Chicago Med
Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 5 Recap – What’s Hiding In the Dark on Halloween
Chicago Med continued its tradition of Halloween episodes, blending real-life cases with a little ghostly humor.
And honestly, shoutout to the new nurse in the rotation, who delivered some fantastic levity to Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 5 with her comments about treatment room 5 being haunted by the ghost of Mr. Crowley. It was worth it solely for Dr. Archer’s expressions.
It was also worth it to see Ripley in a Tiger costume while trick-or-treating with Sadie and her daughter, which also brought audiences more depth to the relationship. While it initially seemed as though Sadie didn’t fully trust Ripley with her daughter, the truth ended up being a lot less dramatic and vulnerable. After the little girl fell into a well—a traumatizing event, undoubtedly, but one that brought Sadie and Ripley together in the first place—she turned into a helicopter parent, monitoring her daughter’s every move. Ripley assured her that she wouldn’t be a bad mom for loosening the reins a little bit and allowing the help. And it seems as though this relationship is flourishing nicely.
The same can’t be said for Archer and Hannah’s co-parenting approach. The baby isn’t here yet, but there seems to be a lot that they disagree on, including finding out the gender of the baby. While Archer did come off a little strong at the initial doctor visit, in the end, it seems as though Hannah can semi-relate to her patient in accepting the pregnancy means that it’s real. While her situation was way different than her patients’, finding out the sex made it real, and she wasn’t ready to come to terms with it just yet, so she ended up pushing Archer away.
Hannah is always her own worst enemy. She did, however, help her patient, Jenny, who came in with “severe period pains,” which eventually ended up being an infection from giving birth to a stillborn baby. The case hit a little close to home, considering we’ve seen this play out in real life not too long ago. It was heartbreaking, as Jenny, who denied ever giving birth at first, finally confessed to burying her baby after giving birth and realizing that she wasn’t breathing. She harbored plenty of guilt as Hannah assured her that she died in utero weeks prior, and there was nothing she could’ve done, though Burgess (a little cameo from Chicago PD’s Marina Squerciati) suggested that the patient lawyer up, even if they could remove the most serious charge.
CHICAGO MED — “Whats Hiding in the Dark” Episode 1105 — Pictured: (l-r) Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles, Luke Mitchell as Dr. Mitch Ripley — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
Elsewhere, Dr. Charles dealt with a pediatric patient who took a fall at school and ended up confessing that he’s haunted by demons. The demons, however, were part of a neurological disorder, which was caused by migraines. Once Charles was able to get to the bottom of what was happening, he brought the boy a pair of greenlight glasses, which reduced the symptoms of PMO (Prosopometamorphopsia), otherwise known as Demon Face Syndrome (the things you learn, right)? When the boy was able to see everyone normally again, his fear went away, and they were able to get to the bottom of the migraines and sleepless nights—he found out that his biological parents, who were addicts and mistreated him as a child, wanted to regain custody of him, which stressed him out. Once he confessed to the horrors he endured while living with them, Charles petitioned the courts, who paused the process and allowed the boy to safely remain with his foster parents.
Dr. Charles also celebrated his 65th birthday, but there wasn’t much celebrating. Instead of reframing the way he looked at the milestone—that he was lucky enough to reach it and that it could be his third act- he spent more time sulking. But Goodwin was onto something, especially as she spent time with Bert in the nursing facility as he navigated his dementia diagnosis. The situation wasn’t just hard on him; it was taking a toll on her, too. And when Bert’s anger manifested towards her, she also lost her cool. She regretted it immediately, but she’s human, and there’s only so much one person can take on. Unfortunately, because of Bert’s unexpected fall that rendered him unconscious, it’s possible the last interaction Goodwin had with Bert was a negative one, and the guilt of that would consume her.
So yeah, maybe Charles should appreciate that he’s reached 65 and is still able to work and help others and excel in his field with a sharp mind.
Meanwhile, we’re continuing to see a new side of Dr. Lenox ever since her positive diagnosis for the GSS prion, which means she’s likely set to suffer the same fate as her mother. The diagnosis has caused her to live her life a little more recklessly and without care, but for someone who has always put so much stock into appearances and public image, it’s actually a wonderful thing for her. As for her brother, a negative diagnosis finally allowed him to live his life without the constant fear hovering over him like a cloud. He finally got a job that requires him to wear a suit and found a woman that he wants to spend the rest of his life with. The test results, with two completely different outcomes, are having a similar effect on the siblings, allowing them to move forward and live their lives to the fullest.
Halloween at Gaffney is never dull. Honestly, there’s never a dull moment at Gaffney period. But I do love that they get into the spirit. The only thing missing was Dr. Frost, though the promo for the upcoming week focuses fully on him, giving the people what they want and allowing everyone—on-screen and off—to thirst over him.
