With the year 2025 set to end soon, it is fascinating to look at what will happen next year. For example, it makes perfect sense that fans of Chicago Med would want to think about the show's storylines that need to be paid off in 2026. However, it still also feels interesting to look at what happened on the show in 2025.
Unfortunately, the truth is that there were Chicago Med characters that let fans down in 2025 for a variety of different storyline reasons. However, the great news is that there were also several highlights of the show during the year, with the excellent portrayal of several of the series' characters standing out as obvious examples. While they may not be as obvious as those standouts, Chicago Med also featured two characters who were so great in 2025 that they deserve more credit.
Naomi Howard was underrated in 2025
As anyone who has watched Chicago Med will know, the show has a lot of characters with large personalities. Given the authority that Emergency Room workers need to carry themselves with, it makes perfect sense that is the norm for the show. However, I think that the fact that she is surrounded by many characters like that has resulted in Naomi Howard being underrated as a character in 2025.
Since the student doctor has never really been the main focus of storylines, even the ones that heavily involve her character, it has been easy for some viewers to overlook Naomi. However, that is a mistake that viewers really shouldn't be making since the character's 2025 portrayal has been one of the best parts of the show, even if most viewers haven't noticed that yet.
Many people who start working in an incredibly high-pressure environment like a hospital would react by being quiet, and that definitely was how Naomi behaved at first. However, over the episodes of Chicago Med that aired during 2025, Naomi has slowly but surely come out of her shell. Between calling out Dr. Caitlin Lenox and telling Dr. John Frost about her feelings for him, Naomi has subtly grown in a way that shows like Chicago Med rarely allow characters to. On top of that, Naomi's actor, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, has a highly expressive face that has allowed her to expertly depict the character's internal monologue in an often delightful way.
Jackie Nelson deserved more love from Chicago Med in 2025
Unlike Naomi Howard, Jackie Nelson has never been the quiet type. Instead, Jackie carries herself like a veteran nurse who has spent years building the skills necessary to help patients in need, including being able to put her foot down when she has to. However, as Chicago Med revealed before 2025, Jackie's long career has taken a toll on her. While that storyline was incredibly well done, it took place before 2025, so that isn't the reason why the character is included here.
Ultimately, Jackie only appeared in four Chicago Med episodes that premiered in 2025. During those episodes, viewers saw Jackie working in the hospital, struggling during a legal battle, and as she drew nearer to Dr. Daniel Charles. Funnily enough, I have to admit that I had very mixed feelings on Jackie's storyline involving Dr. Charles. Despite that, I still think that the character's portrayal during 2025 deserves far more credit than it received.
The thing that makes Jackie such an incredible character is that she truly feels like a fully-fledged human being with internal contradictions. For example, the character's 2025 appearances showcased that she is an admirable person who can help the people around her, but she has self-destructive tendencies. On top of that, Jackie feels extremely real because of Natalie Zea's stellar portrayal of her, which combined an element of world weariness with hints of a bottomless well of kindness and care.
It will be a crying shame if Jackie doesn't become a Chicago Med staple in the future, hopefully during 2026.