Caroline saying goodbye to her friends and daughter, as her end was very nigh, and the winter premiere picked up with Dr. Charles mourning his wife.

Now, not all shows would let the immediate aftermath of such a game-changing death happen off-screen, especially with such a skilled actor as Oliver Platt to demonstrate the early throes of grief. Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov explained the decision to check in with Dr. Charles after the immediate pain had already passed:

While Chicago Med did end the fall TV season with some answered questions, there was no cliffhanger like on Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. that would have made a time jump impossible. Fire and P.D. had to pick up where they left off; Med could keep to real time and show Dr. Charles six weeks into his grieving process. He needed the better part of the hour to get back in the groove at the hospital, but he seems to be slowly but surely on the road to recovery.

Dr. Charles' arc in the winter premiere culminated in a karaoke performance at Molly's, where Goodwin was surprised to learn that he actually planned to sing. He powered his way through an emotional rendition of Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" that was positively heartbreaking, and a stellar performance by Oliver Platt. The Med showrunners commented on the song choice in their chat with CinemaBlend:

While the song did cap Dr. Charles' process of dealing with his grief in the winter premiere, viewers shouldn't expect for this to be the last we see of how Caroline's death impacts the characters on Med. It was a big loss, and more people than just Dr. Charles will feel the effects moving forward.

When asked if Caroline's death would impact other characters as Chicago Med continues, Andrew Schneider teased that it won't be Maggie, struggling with her own cancer diagnosis, but another person who will particularly feel the loss:

Caroline did use some of her final bursts of energy to try to push Goodwin and Bert towards each other again, so she would likely be pleased to find out that her passing at least had the positive of improving their relationship with each other. That's not to say Bert and Goodwin will be the next Manstead with grandiose drama from season to season, but the loss of Caroline clearly will be felt by Goodwin as well as Dr. Charles.

Another character undoubtedly feeling the loss of Caroline is Robin, who was distressed in the fall finale when she very suddenly faced the prospect of saying goodbye to her mom and never seeing her again. Robin didn't appear with Dr. Charles or anywhere else in the winter premiere, but showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov promise some coming developments on the Charles family front.

When I asked if we could see Robin return in Season 5, they said this:

Although there may not be any set plans for Robin to return to Chicago Med, the long-absent Anna Charles is on her way back! Dr. Charles' much younger daughter debuted on Med way back in the Season 2 premiere, but the family focus for Dr. Charles since then has primarily been on Robin and/or Caroline.

Will Med deliver some answers about Anna, her mom, and what she's been up to while off-screen? And could she be what Dr. Charles needs to continue his recovery process? Unlike Robin, Anna won't be old enough to take care of herself. Maybe she needs her dad to be at his best. Whatever role she plays, viewers will get to see her again!

So, even though Caroline is gone, she's not forgotten, and her death doesn't mark the end of any Charles family stories. Thanks to the time jump, Med can continue to show Dr. Charles in the later stages of the grieving process, and the fact that he's well enough to get back to work bodes well for his emotional health.

Then again, Chicago Med has a knack for throwing curveballs at its doctors and nurses just when everything seems to be getting better, so we shouldn't absolutely count on smooth sailing throughout the grieving process for Dr. Charles. Med may get to be more Med-centric in the second half of Season 5, as the massive "Infection" crossover event was firmly planted in the first chunk of the season.

The only other significant One Chicago crossover seemingly in the works for now is between Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. Although the crossover case, which Fire showrunner Derek Haas described as involving a "pretty bad overdose," could technically require some medical expertise, any crossovers involving Med could be pretty minor.

Find out when new episodes of Chicago Med air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, ahead of new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET in the midseason TV lineup.

Spoilers ahead for the winter premiere of Chicago Med Season 5, called "Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore."

One Chicago finally returned to the airwaves in January to answer some of the big questions left over from all the fall finales, and Med delivered a doozy of a development when it comes to Will Halstead and Natalie Manning's relationship. After some back and forth in the first half of the season that culminated with Natalie getting her memory back just as Will decided they weren't good for each other, "Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore" delivered what seemed like a killing blow to the Manstead dynamic. But, according to the showrunners, there's hope.

