Abhiroop Das
Co-created by Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead, NBC’s ‘Chicago Med’ chronicles the lives of some of the Windy City’s busiest doctors and nurses, as they dedicate their whole selves to the Emergency Department at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. With the mounting responsibilities also comes the moral call to save lives, and the team, comprised of both veterans and budding talents, does not compromise on this regard for even a moment. However, the profession also comes with a toll on the psyche, and that trickles out to directly affect the practitioners’ personal lives. Season 11 of the medical procedural series continues right where the previous season ended, with many characters making remarkable discoveries about themselves. Most of these developments maintain an air of ambiguity, with the true outcome, be it positive or negative, depending on how certain characters react to the truth. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Father of Hannah Asher’s Baby is the Former Chief of Medicine
In the opening moments of the season 11 premiere, the father of Hannah Asher’s baby is revealed to be Dean Archer, her colleague and an attending physician-surgeon at the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. Given his complicated romantic history with Hannah, this revelation subverts the common expectation of Mitch being his father. Notably, the truth is foreshadowed in the previous season finale itself, as upon confirming her pregnancy, the first thing she does is rush to Archer’s place, announcing that she has something to say. That turns out to be the subject of her child’s parentage, and her confidence in claiming that Dean is the father means that the two have been in a sexual relationship for quite some time. Dean does not refute the statement either, preparing the stage for a more serious discussion on the future of the unborn baby.
When Archer asks Hannah about whether she plans on keeping the baby, she strongly agrees and explains that her opinion on children and childbirth has undergone a radical shift since she volunteered to be a surrogate mother for her sister, Lizzy’s child. She explains that saying yes to that idea has opened her up to a new perspective on sex and reproduction as a whole, and she now wishes to be the mother of her baby. To her surprise, Archer agrees to do the same, showing zero hesitation in accepting the baby and the responsibilities that might entail. Although Hannah initially claims to be capable of raising the child all on her own, Archer’s involvement comes as a pleasant surprise, both for the baby and the duo’s future as a potential romantic pairing. However, breaking the news is merely the first step in a long process, and both characters figure that out along the way.
Hannah Has a Psychologically Charged Reaction to Her Pregnancy
Given that news about Hannah’s pregnancy spreads quickly in the Emergency Department, everyone assumes Mitch to be the father, including Lizzie, the first person to know about the pregnancy, following the mother herself. As such, when Mitch comes to know of Hannah’s status from one of the nurses, he immediately assumes that she is holding back the truth from him to establish her distance. This upsets him to a great extent, but a discussion with her quickly reveals the truth. On the one hand, Mitch expresses happiness for Hannah and Archer’s future together, and his readiness to be the child’s father speaks to the strong feelings he still has for her. Furthermore, this unintentional consequence of her decision to keep the truth under wraps only makes things more curious for Archer, who eventually confronts her about this act. Here, Hannah reveals the true extent of her feelings regarding becoming a mother, which grounds her in reality.
Hannah’s pregnancy comes with a number of challenges, the most notable one being that Archer is already in his 60s. This makes his future as the child’s father uncertain, complicating the family’s structure from the get-go. Additionally, the weight of becoming a mother is yet to settle in for Hannah, and in a conversation with Archer, she reveals her fear that discussing her pregnancy will make it real, and she simply does not feel prepared to endure such sophisticated feelings at this point in her life. However, the doctor’s commitment to doing good directly informs her next course of action, which is taking accountability for her pregnancy. Notably, this also strengthens the parents’ bonds, as Archer promises to support her every step of the way. As such, Hannah’s pregnancy no longer remains a mystery in the hospital, and the two doctors reenter the equation with confidence and a heightened sense of responsibility.
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