Chicago Med left fans on the edge of their seats during the season 10 finale, leaving asking — what will happen next?
During the May episode, Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) was hiding her pregnancy after learning she was expecting her first baby while trying to become a surrogate for her sister. While most fans thought the pregnancy would bring Hannah and Dr. Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell) back together, Hannah didn’t tell him the big news.
In fact, in a twist conclusion, Hannah went to see longtime friend and confidant Dr. Dean Archer (Steve Weber) to seemingly tell him her big news first. (The unexpected house call left some viewers thinking Archer could be the father.)
Ripley, meanwhile, had his own visitor to end the season: Sadie (Holly Curran), whom he nearly died trying to save earlier in the season when she and her daughter got trapped in a hole on the side of the road.
‘Chicago Med’ Season 11 Questions Answered: Are Hannah and Ripley Endgame?
Showrunner Allen MacDonald exclusively told Us Weekly in May that the Hannah and Ripley story line is an “unfortunate wait and see” situation, hinting that there is more to come for both characters in season 11.
Scroll down to see which Chicago Med actors are — and aren’t — returning for season 11 so far:
Epatha Merkerson
Merkerson’s Sharon Goodwin ended the season as a single woman after breaking up with Dr. Dennis Washington (John Earl Jelks). After the split, Sharon went to visit her ex-husband, Bert Goodwin (Gregory Alan Williams), who is living in a facility that helps care for his Alzheimer’s.
While it’s unclear whether Williams will have more cameos next season, Merkerson’s return is a safe bet. “I think Goodwin is definitely ready to move on,” MacDonald told NBC Insider in May of Sharon’s future. “While it’s true she has spent most of the season emotionally burying her brutal stabbing, visiting [her stalker] in the opening scene opens her eyes and forces her to confront that trauma. She realizes she’s living a future she almost lost and that she needs to be honest about who she is and what she wants.”
Jessy Schram
MacDonald confirmed to Us in May that Schram’s role as Hannah will continue to be front and center during season 11. He teased that Hannah’s choice to visit Archer instead of Ripley will be part of a “very complicated story” that will “play out” next season.
Luke Mitchell
Before Sadie rang Ripley’s doorbell, Hannah previously told Ripley that she was in “love” with him. However, Mitchell’s character being in a love triangle isn’t something that is set in stone. The actor’s return to the show for season 11 on the other hand is certain.
“I don’t know where it’s gonna go beyond like, you know, them having a conversation, but I would say there’s some unfinished business between them,” MacDonald explained of Ripley and Sadie’s future next season after confirming that viewers will see his and Hannah’s relationship also move forward in some way.
One Chicago Stars Who Have Confirmed They Would — Or Wouldn’t — Return
Steven Weber
Weber’s Dr. Archer has been a vital part of the ED since 2021. Although he almost resigned from the job during season 10 — and was stopped when he found Sharon bleeding out following an attack by her stalker — his future seems bright on Chicago Med.
In fact, the season 10 finale ended with Hannah making a surprise visit at his doorstep. While fans agree that she will tell Archer that she is pregnant, some viewers wonder if he is in fact the father.
MacDonald, however, told Us in May that Hannah “deeply trusts Archer and that is where she goes when she is feeling destabilized.”
Oliver Platt
Platt has been playing Dr. Daniel Charles since the series premiere in 2015, and all signs are pointing to his return for season 11. During the season 10 cliffhanger, Charles was one of the only characters who had closure after reuniting with his two daughters to mourn the loss of his late mother who died earlier in the season.
Marlyne Barrett
“We’re definitely going to give Maggie [Lockwood] some wonderful stuff next year,” MacDonald told Us in May, confirming plans to have Barrett’s character back and continue to expand her story line. “We’re gonna see all those nurses.”
Sarah Ramos
Ramos began playing Dr. Caitlin Lenox during season 10 in 2024, and during the May finale she received life-changing news. Both Lenox and her brother, Kip (Logan Miller), got tested for Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS), which their mother died from. Kip’s test was negative and although Lenox said hers was too, it was later revealed that she does have the disease.
Despite knowing an “early death is in the cards,” the showrunner told Us Ramos will be back to tell the next chapter in Lenox’s story.
“The certainty [of Lenox’s diagnosis] is most definitely going to affect how she behaves moving forward,” MacDonald later told NBC Insider. “And I think the audience will be as surprised as Lenox will be.”
Darren Barnet
Barnet joined the cast as Dr. John Frost at the start of season 10. When the season finale aired, Barnet celebrated his time so far on the show, writing via Instagram, “It is a privilege being a part of the Gaffney family and telling the story of Dr. Frost.”
While he hasn’t publicly confirmed his return to the show, he did represent Chicago Med at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in France in June.
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John Earl Jelks
Although fans were rooting for Sharon’s romance with Dr. Dennis Washington (Jelks) to last, she broke up with him during the season finale. The pair butted heads over Dennis not telling his daughter about their relationship and Sharon choosing to demote him to save money for the hospital.
While they both had their faults, it appears that their romance won’t be rekindled, so Jelks might be cut from the cast. “Dennis isn’t a bad guy, but he’s not who she thought he was. And the stress that the budget cuts put on their relationship forces this reckoning,” MacDonald explained to NBC Insider in May.
He added that after cutting ties with Dennis, Sharon is “liberated and hopeful for the future,” hinting that there won’t be any backsliding.
Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut
During season 10, Chestnut’s Naomi Howard packed up her locker after exposing Dr. Nicholas Hayes’ (Brendan Hines) sexual misconduct to the media. Although Naomi said she needed a fresh start, the One Chicago team is hopeful that it won’t be the last time fans see her on screen.
“We love Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, and we love the character Naomi, and we very intentionally kind of expanded her role as the season progressed,” MacDonald shared with Us in May, teasing, “It would be a shame to not see her again after all that.”
