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‘Chicago Med’ Promotes Recurring Character to Series Regular

Chicago Med elevated a very familiar face to series regular.

Steven Weber, who plays Dr. Dean Archer, will now be a full-time cast member on Chicago Med, one of NBC’s top-performing dramas. The Chicago shows anchor Wednesday nights, with Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD. Dick Wolf, who created the Law & Order franchises, also is responsible for the Chicago shows.

The 60-year-old Weber has starred on television since the 1990s. His best-known role was in Wings, when he played ladies man Brian Hackett. He and his brother, Joe (Tim Daly) played pilots at a small airport in Nantucket, Mass. Weber also was in Once and Again and had recurring roles in iZombie and NCIS: New Orleans. Weber also worked on two Wolf shows — Law & Order: SVU and Criminal Intent.

On Chicago Med, Weber’s Dr. Archer used to work with Dr, Ethan Choi in the military. But the roles are reversed. Archer used to be Choi’s boss and mentor. At Chicago Med, Archer works for Choi.

Weber Said His Chicago Med Character Is Worried About His Age

Back in March, Weber previewed his Chicago Med character in an interview with TVLine.

“As in a lot, if not all, of the characters in the Dick Wolf universe, these people aren’t stereotypes,” Weber said. “And they carry their pasts with them. Despite Dean and Ethan’s ability to move on past their service, there might be hints of some PTSD. In Dean at least, there might be some issues that maybe go a little deeper in terms of his self-identity, how he’s aging, and the fact he now has to work under the guy who used to work under him, and how he fits in.

Chicago Med is Weber’s second show in which he plays a doctor, so he’s well versed in how to portray a physician. He played an oncologist in Chasing Life.

Weber returned back to the subject of aging when discussing his Chicago Med character.

“There are suggestions that he’s been suffering from a blow to his self-esteem,” Weber said. “He’s afraid of aging out of his profession. He had his own practice for a while, which is something he aspired to after the service, and that was not successful for a variety of reasons.

“He has to work under one of his pupils — it’s like someone having to move back in with their parents. And while it’s necessary and not a bad thing intrinsically, if you have an ego, an idea of where you saw yourself and you didn’t end up there, it could be a blow.”

Show Also Added Two New Characters for Season 7

Chicago Med also added two new characters for season seven after the departures of Yaya DaCosta and Torrey DeVitto. The two actors, who have been with the show since it started, exited in May. DaCosta played ER nurse April Sexton. She’s joining the cast of Fox’s Our Kind of People. DeVitto was Dr. Natalie Manning, who was a pediatric specialist in the ER on Chicago Med. She also did cross-over episodes on the other two Chicago-themed shows.

Guy Lockard will portray Dr. Dylan Scott. The character left a career as a Chicago police officer to become a doctor. Kristen Hager plays Dr. Stevie Hammer, a brilliant ER attending physician.