The 200th episode of Chicago Med has arrived—and it’s flying under the radar. The NBC medical drama is reaching that milestone in the second episode of Season 11, with its biggest talking point being the return of original cast member Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead. There’s no special event, no massive fanfare, and that feels fitting for this particular show.

Chicago Med has tended to be the most underrated of the three One Chicago series. It doesn’t grab headlines because it doesn’t have the action-packed events of Chicago Fire or Chicago PD—the former of which perfected the milestone episode with its nail-biting 100th and 200th hours. Those programs have characters who rush into life-threatening situations every week; on Med the threats are usually to other people’s lives, and doctors are mostly waiting for the patients to come through the doors of the ED. But Med also has a different kind of storytelling.

Original showrunners Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider were able to tell stories that provoked thought amongst the audience. The introduction of Dr. Isidore Latham in Chicago Med Season 2, masterfully played by Ato Essandoh (who would go on to co-star in The Code with future Med actor Luke Mitchell), was beautiful. It presented a different perspective on both medicine and humanity. Dr. Connor Rhodes, as embodied by the versatile Colin Donnell, was a fan-favorite because he never settled for anything and therefore served as a catalyst for those around him. And at one point, Chicago Med regularly presented a broad range of medicine, from classic ER cases to psychiatric patients and cardiothoracic surgery.

The series has changed considerably since then, as is expected for something that has run for over a decade. Allen MacDonald took the reins from Frolov and Schneider in Season 10. There are only two original cast members remaining: Oliver Platt and S. Epatha Merkerson. In some cases, there’s been turnover multiple times; Connor was replaced by Dr. Crockett Marcel (portrayed by Dominic Rains), who then was succeeded by Mitchell’s character Dr. Mitch Ripley. One character has actually had two separate stints on the show—Dr. Hannah Asher, as played by Jessy Schram, whose promotion from recurring to series regular is the best choice that Chicago Med has made in years. And the writers have slimmed the show’s focus down primarily to the ED, with regular psych consults from Platt’s beloved Dr. Daniel Charles. Not every development has been a success. But Med has continued to find unique ideas.

Even the show’s 100th episode, back in Chicago Med Season 5, wasn’t a big deal. What “The Ghosts of the Past” is most remembered for is that nurse April Sexton revealed that she kissed Crockett. The creative team chose simply to continue moving their stories forward instead of drawing attention to the accomplishment. All signs point to Chicago Med‘s 200th episode being much the same. There’s something special about that—an episode that doesn’t put itself on a pedestal, and that embodies the spirit of Chicago Med. The characters rarely want the spotlight, so the show is just following their lead.

There’s nothing wrong with massive milestone hours of TV; One Chicago does those well and will continue to do so, as Chicago Fire is within striking distance of its 300th episode. That hour is likely to be positively huge and it absolutely should be. But Chicago Med acknowledging its history with the return of Dr. Will Halstead and then going about business as usual is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Photo Credit: Courtesy of NBC.

Article content is (c)2020-2025 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.