First, a quick recap of what went down. The winter premiere, which also dealt with the Ethan/April/Marcel triangle and revealed the aftermath of Caroline Charles' death, saw a woman named Lynn bring her young son Jesse into the hospital with a nasty burn on his leg. It turned out that Lynn had been a patient of WIll's four years previous, and she'd become hooked on pain meds after he'd prescribed her oxy. Feeling guilty and not wanting Lynn to lose Jesse to Child Protective Services, Will convinced Natalie to send Jesse to the PICU for 48 hours while he tried to help Lynn.

Unfortunately, helping Lynn consisted of putting her through a dangerous rapid detox, and although she did survive and come out the other side potentially ready to raise her son, Natalie had already called CPS after Jesse dropped the shocking reveal that he'd had to revive his mom more than once from drug overdose. Lynn left the hospital AMA, only to wind up back after a severe overdose. She died, after Will blamed Natalie for Lynn losing Jesse.

It was awful and ugly and not something that Will and Natalie seem like they could easily come back from, as friends or romantic partners, at least in the foreseeable future. But is it the end for Manstead? I spoke with Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov about the winter premiere. When asked if this was going to be an issue between Will and Natalie as Season 5 continues, Frolov said this:

Of course, the Chicago Med showrunners weren't going to divulge all the details about the second half of Season 5 that fans are undoubtedly dying to know after "Guess It Doesn't Matter Anymore," so we can't say at this point if Will and Natalie's relationship is going to remain as volatile and damaged as it was at the end of the winter premiere. A "sense of betrayal" doesn't bode well, though.

That said, Natalie was arguably right in this particular conflict, so I wouldn't surprised if she doesn't back down from believing she made the proper call. There were no guarantees that Lynn would be able to care for her son as he needed after the rapid detox, and the fact that Lynn gave her young son the means to treat her drug overdoses -- and he'd had to do it -- was a sign that he was safer in a different situation.

Could Will come to see that Natalie wasn't in the wrong, even if she didn't make the right decision for Lynn to get her son back? And could that be the first step toward the formerly engaged duo rebuilding their dynamic? The future may look grim for Will and Natalie in the immediate aftermath of the winter premiere, but that doesn't mean fans should give up on them.

When I asked Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov if they had any hopeful words for Will and Natalie fans after watching their relationship hit such a low point, they shared this:

So, just because Will and Natalie seemed like they could be done for good based on how angry Will was at the end of the winter premiere doesn't mean Manstead fans should give up hope! Anger doesn't mean their deep relationship can be ruined in one go, and Will has to cool off eventually. There is certainly no guarantee that they'll be romantic again at any point, let alone any time soon, but there's hope.

And it's definitely not a bad thing for these two characters to develop independently of each other, in my book. Manning and Halstead are much more than Manstead, and Will deserves some Will time after everything he's been through over the past ten episodes if that's what he needs. I think there's a lot to look forward to, even if the course of their dynamic won't necessarily be smooth after this "betrayal."

Chicago Med Stars Talk The Super Weird Love Triangle That Almost Happened

Find out what happens next on Chicago Med when new episodes air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, before new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. All three One Chicago series ended their fall finales on various cliffhangers, although at least Med fans weren't facing characters in mortal jeopardy.

Over on Chicago Fire, the fun of Dawson's return took a dark turn by the end of the fall finale thanks to the cliffhanger leaving Severide in danger of burning to a crisp in a basement packed with flammables with an arsonist holding a lit flare. Meanwhile, over on P.D., the fall finale proved Jesse Lee Soffer wasn't messing around when he teased a possible end for Jay Halstead, who was shot in the final moments of that show's fall finale. Between P.D., Fire, and Med, there's never any shortage of One Chicago action.

Chicago Med said goodbye to original cast member Colin Donnell at the beginning of Season 5 after news broke during Season 4 that he and two other One Chicago stars would be leaving as regulars. Fortunately for fans, the farewell to Dr. Connor Rhodes was much less final than the farewell to Ava Bekker, and he left in search of a purpose elsewhere than Med. Now, Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov have weighed in on what's happening with Connor and what could be next.

Showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of the Chicago Med Season 5 fall finale, and they shared this when I asked if fans could expect an update on Connor at some point:

That's some very good news on the Connor front! Although Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov didn't spill any details about if and when Colin Donnell would return to Med to reprise his role, news that Connor is doing well and healing is promising after how he left. He departed without even being able to bring himself to say goodbye to most of his friends at the hospital, which was pretty understandable after he watched Ava slash her own throat after Connor found out for sure that she'd killed his dad.

Chicago Fire is also using its fall finale to prove that characters who could have been gone for good can return after a time. If Gabby Dawson can come back to Fire, why not Connor to Med? He didn't depart by telling Sharon Goodwin goodbye forever, and he wasn't totally broken by what he experienced. Maybe after a little healing, he can swing by Med, even if only for a standalone episode.

Is it bad that I kind of want a reveal that he went to work on a relief mission in Puerto Rico? That seems to be the thing to do for departing One Chicago stars, and leaving on a relief mission doesn't mean leaving forever.

Chicago Med did add a new doctor after Connor's departure, and Dr. Marcel has complicated enough relationships after less than half a season that nobody can claim Med has gotten boring! Between his role in outing Philip as a manipulative liar, his initiative in kicking off a love triangle, and the unique traits he brings to the show, Marcel has guaranteed that Connor's place in the ensemble didn't go unfulfilled.

Still, surely there would be room for Connor to return at some point. Whatever happens, at least fans can know that he's doing well, even if he's doing it off-screen. Will probably could have used Connor in Season 5, since he was having a very hard time dealing with the Natalie situation. That situation may get a little less complicated now that her memories are returning, which the Chicago Med showrunners explained will happen thanks to "really specific triggers."

See the final episode of Chicago Med in 2019 (which may or may not reveal something about Connor) on Wednesday, November 20 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by the return of Dawson in Chicago Fire's fall finale at 9 p.m. ET, and Chicago P.D.'s bloody fall finale at 10 p.m. ET, all on NBC.

Spoilers ahead for the Chicago Med Season 5 fall finale episode description.

The fifth season of Chicago Med has been a rough ride for Natalie Manning as she struggles with the lingering effects of the traumatic brain injury she sustained in the Season 4 finale, and there are still major holes in her memory moving into the fall finale. Fortunately, the fall finale, called "I Can't Imagine The Future," will see Natalie's memory from the accident start to return.

Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend ahead of the episode, and they explained how Med will go about resolving Natalie's TBI arc, restoring her memories, and what that means for Will Halstead. Let's start with the TBI. After Andrew Schneider confirmed that the fall finale "is the resolution of her TBI," the showrunners went on to explain where Natalie is coming from:

Natalie was really given no room for error in the first half of Season 5 due to her TBI, and even Will was watching her for mistakes. While she did have genuine physical problems early on, such as when she needed Chicago Fire's Casey to perform a procedure for her, she also didn't really get much support after she was on the road to recovery. Her exemplary performance in the "Infection" crossover didn't even win her much good will.

Of course, she crossed some lines when she was trying to prove that a young boy needed more than natural remedies to survive what was definitely not just a common sinus infection, but she was definitely under closer scrutiny than doctors who hadn't suffered a TBI. Chicago Med's showrunners went on to explain what happens in the fall finale, a.k.a. the ninth episode of Season 5, that starts bringing back Natalie's memories:

Triggers are what will do the trick to restore Natalie's memories, after eight episodes of Natalie doubting herself. She did finally give Phillip the boot after he'd spent the early episodes deceiving her into thinking they'd gotten engaged right before she'd suffered the TBI, but it wasn't because she remembered.

If Philip lying to her about what happened didn't trigger her, and if seeing Will on a daily basis and presumably riding in a car since the Season 4 finale didn't trigger her, what will set her off in the fall finale? Hopefully it's not because another criminal rams her car with his own! Still, maybe it's a combination of time and healing with just the right things at just the right moments.

Regaining her memories will obviously be a very big deal for Natalie, but she's not the only one. She'd gone after Will in the Season 4 finale for a heart-to-heart about their relationship, not to break his heart with a Phillip bombshell. The latest episode proved that Will is dating again; will that change once Natalie gets back into her pre-memory loss headspace?

