Everything you need to know about Chicago Med
Chicago Med is a long-running, highly-praised American procedural that’s part of the ‘One Chicago’ franchise created by Dick Wolf, and the production team behind the popular Law And Order world.
The series follows the fictional hospital of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center, and the experiences of the doctors in the emergency department.
The show tracks the lives and relationships of the doctors, nurses, and surgeons while on shift, with a ‘case of the week’ format documenting the pressures they face as they figure out what’s wrong with each patient.
The show premiered in November 2017, and alongside the other shows of ‘One Chicago’ has remained a steady hit for US network NBC.
Here’s everything you need to know about the show.
What other shows is Chicago Med connected to?
Chicago Med is part of a collection of series known as the ‘One Chicago’ franchise.
Each series is focused on the emergency services based in Chicago, Illinois – and as a result, there are often crossovers between cases where more than one service is required.
Chicago Fire was the first of the franchise, premiering in October 2010. Chicago P.D., which followed the area’s police department, launched in 2014, with Chicago Med the third.
A fourth series, Chicago Justice, premiered in 2017 but was canceled after one season.
Who stars in Chicago Med?
Like Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D., Chicago Med has had a lot of cast rolling in and out of the emergency room doors.
Currently, the main cast for season nine stands as:
- Marlyne Barrett (After Everything, The Wire) as Maggie Lockwood
- S. Epatha Merkerson (Law and Order, Lackawanna Blues) as Sharon Goodwin
- Oliver Platt (The Bear, Fargo) as Dr. Daniel Charles
- Dominic Rains (Agents of SHIELD, Tales From The Loop) as Dr. Crockett Marcel
- Steven Weber (Single White Female, 13 Reasons Why) as Dr. Dean Archer
- Jessy Schram (Once Upon A Time, Mystic Christmas) as Dr. Hannah Asher
- Luke Mitchell (Blindspot, Big Sky) as Dr. Mitch Ripley
Barrett, Merkerson, and Platt have appeared in nearly every episode of the series.
Throughout its lengthy time on screen, eight of Chicago Med’s leading characters have appeared in more than 100 episodes, making them defining stars of the show’s run.
This includes:
- Nick Gehlfuss (Shameless, The Newsroom) as Dr. Will Halstead – 163 episodes
- Brian Tee (Expats, Jurassic World) as Dr. Ethan Choi – 136 episodes
- Lorena Diaz (Empire, Other Peoples’ Children) as Nurse Doris – 133 episodes
- Yaya DaCosta (Our Kind Of People, The Lincoln Lawyer) as April Sexton – 122 episodes
- Torrey DeVitto (Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries) as Dr. Natalie Manning – 121 episodes
How successful is Chicago Med and what awards has it won?
The entire One Chicago franchise has established a dedicated fanbase in the US and internationally.
Chicago Med has averaged a minimum of nine million viewers per episode since it first launched, peaking in seasons four and five with an 11 million average.
It has been nominated for six awards and won six awards.
It currently stands at a 7.6/10 rating for IMDb, and a 75% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
You can find out more about Chicago P.D. here and Chicago Fire here.
What is the age rating of Chicago Med?
Chicago Med’s official rating in the UK, as certified by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), is 15 for the complete run. In the US, it is marked as PG-13 or TV-14.
All three ratings warn that there may be scenes that may be inappropriate for younger or pre-teen audiences.
While sex is never explicitly shown, it is heavily implied with many of the characters having romantic attachments to each other and kissing before the cameras cut away. Violence is also mild on the show.
Due to the nature of the series, there are frequent depictions of blood, injuries, medical emergencies, and surgeries.
Some storylines viewers may find distressing, with themes including suicide, domestic abuse, and self-harm depending on the episode.
How many episodes of Chicago Med are there?
Chicago Med is still on the air, and by the end of its current run, the show will have nine complete seasons, totaling 176 episodes.
Season ten was confirmed in March 2024.
The show also technically has an extra episode in the shape of a ‘backdoor pilot’ in Chicago Fire. Backdoor pilots are episodes in a pre-existing series dedicated to a potential spin-off idea, allowing creators and networks to gauge reaction to give the all-clear to a full season.
In the case of Chicago Med, it’s “I Am The Apocalypse” from Chicago Fire season three.
How to watch Chicago Med in the UK
Chicago Med seasons 7, 8, and 9 are available to watch now exclusively on Sky Witness and NOW.
We also have episodes of Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire for you to watch as well.