Chicago Med's Latest Steamy Romance Could Be A Disaster For Both Characters, But I'm More On Edge About Archer's Decision

Spoilers ahead for Episode 10 of Chicago Med Season 11, called "Frost On Fire" and available streaming next day with a Peacock subscription.

This was expected to be a big week for Dr. Frost on the One Chicago romance front after both Chicago Med and Chicago Fire built up his appearances, but the love connection that I suspect will have fans talking for the next six days in the 2026 TV schedule was between Lenox and Ripley. It wasn't altogether shocking after what happened in the winter premiere outside of Dr. Charles' storyline, and it was definitely the biggest twist at the end of the hour, but I'm more on edge about Archer's decision in the love department.

Is Disaster Looming For Lenox And Ripley?

On the surface, there doesn't seem to be any reason to worry that much about a love connection between Ripley and Lenox. Surely, hooking up in a closet would be ill-advised in a real hospital, but it seems sometimes like most of the doctors at Gaffney have dated their colleagues at some point or other, so it doesn't even seem off anymore. They have a shared trauma after being held captive by Devin in the winter premiere, sparks were flying, and there was no surface reason why two single doctors couldn't hook up in One Chicago.

But the problem is that there's a lot happening underneath the surface with these two characters. Lenox has been dealing – or not dealing – with her genetic prion disease diagnosis all season, leading to reckless behavior like going after Faye and some other hookups. Those sparks haven't been flying between her and Ripley long enough for this to feel like the grand culmination of a will they/won't they relationship, and more like the Army vet using Ripley as a band-aid for her emotional wounds.

That doesn't mean she's intentionally using him, but she doesn't seem to be in a great headspace. Check out the promo for the next episode to see what I mean, with what seems like a Titanic homage and Nurse Kacy making a valid point about their dynamic:

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As for Ripley, he's been on a romantic rollercoaster all season. He started out Season 11 by briefly getting excited about the prospect becoming a parent with Hannah after misunderstanding her situation with Archer, then doubled down on his relationship with Emilia. He got a little too petty about Hannah for my taste, and it wasn't that long ago that he and Emilia fell apart. Based on the promo, Ripley seems to be approaching the hookup with Lenox as having caught real feelings for her.

And I'm not saying that's impossible, but rather that they're on vastly different pages, and a romance may not be what either of them need right now, let alone together. I am enjoying the chemistry between Sarah Ramos and Luke Mitchell, though, and nobody watches TV because the course of true love runs smooth! Whether or not it's a disaster, my curiosity is officially piqued.

That being said...

What On Earth Is Archer Doing?

If you'd asked me a year ago about which Chicago Med character might be mired in a love triangle of his own making, I would not have predicted Dean Archer! The wonderful Merrin Dungey returned as Dr. Kingston, who showed interest in the former Navy surgeon back in the first half of the season. Archer turned her down when she asked him out to enjoy some jazz, telling Hannah later that he wasn't dating because he assumed she wasn't in her "condition," and he was being respectful.

Hannah, who clearly had her dad's belief that Archer is in love with her on her mind, pushed him to accept Kingston's invitation to point his heart eyes in some other direction. (That is, if her dad was right about Archer being in love, because I remain unconvinced from what we've seen so far.) Archer going on a date with Kingston doesn't have me on edge, and I'm always happy to see Merrin Dungey on the small screen. What does have me concerned is that Archer didn't tell her why he'd initially felt like his situation was too complicated to date. The whole ED knows, so she's going to find out if she continues to visit there!

He answered her questions to establish that he's single, straight, and not celibate, but didn't mention anything about Hannah carrying the bun in the oven that I will henceforth be referring to as the Captain Crunch Baby. "Is your life complicated because you're expecting a baby with your much younger coworker?" isn't a question that Dr. Kingston would think to ask, and my support of their new romance is really going to depend on whether or not he clears the air for her.

Keep tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago Med, although the medical drama will be temporarily moving to 9 p.m. ET in March for the looming three-part One Chicago crossover. You can also revisit earlier episodes on Peacock.