During 2025, Chicago Med created many memorable storylines that will no doubt go down in the show's history as being highly memorable. Fortunately, some of those storylines have led to moments that reminded fans what there is to love about the medical drama. On the other hand, it shouldn't surprise anyone that there were some Chicago Med lowlights during the same year.
Unfortunately, the portrayal of Dr. Hannah Asher during season 11 has been really disappointing for me so far. On top of being frustrated by how the medical drama has portrayed Hannah in general during the first part of the season, I am especially dismayed by the current state of her relationship with Dr. Dean Archer.
Dr. Hannah Asher and Dr. Dean Archer's current relationship is a major downgrade
When Dr. Dean Archer was added to Chicago Med, I wasn't sold on the character. Taken aback by how overly serious the character could often be and the fact that he dealt with co-workers in an abrasive way, I found some of his scenes to be frustrating. Thankfully, it would be an understatement to say that my feelings about the character thawed over time. There are several reasons for that, including the fact that I grew to love Dean's interactions with his co-worker, Dr. Hannah Asher.
Over time, Hannah was able to bring out a lighter side of Dean. On top of that, it was very compelling to see both characters always be there for each other. In fact, the duo became close enough that Hannah was able to extend Dean's life by playing a major role in what led to the character agreeing to get a transplant.
Given the bond that was built between the characters, it made sense that the Hannah was there for Dean after the sudden death of his ex-wife. However, ever since season 11 revealed that the characters conceived a baby that night, there have been two reasons why I think that twist was a huge mistake for Dean and Hannah.
First off, I miss seeing Hannah and Dean having fun interactions, even though his character rarely stopped being serious. After all, it was entertaining to see Hannah understand Dean better than almost anyone else and even be able to make him smile. While Dean was supportive of Hannah when she informed him about her pregnancy, their new dynamic has added tension to all of their scenes as disagreements have arisen. That has been a major hindrance to one of my favorite dynamics on the show.
The second reason why I am disappointed in how Dean and Hannah's relationship has changed is that I really don't think their characters should have hooked up. Since I am aware of the fact that TV shows often have characters hook up, and the episode that featured the news that Dean's ex-wife died heavily implied it was a possibility, the revelation that they hooked up didn't surprise me. However, I don't think it should have happened since I never thought they had romantic chemistry, largely due to their ages and different personalities. I really think they should have just remained friends.