5 Reasons Why Chicago Med Has Quietly Beaten Chicago Fire To Be NBC’s Top-Rated Drama

While all the One Chicago shows have been popular due to character development and intense storylines, Chicago Med has slightly higher ratings this season than Chicago Fire. This may be due to Med airing its tenth season, a milestone for the show as Med heightens the stakes for several characters.

As Chicago Med has gained traction this season, Chicago Fire has noticeably dipped in ratings from its previous season. While Chicago Fire is still a top drama on NBC, its ratings have been behind Chicago Med, which raises the question of whether Med can top Fire as the main show of One Chicago. As for why the show is falling behind in the first place, a number of factors help shed light on the growing gap between them.

5. Chicago Fire Has Lost So Many Beloved Characters In The Last Couple Of Years

The Character Changes Have Affected The Firefighter Show

Every Chicago show has seen characters come and go over the years, but the character departures in Chicago Fire have impacted the show these last few years. Key protagonists like firefighter Matt Casey and paramedic Sylvie Brett each left the show after a ten-season run. Casey makes recurring appearances until marrying Brett in her last episode. Matt and Sylvie were two of the show’s strongest and most heartfelt characters, making their departures emotional and sentimental.

Chief Wallace Boden’s departure at the end of last season was more gut-wrenching because he was the heart and soul of Firehouse 51, as a mentor and father figure. This season, the members of Firehouse 51 still miss Boden and are getting used to their new chief, Dom Pascal. With Christopher Herrmann and Randall ‘Mouch’ McHolland passing the captain and lieutenant exams, respectively, Pascal’s current run on the show is in question, along with Kelly Severide and Stella Kidd, who have both been absent a couple of times this season.

4. Chicago Med Season 10 Fall Finale Ended On A Cliffhanger

Goodwin’s Storyline Has Elevated The Medical Drama

Chicago Med continues raising the bar for its characters because of their dilemmas and the intense medical cases they endure each week. Medical director Sharon Goodwin’s stalker situation was the most intriguing storyline thus far this season, leading to a thrilling fall finale that found Sharon in an eerie life-and-death situation as her stalker was finally revealed.

After Goodwin’s attack by her stalker, Dr. Dean Archer saves Goodwin’s life, causing the medical director to have newfound respect for him. Despite a disturbing situation, Archer found himself in the right place at the right time because he was about to quit and leave Chicago Med due to his feud with current co-head Dr. Caitlin Lennox. Now that Goodwin is begging Archer to stay after saving her life, the doctor has a difficult decision to make regarding his future with the hospital.

3. Chicago Med Season 10 Is A Banner Year For The Medical Drama

This Season Has Intensified The Drama For The Chicago Med Characters

The tenth season of Chicago Med is a landmark year for the show. It manages to hold up with the other Chicago shows as one of the most-watched dramas on television. The most interesting part is that the first four episodes of Chicago Med were behind Chicago Fire in ratings. However, since episode five of each show on Halloween, Med has had slightly higher ratings than Fire. This may be due to the heightened intensity surrounding Goodwin and her mysterious stalker, along with the elevated feud between Archer and Lennox and their disagreements on how to run the ED.

This season of Chicago Med has also effectively utilized its original and more recent characters. For instance, Dr. Daniel Charles constantly faces challenging psychiatric cases, while also worrying about Goodwin. Charles’ confrontations with nurse Jackie Nelson and his reunion with Dr. Sarah Reese are also pivotal as he argues with each of them over patient diagnosis and their dilemmas. Hannah is another primary character who has a lot on her plate with pregnant patients and her complex relationship with Dr. Mitch Ripley. Dr. John Frost is also an engaging presence with his charisma and his backstory as a child actor.

2. Severide’s Role In Chicago Fire Is Decreasing

One Of The Leaders Of Firehouse 51 May Be Departing

Chicago Fire started season 13 with a bang as Pascal was introduced as the new chief of Firehouse 51 after Boden’s departure. Despite Severide’s skepticism towards Pascal, he worked well with the new chief, especially after they investigated an arson case together that led to the arrest of a crooked police officer involved with ghost guns. However, after his growth with Pascal, Severide didn’t appear in the fall finale. This is slightly concerning, raising the question of whether his role is decreasing or if he intends to make more time for fire investigations than for his work at Firehouse 51.

Severide is one of the most exciting characters on the show due to his versatility in putting out fires and investigating arson cases. His bond with the crew of Firehouse 51 is a major aspect of the show because of his leadership and his complex relationship with Stella. Given that Severide’s role this season has slightly decreased, his future with the show is in question and may affect future ratings.

1. Chicago Fire No Longer Has Compelling Fire Cases

Personal Issues Have Overtaken The Fire Cases At Firehouse 51

While season 13 of Chicago Fire continues to have fire and paramedic cases every week, they’ve taken more of a backseat, and more focus is placed on the characters and their moral conflicts. For example, Pascal’s backstory regarding his time in Miami has been in question throughout the season due to his interactions with other firefighters. The broken relationship between Sam Carver and Violet Mikami has also taken up plenty of screen time, while Severide and Stella’s relationship hasn’t been a primary storyline.

There’s also been more emphasis on Herrmann and Mouch’s determination to be captain and lieutenant, respectively. Apart from a lack of intriguing fire cases, Joe Cruz and Lizzie Novak’s problems are hinted at but minimally explored thus far. To boost ratings, there needs to be more compelling fires and arson cases, as well as clarity regarding Novak’s family backstory and Cruz’s connection to a gang leader who died in season 1.