Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber) spent years as a recurring player within Chicago Med. He was promoted to main cast in season 7, and gradually become one of the most importance characters in the entire show. It's difficult to imagine Med in the modern day without its resident grump.
That doesn't mean the character is sitting pretty, of course. The fall finale of Med season 10 ended with Dr. Archer attempting to give his resignation. He was tired of bumping heads with newcomer Dr. Caitlin Lenox (Sarah Ramos), and decided Gaffney was no longer the place for him.
Archer is struggling to find his place within Gaffney
Fortunately, the character changed his mind in the winter premiere, staying on to save the life of Dr. Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) and several others in the One Chicago crossover. The thing is, Dr. Archer still has some growing to do. He still feels out of sorts opposite younger people like Lenox, and is going to have to come to grips with his role in Gaffney during season 10.
Med showrunner Allen MacDonald shed light on the plan for Archer during a recent interview. He told One Chicago Center that the character will have to do one of the things he hates most, which is look inward and self-reflect.
"I think that being from the military, he likes to be disciplined and completely under control," he said. "One of the fun things this season is bringing in Dr. Caitlin Lennox, who's kind of shaking them up." It is something we've seen glimpses of over the years, but Dr. Archer will be given more screen time than ever before to reflect. Especially in episode 17.
Episode 1017 will be titled "The Book of Archer"
"Episode 17 is called 'The Book of Archer,'" MacDonald revealed. "And it's going to be tied completely to Archer's point of view." Dr. Archer played a large role in the One Chicago crossover, especially with how many lives he saved on the ground, but his season arc was largely pushed to the side, so it'll be nice to see it pushed back to forefront.
In this regard, both Dr. Archer and Dr. Mitch Ripley are set to undergo similar arcs in season 10. They are still invaluable members of their teams, but their inability to process some of their internal issues has led to professional tension and personal turmoil. Ripley will get his spotlight two episodes before Dr. Archer. We hope both men come out of season 10 improved versions of themselves.