Warning: spoilers ahead for the Season 5 finale of NBC's Chicago Med, called "A Needle In The Heart."
The fifth season of Chicago Med has come to an end with "A Needle In The Heart." Although this ending episode comes several installments shy of the original Season 5 order due to the production halt, it still delivered some finale-worthy reveals and raised some questions worth pondering over hiatus. With Will determined to make his romance with Hannah work, sparks still flying between April and Ethan, and Natalie learning some secrets about Crockett, "A Needle In The Heart" was a big episode.
Luckily, Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov answered some burning questions from CinemaBlend about the Season 5 finale. Given that "A Needle In The Heart" wasn't originally meant to serve as the finale, the showrunners said this about making any changes once it was clear it would close Season 5:
The episode finished shooting the day production was halted so no changes could be made. But none the less, we feel it's a powerful and surprising episode that works well as a season ender.
Apparently, finishing "A Needle In The Heart" was a close call for Chicago Med Season 5, considering Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov's reveal that shooting finished on the very same day as the production halt. If the schedule had been even a little bit delayed, Med viewers likely wouldn't have gotten the finished product that they did with the finale on April 15.
The showrunners were clear that "A Needle In The Heart" was a "powerful" episode for the end of Season 5, even if that's not how it was originally written. Given that it proved that the story of April and Ethan isn't over, Will is approaching his new relationship with Hannah differently, and there's a lot more to Crockett than anybody could have guessed, there's plenty to think about over the coming months.
Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov clarified whether the murder plot that brought so many of Crockett's secrets to the surface and deepened the relationship with Natalie will continue:
Crockett will not longer be a suspect, but his past in New Orleans will continue to affect his relationships, particularly with Natalie.
Who could have guessed that the same doctor who originally seemed like he might not have much more to do than help expose Philip and complicate April and Ethan's relationship would have so much depth by the end of the season? Honestly, if you would have told me back in the first half of Season 5 that he would have a relationship with Natalie that could be affected, I might not have believed it.
That's not to say that the relationship with Natalie -- which is not romantic as of the end of Season 5, despite some sparks flying -- will be entirely smooth, now that his past from New Orleans is following him to Chicago and Natalie is interested in his story. If the relationship does turn romantic in Season 6, she won't be the first half of Manstead to move on.
Will has of course been deepening his somewhat ill-advised romance with Hannah, and he chose to believe her explanation for connecting with an ex-boyfriend/addict rather than let his suspicions ruin their relationship in the finale. This isn't quite what Will seemed capable of when he was still hung up on Natalie in the beginning of Season 5.
Chicago Med showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov explained what Will is doing differently with Hannah than he did with Natalie:
He's a more mature individual. And Will's involvement with Hannah's addiction gives the two of them a special bond.
Will his newfound maturity be enough to keep his "special bond" with Hannah as something healthy for both of them? Short of a larger-than-usual time jump between Season 5 and Season 6, Hannah should still be relatively early in her recovery when Med picks up again in the new season.
The good news is that not only has Chicago Med been renewed for the 2020-2021 TV season, but it along with the rest of One Chicago has been renewed for a whopping three more seasons, which is more than can be said for the Dick Wolf shows on CBS (which now technically share a universe with One Chicago thanks to the recent Chicago P.D./FBI crossover). The Med showrunners previously shared they have a "creative jump" on Season 6.
While Chicago Med (as well as Fire and P.D.) end their current seasons on April 15, there are still some current and upcoming TV options that you can find out our spring TV premiere schedule.