When I asked Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov about where Will stands on Natalie going into the fall finale, they told me this:

For a couple that would have gotten married if not for some bad guys forcing Will to go into witness protection, Manstead really has nailed the art of a will-they-won't-they dynamic! Will spent the early episodes of Season 5 looking out for Natalie as much as he could despite Natalie (and Phillip) telling him to back off, and he did ease off after Natalie dumped Phillip and she was more herself again. And then there was the vampire!

That said, it may take more than Will relating to a vampiric patient for him to shake off his love for Natalie, and that may be a conundrum he faces in the fall finale once Natalie remembers what she was feeling before the TBI. As for whether Will's opinion of her changed based on her actions while dealing with the TBI, the Med showrunners said this:

Even if Natalie comes back to herself and her feelings for Will when her memories return, their relationship might not ever return to the way it was since Will has seen another perspective. That's not to say Manstead 2.0 -- no, not that Manstead 2.0 -- would be any worse than before the TBI, but whatever happens between Natalie and Will in the fall finale (and beyond) should be very interesting.

Whatever complications arise between Natalie and Will won't be the only romantic wrinkles in the fall finale. The official episode description for "I Can't Imagine The Future" reveals that April will question her future with Ethan after getting some unfortunate news, while Maggie and Dr. Charles face tough times in the future.

To see the final episode of Chicago Med in 2019, tune in to NBC on Wednesday, November 20 at 8 p.m. ET to catch the fall finale, before the Chicago Fire fall finale featuring Monica Raymund as Gabby Dawson at 9 p.m. ET and the Chicago P.D. fall finale with a bloody Halstead looking rough.

Warning: many spoilers ahead for the third episode of Chicago Med Season 5, called "In the Valley of the Shadows."

Chicago Med may not have wasted any time in Season 5 on resolving the cliffhanger of what happened to Will and Natalie, but the aftermath is continuing to haunt both doctors thanks to Philip. The premiere revealed that her oh-so-loving fiancé Philip is actually a master manipulator who used Natalie's amnesia as a way to trick her into thinking she had accepted his proposal, when in fact he never actually asked her and gave her the chance to answer.

The truth is bound to come out, even with everything else going on, and there are a couple of prime candidates for who could bring it about. Will it be Will, or somebody else? Let's start with Will.

Will is the one most invested in what's happening with Natalie and Philip, and he does clearly want the best for both Natalie and the patients under her care, which means continued concerns that her traumatic brain injury is still affecting her.

He and Philip have had some tense encounters, with Philip trying to and pretty much succeeding at getting under Will's skin as the new man in Natalie's life and new father figure in Owen's life. He knows Natalie the best and his suspicion about what she wanted to tell him but can't remember doesn't seem to be entirely self-serving.

That said, "In the Valley of the Shadows" proved that Will might not be the best placed to help reveal the truth to Natalie. The fact that he has a motivation to figure out what's happening with Philip can work against him, as he obviously isn't happy that the woman he loves moved on to seemingly agree to marry a guy she hasn't known all that long. Natalie isn't unreasonable to assume that his actions to try and figure out what happened with Philip are because of their personal relationship.

All signs point toward Will genuinely wanting to help her and genuinely suspecting that something is off with Philip, but Natalie would have no way of knowing that. Imagining that Philip is exactly what he seems and Will is a jealous ex is probably way easier for her to accept than Philip as a sketchy guy taking advantage of her TBI. Can Will come across as objective enough to convince Natalie that something is wrong?

Well, he may not need to. Dr. Marcel was the first person on Chicago Med to figure out that Philip was playing a game of his own, when he realized that Philip had placed the ring on Natalie's finger himself when she was unconscious, as she hadn't been wearing it when she and Will were in the accident. When I spoke to Chicago Med showrunner Andrew Schneider about Season 5, he said this when I noted that Dr. Marcel seemed to be onto Philip's game:

Well, Dr. Marcel is going to disrupt some relationships. Maybe he'll disrupt a relationship in a good way, rather than get in the middle of a healthy relationship. He clashed with April through a lot of "In the Valley of the Shadows" but ultimately proved that he's willing to do whatever necessary for the greater good. What can be a greater good when it comes to Natalie's well-being than exposing Philip for what he really is?

