“There’s been a lot of dips and valleys,” Schram told NBC Insider. “It’s definitely been a journey.”
Season 11 of Chicago Med has been in no shortage of gripping drama as Gaffney fan favorites Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) and Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber) prepare to become parents.
It’s been a whirlwind pregnancy for both Hannah and Archer, who have agreed to co-parent their baby girl after the pair’s off-screen hook-up in Season 10. They’ve remained close friends during the pregnancy, and while Hannah has been struggling with the growing pains that come with putting your life on pause for a baby, Archer has dealt with his own challenges that come with raising a newborn later in life.
Hannah and Archer have always shared a close bond, but as it grows stronger during this thrilling chapter, Hannah has caught wind of Archer potentially harboring feelings for her. Despite Archer’s budding relationship with a Gaffney oncologist, a gripping will-they-won’t-they dynamic has emerged between “Dasher,” and it’s had Chihards on the edge of their seats.
NBC Insider spoke with Med star Jessy Schram about Hannah becoming a mother and her evolving relationship with Dr. Dean Archer, and she’s just as excited as we are to see where their story goes.
Jessy Schram talks about Hannah’s evolving relationship with Archer
The romantic chemistry between Archer and Hannah has been a slow burn; they were primarily friends who happened to hook up one night. But as Season 11 progresses, it’s clear that Archer holds a reverence for Hannah that surpasses that of typical co-parents. Several characters have alluded to the fact that Archer may want something more, but Hannah has bigger concerns at the moment.
“I feel like there’s been a lot of dips and valleys. It’s definitely been a journey,” Schram told NBC Insider. “Something that has been discovered through this season is that there’s the notion that Archer loves Asher, and that’s something that I think [Hannah’s] not in denial of, but she is also running away from. She has too much to focus on. She has her nightmares, having this baby change her body, her career, it threatens her sobriety in different ways.”
Chicago Med Season 11
One Chicago Wednesdays are here!
Fresh off an extended fall hiatus, new Chicago Med episodes begin airing January 7, 2026 every Wednesday at 8/7c. New episodes are available to stream on Peacock Thursdays at 6 a.m. ET.
Keep up with your favorite doctors Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson), Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt), Dean Archer (Steven Weber), Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram), Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell), Caitlin Lenox (Sara Ramos), and John Frost (Darren Barnett) as they navigate the highs and lows of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.
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It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out that Hannah has a lot on her plate right now, so while she’s grateful to have Archer by her side, the idea of a romantic relationship seems like too much for her to chew.
Schram continued, “I think to add another element of my best friend, who’s supposed to be a co-parent, possibly needing more or different from me, it’s not a place that she can go. It’s not stable ground for her to look at yet, but we definitely will look at it.”
As Season 11 continues, Hannah is approaching her maternity leave, which is bound to bring some heavy emotions to the surface for the Gaffney parents. Schram tells us that she’s been delightfully surprised by the tension brewing between Hannah and Archer, crediting her on-screen camaraderie with Weber for the gripping storyline.
“It’s not where I thought things were gonna go, to be completely honest. I think every episode I’m actually watching it and going, ‘Oh wow, I didn’t see that coming,’ based on what we’re doing,” Schram said. “I think that there’s natural chemistry and there’s a natural trust and respect between us as actors that then gets portrayed through the characters, and they keep writing for that. So I’m kind of watching it unfold as the audience does.”
Find out what happens with Hannah and Archer by watching Chicago Med Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.