As a longtime fan of medical dramas, I’m thrilled to share my thoughts on the new characters joining the cast of Chicago Med. Having spent countless hours watching the likes of ER, Grey’s Anatomy, and Scrubs, I can confidently say that the addition of Dr. Caitlin Lennox (played by Sarah Ramos) and Dr. John Frost (Darren Barnet) promises a fresh and engaging season.
On Wednesday evenings, the lineup of programs known as the “One Chicago” family on NBC often experiences changes, particularly in their long-running series such as “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago PD”.
As it enters its tenth season, the long-running TV show “Chicago Med” continues with only three of its original actors – Marlyne Barrett, Oliver Platt, and S. Epatha Merkerson. Moreover, a new showrunner, Allen MacDonald, has been appointed to breathe fresh life into the established Dick Wolf series. Fans who have been following it for a while might need to adapt to this change in leadership.
Under MacDonald’s leadership on “Chicago Med”, the fresh season brings forth fresh faces, while also bidding farewell to some familiar ones. In anticipation of the season 10 debut, “The Hollywood Reporter” had a chat with the new showrunner about the upcoming storylines, departures, and the arrival of two significant new characters. The showrunner also hinted at an exciting, high-intensity start to the new season.
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You’re stepping into the role at Chicago Med, however, it seems you’ve previously been involved in a well-known series focusing on the medical field. Was that ER where you gained your experience?
In a previous role, I functioned primarily as an assistant on a television series known as ER. Initially, I began as a research assistant for one of the researchers, then transitioned into serving as a writer’s assistant for two different writers. My responsibilities included being part of the writers’ department, which provided me with a unique insight into the show’s creation process – from conceptualization to final production. This experience has significantly influenced my current work, as I was fortunate enough to read incoming scripts and even visit the set, observing the story development process firsthand. Additionally, in my role as an assistant researcher, I would meticulously scour newspapers such as the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, and Washington Post for potential medical stories, gather articles, and communicate with nurses to acquire additional anecdotes. This is a practice that, unfortunately, is not commonly used anymore.
Given that I’ve taken over as the new producer of Chicago Med, could you tell me about my unique approach? What elements will remain consistent, and what fresh aspects will I introduce? How can I ensure the long-time viewers who have been captivated by this series continue to be engaged while also incorporating my own perspective?
Exactly nine seasons – that’s how many. Before taking on this job, I hadn’t seen even one episode of Chicago Med. So, to prepare, I found myself binging 176 episodes, an enjoyable task if ever there was one. It was fascinating to dive into the show’s universe, and while I did catch a few winks here and there, it truly was a captivating experience.
From its inception, this series has consistently delivered powerful character-driven stories with an emotional emphasis, which is a storytelling approach I’ve always aimed for as a writer and personally appreciate when watching shows. The previous showrunners, Andy [Schneider] and Diane [Frolov], have done an exceptional job in creating such a rich, immersive world populated by engaging characters. It feels like every detail is thoughtfully placed and the narrative flows seamlessly. As the new showrunner, I plan to build upon this foundation moving forward, continuing the emotional storytelling while injecting humor, including some darker varieties, because I believe people often turn to humor, even gallows humor, as a way to cope with difficult situations such as disease or hardship in general.
As a writer, I love humor in dramatic scripts because it’s not like a sitcom where it’s joke joke joke. Although sitcoms are great, and the best ones do reveal character in their jokes, I like humor on a show like Chicago Med when it reveals character and it makes you laugh, not just because it’s a joke and it’s funny but because it feels something about the character. And it also shows something recognizably human about that character that the audience can relate to. Where they laugh because they’re like, “Oh my God, that painful moment? I’ve been through that.” They laugh because if they don’t, they’ll start crying.
Let’s discuss the changes in the main actors. As far as I know, just three of the initial cast are still part of the series.
Regarding cast changes, it’s not exclusive to this particular show. You can observe a similar pattern on PD and Fire, where some main actors remain while others change. For instance, Taylor Kinney is on Fire, and Jason Beghe is on Chicago P.D. The turnover appears to be balanced, and I don’t believe it’s due to the shows themselves; rather, it’s often related to the actors’ contracts or their desire for new challenges and experiences.
As we move into a fresh chapter, a significant storyline captivating audiences is the dynamic between Dr. Dean Archer, portrayed by Steven Weber, and his son Sean, played by Luigi Sottile. Despite the fact that Sean donated a kidney to his ailing father last season, their bond persisted, which remains compelling to viewers.
We’re going to carry on with this storyline. In the initial episodes, you’ll notice Margo [Isabel Thompson], Sean and Archer’s girlfriend, making a swift appearance. Therefore, we’ll be focusing on that situation as we progress, though likely not as intensely as last season. However, expect to see these characters again.
