A visit from Hannah Asher’s father led to a jaw-dropping revelation on Chicago Med.
Season 11 of Chicago Med has been in no shortage of drama, particularly parents-to-be Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) and Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber).
While the Gaffney duo has decided to raise the child as co-parents, Chihards were left wondering if any feelings are swimming beneath the surface after Chicago Med’s January 14 episode (“Blindsided”).
Hannah and Archer have been good friends for many years, and while viewers were shocked when they learned the pair hooked up off-screen and it resulted in a surprise pregnancy, it wasn’t too jaw-dropping when the longtime friends chose to co-parent together. Hannah has acknowledged their hook-up as a one-time thing, not wanting to pressure Archer into a relationship to simplify the process of raising a child.
But as Hannah experiences the highs and lows of pregnancy, Archer has been there every step of the way, helping Hannah however and whenever he can. It hasn’t always been easy for “Dasher” — as the Gaffney nurse stations has lovingly dubbed them — but their steel-tight bond has set them up for success as parents.
Just as Hannah and Archer reached a happy harmony in their arrangement, a surprise pop-in from Hannah’s father brought many questions to the surface about the doctors’ choice to co-parent, and it was an emotionally charged watch.
Dean Archer left a rough first impression on Hannah’s dad
After a last-minute construction gig placed Hannah’s father at Gaffney, Archer was dismayed to make a horrendous first impression after running into Mark Asher and questioning his actions on the job. When introduced by Hannah moments after the awkward interaction, Archer was tasked with flipping the narrative, joining Hannah and her father for lunch for a more formal meet-up.
While Archer and Mark were able to smooth things over fairly quickly at lunch, the conversation took a turn after Hannah’s dad began inquiring about their co-parenting arrangement. Having raised three kids as a single father himself, Mark preferred a two-parent household and worried about the logistics, at one point rudely questioning Hannah’s judgment in getting pregnant and raising a baby with someone several years her senior.
Mark didn’t bring up anything that Hannah hadn’t already fret over before, leading her to shut the conversation down altogether. Unwilling to let that be the disheartening end of it, Archer later confronted Mark about his scathing words to Hannah.
Chicago Med Season 11
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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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Archer explained that Hannah didn’t need any more judgment from her father; she was already being harsh enough on herself. Archer understood Mark was anxious about the future and likely felt guilty about his own parenting decisions along the way, but all of that wasn’t important anymore.
“Next time you feel like you need to vent, or just be a prick, do me a favor and direct all that stuff towards me. I’ll give you my cell. You can call me anytime, day or night,” Archer told him earnestly, adding: “And that daughter of yours is a remarkable woman, and we both know that she will be an incredible mother with or without my help.”
Could Archer be “in love” with Hannah on Chicago Med?
Needless to say, Archer’s stern warning was enough to leave an impression on Mark. Not only was Mark impressed with Archer’s eagerness to defend his daughter, but he also took note of his passion. Mark later visited Hannah to apologize for his brash words, admitting to his daughter that he just wanted her life to be easier after she’d already experienced so many other challenges.
Hannah tearfully accepted the apology before Mark reminded her how much he loved her. It was a sweet moment, broken only by Mark’s next confession.
“Oh, and this Archer guy?” Mark said. “He’s OK.”
Hannah smiled, happy to get her father’s approval in the end. “I’m glad to hear you’re coming around on the co-parenting,” Hannah told him.
“Oh God, no,” Mark scoffed, taking Hannah aback. “That’s gonna be a total disaster.”
“What?” Hannah asked. “You just said that you liked him! Why don’t you think that it’ll work?”
Mark smiled, leveling with his daughter as he said, “Because that man is head over heels in love with you.”
Hannah was rendered speechless by the revelation, left to wonder if there was any truth to the shocking proclamation. There’s clearly some electricity between Hannah and Archer, so Chihards can’t wait to see where their rollercoaster relationship heads next.
Find out what happens next by watching Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
