Chicago Med set up its fall finale with quite a shocker: the return of one Dr. Sarah Reese (Rachel DiPillo). And if there’s one character fans of One Chicago didn’t expect to see again, it was probably Sarah. After all, the last we saw of her was at the beginning of Season 4, with Dr. Charles declaring at the time that he was unlikely to ever see her again. Except, when you make it to Season 10 of a show, the unlikely apparently becomes possible.
Not only is Sarah showing up, but we see her actually face Dr. Charles, the reason she left Gaffney Chicago Medical Center in the first place, in the preview for Season 10, Episode 8, “Love Will Tear Us Apart.”
What happened with Dr. Sarah Reese on Chicago Med?
For those who need a little refresher, Dr. Sarah Reese was a medical student and later psychiatry resident, who worked directly under Dr. Charles for most of her time in the show. Or, at least until we learned the truth about Sarah’s father, who turned out to be a serial killer. But that’s not the reason Sarah left the show. Instead, she left because after her father had a heart attack, and Dr. Charles hesitated to save him.
Later, Sarah went to Dr. Charles and told him she wouldn’t be continuing her residence at Chicago Med, and was instead transferring to Baylor. For Sarah, the reason for her exit was simple. She could deal with being the daughter of a murderer, but not with what Dr. Charles — who she always saw as a father figure — did to her real father.
Why is Dr. Sarah Reese coming back to Chicago Med?
The storyline always felt a little incomplete, but considering it’s been six years — as Dr. Charles says in the preview, it may be time for viewers to finally get closure for what happened between Dr. Charles and Sarah. The preview gives very little away regarding the reasons why Sarah is back, but considering the time that has passed, she’s likely a full-fledged psychiatrist now. She may be back for a consult or another strictly medical reason. But she might also be back to get the closure she and Dr. Charles never had. If that reason is correct, the motivation for her coming back might once again tie back to the storyline with her father. Either way, it’s the perfect setup for a fall finale, and chances are we won’t get all the answers next episode. If there’s something One Chicago loves, it’s a cliffhanger.
Is Dr. Sarah Reese coming back to Chicago Med full time?
But there’s also another possibility, that Chicago Med might be getting ready to bring Dr. Reese back for good. Oliver Platt’s Dr. Charles hasn’t had much to do outside of consulting on cases since his romantic relationship with Liliana Wapniarski ended. And considering he’s one of the original cast members
who just signed new contracts, the show would do well to find him a good storyline. Is there a better one than to work again with the student he cared for as a daughter, the one he feels like he failed? And, of all the Chicago Med cast members who have left, is there one that fits into what this show has become better than Dr. Sarah Reese?
And then there’s also the possibility of Reese taking Dr. Charles’ spot. Given that Oliver Platt — who has starred as Dr. Charles since Season 1 of Chicago Med — is one of the few remaining original cast members on the show, it could be time for him to also leave the series like a lot of other One Chicago veterans who have exited the franchise recently. Those names include Kara Killmer, who left as Sylvie Brett on Chicago Fire in Season 12; Eamonn Walker, who left as Chief Wallace Boden on Chicago Fire in Season 12; and Tracy Spiridakos who left as Detective Hailey Upton in Chicago P.D. in Season 11.
Platt is also doing double duty, starring as Uncle Jimmy “Cicero” Kalinowski on FX’s The Bear, which he was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award, so he could leave Chicago Med to just focus on one series. If Sarah was to return to Chicago Med full time, the show may also not have the need for two psychiatrists, which would be a seamless way for Charles to be transitioned out and Sarah to succeed him.
