There are several reasons why Chicago Med season 10 was a truly incredible chapter for the show. Easily one of the best parts of the season was how it focused on Sharon Goodwin in a way that previous chapters of the show hadn't. While Sharon has always been a captivating character, largely due to S. Epatha Merkerson's incredible portrayal of her, she often felt like she was in the background. However, season 10 of the show definitely put the character in the spotlight.
During Chicago Med season 10, fans of the show were left wondering whether Sharon was going to survive the season. Even after it was confirmed that Sharon survived a horrible attack, the character went through a journey of recovery that involved figuring out what she was willing to take in life. Now, season 11 of the show is set to bring back several extremely important characters to Sharon as she continues to grow.
Sharon Goodwin's ex-husband and kids are returning Chicago Med season 11
In September 2025, TVLine published an article that previewed the upcoming fall television season. For that piece, the outlet interviewed Chicago Med's talented showrunner, Allen MacDonald. As a part of that discussion, the series' boss hinted at what fans of the show should expect from Sharon Goodwin when the show returns.
First off, Allen explained that Sharon wouldn't be focusing on recovery from the trauma she suffered during season 10, revealing that "[Goodwin will] not [be] licking her wounds.”
In addition to hinting at where Sharon will be at emotionally when the show returns, Chicago Med's showrunner made it very clear that the character won't be by herself during the upcoming season. Instead, Allen told TVLine that Sharon's kids will be returning during the show's eleventh season. On top of that, he explained that Sharon will continue to spend time with her ex-husband, Bert Goodwin. More than that, Allen described what Bert represents for Sharon, noting that he'll "always be home for [Goodwin]."
Since Bert and Sharon's kids haven't been missing for years, learning they will be part of Chicago Med season 11 initially wasn't that exciting. After all, it is hard to compete with the fact that it has been announced that Dr. Will Halstead is set to return after years away from the show. That said, I would argue that Sharon's family being part of her journey of self-discovery is more important than anything Dr. Halstead will bring back to the show.
Alongside Marlyne Barrett's Maggie Lockwood and Oliver Platt's Dr. Daniel Charles, Sharon has always been the heart and soul of Chicago Med. As a result, getting to see new dimensions of a character I already adore is more captivating to me than almost anything else the show could focus on. The fact that the show is bringing back Sharon's family makes me feel convinced that the series is set to spotlight what matters to her outside the hospital, and I applaud that.
Chicago Med season 11 premieres Wednesday, October 1 at 8/7c on NBC.