Season 10 of Chicago Med promises more excitement, with new patients and even bigger challenges for the medical staff.
In the last season, Sharon Goodwin rekindled her dating life at work, Dr. Dean Archer recovered from a kidney transplant donated by his son, and Maggie Lockwood moved forward after her divorce, finding love with a helicopter pilot.
Dr. Hannah Asher’s romance with Mitch Ripley heated up, while Ripley’s hatred for Dr. Charles grew stronger.
Season 10 is set to premiere on Wednesday, September 25, at 8/7c on NBC. While we wait for the new season, let’s look at the familiar faces returning to Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.
Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles
Oliver Platt returns as Dr. Daniel Charles, an experienced epidemiologist. Over the years, Daniel has faced personal issues, especially regarding his mental health. He has been married four times, each marriage adding complications to his life.
Daniel also struggles with depression, partly due to his father’s drug addiction. To cope, he uses antidepressants but has had moments where he overdosed to numb his feelings. At work, he often helps patients through emotional difficulties.
Platt is well-known for his roles in The West Wing, Huff, and Nip/Tuck. He also stars as Uncle Jimmy in the Emmy-winning series The Bear.
S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin
S. Epatha Merkerson plays Sharon Goodwin, the Executive Director of Patient and Medical Services at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. Sharon started her career as a nurse in the Emergency Department, giving her valuable experience. She’s a stickler for rules and always stands up for her team.
However, she’s not afraid to challenge colleagues over controversial medical decisions. Last season, she reunited with her ex-husband Bert when their grandson was admitted to the hospital after an accident.
Merkerson is also famous for playing NYPD Lieutenant Anita Van Buren in Law & Order and appeared in Pee-wee’s Playhouse as Reba the Mail Lady.
Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Lockwood
Marlyne Barrett returns as Maggie Lockwood, a dedicated charge nurse in the Emergency Department. Maggie has always been familiar with the medical world, thanks to her midwife mother. However, her life changed when she unexpectedly became pregnant at 16.
Still from Chicago Med (Credit: NBC)
At work, Maggie is known for her no-nonsense attitude and commitment to her team. Last season, she helped secure an important blood test for a patient whose insurance wouldn’t cover it.
Barrett also played recurring roles as Nerese Campbell in The Wire and Felicia Marquand in Damages.
Steven Weber as Dr. Dean Archer
Steven Weber plays Dr. Dean Archer, the head of the Emergency Department. Dean’s time in the Navy left him with severe PTSD, which continues to affect his professional life.
Despite his mental health struggles, he refuses to seek help. In Season 6, this became a bigger problem, but Dean still pushed through. Last season, he handled some unusual cases, including a genetic heart condition thought to be a “family curse.”
Weber is also known for his roles in Wings, All Dogs Go to Heaven, iZombie, and NCIS: New Orleans.
Jessy Schram as Dr. Hannah Asher
Jessy Schram returns as Dr. Hannah Asher, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist who has dealt with substance abuse issues. Hannah hid her heroin addiction for a long time, but her colleague Will Halstead eventually intervened, getting her into rehab.
After rehab, Hannah went through ups and downs, even returning to rehab at one point. Last season, she treated patients who struggled with addiction, which resonated with her own experiences.
Schram has appeared in Veronica Mars, Falling Skies, and Once Upon a Time.
Luke Mitchell as Dr. Mitch Ripley
Luke Mitchell stars as Dr. Mitchell “Mitch” Ripley, an attending physician in the Emergency Department. Mitch had a rough upbringing and was diagnosed with an impulse control disorder.
After a troubled childhood, Mitch grew resentful of the psychiatric treatments he received, especially those involving restraints. His relationship with Dr. Daniel Charles remains strained, and last season, he made it clear that he still harbored resentment toward his former doctor.
Mitchell is known for his roles in The Tomorrow People, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and Blindspot.
Darren Barnet as Dr. John Frost
Darren Barnet portrays Dr. John Frost, the new pediatrician at the center. John enjoys working with children and knows how to connect with them emotionally. He explains medical conditions to his young patients in a way that doesn’t frighten them.
Barnet is best known for playing Paxton Hall-Yoshida in Never Have I Ever and recently appeared in Gran Turismo and Anyone But You.
Sarah Ramos as Dr. Caitlin Lenox
Sarah Ramos stars as Dr. Caitilin Lenox, a new doctor at the medical center. Not much is known about Caitlin’s character yet, but she’s expected to clash with her colleagues, especially Sharon.
Ramos previously appeared in American Dreams and Parenthood.
