What new challenges and complex cases will Gaffney Chicago Medical Center face? Here is everything we know so far.
With a brand new season’s renewal already in our pockets, we are certain that Chicago Med will return with a band and will explore what it truly means to be a hero in a world where life hangs in the balance every day. The fans have full faith in this beloved series and expect it to live up to the expectations that have been delivered by the team for the last eight years, which isn’t a small deal!
So, if you are one of those who is wondering what happens next, then you have reached the right place to know everything relating to the potential release date with the latest cast updates for the new season. Especially for you, we’ve compiled a quick rundown of everything you need to know about the much-awaited Chicago Med’s 9th season from the beloved One Chicago franchise. Continue reading to find out all the details about Chicago Med Season 9.
Chicago Med Season 9 Release Date: When will it release on NBC?
Despite being renewed for a ninth season back in April 2022, along with its sister shows Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. We can confirm to the readers that the potential release date for the ninth season hasn’t been disclosed, as the production of the new episode hasn’t even begun, which is assumed to commence sometime around August 2023 after the cast and crew return from the break.
So, if we follow this schedule, then the potential release date isn’t going to be revealed anytime soon.
On the other hand, despite the lack of release date updates, the network has not left the fandom in complete darkness, as the creators have hinted that the show will be making its official return sometime later this year, which is assumed to be a part of the 2023–2024 broadcast fall season lineup, with September being the likely release window just like the prior seasons with Med airing Wednesdays at 8 PM EST, followed by Fire at 9 PM EST and P.D. at 10 PM EST.
It looks like things are moving rather swiftly, and the show’s comeback with respect to filming will undoubtedly not be delayed any further with the ongoing writer’s strike, which has caused a major halt to various production houses. We’ll just have to wait and see what direction the writers will take, as the ongoing writer’s strike may cause a shift in the release date if the issue isn’t resolved soon.
Also, take a look at the official announcement on One Chicago’s official Twitter handle below:
More drama is on its way! One Chicago returns Wednesdays this fall on @nbc and streaming on @peacock. pic.twitter.com/09k6tVmiO4
— One Chicago (@NBCOneChicago) May 12, 2023
Chicago Med Season 9 Plot: What to expect?
Though it is far too early to predict future storylines, the new season with 22-episode order is likely to maintain the show’s theme which follows:
Members of the city’s most highly skilled medical team save lives while navigating their unique interpersonal relationships. The Gaffney Chicago Medical Center’s elite team of dedicated doctors, nurses, and staff face challenges each day as they do what it takes to treat their patients, sometimes in surprisingly inventive ways. As the city’s last line of defense, doctors Charles, Halstead, Marcel, Choi, and Manning; nurses Sexton and Lockwood; and hospital administrator Sharon Goodwin embody the heart of Dick Wolf’s triad of Chicago series.
The plot will also pick up from the 8th season’s finale, “Does One Door Close and Another One Open?” which was directed by Nicole Rubio and written by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider. In the episode, the viewers got to see that, “Shocking information threatens Jack Dayton’s surgery and the future of OR 2.0; Archer goes rogue to save a patient in need; Maggie questions her future at Med.”
“I’m pleased to continue my four-decade relationship with Universal Television and NBC,” Wolf said in a statement. “All six shows being picked up again is the ultimate accolade to our incredible casts, producers, and writers. I’d also like to thank our loyal fans who have kept our NBC shows on the air for what will be a cumulative 84 seasons.”
On the other hand, NBC Insider also highlighted that Chicago Med Season 9 would likely pick up the nail-biting ordeal where Chicago Med’s fearless boss Sharon Goodwin is fighting tooth and nail to prevent Jack Dayton (Sasha Roiz) from turning the hospital into a for-profit hospital. This is a possibility to be explored further; we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next.
Lastly, all three One Chicago series reached more than 50 million viewers across NBC and Peacock during the 2022–2023 broadcast season, which is an extremely great reception for a major broadcast network like NBC to compete with its competitors like ABC and CBS, among others. It makes one thing clear: the show’s success will help to generate buzz, ratings, and increased viewership, which eventually becomes a big moneymaker for the company.
So, it’s pretty clear that the next season will likely have more twists and turns on the way, which will keep you glued to the television screens.
Chicago Med Season 9: Which characters will most likely not return?
One of the characters who is speculated not to return in the next season is Nick Gehlfuss, who played Dr. Will Halstead. He left the show after his season 8 exit, having reached a natural ending point with his character. In a post-finale interview with TVLine, Gehlfuss discussed the “difficult decision” to leave the Chicago Med cast.
“Well, it was a difficult decision, but I felt, maybe like a few months ago, that I was getting to the point of taking Dr. Halstead as far as I could go with him. A difficult decision because, of course, I have for the last eight years grown with a fantastic group of people, and they have become a family, they really have. We use that word a lot, but it’s the only one that makes sense, and it’s also a community of artists. And so, I’ve laid roots in this town.”
Further adding, “Chicago was never on my radar, and it’s become home. So it’s difficult to think about leaving something that’s so comfortable…[When] an actor gets involved in this profession, we’re attracted by the variety, and eight years is a long time with one character, and I felt as if I went as far as I could go with him, and that was that, really.”