That being said, we’ll see you back here next Wednesday.
Chicago
One Chicago Shows Finally Get 2026 Fall Premiere Dates—Here’s When ‘Chicago Fire,’ ‘Chicago P.D.’, and ‘Chicago Med’ Return
Summer may have just started a few days ago, but NBC is already looking to the fall, specifically, its fall premieres.
On Wed, June 24, the network set return dates for its fan-favorite shows, including all of the One Chicago franchises.
When Will Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med Return for Fall 2026/2027
One Chicago will stick with its Wednesday night time slots, which is great for fans who have gotten used to the schedule.
The 2026/2027 Fall TV schedule will see all One Chicago shows returning with new seasons on Oct. 7, 2026.
Chicago Fire will return for Season 15, Chicago P.D. will kick off Season 14 and Chicago Med will be back for Season 12!
Full NBC Fall 2026/2027 Schedule
Wednesday, September 9
7-8:20 P.M. – Football Night In America
8:20-11:30 P.M. – NFL Kickoff Game (New England at Seattle)
Sunday, September 13
7-8:20 P.M. – Football Night In America
8:20-11:30 P.M. – Sunday Night Football (Dallas at N.Y. Giants)
Thursday, September 17
8-10 p.m. – THE TRAITORS: NEW BLOOD
Monday, September 21
8-10 p.m. – The Voice
10-11 p.m. – LINE OF FIRE
Tuesday, September 22
8-9 p.m. – The Voice
9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent
Wednesday, September 23
8-9 p.m. – The Voice
9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent season finale
Friday, September 25
9-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC
Wednesday, October 7
8-9 p.m. – Chicago Med
9-10 p.m. – Chicago Fire
10-11 p.m. – Chicago P.D.
Thursday, October 8
9-10 p.m. – Law & Order: SVU
10-11 p.m. – Law & Order
Friday, October 23
8-8:30 p.m. – Happy’s Place
8:30-9 p.m. – NEWLYWEDS
Monday, November 2
8-8:30 p.m. – St. Denis Medical
8:30-9 p.m. – The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins
Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 21, titled “Heaven Help Us,” left fans pretty concerned over the future of one character—Sharon Goodwin (S Epatha Merkerson).
While Sharon’s position at Gaffney wasn’t in jeopardy at the start of the season finale, nor was she put in the line of danger with the gun-wielding escaped convict that put the hospital on lockdown, it was a decision to spare Charles’ job from Dr. Theo Rabari that may be her undoing after all this time.
Now, if there’s one thing we know about Sharon, it’s that she’s willing to go bat for her team, especially Dr. Charles.
When his job was in question, as Rabari was gunning for his position, Sharon made it very clear that they didn’t have many options, suggesting that Charles use Theo’s sociopathy against him.
Charles understood the risks that Rabari was posing, but he couldn’t, in good faith, do that to someone in his profession—it went against every single one of his beliefs.
And honestly, it wouldn’t make him any better than Theo to use his medical diagnosis against him.
If Charles wasn’t sure about his decision, his very emotional meeting with inpatient Scott, whom he knew as Gio, the young man who called the suicide hotline earlier this season, affirmed it, admitting that Theo had helped him greatly as a therapist.
Charles knew he couldn’t destroy Rabari’s career simply to save his own, but did Sharon?
When Charles expressed to Rabari that he would not stoop to his level to save the department he built from the ground up—though that didn’t mean he was backing down—Rabari realized that he needed to be the one to stand down; he could never be the doctor that Charles was.
Miranda informed Charles and Sharon that Rabari had removed himself from the equation, which should’ve been a joyous moment, however, she then revealed that Sharon would be stepping down, which shocked them both.
She then suggested that Sharon Goodwin leaked Rabari’s medical diagnosis anonymously, which Sharon denied. Miranda’s ultimatum remained—either Sharon walked away or she would have to face the board and her reputation would be on the line.
When Charles questioned whether or not Miranda was telling the truth, Sharon gave a vague answer, expressing that he knew her well enough to know the answer for himself.
Usually, I’d think Sharon was telling the truth, holding steadfast in her morals, but this time, I’m not so sure.
Sharon’s reaction in her office, as she angrily knocked over everything from her desk and started into the camera, made it pretty clear that there’s some truth to Miranda’s accusations.
It seems Sharon thought no one would catch onto her, and she didn’t trust Charles when he said he would find a different way to handle it.
We went from one mess to an even bigger one.
Will Sharon leave Chicago Med?
A Labor of Love During a Lockdown
Elsewhere at Gaffney, a lockdown was taking place, though I cannot understand for the life of me why the lockdown was lifted before they found the suspect in question. Everyone was just galavanting around the ED while there was an escaped convict somewhere on the premises.