We'll have to wait and see. Natalie may not be getting her full memory back any time soon, and it's entirely possible that she won't be willing to take the word of her ex or the doctor she just met than the man she thinks is her fiancé is a liar and manipulator. We may be in this for the long run.

Fortunately, Chicago Med should have a lot of exciting action going down beyond what Philip is up to. The huge three-show crossover airs next week, and it should be a cinematic event that puts the heroes of One Chicago in very real danger.

Major spoilers lie ahead for Episode 2 of Chicago Med Season 5, aptly titled "We're Lost in the Dark."

One of the many cliffhangers in the Chicago Med Season 4 finale concerned Maggie and the likelihood that she had metastatic breast cancer, and it was a cliffhanger that wasn't 100% resolved in the Season 5 premiere like the end of Connor's story and April's possible pregnancy were. Poor Maggie does indeed have breast cancer, and by the time the time jump following the premiere picked up, she'd gone through a lumpectomy and a first round of chemotherapy.

Maggie decided to undergo her cancer treatment at a hospital other than Med so she could avoid being known as the "sick" person, and "We're Lost in the Dark" kicked off with only Sharon knowing what Maggie was going through. Unfortunately for Maggie, the crisis of the week saw the power going out in Med, so she was under way too much physical stress for somebody who had just gone through a round of chemo, and she nearly passed out.

It's pretty clear that Maggie's struggle with cancer won't be wrapped up by the time the crossover rolls around in a couple of weeks; what exactly is in store for her? Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov explained the plan for Maggie's story as a cancer patient:

While her cancer diagnosis was terrible news for Maggie, it sounds like Chicago Med will use her illness to tell a rich and multifaceted story. I imagine there will be mixed reactions from her friends at Med when they inevitably find out that she was concealing a huge and heartbreaking secret from them, and hopefully Maggie will take the support where she can get it. Her life, her emotions, and her relationships will all be impacted.

On the upside, Maggie will make a love connection in Chicago Med Season 5! Chicago P.D. won't be the only Chicago series setting up romances (or potential romances) in the 2019-2020 TV season. Hopefully this means that Maggie will find somebody to lean on and fall for while she's in such a difficult period of her life. Fingers crossed that this new relationship won't be one of the ones disrupted by the new doctor!

If Med goes a more tragic route, Maggie could fall in love with somebody she meets while getting treatment, and it would be heartbreaking if Maggie had to watch a new love interest die from their illness. Well, that would deliver a "down" in Maggie's series of "ups and downs" this season! At this point, we technically don't know for sure that Maggie will survive.

Her prognosis isn't great, but it would be rough to lose Connor, Ava, and Maggie all in one season. Admittedly, Connor was still alive when he left, and Ava wasn't exactly a hero when she killed herself rather than face justice for murdering Connor's dad. Only time will tell what specifically the future holds for Maggie.

Find out with new episodes of Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD for the Season 5 premiere of Chicago Med, called "Never Going Back To Normal."

News broke back before the Season 4 finale of Chicago Med that two regulars would depart ahead of Season 5: Colin Donnell and Norma Kuhling. At the time, there was no confirmation that either actor would ever be back, so fans could only speculate about how Season 5 would resolve the cliffhanger of who killed Connor's dad and Ava's role. At least it was later revealed Colin Donnell would return once more for the premiere! Now, showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov have explained Connor's shocking conclusion on Chicago Med in the Season 5 premiere.

But let's start with what happened.

"Never Going Back To Normal" delivered an early surprise when none other than Norma Kuhling popped up as Ava. Considering the events of the premiere, it's probably safe to say that this was Kuhling playing Ava one last time. Kevin Atwater crossed over from Chicago P.D. to investigate Connor's dad's death, and Connor discovered he was a suspect. Atwater got inside info on Connor from Ava, who Connor confronted and accused of murder.

The big twist came when Dr. Latham eventually revealed that there was a contamination in the insulin used to kill Connor's dad that would identify who dosed him, sending Ava running away. She asked Connor for an hour to get to O'Hare Airport, saying that she'd killed his dad for him, then grabbed a scalpel and slashed her own throat. Despite the best efforts of Connor, Dr. Latham, and more, Ava died.

