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Parents' Guide to

Chicago Med

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Medical drama revives classic themes, bloody scenes.

TV NBC Drama 2015
Chicago Med Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

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age 16+

Based on 6 parent reviews

Kaitlyn R.
Kaitlyn R. Adult
April 22, 2018
age 10+

This show is an amazing show!

As Chicago med being my favorite show, I recommend it to anyone who is into medical stuff. Everything looks very real. Almost like someone it just carrying around a camera in an ER. I've seen lots of behind the scenes and they have an amazing special effects team. So in conclusion, I really think you should give Chicago med a try.
Diana GM
Diana GM Adult
August 17, 2021
age 18+

Fantasia!

Excellent acting and script couldn’t be better, in real life none of the Doctors and Nurses are like that. The show emphasizes in the compassion, care, understanding from a human to another humanr, In the USA one is afraid to go to a hospital because to afterward charges for life? And the Doctors in ER treat patients like a number or a subject like a number or subject.
See all 6 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Created by Law & Order's Dick Wolf, CHICAGO MED is the third installment of a trilogy of Chicago-themed dramas. The series, which follows the day-to-day operations of Chicago's newest state-of-the-art trauma center, stars Colin Donnell as Dr. Connor Rhodes, the new trauma fellow at the city's largest hospital, who, alongside chief ER resident Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss), Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto), and Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee), does what he can to help patients who are suffering from severe to life-threatening conditions. Assisting them is ER nurse April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta) and fourth-year resident Sarah Reese (Rachel DiPillo). Providing services and support when needed is Dr. Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt), the hospital's chief of psychiatry. As doctors do what they can for their patients, Chief Administrator Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) must balance the needs of the doctors and their patients with the expectations of the hospital administration.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (6 ):
Kids say (12 ):

This intense medical procedural weaves together dramatic story lines about doctors treating severely sick and injured patients and the efforts being made to treat them. Adding to the fray are the interpersonal relationships among the medical staff, which range from lighthearted and friendly to competitively tense.

The soap-opera-like tales featured here will feel familiar to fans of popular 1990s hospital dramas such as Chicago Hope and ER. Nonetheless, the overall series is both well-written and engaging. Meanwhile, the way characters from its sister shows, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D., pop up in each episode adds an interesting crossover angle. If you're looking for some solid but standard medical stories, this show will fit the bill.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what goes on in an emergency trauma unit. What kind of pressures do doctors face when dealing with severely injured patients? How do they train for that? Does this show offer a realistic view of what it's like?

  • Why do you think there are so many medical shows on TV? What do we find interesting about the inner workings of a hospital?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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