Going all the way back to the very first season of Chicago Med, the friendship between Dr. Daniel Charles and Sharon Goodwin has been one of the show's most enduring and meaningful relationships. Through the many ups and downs the pair have faced over the years—and there have been a lot, including multiple brushes with death—Charles and Goodwin have always shown up for one another and been there to lift the other up when life has gotten them down.
There have definitely been times when the pair have found themselves at odds, but they’ve historically tended to patch things up relatively quickly and move forward. Their differences have made them stronger in the end, and we’re not used to seeing the pair at odds for extended stretches of time; however, it seems fans will be seeing a very different dynamic when season 12 arrives this fall.
Fans will recall that season 11 ended with Charles fighting to save his job after Theo made a power play to turn his run as an interim Head of the Psychiatric Division into a more permanent position. While fighting for his job with the hospital board, Charles came to discover that Theo had been diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder (sociopathy) when he was younger, and Goodwin encouraged Charles to use this card against Theo.
However, Charles refused to use Theo’s private medical diagnosis against him just to save his job. So when it was revealed that Theo’s private medical files had been leaked to the board ahead of their vote on whether Theo should take Charles’ job, all eyes turned to Goodwin. This, in turn, put her in hot water, with her future at Gaffney left up in the air as a result of the suspected actions she took.
When season 12 begins, we’ll be jumping ahead a few months in time, and fans might be surprised to discover that things between Charles and Goodwin will be “very icy” as the new season begins.
“I will say that in the wake of everything that happened in the very last few scenes of the season finale last year, that when we pick up, things are very icy between Goodwin and Charles, in a way that the audience is not going to be used to,” Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald warned fans in an interview with Give Me My Remote.
MacDonald did not elaborate further on the shift in their dynamic, but it’s clear that, unlike in the past, Charles and Goodwin will not immediately work through their grievances and move forward. This time, Goodwin’s actions are going to really test their friendship, and it seems that we’re going to witness an iciness between the pair that has never really been there in the past.
To be fair, we won’t blame Charles for icing Goodwin out. He made it clear that he did not want to use Theo’s diagnosis against him, and if Goodwin was indeed responsible in any way for those medical records leaking, that is a huge betrayal of Charles’ trust. It would make sense that the pair doesn't magically move on without there being some real fallout, and we’re excited to see the show explore this, even if it does mean we’re not going to see the usual dynamics we’ve grown accustomed to from the longtime friends.
That’s for the best though, as shows should challenge characters and be unafraid to shake things up from time to time in order to keep fans on their toes and to keep the show feeling fresh. This has been something MacDonald has brilliantly done since taking over as showrunner in season 10, ushering in some of the show’s best storylines and character development during his run.
We’re excited to see how Charles and Goodwin work through their respective feelings, even if that means things will be icy for the pair as the season opens.
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