However, during a recent interview with Variety, the actor revealed that he would be open to revisiting the series in future episodes, which is a great update for the fans. Gehlfuss’ commented regarding the possibility of his return to Chicago Med Season 9, quoting, “We were all in agreement on that, thankfully, as I talked with Dick and the writers. Whenever it makes sense again for important moments, I’d love to don the white lab coat once again.”
Some of the other actors who recently have left the series are as follows:
Brian Tee as Ethan Choi
In his final episode, Ethan marries his on-and-off love, April, and the two embark on their new life together, running a mobile health clinic. In an interview with Deadline, he stated, “Playing Dr. Ethan Choi on Chicago Med has been such a gift and a blessing,” the actor told the site. “I am forever grateful to our fans and my colleagues both in front of and behind the camera as I embark on a new journey. I am forever indebted to Dick Wolf, NBC, and Universal Television for choosing me.”
Kristen Hager as Stevie Hammer
If you recall, Hager exited the show after half a season as a series regular. “Her story arc with her mother ended. But we all really liked Kristen and would welcome her character coming back in the future,” executive producers Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov told TVLine in a statement.
Asjha Cooper as Vanessa Taylor
She departed the show with the story implying that she intended to accept a new position in the Philippines. Dr. Taylor informed Maggie Campbell, née Lockwood (Marlyne Barrett), her biological mother, that she would be accepting a position in the Philippines. “This is my calling,” she stated. The departure comes after, in an earlier episode, we saw that Dr. Taylor and Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) were discovered buying medications for the hospital without a prescription since supplies were short.
Moreover, Barrett tweeted a video of the duo following the episode with the caption, “She’s going! A New Journey Begins! Will miss this one.”
Torrey DeVitto as Natalie Manning
The actress left the show in Season 7 after briefly returning in the premiere episode to wrap up her character’s arc, which saw Natalie moving to Seattle with her son and starting over at a new hospital, showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov told TVLine. She also confirmed her exit on Instagram, quoting, “All good things must come to an end. It has been such an honor and pure joy to bring Dr. Natalie Manning to life for all of you on Chicago Med for the past 6 seasons. But it is now time for me and her to bow out and say goodbye.”
Moreover, Guy Lockard and Sarah Rafferty, who portrayed Dr. Dylan Scott and Dr. Pamela Blake, respectively, also exited the medical drama. There are many other cast members who left the show in the earlier seasons, but we have limited the information on the cast departures with respect to the recent ones who were prominent in the present storyline of the show.
we have so many questions 🧐 pic.twitter.com/qD8rf5gAaV
— One Chicago (@NBCOneChicago) May 11, 2023
Chicago Med Season 9: Which characters are most likely to return?
The main cast members from the last season who are speculated to return are as follows Dominic Rains as Dr. Crockett Marcel, Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Campbell, Guy Lockard as Dr. Dylan Scott, Jessy Schram as Dr. Hannah Asher, S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin, Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles, and Steven Weber as Dr. Dean Archer.
The recurring cast includes Brennan Brown as Dr. Sam Abrams, Devin Kawaoka as Dr. Kai Tanaka-Reed, Conor Perkins as Dr. Zach Hudgins, Lilah Richcreek Estrada as Dr. Nellie Cuevas, T.V. Carpio as Dr. Grace Song, Sasha Roiz as Jack Dayton, Luigi Sottile as Sean Archer, Alet Taylor as Liliana Wapniarski, and Stan Shaw as Dr. George Thomas.
Some new additions or removals in the cast can be announced for the next season, which will be revealed later if it ever happens.
“We understand the emotional connection our audience has with these characters and we can’t wait to bring more of their stories to the forefront next season,” Lisa Katz, the president of scripted programming at NBCUniversal and Streaming, said in a statement. “A huge thank you to Dick and his amazing team who are the masters of producing incredibly compelling television week after week.”
Chicago Med is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Wolf Entertainment. The crew also includes Dick Wolf, Diane Frolov, Andrew Schneider, Stephen Hootstein, Derek Haas, Arthur Forney, Matt Olmstead, Michael Brandt, and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.
visiting friends at med 👋
📸: Anthony Lullo pic.twitter.com/o7IHPjH9o6
— One Chicago (@NBCOneChicago) May 22, 2023
Chicago Med Season 9: Where to stream?
All the prior seasons of Chicago Med, along with the upcoming one, will be available on NBC, FuboTV, Hulu Plus, and Peacock. The series is also available to rent or buy on Amazon Instant Video or Vudu, with a vast number of membership plans according to the preferences of the users.
Moreover, the series is also available to watch exclusively on the NBC official website, and you can also stream Chicago Med for free on NBC or IMDb TV, depending on the user’s location. You can also watch Peacock through platforms such as Fire TV, Apple TV Plus, and Roku.
agree to disagree… pic.twitter.com/aibcfNkdjI
— One Chicago (@NBCOneChicago) May 23, 2023
Catch up on the previous seasons and let us know what you think Chicago Med Season 9 plotline is going to be like.