Since Dr. Mitch Ripley appeared on Chicago Med, it was clear that he would be the latest problematic character.
The show has never been shy of having annoying and frustrating characters at the forefront of the narrative, but in many instances, they tried to justify the behavior.
While Dr. Halstead used to rub many people the wrong way, he was consistent in his convictions, even if they were sometimes misguided.
The series introduced Ripley as someone with a complicated past tied to Dr. Charles.
It caused a lot of friction between them, but they reached a normalization point.
However, it became clear that Ripley had a serious problem with anger management. He was always ready to attack at the slightest provocation.
Given his rough upbringing, it made sense that he had learned to use violence as a self-preservation mechanism.
Ripley’s Transgressions Escalate in Chicago Med Season 10
A new showrunner joined the show at the beginning of the season, and it has improved and rejuvenated it.
Chicago Med Season 10 has featured impactful storylines, and the one featuring Dr. John Frost is easily one of my favorites.
However, the season spent significant time on Ripley, his rocky relationships, and growing anger.
When his friend Sully showed up with a serious illness, it made him default to the young man he had worked so hard to leave behind.
That came with its fair share of outbursts, anger, and irrational behavior.
It all culminated with a grisly attack where Ripley put a man in a hospital because he couldn’t handle his emotions.
People are complex; sometimes, giving someone grace and understanding goes a long way.
Still, there must be a limit to everything, and for Ripley, the limit was when he attacked a man and caused serious bodily harm.
People lose jobs, friends, and relationships for lesser offenses, and Chicago Med seemed hellbent on giving Ripley a pass.
If we’re honest, Ripley should have been fired if Chicago Med prioritized the story.
However, firing a character from Gaffney would rob an actor of their job in the acting industry, and Luke Mitchell does not deserve that.
I was okay with the redemption route, and the show seemed to be taking that route until they dropped the arc entirely and went in another direction.
Sharon fired him from his job, but that did not last long.
He got in an accident while trying to save a mother and daughter trapped inside a well.
With a tunnel collapse limiting his supply of oxygen, Ripley hallucinated his late friend before Chicago Fire rescued him.
Ripley Doesn’t Earn His Redemption
It’s unclear what that development was supposed to be, but Chicago Med expected viewers to forgive Ripley after Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 15 just because he had a near-death experience.
There was no exploration of consequences or proper justification for his getting his job back at Gaffney.
One day he was fired, another he was dying, the next he wasn’t, and later on he was back, just because he nearly died while saving someone.
It’s heroic that he put his life in danger for others, but it doesn’t address the fundamental problem.
This is a classic case of TV “outs.”
Writers tackle storylines, but when they fail to find a way to land the ship, they take outs.
Outs make for less interesting and exciting TV and are generally a lazy way to approach things in life.
Ripley Is Poised to Have a Bigger Role Next Season
Seeing him in the ED as if he were as unproblematic as Nurse Doris has been confusing these last few episodes.
We could see more of him with the latest developments in Hannah’s life, including the pregnancy.
Despite all my yapping over the last few hundred words, I enjoyed seeing him in the background.
However, if he is Hannah’s baby daddy, I’m afraid the old Ripley will return in Chicago Med Season 11.
The show has been preparing him for his role using Sully’s son, and I’m not sure how he’s been performing.
The most we can do is hope that he won’t be the old Ripley, and the near-death experience did change him.
Over to you, Chicago Med Fanatics. What do you think of Ripley’s arc this season? Did you enjoy his angsty persona?
You made it to the end — and that means a lot.
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