Chicago Med is the third entry into the 'Chicago' television franchise, following the hugely successful Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. and so, has some incredible boots to fill if it's to stand alongside a pair of series which viewing audiences have fallen in love with. Thankfully it instantly grabs the watcher's attention with a (literal) big bang, allowing its new roster of characters to each shine within the 40 or so minutes given and a number of threads to be teased for storylines which should continue throughout the debut season.
Credit: NBC
Colin Donnell is the new guy on the block as Dr. Connor Rhodes, travelling to his first day at Chicago Med's emergency department on a train which crashes, leaving the lives of some of his fellow passengers in danger. He's charismatic and confident, impressing some of his fellow staff members but rubbing others up the wrong way. In dire situations such as the one he finds himself in on the way into work he's at his best and Donnell plays the role masterfully. Impressive in his previous work on Arrow and The Affair, here the actor seems more at home than ever before and is more than capable of leading the ensemble cast.
Torrey DeVitto also makes an instant impression as Dr. Natalie Manning. Having only ever seen her in Pretty Little Liars as Melissa Hastings in the past I didn't know quite what to expect from her in this role, but she takes to it like a professional. Her pregnancy and history look to be some of the most interesting teased so far and so it will be exciting to see just how her journey progresses.
Rachel DiPillo as Dr. Sarah Reese is in the fourth year of her studies as a medical student and is another character promising some great scenes and storylines ahead, with Oliver Platt's character Dr. Daniel Charles looking to give the same as things move forward.
Despite those standouts it's fair to say that this is a cast who come together extremely well, allowing one another to shine whilst giving great performances that are sure to delight fans of the medical drama genre. Yaya DaCosta, S. Epatha Merkerson, Nick Gehlfuss and Brian Tee should all also be equally proud of their performances.
Emmy Award-winning executive producer Dick Wolf has 'done it again' with Chicago Med, enticing viewers to continue watching throughout the season to discover just where these instantly likeable and relatable personalities will end up in the long run. I can't wait to see where things go from here.
Chicago Med continues Sundays at 9pm exclusively on Universal Channel.