Mid-season shocker! Is Chicago Med losing a crucial cast member? Continue reading to find out more.
Unfortunately, you read that right. Brian Tee is leaving the show after a good run of eight action-packed seasons that fans grew to love. NBC Insider officially confirmed the news that Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) is bidding farewell to Chicago Med in Season 8, Episode 9, titled, “Could Be the Start of Something New.”
Chi-Hards have watched Dr. Choi undergo a heartwarming metamorphosis in recent seasons, in part due to being shot and losing his father. There is no doubt that while Tee’s exit from Chicago Med is bittersweet, Dr. Choi will never be forgotten by the One Chicago fandom.
It was Brian Tee’s decision to depart from the series following the end of his 6-year contract to spend more time with his family – his daughter with his wife, Mirelly Taylor. “Playing Dr. Ethan Choi on Chicago Med has been such a gift and a blessing,” Tee told Deadline. “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.”
Tee is proud of every character he’s brought to life throughout his career because they all led him to Dr. Choi, a military veteran and successful Asian doctor who would go on to become the ED’s chief resident and later chief of Emergency Medicine at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. The role that would take his career and Asian representation to another next level.
When Dr. Choi appeared in the Season 8 premiere of Med, he was on the mend and dealing with the death of his father when a surprise reunion took place between him and April (Yaya DaCosta). Could this mean a happily ever after is in the cards for the pair?
“Is her return and my exit a coincidence? I don’t know. I know the audience is guessing the navigation in which they’ll take our relationship if there is one, and where they’ll take Dr. Choi as a character,” Tee teased. “I think the Ethan and April relationship has been so incredible, impactful, and very dramatic. For me, it was so heartwarming to see them together. Knowing they were bringing her back to help along with Ethan’s exit is such a blessing. I feel fulfilled with the complete story arc for my character after 8 seasons. What I can say is that they’re bringing in the kitchen sink to really do justice for Ethan which I hope leaves everyone with a very full heart.”
Tee continues, “What we’ve been planning for Dr. Choi’s sendoff is fitting, and it’s beautiful. I think the fans are going to absolutely love it. It’s going to bring a little bit of the new Ethan and a little bit of the old. Know that Episode 9 is going to be an amazing one.” He adds, “I hope Dr. Choi is remembered for being the moral compass of Chicago Med that the fans and patients trusted. He always did everything he could for his patients to earn their trust and to give them the best care he could. As far as a legacy, that’s the essence of what I hope he leaves behind. When he walks away, that trust he instilled will remain there.”
Who is Dr. Ethan Choi?
Ethan is the son of Navy veteran Patrick Choi. He has a younger sister called Emily. Ethan followed in his father’s footsteps and joined the Navy as a medic. During his time in the military, he worked in a medical aid camp in Baghdad, as well as serving on the USS Carl Vinson. Upon returning to Chicago, he became a resident in Emergency Medicine at Gaffney.
He is still a Navy reservist and occasionally attends recruiting events. In season 6, he was promoted to the Head of the Emergency Department. Ethan is one of the more emotionally restrained doctors, which is attributed to his military background. He does, however, have moments where his emotions surface, such as after the death of Jason Wheeler, where he cries upon seeing Wheeler’s body in the morgue.
After a mass shooting gives him flashbacks of war, he cries into April’s shoulder. Ethan believes in the strictly following protocol, which often puts him at odds with other doctors such as Will Halstead and Crockett Marcel, who often take a more gut-feeling or risk-reward approach to the treatment of their patients.
Chicago Med Season 8: When will the next episode premiere on NBC?
On a weekly basis, the fifth episode, Yep, This Is the World We Live In, is scheduled to release on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, at the same time schedule of 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on NBC. The episode is directed by X. Dean Lim and written by Eli Talbert.
The official synopsis of the episode states, “The effects of the supply chain shortages continue to impact the ED when Taylor’s drug dealer reappears; one of the victims of the recent train crash needs a transplant, forcing Marcel to improvise; Charles and Cuevas help a patient with amnesia.” Take a look at the official promo below:
Where to stream Chicago Med Season 8?
Chicago Med is currently 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 preference of the users.
Moreover, the series is also available to watch exclusively on the NBC official website, where the episodes are published after they air on the channel on Wednesday nights at the 8/7c time slot. You can also stream Chicago Med for free on NBC or IMDb TV, based on the user’s location.
Chicago Med Official Synopsis
The official synopsis of the series states, “Set in Chicago, Chicago Med is the third series in Dick Wolf’s Chicago franchise. It focuses on the emergency department at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center and on its doctors and nurses as they work to save patients’ lives. It sometimes crosses over with characters from Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D.”
Let us know in the comments section what you think about Dr. Ethan Choi’s exit from the show.