The One Chicago franchise has been known to drop breadcrumbs as hints for upcoming storylines. A subtle nod in one episode could be the seed planted for an arc that blossoms in the future. In the latest episode of Chicago Med season 12, Frost's competition against Wu for chief resident came to a rapid end, but the rivals soon began to warm up to each other. Is this a breadcrumb?
Chicago Med season 12 episode 5 found Frost and Wu trying their best to prove their capabilities as chief resident, even if that meant attempted bribery with breakfast baked goods. But Frost and Wu found themselves teaming up yet again on a young patient, and as the details of the case began to roll out, Frost noticed a vulnerable secret from Wu's past that helped her related with their patients.
Despite Frost waving the white flag and giving Wu an opportunity to open up to him as a friend, she continues to push him away. So far this season, we have watched Wu struggle to make friends with her Gaffney coworkers, but in episode 5, her mask slipped with Frost. She ultimately gives him the peace offering of shared space in silence, a major opening to becoming friends... or more.
They have officially crossed the threshold, or at least a threshold, from sworn enemies to coworkers who can likely tolerate each other. They're on the road to friendship. We have seen this film before in Chicago Med, and sometimes, we didn't like the ending. We don't need another enemies to lovers romance, and that's why I'm hoping the series doesn't following through with this storyline.
Chicago Med teased a possible romance between Frost and Wu
Since Frost has been single after Naomi's off-screen exit at the beginning of season 12, I'm not against Chicago Med pairing him off with another love interest. It's not even Wu that's giving me pause on a new romance storyline for Frost. It's the potential enemies-to-lovers aspect that's especially frustrating, and it's even a disservice to Wu as a character.
Chicago Med's writers have presented Wu as something of a "villain" since her introduction in the premiere. She doesn't have a particularly filtered bedside manner, which has gotten her into trouble with Ripley while working with patients at least twice already. Wu is a strong and dynamic character who's uninterested in being liked, and that's worked in making the audience, well, not like her.
Frost has been the first character to push back against the walls Wu has put up, and if the ending of episode 5 is to be believed, he's successful. But using Frost, a male character we love and root for, to make Wu more likable doesn't feel like a great way to go about that. Hopefully, Med circles back and allows Wu a chance for character development by revealing her backstory.
Aside from these implications, I'm also hesitant to whatever this soft launch storyline might entail with the proximity to Frost's two other relationships. Last season, he was caught up in a love triangle between Naomi and Chicago Fire's Novak, two romantic storylines that ended up going nowhere. Frost hasn't had a truly memorable at-work romance, but maybe the third time's the charm?
Obviously, I could be way off base and Chicago Med might not even be planning a romantic storyline between Frost and Wu. But if that's the direction we're going in, enemies getting a little less icy has been a far too frequent romantic angle in this universe and even in just Med alone. I'm willing to see where this storyline goes, but I'm also hoping for a surprise twist on my expectations.
Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC, also streaming on Peacock.
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