After a long summer of waiting, there's not much time left before Chicago Med season 12 makes its premiere on NBC. Unlike its fellow One Chicago series, the medical drama doesn't have quite as many questions to answer in the new season premiere, but that doesn't mean there still won't be changes in store for the Gaffney emergency department and its doctors.
In the season 11 finale, Asher gave birth to her and Archer's daughter while Goodwin wound up in the middle of a tangled mess with Charles that could very well come at the cost of her career. Ahead of the new season's debut in October, the latest trailers have confirmed some unexpected casting additions in the wake of a shakeup that's sending one doctor away and another MIA.
Before Chicago Med returns for season 12, Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut announced that she won't be returning as Dr. Naomi Howard, though we don't exactly know what's sending Naomi away from Gaffney. Likewise, due to her real-life maternity leave, series regular Sarah Ramos won't be on-screen as Dr. Lenox for multiple episodes, and we finally know just how long she will be gone.
How many Chicago Med season 12 episodes will Sarah Ramos miss?
In a new interview with TV Line, Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald revealed that Sarah Ramos will not appear in the first five episodes of season 12 as Dr. Lenox. We already knew that the actress would be missing multiple episodes at the beginning of the new season, but the exact number had not been confirmed yet, and now we know what to expect.
When the latest Chicago Med season 12 promo was released, Ramos was not featured at all, though again, that was to be expected since her temporary leave had been previously verified by MacDonald. Ramos announced her pregnancy ahead of the season 11 finale, and based on a recent appearance at an Emmys party for The Bear, she gave birth sometime late this summer.
Even though Lenox won't be featured in the first handful of episodes, that doesn't mean she won't very much remain part of the story. In the same conversation with TV Line, MacDonald teased that when we return to Gaffney in October, word of Lenox and Ripley's romantic relationship had started to spread among their colleagues until everyone eventually learns the truth.
While her coworkers are chatting about her relationship without her knowledge, Lenox will be away from the hospital, but we don't yet know what she's doing or where she will be. MacDonald hasn't divulged that information quite yet and the season 11 finale didn't set up a short-term exit for Lenox either. But there will undoubtedly be a quick and easy explanation given for her absence.
Currently, MacDonald confirmed the length of Ramos' maternity leave at the beginning of the season, but he didn't indicate how many additional episodes she might miss throughout the season. As fans know, the series regular cast members don't appear in every episode, with certain cast members missing a few episodes. We can expect Lenox to disappear again later this season for an episode or two here and there.
Chicago Med season 12 premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c on NBC.
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