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Chicago Med

Chicago Med

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2015–Ongoing12 seasons224 episodes~45 min/epTV-14Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

An emotional thrill ride through the day-to-day chaos of the city's most explosive hospital and the courageous team of doctors who hold it together. They will tackle unique new cases inspired by topical events, forging fiery relationships in the pulse-pounding pandemonium of the emergency room.

Your rating, lists and review

Where to watch

Where can I watch Chicago Med?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Chicago Med streaming on Peacock and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Subscription

Free

Rent / Buy

BuyBuy

Highlights

What stands out about Chicago Med?

Chicago Med earns 5 badges, led by Audience favorite and Crowd Pleaser.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood

Reception

Is Chicago Med worth watching?

Chicago Med's Midcredits score is the 77th percentile of all shows, from 39K ratings across 5 sources. 84% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

77th percentile

Better received than 77% of shows

77th percentile among Drama75th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)68th
Approval (how many liked it)81st

Acclaim

Crowd Pleaser: Rating-distribution shape vs the catalog

How much people like it

75 /100

68th percentile of all shows

69th percentile among Drama66th percentile among 2010s

Critics 52 · Audience 77

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

Most people land high, with a thin tail of low scores from those it didn't reach.

Approval

How many liked it

84% liked it

81st percentile of all shows

80th percentile among Drama79th percentile among 2010s
84% rated it 7–1016% rated it 1–6

Reach

How many have seen it

87th percentile

39K ratings across platforms

83rd percentile among Drama87th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 2% in 30 days

What reviewers say

Common ground

Chicago Med is an entertaining but highly unrealistic medical soap opera driven by melodrama and rule-breaking doctors.

Fans praised

  • strong ensemble cast led by Oliver Platt and S. Epatha Merkerson
  • engaging medical cases and emotional drama
  • entertaining soapy melodrama best enjoyed with suspended disbelief

Detractors panned

  • grossly unrealistic medical procedures and hospital protocols
  • unprofessional doctors ignoring patient wishes with no consequences
  • repetitive formula revolving around ethical dilemmas and office romances

What stands out

ActingDivisive60

Oliver Platt universally praised; Manning and Halstead widely panned as wooden or overacted

TensionDivisive55

medical emergencies provide surface-level thrills but formulaic

Pacing55

brisk episode structure but repetitive beats wear over seasons

Emotional impactDivisive50

manipulative tearjerker moments land for fans, feel cheap to detractors

CharactersDivisive40

Dr. Charles and Goodwin beloved; Manning, Halstead, April called insufferable and one-dimensional

Plot and storyDivisive40

repetitive ethical-dilemma-of-the-week formula with predictable outcomes

Dialogue35

critics call inauthentic, overly expository, and preachy

Originality25

derivative of ER, Grey's Anatomy, House; predictable story recycling

Preferred by

Women vs men

Preferred by Women

Women scored it 16 points higher than men.

Critics vs users

Preferred by Users

Users scored it 27 points higher than critics.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Under-30s vs over-30s 4 points apart
  • US vs non-US 9 points apart

Episodes

12 seasons

Season 12 · 2026 · 6 episodes

  • S12E1

    Shots Fired

    Oct 7, 202642 min
  • S12E2

    Third Rails

    Oct 14, 202643 min
  • S12E3

    They Call Me Ms. Goodwin

    Oct 21, 202643 min
  • S12E4
    S12E4

    Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow

    Airs Oct 28, 202643 minUpcoming
  • S12E5
    S12E5

    Baptism By Fire

    Airs Nov 4, 202643 minUpcoming
  • S12E6
    S12E6

    Lessons in Chemistry

    Airs Nov 11, 2026Upcoming

Watch experience

What is Chicago Med like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Earnest, dark and intense — a relentless watch that leaves you thinking.

ToneFeelDemandexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

What it feels like

Moods
TenseHopeful
Heaviest: throughout
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Tender · 10% of shows
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Procedural · 7% of showsOne continuous story
ToneThe show treats its medical cases with gravity and respect, while also showing compassion for patients and colleagues.
The rideThe series maintains a high level of tension and emotional engagement in nearly every episode, with intense medical cases intertwining with the personal struggles of the staff.
StructureA standard three-act structure per episode, with case introduction, medical intervention, and resolution.
Episode formatThe show follows a case-of-the-week format where each episode presents a self-contained medical crisis, though character arcs continue across episodes.
Season formatWhile each episode has a case, the ongoing personal and professional storylines continue across seasons, making it a continuous serialized drama.

How it leaves you

what you carry away
Thought-provokingHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves viewers considering the ethical dilemmas of modern medicine, while often offering inspiring recoveries.
How it ends · evidence
Ambiguous ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all shows
Monster — 18% of shows. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of shows. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 6% of shows. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 2% of shows. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 12% of shows. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 4% of shows. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 7% of shows. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 8% of shows. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 40% of showsPredator — 7% of shows. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 3% of shows. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of shows. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 3% of shows. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of shows. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of shows. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of shows. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of shows. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of shows. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of shows. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — 1% of shows. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of shows. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of shows. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of shows. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of shows. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 2% of shows. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 4% of shows. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of shows. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — under 1% of shows. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of shows. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 1% of shows. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — under 1% of shows. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of shows. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — under 1% of shows. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 2% of shows. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of shows. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of shows. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of shows. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 2% of shows. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of shows. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — under 1% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 1% of shows. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 1% of shows. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 1% of shows. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 1% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 3% of shows. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of shows. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 1% of shows. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of shows. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 6% of shows. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 1% of shows. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 18% (this title): Predator 7% · Tyrant 3% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 3% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 6%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 2% · Mission 4% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage under 1%
  • Voyage 2%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 1% · Survival ordeal under 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent under 1%
  • Comedy 12%: Romantic comedy 2% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 2%
  • Tragedy 4%: Hubris 1% · Obsession under 1% · Corruption arc 1% · Doomed love 1% · Crushed by fate 1%
  • Rebirth 7%: Redemption 1% · Healing 3% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 1%
  • Mystery 8%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 6% · Enigma 1%
  • No archetype 40%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.

