‘Chicago Med’ Season 7: Hannah Asher Has to ‘Outrun Her Reputation,’ Says EP
Chicago Med Season 7 returned with a new episode on April 6, 2022, and Dr. Hannah Asher was ready to work. NBC recently announced Kristen Hager’s departure from the show. The series reintroduced Dr. Asher, a character from seasons 5 and 6, in episode 16. Although Hannah is clean, it might take some time before everyone at the hospital fully trusts her.
What happened to Hannah in ‘Chicago Med’?
Fans may remember that Hannah was first introduced in season 5. Will Halstead met her at a safe injection site and was later shocked to learn that she was actually a doctor. The pair’s relationship got off to a rocky start, but eventually, they became romantically involved. However, Hannah’s addiction took a toll on their relationship.
In season 6, Hannah is brought to the hospital for a heroin overdose. After this, Hannah decides to leave Chicago to enter a rehab facility. She asks Halstead to join her, but he declines, not wanting to be her only anchor to sobriety. In Chicago Med Season 7 it seemed like Halstead and Dr. Stevie Hammer might become romantically involved. However, Hammer left Chicago to try to rekindle things with her husband.
Now Hannah is returning to Gaffney Chicago Medical Center as an OB-GYN specialist and will be working alongside Halstead. “They’re going to have a learning period and a testing period,” executive producer Diane Frolov told TVLine during a recent One Chicago Day press junket. “Will has always looked upon Hannah as somebody with a problem, which she did have, so he’s cast himself in the role of savior, and he’s going to have to get out of that.”
Dr. Hannah Asher has a reputation to outrun in Season 7
Chicago Med Season 7 Episode 16 revealed that Hannah and Sharon Goodwin have kept in touch since she left the hospital. Goodwin takes Dr. Dean Archer to dinner to meet Hannah. Goodwin tells Archer that just completed an ED Fellowship at LA County and Hannah shares that she is almost two years sober. However, Archer doesn’t seem convinced.
In a perfect world, Hannah could return to work without judgment, but unfortunately, it doesn’t look like that will happen. Frolov told TVLine that Hannah “has the challenge of proving to people that she is capable again, that she is recovered.” Schneider added, “She has to outrun her reputation, but she’s determined to do that.”
Hannah had her ups and downs in the past few seasons, but it sounds like in season 7 she will be a very different character. “She has gone through a long period of rehab recovery,” Schneider shared, “and we wanted to bring this character back on the other side, the other end of that process. It’s a continuing process, but [we wanted to see] a very different side of her, having gone through this.”
Will Jessy Schram be a ‘Chicago Med’ cast member in season 8?
As it turned out, Hannah actor Jessy Schram isn’t just coming back for a few episodes. According to Deadline, the actor returns as a series regular. Frolov also hinted to TVLine that fans will like to see Hannah next season as well. “We wanted to start something mid-season that we can, as writers, continue on to the next season,” Frolov said of bringing back Hannah.
“So it did both those two things: introducing a person that the audience knew but was excited about seeing and giving us the possibility of an ongoing story for next season.” Chicago Med Season 8 has already been confirmed. Steven Weber will return to his character Dr. Dean Archer as a series regular and it seems pretty likely that Hannah and Archer will butt heads.
Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on NBC.