Connor came to the realization that he needed to leave Med, as too much had happened for him to stick around. Emotional, he couldn't bring himself to say goodbye to his friends at the hospital, and he left. Farewell, Connor (and Ava)! When asked why Med started Season 5 by killing a character, showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov said this:

The shocking end to Connor's story was born out of a drive to "keep the show alive," which will involve the addition of new characters. In fact, one key new character already made his debut in the Season 5 premiere, and he'll be "disrupting some relationships" as the season progresses. Only time will tell how fans react to the twist of Ava killing herself and Connor deciding to leave, but there's no denying that Med delivered closure!

It was also a twist that managed to both come as a shock and yet still have been set up way back in Season 4. The slow reveal that Ava had a personality disorder set the stage for the suspicious death of Connor's dad, her seeming breakdown in the Season 4 finale when she all but confessed to the murder, and then her ultimate suicide. She definitely did not come to a good end! When I asked the showrunners if they ever considered any alternatives to Ava killing herself in the Season 5 premiere, this was their response:

The Chicago Med team did consider letting Ava survive after she'd slashed her own throat, but Ava surviving would have left a story open that was intended to close. After all, Colin Donnell was only slated to return for the Season 5 opener, and Norma Kuhling was a surprise! It is fitting that her final act would have been an attempt at revenge against Connor. As if she hadn't already caused him enough trouble!

Ava killing herself and dying after Connor tried to save her life, shortly after she killed his father, all in that same hospital certainly do explain why Connor would need to leave Med. Who can blame him for wanting to get away from all the heartache he'd experienced, even if the building was full of his friends?

So, does this mean that Chicago Med fans will never see Connor again? Not necessarily. Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider gave this optimistic answer about whether there was anything that could bring Connor back:

While Connor may be gone for now, he may not be gone forever! And there's a lot to look forward to in the aftermath of Ava's death and Connor's departure, although Will may not be looking forward to it too much.

He and Natalie both survived the accident from the Season 4 finale, but Philip proved to be much creepier than he'd seemed, when he slid a ring onto unconscious Natalie's finger and claimed they were engaged. Natalie lost her memory of that whole day due to a brain injury, so fans are in store for a truly unique love triangle.

Maggie will be struggling with breast cancer in Season 5, but April and Ethan seem to be going strong, and the big three-show crossover between Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. should be must-see TV when it airs in October. For now, you can catch all three series on Wednesday nights on NBC, with Med at 8 p.m. ET, Fire at 9 p.m. ET, and P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.

The three series in the Chicago universe have given NBC the chance for something truly unique on broadcast television. While other networks do have multiple shows set in the same universe -- such as the Arrow-verse on The CW and all things NCIS on CBS -- there's nothing quite like Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. airing new episodes in one solid block of Wednesday night programming. The solid block of Chicago action means that three-show crossovers can air in one night, and the mega crossover of fall 2018 was a game-changer for characters across all three.

Fortunately for Chicago fans, another three-show mega crossover will hit the airwaves this fall, but there will be some key differences from what happened last year. Chicago Med showrunner Andrew Schneider spoke with CinemaBlend about what's in store for the Chicago crossover in the new TV season, saying this:

Although of course Andrew Schneider wasn't going to spoil all the surprises that are in store once the Chicago shows return and head toward the next huge crossover, his comments already tease some changes from how the crossover went down in fall 2018.

For one thing, the Med/Fire/P.D. crossover aired as the second episode of each show last year, meaning that the shows only had the season premiere before jumping right into the crossover. Airing as the fourth episode means all three shows have time to resolve their previous finale cliffhangers and move into the next stage of their seasons before the city-wide health crisis breaks out.

Fans will have to wait a little longer to see their favorites from the three shows mingling on a huge scale, but there's always the chance for smaller crossovers. After all, Fire and P.D. characters can require medical attention pretty regularly, and things do catch on fire an awful lot in Chicago. Throw in the crime, and the cops of P.D. can turn up anywhere!

NBC's Chicago Dramas Just Got Great News After Big Ratings Wins

For another thing, the 2019 crossover will intertwine the three episodes, which is a departure from how the 2018 crossover operated. While the episodes of Med, Fire, and P.D. did follow the same overarching story, the episodes were distinctly an hour each of Med, Fire, and P.D. The 2019 event sounds positively cinematic.