18% of shows fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeEach episode presents a medical crisis that the team must overcome, fitting the overcoming_the_monster archetype in a loose, episodic procedural format.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 31% of showsSelf — 27% of showsPower — 7% of showsMorality — 11% of showsSurvival — 9% of showsSociety — 10% of showsIdeas — 5% of showsRomantic love — 10% of showsMarriage — 2% of showsFamily bonds — 22% of showsParenthood — 1% of showsFriendship — 18% of showsLoyalty — 7% of showsIdentity — 20% of showsComing of age — 9% of showsAging — under 1% of showsSelf-worth — 7% of showsAmbition — 14% of showsPurpose — 16% of showsMemory — 3% of showsObsession — 2% of shows. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 5% of showsCorruption — 3% of showsGreed — 2% of showsClass — 4% of showsOppression — 2% of showsFreedom — 4% of showsJustice — 14% of showsDuty — 2% of showsRevenge — 1% of showsGuilt — 1% of showsRedemption — 3% of shows. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — under 1% of showsSacrifice — 2% of showsBetrayal — 3% of showsDeception — 6% of showsSurvival — 12% of showsWar — 1% of showsViolence — 2% of showsMortality — 2% of showsGrief — 4% of showsTrauma — 5% of showsMental illness — under 1% of showsAddiction — under 1% of showsIllness and disability — under 1% of showsCommunity — 25% of shows. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 3% of showsPrejudice — 2% of showsDisplacement — 1% of showsFaith — 1% of showsTradition vs change — 3% of showsFame — 5% of showsLegacy — 3% of showsFate — 1% of showsFree will — under 1% of showsTruth — 6% of showsHope — 4% of showsNature — 3% of showsArt — 2% of showsTechnology — 1% of showsSelfDutyMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 31%: Romantic love 10% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 22% · Parenthood 1% · Friendship 18% · Loyalty 7%
  • Self 27%: Identity 20% · Coming of age 9% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 14% · Purpose 16% · Memory 3% · Obsession 2%
  • Power 7%: Power 5% · Corruption 3% · Greed 2% · Class 4% · Oppression 2% · Freedom 4%
  • Morality 11% (this title): Justice 14% · Duty 2% (this title) · Revenge 1% · Guilt 1% · Redemption 3% · Forgiveness under 1% · Sacrifice 2% · Betrayal 3% · Deception 6%
  • Survival 9%: Survival 12% · War 1% · Violence 2% · Mortality 2% · Grief 4% · Trauma 5% · Mental illness under 1% · Addiction under 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 10%: Community 25% · Isolation 3% · Prejudice 2% · Displacement 1% · Faith 1% · Tradition vs change 3% · Fame 5% · Legacy 3%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 6% · Hope 4% · Nature 3% · Art 2% · Technology 1%

Morality

Duty · 2% of shows
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeThe series explores the weight of medical duty and the personal cost of compassion in a high-pressure trauma center, while also examining how the characters' own vulnerabilities and relationships shape their care.
StanceThe show celebrates the dedication and compassion of healthcare workers in a high-pressure environment, presenting their challenges as noble and their perseverance as admirable.

The world

ContemporaryUrbanInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score
SettingA state-of-the-art trauma center in downtown Chicago

Content guide

Is Chicago Med okay for kids?

TV-14

Chicago Med is rated TV-14. As of October 5, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at intense (66/100), sexual content at moderate (39/100), language at mild (33/100), drug and alcohol content at moderate (38/100) and frightening material at intense (64/100). Overall it is heavier than 63% of TV-14 shows.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • Canada14+
  • AustraliaMA15+
  • Germany16
  • France16
  • Ireland15
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil14
  • Austria16
  • BG16
  • Denmark15
  • FinlandK12
  • MexicoB
  • Netherlands12
  • Norway12
  • Portugal12AP
  • RO12
  • SingaporeM18
  • Spain12
  • SwedenFrån 15 år
  • Switzerland16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 50% of all showsHeavier than 63% of TV-14 shows
Violence & Gore
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 73%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 52%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 29%
Alcohol & Drugs
Moderate
typical for a TV-14 show
heavier than 56%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a TV-14 show
heavier than 79%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is violence and frightening material. Everything else sits at or below what TV-14 shows usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other shows that have them.

What content warnings does Chicago Med have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Chicago Med?

Cast

Oliver Platt
as Daniel Charles
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
S. Epatha Merkerson
as Sharon Goodwin
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Marlyne Barrett
as Maggie Lockwood
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Lorena Diaz
as Nurse Doris
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Nick Gehlfuss
as Will Halstead
Newcomer: A standing when this show came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Brian Tee
as Ethan Choi
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Torrey DeVitto
as Natalie Manning
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Yaya DaCosta
as April Sexton
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.
Courtney Rioux
as Paramedic Courtney
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Steven Weber
as Dr. Dean Archer
Career best: Their highest-reaching show role by billing, audience size and rating.

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178 other shows share the rarest tag below, kind of show: medical drama. Each tag opens Browse with the shows that share it.