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Chicago Med
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that hospital-themed drama Chicago Med contains lots of bloody images of injuries and surgical procedures that aren’t for the squeamish. It also contains lots of mature themes, ranging from medical and ethical dilemmas to relationship problems. There’s also some strong innuendo, too. Drinking (beer, wine) is visible.
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User Reviews
- Parents say
- Kids say
The worst hospital-based show ever!
This show is an amazing show!
Medical Drama- Really good for teenagers and adults
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?
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
- Premiere date: November 17, 2015
- Cast: Colin Donnell, Nick Gehlfuss, S. Epatha Merkerson
- Network: NBC
- Genre: Drama
- TV rating: TV-14
- Available on: DVD, Streaming
For kids who love doctor drama
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Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.