In fact, Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas named two action movies that will share similarities with the upcoming crossover: Poseidon Adventure and Independence Day. The reasons he gave don't suggest that the characters will be dealing with a nautical disaster or alien invasion, such as what happened in those two movies, but they certainly point toward a high-stakes and intense event.

The first episode of the crossover on October 16 will be Fire, in the usual Med time slot, penned by Derek Haas. Haas and Dick Wolf came up with the story together, and I think it's safe to say that any story crafted by Dick Wolf is primed for success on the small screen. Chicago isn't his first successful franchise, after all!

The crossover episodes of the Chicago series won't debut until October, but the shows themselves will be back soon, and Chicago Med will include a character who could be "disrupting some relationships" after he's introduced in Season 5. The Chicago action gets back into full swing on Wednesday, September 25 with Med at 8 p.m. ET, Fire at 9 p.m. ET, and P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.

Med has more than one question to answer, including what happened to cause Connor's dad's death, how Ava was or was not involved, what Maggie is facing following the cancer bombshell, if April is indeed pregnant, and if both Natalie and Will survive the car crash without long-term effects. Throw in the possible death on Chicago Fire and the fact that Voight may or may not have murdered the mayor to cause some tension within the Intelligence Unit on P.D., and Wednesday nights will be packed with must-see TV on NBC.

Chicago Med concluded its fourth season on several big cliffhangers, some of which left lives hanging in the balance. While the footage released of Season 5 so far hasn't revealed much about what happens to Will and Natalie after the terrible car crash in the finale, fans do know that Med said goodbye to two different major characters: Connor and Ava. The good news is that Med is adding at least one new doctor who could help fill the void left by the two departed docs.

News broke back in August that Chicago Med was adding a new Emergency Department doctor by the name of Crockett Marcel, to be played by Dominic Rains of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in what is bound to be a very different role. Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov spoke with CinemaBlend about what's coming in Season 5, and they teased this about Dr. Marcel:

Considering the stress of the Season 4 finale -- which left Will and Natalie in very real danger, Connor dealing with the mystery of his father's death and how Ava may or may not have been involved, Maggie facing a breast cancer diagnosis, and April and Ethan potentially with a baby on the way -- it might be a very good thing to have an "easygoing" and "funny" kind of guy in the mix. Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov's comments about Dr. Marcel are certainly fuel for speculation in the final days of hiatus before the Season 5 premiere.

That said, if Dr. Marcel is "disrupting some relationships," then not everything will be easy with the easygoing new guy in the mix. There is the question of what relationships could be disrupted. Will and Natalie are already a bit of a mess, even if they both survive the accident unscathed, and Philip is still around as of the Season 4 finale. Connor and Ava's relationship would undoubtedly be a thing of the past even if the characters were slated to both return. As of now, only Connor is confirmed to reprise his role for just the Season 5 premiere.

Will Dr. Marcel disrupt Dr. Charles and Caroline, who are already facing eventual heartbreak? Or perhaps April and Ethan? Or will he get in the way of a relationship that hasn't even begun on screen yet? It's entirely possible that Chicago P.D. isn't the only show in the Chicago universe adding a new significant romance. Maybe it won't take much more than the new doc sharing his different perspective to mix things up.

When news first broke of Dominic Rains landing the new role for Chicago Med, Deadline reported that he would be a "hard-partying doctor" willing to gamble, drink, and party through the night as long as he could plug himself into an IV drip when he arrived at work. Rains is currently a recurring member of the cast; could he be bumped up to regular status?

Only time will tell on that count, but fortunately, the wait for the Season 5 premiere is finally almost at an end. Chicago Med premieres its fifth season on Wednesday, September 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. The Med premiere will be followed by the Season 8 opener of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and the Season 7 opener of Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. The three shows will come together for a massive crossover later in the fall TV season, so be sure to tune in.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for the Chicago Med midseason finale, "Death Do Us Part." Read at your own risk!

