5 reasons to renew Chicago Med
![CHICAGO MED -- Season 3 -- Pictured: (l-r) Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Lockwood, Rachel DiPillo as Sarah Reese, Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles, Brian Tee as Dr. Ethan Choi, S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin, Torrey DeVitto as Dr. Natalie Manning, Yaya DaCaosta as April Sexton, Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead, Colin Donnell as Dr. Connor Rhodes -- (Photo by Nino Munoz/NBC) CHICAGO MED -- Season 3 -- Pictured: (l-r) Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Lockwood, Rachel DiPillo as Sarah Reese, Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles, Brian Tee as Dr. Ethan Choi, S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin, Torrey DeVitto as Dr. Natalie Manning, Yaya DaCaosta as April Sexton, Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead, Colin Donnell as Dr. Connor Rhodes -- (Photo by Nino Munoz/NBC)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/ad34fda2c2ed2cbbac91baf95059ad9d50f70c1094875bcfecb7ab43207e2a39.jpg)
1. Chicago Med’s wonderful cast
Not to take anything away from the other One Chicago ensembles, but NBC would be making a huge mistake if it doesn’t have Chicago Med renewed, just for the sheer amount of talent that it would lose.
Chicago Med has a three-time Emmy Award nominee (Oliver Platt), an Emmy Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee (S. Epatha Merkerson), and a pair of Drama Desk Award nominees (Merkerson and Colin Donnell) in its regular cast. Recurring guest star Patti Murin is now part of a Tony Award-nominated musical.
And even if you set aside accolades, these are actors who are so much better than they’ve been given credit for. Donnell in particular is one of the best actors in the whole franchise and should have an Emmy nomination somewhere with all the hoops he takes Dr. Rhodes through each season.
That’s before you factor in the incredibly high caliber of guest star that Chicago Med attracts, which is higher than that of either Chicago Fire or Chicago PD. Golden Globe nominee Malcolm McDowell appeared in this season’s “On Shaky Ground” while Tony Award winner Betty Buckley came by last season and those are just two examples. There’s a wealth of talent here that is an asset not just to the show, but to the franchise and to the network.
Plus, in a TV age where diversity is a huge talking point, Med continues One Chicago’s tradition of being naturally diverse and then some. This is the only One Chicago series where a woman is at the top of the hierarchy. There are three African-American series regulars, one Asian-American, six women, and characters of all ages. As we push for more diversity and strong female voices, both of those things are represented in Chicago Med on a weekly basis.
Everything NBC should want is in this series and it’s done everything to make its case. There are plenty of reasons why Chicago Med season 4 has to happen, so let’s hope it gets a spot on NBC’s primetime schedule.
Next: One Chicago's 6 best sibling relationships
We’ll find out if NBC has Chicago Med renewed or cancelled sometime this month. Stay tuned to One Chicago Center for the latest updates on the fate of our shows.