Conor Perkins as Dr. Zach Hudgins
Conor Perkins plays Dr. Zach Hudgins, a first-year resident in Emergency Medicine. Zach helped Dr. Hannah Asher treat a patient last season, though the patient left the hospital unexpectedly.
Still from Chicago Med (Credit: NBC)
Perkins has a theater background, having attended NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He also co-hosts a bi-weekly podcast called Poor Unfortunate Podcast.
Henderson Wade as Dr. Loren Johnson
Henderson Wade stars as Dr. Loren Johnson, a general surgeon and medical helicopter pilot.
His military background, likely in the Air Force, provides him with invaluable skills, especially when airlifting patients from rural areas to the hospital.
Wade has appeared in Extant, NCIS, and It Had to Be You.
Season 10 of Chicago Med promises plenty of emotional and dramatic moments. With new challenges and returning characters, the series will keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
Confronting family trauma has long been a common theme in horror films. Whether it’s about becoming like our parents or dealing with a generational curse, it’s a topic many filmmakers have shown.
However, this doesn’t mean new movies can’t bring fresh ideas to these familiar themes.
As the saying goes, we’ve been telling the same few stories since Shakespeare’s time, but in the hands of the right filmmaker, these stories can still feel new and exciting.
This is exactly what happens with Danny Villanueva Jr.’s What Happened to Dorothy Bell.
The film, which premiered at this year’s Fantastic Fest, follows Ozzie Gray (played by Asya Meadows) as she returns to her hometown to face difficult truths about her past, particularly the death of her grandmother.
Ozzie feels a deep connection to her grandmother’s death, which happened under tragic circumstances.
The movie is presented as found footage, mostly through Ozzie’s video diaries, where she tries to process her trauma. Her family has also become part of an urban legend about the “Witch Librarian of Spellbound.”
This ghostly figure is said to be the spirit of Ozzie’s grandmother, who once worked at the local library. After a breakdown, she took her own life, leaving Ozzie with both physical and emotional scars.
The movie takes viewers through Ozzie’s journey of grief. She convinces a janitor to let her spend time in the library after hours and attends therapy during the day. The film mostly focuses on Meadows, with other actors playing minor roles.
Despite being relatively new to acting, Meadows carries the entire film on her shoulders.
Her performance truly shines when she begins to suspect that there may be some truth behind the frightening stories about her grandmother.
As Ozzie digs deeper, the film takes on a more intense tone, and Meadows’ abilities as a horror actress become evident.
A Fresh Take on the Found Footage Format
The found footage style used in What Happened to Dorothy Bell might not be the most dynamic, but it is still effective. For someone with vision issues, the static black-and-white security footage might not seem like the best way to build tension.
Despite this, the film manages to find creative ways to use the format. One interesting choice is to include Ozzie’s online therapy sessions as part of the film.
The mix of found footage and urban legend is a smart move, as it allows the movie to pull from online sources like Google and YouTube, not just Ozzie’s video diaries.
Still from What Happened to Dorothy Bell (Credit: How Bizarre Pictures)
Ozzie’s connection to the urban legend keeps the story moving forward, even when it could have slowed down.
Although the mental health aspect isn’t shown as deeply as it could have been, Ozzie’s personal involvement in the legend adds to the suspense.
Instead of just waiting for the next scare, the viewer becomes invested in finding closure for Ozzie. Without giving too much away, the scares that do happen are well-timed and effective, adding to the full creepiness of the story.
Making the Most of a Short Runtime
At just 80 minutes long, What Happened to Dorothy Bell could have used more time to fully develop its story.
The film picks up speed in the final ten minutes, and some parts feel underdeveloped. There are moments of silence that could have been filled with more content.
Still, for an indie film with a small budget, it’s a well-crafted story. Unlike other films at Fantastic Fest, What Happened to Dorothy Bell feels original, not just a mix of ideas borrowed from more famous movies.
While the film doesn’t nail everything perfectly, it’s clear that Villanueva Jr. has a strong vision for the story he wants to tell.
He doesn’t rely on the found footage style to cover up weaknesses in the plot. Instead, he uses it as a tool to show deeper themes like family, mental health, and legacy.
The format fits the story perfectly. Villanueva Jr. shows great promise as a filmmaker, with a clear and focused approach to his storytelling.
It’s not about fancy effects or digital tricks, but about telling a story that comes from a deep place in both the mind and the heart. This is what both Villanueva Jr. and Ozzie are doing — telling a story that refuses to be forgotten.
