We're officially less than one week away from the highly anticipated returns of the One Chicago shows on NBC. Fans have been counting down the days from the May finale and all throughout the summer, but we have finally made it to October. Thankfully, we have a much better idea about what will happen next, especially as Chicago Med season 12 episode 1 photos have dropped.
Ahead of the Oct. 7 premieres of the latest One Chicago seasons, NBC released a limited batch of photos from each of the three shows' first episodes, and they have been telling. The Chicago Fire season 15 premiere photos spoiled the outcome of a season 14 finale cliffhanger and now the Chicago Med season 12 premiere photos are revealing a possibly major episode for Ripley.
The network released five photos from the Chicago Med season 12 premiere episode, and only one didn't feature Luke Mitchell's character. Archer (Steven Weber) appears in the standalone photo without Ripley, and this could mean that Ripley takes charge and plays a major role in the main medical case that opens the new season. That could be particularly telling given his personal arc.
As Chicago Med fans probably know, the season 12 opener features a medical emergency involving a bride as Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Gabrielle Carteris will guest star as the mother of the groom. Based on the teasers and trailers than NBC has released so far, we also know the premiere episode includes another medical case featuring a young girl, but the wedding disaster seems to be Ripley's to tackle.
It's difficult to glean from the photos how exactly what impact the case will have on Ripley and how it will relate to his personal storyline, but it's particularly curious given how his storyline left off in season 14. After months of touch and go, Ripley and Lenox finally admitted their strong feelings for each other and committed to a relationship, though that's still under wraps from their coworkers.
Ripley and Lenox's relationship will begin to trickle out and become common knowledge throughout the emergency department when season 12 premieres, and that happens even as Lenox takes time away from Gaffney. Sarah Ramos will miss the first five episodes of the season due to her real-life maternity leave, though the actress' pregnancy wasn't written into the show.
We don't know know how Lenox will be temporarily written out of the show, but considering that Ripley's in love with her, it's not unfounded to predict that caring for a bride's medical emergency, whatever it may be, on her wedding day could drum up some personal feelings for the doctor. Not to mention, Lenox has struggled with her Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) disease diagnosis.
Could we see Ripley contemplating the concept of "in sickness and in health" in relation to his own relationship and thinking more about the future? It's a definite possibility when, on paper, all of these concepts will be colliding in the premiere episode. Whether that's actually what Ripley will be dealing with in the season 12 premiere remains to be seen, but we do know the episode will be Ripley heavy.
No matter what happens in the episode, we love a Ripley-forward storyline, and if he's the main focus of the pre-release photos, it's going to be a pivotal episode for him. Obviously, this also calls into question the dynamics of the Ed with Lenox out, Asher on maternity leave, and Goodwin's job on the line. Is he stepping up into a larger leadership role? That would be great development for Ripley.
Take a closer look at the rest of the Chicago Med season 12 premiere photos below!
Chicago Med season 12 premieres on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7c on NBC.
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