Also, why did Hannah perform a C-section while in active labor with no one around to help her, but shortly after, everyone was in the room? I guess this is one of those moments where you just accept the plot errors and move on for the sake of entertainment.
You can’t say it wasn’t a memorable delivery, as up until the final moments, it wasn’t clear if they’d find the baby daddy, who was held up at gunpoint.
Though Archer eventually made it in time to see the birth of his daughter, Mabel, before finally confessing his feelings for Hannah, which she seemingly returned. At least I think that’s what the kiss meant? Admittedly, the moment fell kind of flat for me, as Hannah simply thanked Archer for telling her before kissing him in a way that almost felt platonic. Maybe it’s the fact that these two don’t have that much chemistry anymore? I want to root for them, and I’m so happy they are getting their happy ending, but something was missing.
Seeing them in their parenting phase of life, especially co-parenting while juggling whatever it is their relationship status will be, is something I look forward to seeing next season.
The whole escaped convict plotline also fell a bit flat, with the threat almost an afterthought to everything else happening in the ED. At times, it felt like the show itself forgot that they had a murderer with a gun roaming the halls somewhere.
As fo the inmate’s motivation for the prison break, it also fell apart when he realized the other inmate he wanted to escape with suffered a brain bleed and ended up brain dead.
Lennox Finally Comes Clean
Lennox may finally be pushed toward confronting her feelings and even feeling them for once thanks to Ripley, who realized she lied about her GSS Pryon result and held her accountable. She couldn’t take her way out of this one, nor could she fake indifference, because he already picked up on her act and he wasn’t falling for it. So, she finally had to sit with the consequences of her actions—she couldn’t hide the fact that she loved Ripley, nor could she continue lying to her brother Kip that she wasn’t sick.
Kip didn’t take it well, but the truth is always better than being lied to, even if it hurts more, In the long run, she was only protecting herself from the pain. And Ripley wasn’t going to let her pretend she wasn’t sick, so she had to come to terms with the reality. She tried to offer him a clean break, but the truth is, Ripley was also madly in love with her and chose to stick around, positive diagnosis and all. I’m eager to see how these two will challenge each other moving forward.
Forgiveness and Goodbye
John Frost also had to face the hard feelings, as his father lay on his death bed, While John had a complicated relationship with his parents, none of that mattered in his father’s final moments. All he needed was forgiveness, which Frost gave him, realizing that his parents simply did the best that they could. And he never stopped loving them, even through the hurt. It didn’t minimize the pain, but it was a step in moving forward with love and empathy. Losing a parent is never easy, regardless of the mistakes they made.
What did you think of the episode?
Chiago Med Season 11 is swiftly coming to an end.
The Season 11 finale is upon us, with the penultimate episode setting quite a chaotic scene going into the final episode.
Here’s everything we know about Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 21:
When Is the Chicago Med Season 11 Finale?
The Chicago Med Season 11 finale is set to air on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 8/7c.
Titled “Heaven Help Us,” the synopsis reads, “Hannah faces one of the most challenging deliveries of her career; Frost navigates demanding times.”
Where Can I Watch the Chicago Med Season 11 Finale?
The Chicago Med Season 11 finale will air on NBC. It will stream the next day on Peacock.
Chicago Med Season 11 Finale Teases Danger and Deaths
Chihards better strap on in because the Chicago Med Season 11 finale will be a high-stakes one. The scene was already set in the penultimate episode when the hospital went on lockdown following the escape of a prison inmate with a gun and a vendetta loose in the hospital.
The timing couldn’t be worse, as everyone was ordered to stay put until the threat was cleared, with Hannah Asher’s water breaking while she was helping a high-risk patient also in labor, putting aside her own needs.
TVLine spoke with Jessy Schram ahead of the finale, who revealed that it’s unclear if Archer will confess his love for her before the baby arrives. Showrunner Allen McDonald teased, “Communication is lost with Archer during a large portion of the season finale.”
Hannah is definitely “concerned” about his absence, especially as she’s giving birth to their baby girl. And then there’s the fact that the inmate is seeing a gun pointed right at him in the promo. Will he survive?
Fans obviously want a happy ending for Hannah and Archer, but will they see it pan out before the season concludes?
McDonald confirmed to ComingSoon.net that one of the series regulars ends up in “mortal peril” in the finale, though that could mean anyone, as the gunman and Caitlin Lennox also had a rough interaction previously. Caitlin is now locked in with Mitch and forced to come clean about her feelings for him; meanwhile, Charles is in a battle with Theo to keep his job, while John Frost must confront the trauma of his past as his father is on his deathbed.
Clearly, everyone here works best under pressure, as Sharon Goodwin says in the promo, “This is war.”
What are you hoping to see from the finale? Will everyone come out unscathed?
Catch up before with our review of the penultimate episode, right here.
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