With Chicago Med due to return on Wednesday, Nov. 11, it won’t be long before we’re back in the ER with Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson), Maggie (Marlyne Barrett), and the rest of the crew. Season 6 will hit especially close to home for viewers as the gang takes on the COVID-19 outbreak, which has seen its highest number of recorded cases in the U.S. this week. For Med’s showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov, addressing the pandemic that we’re all still very much dealing with was inevitable given the show’s subject matter. They revealed that they were not so much concerned with tackling this story but rather how much of the season would be centered around it.
“Since we’re a hospital show, we knew we had to take on this story,” Frolov and Schneider told TV Guide via email. “The question was about balance — how many COVID-related stories versus other medical cases. We didn’t want the new season to just be COVID.”
According to the Med bosses, the pandemic will take a toll on several characters who will be “emotionally overwhelmed” after months of treating so many critically ill patients in the ICU. Plus, the new season will feature a character who contracted COVID-19 and who will continue to endure lingering symptoms. No word yet on who this person is, but it’s clear the series will explore the different ways in which COVID affects everyone.
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Season 6 will also explore Natalie (Torrey DeVitto) and Crockett’s (Dominic Rains) deepening friendship, along with Dr. Charles’ (Oliver Platt) challenging relationship with his daughter and his ongoing treatment of his overworked and overwhelmed staff. Meanwhile, Maggie will adust to married life and fostering a child in the midst of a pandemic and Will (Nick Gehlfuss) and Hannah (Jessy Schram) will continue to struggle with trusting each other in their relationship. The new episode will also center on April’s dedication to the ED in the fight against COVID.
Chicago Med returns Wednesday, Nov. 11 at 8/7c followed by Chicago Fire at 9/8c and Chicago P.D. at 10/9c.
Yaya DaCosta, Chicago Med