The actress breaks down why Season 11’s “The Cost of Living” is a Chicago Med must-watch.
Ababy is on board for Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) and Dr. Dean Archer’s (Steven Weber) on Season 11 of Chicago Med as the co-parents prepare to welcome a baby girl to the One Chicago family.
The Gaffney fan favorites haven’t had the most typical journey toward becoming parents, putting their friendship to the test in more ways than one. “I feel like there’s been a lot of dips and valleys. It’s definitely been a journey,” Schram told NBC Insider while chatting about the evolving relationship between “Dasher.” The soon-to-be parents have been dealing with separate challenges as the countdown to Hannah’s maternity leave dwindles.
While Hannah is panicking over pausing her career to become a mother — and all of the usual anxieties of bringing a child into the world — meanwhile, Archer has grappled with the bitter pill of welcoming a newborn during his senior years. Both Archer and Hannah are afraid of what’s next, but fortunately, they’ve had each other through every hurdle.
Hannah and Archer’s heartwarming connection was taken to new heights during Season 11’s “The Cost of Living,” when Archer treated a fellow father-to-be dying of a terminal illness. Schram revealed that the episode was just as emotional for the Med cast to film as it was to watch back.
Chicago Med’s Jessy Schram “sobbed” during a close-to-home scene with Archer
With echoes of his own mortality reflected in his dying patient, Archer was forced to confront his fears about whether he’ll get to walk his daughter down the aisle one day in Season 11’s “The Cost of Living.” Refusing to be disheartened, Archer concocted a way for his patient to “steal a moment from the future” with his newborn.
After Hannah pulled off a successful delivery, Archer ran the newborn girl to her dying father so that he could capture their daddy-daughter dance. After dutifully playing Ben Folds’ “The Luckiest,” Archer filmed the new father cradling his baby girl for a video message to be played on the daughter’s wedding day. The patient wouldn’t have much time left with his newborn, but thanks to Archer, he managed to seize a precious milestone moment that his daughter would always appreciate.
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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“I read it on the page, sobbed, went to the table read, sobbed, then decided to look up the song, sobbed,” Schram told NBC Insider while talking about filming the heart-wrenching episode.
As if the water works weren’t intense enough, the scene was all the more haunting due to Archer’s reverence for Hannah in that moment. As the patient shared thoughtful messages for his daughter, Archer came to realize that he was no longer afraid of welcoming a newborn at his age, because he was getting the chance to raise a child with someone as incredible as Hannah.
Both the daddy-daughter dance and Hannah and Archer’s heart-to-heart demand tissues to watch, and as Med star Schram revealed, the emotions were echoed behind the scenes as well.
“That episode was directed by Andi Behring, who also has her own personal experience within what that storyline was, and I feel like, well, that just came out, right?” Schram said. “All of the layers were just really beautifully woven in a very grounded way.”
“And the music!” Schram exclaimed, giving a nod to the expert use of Ben Folds in the heart-wrenching scene. Watch Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.