What was supposed to be a joyous occasion was turned upside down in the midseason finale, as Will and Natalie's wedding day did not go as planned. By the end of the episode, the two didn't tie the knot, and audiences were left wondering what's going to happen next as Will was rushed off by the F.B.I. while Natalie stood there stunned. Here's a brief recap of what happened, and what's going on with the couple when Chicago Med returns.

Will's troubles first started when he walked in on Natalie and saw her before the wedding, which is commonly believed to be bad luck. Chicago Med fans may be inclined to agree when Will's tux fitting was interrupted by his mafioso "friends" who needed him to come along and help Ray. The mobster refused to go to the hospital so Will went with the crew to treat him at their site, where he found Ray in rough condition.

After a long medical treatment/hostage situation when the mob blamed Will for planting a bug they discovered, the F.B.I. and his brother Jay successfully retrieved Will just before he was about to get pumped full of led. Will was rattled, but aware that there was still a chance for him to make the wedding. Unfortunately, the F.B.I. only delivered Will to the worried Natalie to inform her he was going into witness protection, and he couldn't explain why.

Natalie was left devastated, and with a healthy amount of mobster blood on her dress. Unfortunately, things won't be much better for her a couple months later, as executive producer Diane Frolov told TVLine Natalie won't have many answers about what happened with Will, or what he's been up to on Chicago Med prior to that:

As for how long Natalie and Will haven't had contact, Andrew Schneider revealed there will have been two months passed when the show picks up. Will is hanging out in another state in the meantime, as the F.B.I. works out whether or not it's safe for him to return. This will be hard for Will, as he's wanted to let Natalie in on this secret for so long.

Having said that, things were probably worse for Natalie, who had to go and tell her wedding attendees she wasn't getting married and she didn't know why. She's had time to stew on that potentially humiliating experience for two months now, so I'm guessing Will's gonna be in the doghouse for a long time, if not indefinitely. Provided there's a dog house for him to come home to, that is.

Chicago Med returns to NBC on Wednesday, January 9. For more on upcoming television to enjoy in the meantime, be sure to visit and bookmark our fall and midseason premiere guides.

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the Season 4 premiere of Chicago Med. Be sure to head over to one of our other lovely articles until you've had a chance to catch up!

Tonight's premiere of Chicago Med gave fans a bit of a shocker when Sarah Reese, who's been a part of the show from the beginning, decided to walk away from her psychiatric residency under Dr. Charles. And, the executive producers have spoken out about whether or not fans might be able to see the character in the future. I had the opportunity to speak with Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider a couple of weeks ago at One Chicago Day, and they have some relatively hopeful news on chances of a Reese reappearance in the future. Here's what Diane Frolov had to say:

OK, before you get all up in arms about the indecisive nature of this quote, let me point out that at least Diane Frolov gives us some hope that Reese and Dr. Charles can repair their fractured relationship before too long, maybe even before Season 4 wraps up. And, one can hardly blame Reese for stepping away from the man who quickly became a positive, stable father figure in her life for these past few years.

Season 3 saw Reese reunited with her absentee father, Robert Haywood, after he comes to see Dr. Charles as a patient. As Reese began to get closer to him it was, unfortunately, revealed that not only is her dad a psychopath, but Dr. Charles also came to realize that he was a serial killer. In the opening moments of the premiere, it's clear that Dr. Charles has finally told her of his suspicions and they've gone to the police, with Robert later ending up getting arrested. While most people would think that Reese is pissed about Dr. Charles turning her dad in, it turns out that she's really upset that he didn't tell her of his suspicions sooner. So, by the end of the episode, Reese has had her things packed up and informed Dr. Charles that she's going to finish her residency at Baylor.

While it would seem like a given that Reese would come back eventually, executive producer Andrew Schneider made it clear that, even though they stand by the character and performances of Rachel DiPillo, who brought Reese to life, bringing her back isn't going to be as simple as fans wanting the young doctor around.

It might be hard to hear that we've seen the last of Sarah Reese for now, but isn't it at least good to know that the producers are concerned with making sure they have a solid reason to bring her back? Who really wants her popping back into the action if it doesn't make sense?

You can continue to watch all the Reese-less drama on Chicago Med when the show airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. For more shows you can catch on the small screen, be sure to check out our 2018 fall premiere schedule.