Unlike the Chicago Fire season 15 premiere, which will pick up right where the season 14 finale left off with the devastating warehouse fire, the Chicago Med season 12 premiere is taking a much different approach. Rather than catching up with our Gaffney emergency department pals in real time, the new season begins three months after the events of the season 11 finale.
It's a wise storytelling decision, especially since there weren't any major cliffhangers that require immediate attention. In fact, some distance from where things lands in the season 11 finale will allow for the plot to progress in a natural way, especially for Archer and Asher. When we last left them, Asher gave birth to their daughter, Mabel, and we reunite with them in the throes of parenthood.
Asher's maternity leave extends into the season 12 time jump
NBC released the latest trailer for Chicago Med season 12, which offered a glimpse of Asher bringing Mabel to the emergency department to meet their coworkers. However, just because Asher's back in the ED doesn't mean the time jump has ended her maternity leave. As showrunner Allen MacDonald teased to TV Line, there's much more to explore in Asher's early days of motherhood.
Asher hasn't returned to work by the time Chicago Med season 12 fast forwards past the summer months, and MacDonald remained cagey about the timeline of the doc jumping back into her duties. There even seems to be question marks surrounding whether she even will go back to work, but as we know from behind-the-scenes peeks on social media, Jessy Schram has been donning scrubs.
Obviously, we don't have to actually worry that Asher will suddenly become a stay-at-home mother and leave her work at Gaffney behind. But that doesn't mean she won't be feeling some kind of way about her maternity leave and the trajectory of her life after having Mabel. MacDonald also teased that Asher will navigate the isolation she's felt while on leave with Archer back at work.
Whether that has Asher wanting to extend her maternity leave (for some reason) or itching to get back to work will likely be touched up on in the premiere. Perhaps that's why Asher was shown dropping by the ED. She misses her team and she misses her work as a doctor. There could be some guilt about feeling the itch to go back to work. This will be new terrain for Asher to unpack for her life and career now that she has someone depending on her.
Archer and Asher aren't in a relationship in Chicago Med season 12
Chicago Med season 12 has some incredibly exciting storylines on the horizon for Asher that will be impactful for working mothers. Aside from the exploration of the next chapter of Asher's career, the new season will also continue digging into the ever evolving relationship between Archer and Asher. MacDonald wouldn't confirm Asher's work status, but he would confirmed her relationship status.
As it turns out, three months wasn't enough for Mabel's parents to get togther. The showrunner revealed that while the pair are living together, Asher hasn't reciprocated Archer's love confession in the season 11 finale when we catch back up with them in season 12 premiere, which means Asher either doesn't feel the same way about Archer or she's scared to admit that she does for the sake of their daughter.
There's no doubt that everyone in the emergency department will have their own thoughts about Archer and Asher's relationship and will weight in. Lenox and Ripley's relationship going public, even in her absence, won't be enough to keep their coworkers from talking. When they meet Mabel in person, we can only imagine how their coworkers will try to push them together.
Chicago Med season 12 premieres on Wendesday, Oct. 7 at 8/7 on NBC.
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