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Chicago Med Season 12: Release Date, Cast, and Everything Else to Know

Things are quiet at Gaffney — but not for long

Lissete Lanuza Sáenz
Steven Weber and Luke Mitchell, Chicago Med

Steven Weber and Luke Mitchell, Chicago Med

Peter Gordon/NBC

Change is the name of the game for One Chicago this upcoming season, and yet things at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center are as steady as they've been in a while. Chicago Med is the only show in the franchise that is starting a new season without any expected cast shakeups, and though the show still has some big questions to answer in Season 12, at least we won't have to get used to new faces or lose any old ones.

We'll still have to navigate whatever this new stage looks like for Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) and Dean Archer (Steven Weber), who are now not just parents but apparently a couple! Then there's the show's other couple, Caitlin Lenox (Sarah Ramos) and Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell), who finally confessed their love for each other at the end of Season 11 and are now moving on as a duo, despite Lenox's prion disease diagnosis.

But even though romance seems to be flourishing at Gaffney, there might be a struggle for power in Season 12. The conflict between Gaffney director Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) and board member Miranda Lewis (Orlagh Cassidy) came to a head in the finale, as Lewis accused Goodwin of ethical breaches and demanded her resignation.

"Next season, I think that we're gonna basically see Miranda and Goodwin get in the ring," Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald told NBC Insider. "Goodwin is going to have to fight to keep her job."

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Is Gaffney still Gaffney without Goodwin? And will the established romantic relationships, including that between Dr. John Frost (Darren Barnet) and Naomi Howard (Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut) continue flourishing? To answer all your burning questions about Chicago Med Season 12, we've put together everything you need to know, including when it premieres, who will be in the new season, and where you can watch it.

Chicago Med Season 12 release date

Chicago Med Season 12 will premiere on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c on NBC. And of course, it'll be followed that same day by the Season 15 premiere of Chicago Fire and the Season 14 premiere of Chicago P.D. (Here's NBC's full fall schedule.) All shows will air together for the remainder of the season — which means we can hold out hope for another three-show crossover.

Those with a Peacock subscription can watch Chicago Med live online in most areas. New episodes are also available on the streaming service the next day.

How did Chicago Med Season 11 end?

Pretty well for everyone save Goodwin, a far cry from the finales in the rest of the One Chicago universe. The Season 11 finale, titled "Heaven Help Us," saw Hannah and Archer welcome a baby daughter, Mabel, right after a dangerous hostage incident put both mother and father in danger. As the two marvel at their baby, Archer finally confesses that he's in love with Hannah and has been for a while. She admits that the stress of the baby had kept her from processing her feelings for him, thanks him, and kisses him — but stops short of reciprocating his feelings.

They're not the only ones confessing feelings! Lenox admits to Ripley that she loves him, but offers him a "drama-free breakup," considering her terminal diagnosis. Ripley doesn't take her up on it, and instead tells her that he's in love with her too and can't wait to spend every moment he can with her. Then, they kiss.

While everyone is in the middle of a romantic moment, Frost, who has finally made peace with his parents and forgiven them for his toxic upbringing, sits at his father's bedside as he passes away from multiple sclerosis.

But the biggest surprise came near the end, as Goodwin saw her loyalty to Dr. Charles (Oliver Platt) put her job in jeopardy. After Charles' former mentee, Dr. Theo Rabari (Manash Dayal), threatens to take his job, Goodwin mentions Rabari's antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) diagnosis to a member of the board, Miranda. Miranda, in return, asks Goodwin to resign or she'll take this ethical breach to the board.

What will Chicago Med Season 12 be about?

We know the show has to pick up on some of the dangling threads from last season. Perhaps the most important question going into Season 12 is what's going to happen to Sharon Goodwin's job? Will she really resign? Showrunner Allen MacDonald basically confirmed to NBC Insider that the answer was no.

"Miranda has pissed off Sharon Goodwin, and I think that probably isn't the smartest thing to do," he said. So, we have a fight on our hands. And everyone at Gaffney is probably on Sharon Goodwin's side.

Then there's the Asher and Archer relationship. On the outside, it's all looking good. They have a new baby, and Archer has now come clean about his feelings. But the show's decision not to have Hannah reciprocate could spell trouble. Not because she doesn't feel the same; it's very clear that she does and has for a while too. But what type of relationship can they build while juggling the stress of parenthood and a very intense job? We can expect the show to milk this storyline for all it's worth.

Drama will also probably touch Lenox and Ripley, as much as they're now on the same page about their relationship. Lenox's diagnosis is not something to be ignored, and pretty words aside, Ripley will now have to navigate what it means to date someone with a terminal diagnosis and what he can actually do to help her.

The other relationship the show will likely give some screen time to — that of Dr. Frost and Dr. Howard — still has a lot of space to grow. We saw more of them when there was a little bit of a love triangle there involving Lizzie Novak (Jocelyn Hudon), but now that they're finally together, we can expect the show to throw some obstacles their way, especially considering they work in the same place.

And what will Dr. Charles be doing while all of this is going on? Supporting Goodwin, that's for sure, but after so much personal and professional turmoil, is it too much to hope for a quiet season for him?

Chicago Med Season 12 cast

S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt, Chicago Med

S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt, Chicago Med

George Burns Jr/NBC

For now, it looks like the cast of Chicago Med is staying as is. No one's leaving, no one died, and no one who previously left is coming back (that we know of yet). However, it's important to note that Sarah Ramos, who plays Dr. Lenox, will be absent for some episodes at the beginning of the season to accommodate her maternity leave. The show has not announced how many episodes Ramos will miss, but has confirmed she is not leaving the show permanently and will return following her leave.

Cast changes or lack thereof include Maggie Lockwood (Marlyne Barrett), who departed last season without any good explanation. Hopefully we will at least get an update on where Maggie is and what she's doing. "There will be references made to Maggie, but there are no plans for Marlyne to come back this season," MacDonald told Give Me My Remote.

But MacDonald also told the same outlet that he hopes to bring in another original cast member this season, which brings up a couple of interesting possibilities. Among the actors who have returned for guest appearances are Rachel DiPillo as Dr. Sarah Reese, Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead, and Torrey DeVitto as Dr. Natalie Manning.

So, who else could be coming back? If the answer is not Barrett, the list is short. It could be Brian Tee and Yaya DaCosta, who played Dr. Ethan Choi and nurse April Sexton, respectively. The two departed the show together after the characters married in Season 8. Or, it could be Colin Donnell, whose Dr. Connor Rhodes departed in Season 5. Either way, fans will probably be very, very happy to see any original character return, and MacDonald clearly knows that.

Chicago Med main cast:

Chicago Med recurring cast:

Where to watch Chicago Med

All 11 seasons of Chicago Med are available to stream on Peacock with a subscription. The show is also available to purchase on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

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