Amid all the action during Chicago Med’s Season 10 premiere, fans couldn’t help but swoon over Darren Barnet’s Dr. John Frost, a new pediatric resident at Gaffney Medical Center.
“Dr. Frost is very charming,” Chicago Med showrunner Allen Macdonald told NBC Insider ahead of Season 10. “He’s very good-looking. He knows both those things, and he’s not averse to using them to his advantage.”
Macdonald later added, “He is a huge defender of children. He’s able to relate to them on a very real level; he makes very genuine connections with them. He is a big believer that — no matter what their age — children should be fully informed of what’s going on with their bodies if there’s something wrong with them and be a part of the conversation for what kind of treatments they will have to endure because they’re the ones that are gonna have to endure that.”
Barnet’s Dr. Frost was dropped right into the middle of the E.D. action during the Season 10 premiere (“Sink or Swim”) after he visited Gaffney during a mass casualty event following a shipwreck in Lake Michigan. Read more about his character, below:
Who is Darren Barnet’s Med character, Dr. John Frost?
Barnet plays Dr. John Frost, a pediatric resident with a strong sense of empathy and a passion for helping his patients. Frost connects with children on a vulnerable level, advocating for them and giving them a voice when other doctors ignore them.
Despite the frantic panic of the shipwreck ravaging Gaffney’s E.D., that didn’t stop Frost from visiting Gaffney when his patient needed help. While RN Maggie Lockwood (Marlyne Barrett) faced blood shortages and patient overflow, the last thing she expected was Frost rolling up with a young girl needing an MRI. You see, Frost was a pediatric resident from a neighboring hospital scheduled to close, but his young patient needed help right then and there.
Dr. John Frost fought to get his patient the care she needed
“We can’t take any overflow from Jackson Monroe,” Maggie snapped. Frost then revealed his patient wasn’t overflow; she needed an MRI, and his hospital had already sold all radiology equipment in preparation for the closure.
“No, It’s not going to happen. Look around,” Maggie told him. “We’re all underwater, and more are coming.”
“I get that, OK. But just because this kid wasn’t on that ship does not mean she isn’t in danger,” Frost reasoned before pivoting his strategy and donning a charming smile and smoldering look. “Look, Maggie. You’re a capable, intelligent woman with a big heart. I can tell.”
“Well, thank you for really seeing me, Dr. Frost,” Maggie quipped sarcastically.
“I’m sure you can figure this out if you try,” Frost insisted, flashing Maggie a grin.
“Does this usually work?” Maggie asked.
“Does what usually work?” Frost asked, his smile wavering. Maggie then called him out for his smile and “puppy dog eyes,” surprising the young doctor. He pivoted again to focus on his patient Zoe, a foster kid with a history of neurological problems and speech issues. She’d been in and out of Frost’s hospital for weeks without getting adequate care, so he took her to Gaffney to get the help she needed.
Once Frost ditched the smolder and focused on his passion for helping his patient, Maggie came around. “I’ll call upstairs and see if we can get her in,” she told him.
“You’re an angel!” Frost exclaimed.
“And you’re trouble,” Maggie said, walking away.
“It becomes endearing once you get to know me,” Frost called out after her. “It becomes less annoying? When you get to — I’ll just quit while I’m ahead. Nice to meet you, Maggie!”
Frost had suspected Zoe had a brain tumor that was causing her speech issues, and after successfully getting her an MRI at Gaffney, his suspicions were confirmed. While Zoe was recommended for surgery, the procedure was risky. Knowing Zoe was abandoned by her parents and in the foster system, Frost took it upon himself to sit down with the young girl and discuss her options.
Frost’s skill for connecting with Zoe was heartwarming; despite the young girl’s fears of the brain surgery, he was there to comfort and reassure her that it was her best option for recovery. Frost’s empathy and tender-hearted bedside manner came from the heart, with none of the charmer routine he previously touted. Frost’s finesse with Zoe inspired her to do the surgery.
Toward the end of the day, Frost visited Maggie at the nurse station to get an update on Zoe.
“What are you going to do when Jackson Monroe closes next week?” Maggie asked him.
“I don’t know, beg someone to let me finish my residency,” Frost shrugged. “You know what, maybe I’ll find a sugar mommy and retire. Yeah, I could spend my days drinking Pabst and my savings getting bleacher seats to Cubs games.”
“Well, as a White Sox fan, I can’t support that.”
“You like disappointment, OK. I’m learning so much about you,” Frost joked, getting a laugh from Maggie. “Admit it. I am more endearing once you get to know me.”
“Oh, just slightly less annoying,” Maggie conceded before walking away.
“That was a compliment,” Frost cried out after her. “Whether you know it or not!
Zoe’s surgery ended up being a medical triumph on a day highlighted by devastating tragedy. Frost was there for Zoe every step of the way, going above and beyond for his patient, even when operating outside his element. With his own hospital closing, viewers are excited to see if Frost joins Gaffney’s ranks. The Gaffney crew is a fearless team of doctors with unbridled passion for their patients, and Frost fits right in.
Watch Season 10 of Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC or stream episodes the next day on Peacock.
