2 Chicago Med Alums Made Sad Returns in the Season 10 Penultimate Episode
A Charles family funeral has brought some familiar Chicago Med faces back to the Windy City.
Tragedy can bring a family together, and following the death of someone very close to Dr. Daniel Charles (Oliver Platt), a few beloved Chicago Med characters have returned to the fold to comfort him.
While shocking medical moments are in high supply on Chicago Med, no one could have prepared for the tragedy that recently befell Gaffney's Head of Psychiatry. Just after reconnecting with his estranged mother, Margaret (Deanna Dunagan), she tragically passed away before they could make any real headway. Dr. Charles was blindsided by the heartwrenching loss and found himself struggling to organize a memorial for his mother in Chicago Med's May 14 episode ("Baby Mine...").
Dr. Charles' dear friend Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) checked in on him ahead of the funeral, and he admitted that he didn't know how to confront the loss properly. Dr. Charles had a tumultuous relationship with his mother, so how was he expected to honor her properly? Coincidentally, it was the arrival of Dr. Charles's own children that helped him see the light regarding his complicated relationship with his mother.
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While the circumstances could certainly be brighter, Chi-Hards were elated to see Robin Charles (Mekia Cox) and Anna Charles (Hannah Riley) return to Med screens. Here's what happened:
Chicago Med alum Robin Charles returned to comfort her father
Robin is the daughter of Dr. Daniel Charles and his first wife, CeCe, and a former doctor at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. As an accomplished epidemiologist, Robin weighed in on many early season medical cases before moving to a Minneapolis hospital. Meanwhile, Anna is Charles' daughter, whom he shares with his second ex-wife, Susan Charles.
With Robin working in Minneapolis and Anna in school at Stanford, it's been forever since Dr. Charles has caught up with his daughters, so he was happy to see they were able to attend the funeral. Dr. Charles hugged them tight, learning Robin had picked up her half-sister from the airport for the service. Later that day, Dr. Charles made sure to connect with Robin to thank her for attending.
For those who missed it: Robin had a turbulent relationship with Dr. Charles' mom, as well. Margaret had issues with Dr. Charles' marriage to a Black woman, which led to conflict in Season 4 of the series.
"I'm fine," Robin told Dr. Charles. "Was grandma racist? Yes, but she apologized for it basically every time she called."
"She called you?" Dr. Charles asked incredulously. Robin was surprised he didn't know already.
"I was confused about it too, the first time I answered," Robin shared, explaining that they would chat every couple of months to check in. Margaret had come to love and care for her granddaughter, even if Dr. Charles hadn't known. Gaffney's go-to psychologist began to realize that his mother had made big changes in her personal life, but he missed out on many of them due to their lingering tension.
Dr. Charles' daughter Anna is staying in Chicago for a while
Amid the loss of his parent, the arrival of Dr. Charles' kids served as a touching reminder that he'd always care about his mother, and that his mother always cared about him. While delivering a eulogy, Dr. Charles expressed regret for not giving his mother more of a chance when she was still alive.
"I always wanted to have that last conversation with my mom. The one where you were honest with each other and maybe start to forgive each other," Dr. Charles said. "And I did have a last conversation with my mom, but it sure wasn't that one. I'd give anything to change that."
"Mom, I'm so sorry if I hurt you, and I hope you can forgive me," Dr. Charles choked out, looking over to his daughters as an anchor. "And I also want to say I love you. Because the love between a parent and child, it goes beyond any one moment or decision. It goes beyond anything."
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Amid the emotional turmoil of his mother's funeral, Dr. Charles noted Anna was behaving strangely. But Anna's strange mood didn't seem to be fueled by her grandmother's passing. After she claimed to be stuck in traffic from the airport that day, Dr. Charles noticed that Anna's luggage tags indicated she'd been in town for four weeks. After catching Anna in the lie, Dr. Charles asked why she was avoiding him.
Forced to come clean, Anna revealed she had dropped out of Stanford. She hadn't wanted to tell her father immediately, especially after the sudden family emergency. Dr. Charles was speechless as he realized his daughter wasn't going anywhere any time soon. But the unexpected family time might be just what is needed as Dr. Charles heals from this heartbreaking loss.
Watch Chicago Med Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