Since Sharon Goodwin’s (S. Epatha Merkerson) ex-husband Bert (Gregory Alan Williams) is now residing in an assisted living facility due to Alzheimer’s disease, we can wonder about the future dynamics between her and Dr. Dennis Washington (John Earl Jelks).
That was a very emotionally successful story last season. I was very moved by that, and Alzheimer’s disease is something I have in my family, as we speak, and in the past. It is a very hard thing to capture emotionally correctly, and I thought the show did a tremendous job of that last season. But I also thought it was a complete story. And so, as far as in season 10, we won’t be telling Bert’s Alzheimer story moving forward. I feel like that story is over, but what it does allow Goodwin is a bit of a sad one but a new beginning. It allows her a little more freedom to pursue her relationship with Dr. Dennis Washington, and that’s what we’ll be watching this season — that relationship, the trajectory of it and the challenges.
As a gamer, I find myself navigating through a challenging level in this virtual reality game of life, where my character, Goodwin, is facing some intense situations at the hospital. Due to financial constraints, she’s been forced to make tough decisions, like letting go of many team members. Not everyone takes this news lightly, and I’m tasked with managing the aftermath of these layoffs. It’s a tense scenario, requiring all my strategic skills and empathy to see it through.
Let’s talk about the season opener, which is about a commuter ship accident. Is that correct?
Absolutely! The premiere episode titled “Sink or Swim,” that I penned down, presents an intense and action-packed scenario. A commuter ship gets hit by a smaller boat, causing it to fill with water swiftly and flip over near Navy Pier. This incident left many individuals trapped within the hull, sent others into the water with minor wounds, and forced numerous survivors to struggle their way out, resulting in burns and injuries. All these hurt and wounded individuals were transported to Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, creating a tense and dramatic episode of Chicago Med. This episode is a mass casualty event, a type that the show has handled previously but hasn’t been seen for a while; thus, it seemed fitting to start the season with such an incident.
What can you tell us about the new characters?
I’m quite enthusiastic about it. We have two characters to discuss here. The first one is Dr. Caitlin Lennox, portrayed by Sarah Ramos, who recently graced our screens on The Bear, and previously on Parenthood on NBC for an extended period. Unlike the stereotypical warm and fuzzy characters, Lennox is anything but. Goodwin has recruited her to assist in managing the emergency department due to a nearby hospital’s financial collapse and subsequent closure. With more people and patients flooding in, Goodwin anticipates our facility will be overwhelmed. Archer [Steven Weber] initially feels he doesn’t require assistance — a hint at an upcoming twist in the storyline.
One reason I introduced Lennox as a character is to serve as a contrast to Archer, since my preferred version of Archer is the grumpy, sarcastic, and often angry one. This season, I’m interested in exploring Archer’s less gentle, more emotional side, as he can get upset due to his feelings towards certain situations. Lennox, on the other hand, shares Archer’s capacity for emotion, but she prioritizes efficiency over empathy.
In the series opener, we encounter Dr. John Frost (played by Darren Barnet), a pediatrician who works at a hospital on the brink of closure. He arrives with a young girl experiencing speech problems that may be neurological in origin, requiring an urgent MRI. Unfortunately, his hospital no longer has an MRI machine, so he brings her to Gaffney for the procedure. Upon arrival, he meets Maggie (Marlyne Barrett), and it’s hard not to notice his charisma if you’ve ever seen a photo of Darren Barnet. He skillfully uses this charm to ensure his patients receive top-notch care. However, their first encounter is somewhat confrontational, as Maggie cautions him to tone down his tactics, saying, “I see what you’re doing, and you need to take a step back.” Despite the initial friction, they share many scenes together in the premiere, making for an entertaining duo that I can’t get enough of!
Frost chose to be a pediatrician because he didn’t feel secure or supported by his parents and believed they had wronged him. As a result, in his youth, he severed ties with them. Subsequently, he struggled financially but persisted through medical school to become a pediatrician. It’s possible that Frost isn’t fully aware of it yet, but this season will reveal that he became a pediatrician as a means to provide the protection and care he himself never received as a child.
If we could put one big bow on the theme of season 10, what would be written on it?
Wow! No one has ever asked me that. But the answer is “Loneliness.” Combating loneliness. And that sounds a little depressing. But it is actually really hopeful in the way that we play it. And specifically, that’s something Dr. Charles (played by Oliver Platt) is going to be struggling with a little bit this season, and that’s a little bit of a spoiler right there. So, it’s loneliness, combating loneliness and learning to let other people in when you’ve been hurt. I won’t pretend that it is a theme that hasn’t been done before, but it’s always going to feel unique when you specify it to certain characters. And I think the way that the writing staff and I are planning to play that out is a very emotional and hopeful theme for the season.
The medical drama series Chicago Med starts airing on Wednesday, September 25, at 8:00 PM on NBC. Every week after that, you can catch new episodes at the same time.
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2024-09-25 18:25