Chicago Med star breaks silence on whether Dean Archer is leaving the show

Dean Archer did not have a particularly good fall finale on Chicago Med. The veteran doctor was asked to step down as co-chief of the Emergency Department, and effectively play second fiddle to the younger (and somewhat combative) Dr. Caitlin Lenox (Sarah Ramos).

Archer is no stranger to having tension with those younger than him. It characterized a lot of his screen time with Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee), and likely played a role in Choi's departure from Gaffney Medical Center in season 8. This time seems different, though. The episode ended with Archer giving his boss a resignation letter, which suggests the end of the line is near.

Archer has struggled with his recent demotion

Steven Weber, the actor who plays Archer, discussed the character's decision during a recent interview with NBC. He acknowledged that things are difficult for the Gaffney veteran at the moment, but his comment regarding what comes next were quite reassuring.

Weber didn't confirm or deny the notion that Archer will be leaving. At least, not directly. Instead, he spoke about the character's tension with Lenox, and how he will have to adjust to the younger chief moving forward:

"Lenox is a challenge because maybe she reminds Archer of himself, and he doesn't like it. So that's paradoxical too. She triggers him because she reminds him of himself."

The character appears in the winter premiere promo

Steven Weber didn't confirm that Archer would be back during the Chicago Med winter premiere, but the emphasis he put on the character's future, and the tension between him and Lenox, confirms that he isn't going anywhere. He wouldn't be setting up this conflict via interview if he did not have plans to return to the medical drama in January.

It hasn't been that long since Weber was promoted to full time cast member. Deadline confirmed that the actor joined the core Chicago Med lineup in 2021, meaning he has only been a star for a couple of the show's ten year run. It would seem silly to write him off so early.

Another sign that Archer is returning is the promo for the winter premiere. The promo recaps the harrowing final moments of the fall finale, and the ways in which Archer will desperately attempt to save his boss, Dr. Sharon Goodwin (S Epatha Merkerson). Archer may be going through a crisis in terms of where his career is headed, but all signs point to him staying on the show.