Chicago Med season 5: What to watch for in the new season

2) Connor’s departure

With all the talk about Manstead, it’s easy to forget that there’s another, equally massive change coming in Chicago Med season 5: Dr. Connor Rhodes (Colin Donnell) is leaving.

Fans will find out in the season premiere why Connor decides to hand in his badge and walk out of the hospital, and it’s important that he gets a proper sendoff. His storyline last season was kind of chaotic, piling all kinds of drama on his shoulders; aside from the hybrid OR, it felt like he had such a rough season.

He deserves a break, and he also deserves an actual goodbye, as opposed to what happened with Dr. Sarah Reese (Rachel DiPillo), where she quit in anger and aside from Dr. Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt) it felt like the rest of the characters forgot her. Connor has done so much, and been involved in so much, that it’d make no sense if his departure was similarly glossed over.

Beyond that, Colin Donnell deserves a big farewell. Not only is he an original cast member—the only episode he didn’t appear in was the backdoor pilot—but he’s beloved by fans for a reason. He poured so much into the character of Connor for four seasons, and was a big reason why the show has gotten to season 5.

He had so much stage presence, and spark, that it was a shock when the producers decided not to bring him back. With people still upset about that, it’d be disappointing if he doesn’t at least get a decent final episode.