Warning: SPOILERS for Chicago Med season 10, episode 14, "Acid Trip."Season 10, episode 14 of Chicago Med’s characters to the point of suspension.

While Chicago Med has arguably had the weakest showing when it comes to romances in the One Chicago franchise, the episode “Acid Trip” definitely seems geared toward Harcher (Hannah/Archer) shippers. While taking a break from roaming the hospital grounds on an unsupervised LSD trip, Archer responds to Hannah’s ongoing issues with Ripley by saying she deserves more. He then calls back an earlier character's line about wanting to feel the earth beneath his feet, which in Dean's context appears to mean appreciating what's in front of him. But in the case of Hannah, that might not be the best idea.

I Strongly Oppose Archer & Asher’s Romance In Chicago Med (Despite It Being A Popular Ship)

The Arguments Against It Are Just Too Strong To Ignore

A number of Rashers (Ripley/Asher shippers) oppose the idea of an Asher and Archer romance on the basis that he’s old enough to be her father, but that’s not the key issue. Hannah’s a grown woman. She can date Charles if she wants to, and nobody besides maybe Nurse Jackie would get a say in it. However, Archer’s relationship with Asher often colors him as something of a father figure, and an attempt at romance would hurt that dynamic. Even the characters themselves feel like they’d be quick to realize that.

Dean Archer’s actor Steven Weber has similar doubts, but there are professional concerns as well. A lot of things have changed in Chicago Med since Dean tried to resign, but it ultimately hasn’t been that long since Archer was Hannah’s superior. Goodwin would likely have questions about when precisely their attraction started and whether professional lines were ever blurred, especially after just surviving a near-miss with the accreditation board. Their relationship would be under extreme scrutiny from practically everyone. That just doesn’t seem like a great way to start a new romance.

I Agree With Dean About Hannah Needing To Break Up With Ripley, However

Their Relationship Hasn’t Been Good For Either One Of Them

Ripley spends most of “Acid Trip” struggling with feelings of isolation and regression, leading him to seek advice from Sister Mary Katherine from season 10, episode 5. MK tells Ripley to focus on the one thing in life he can’t live without, so he meets with Hannah to express his love. Hannah tells Mitch that love isn’t enough anymore when it feels like he keeps getting through bad patches just to experience another one. Not only is this a sadly accurate assessment of Asher and Ripley’s relationship, but this episode hints at the reason why.

Excluding Hannah, Ripley’s strongest emotional after Sully’s Chicago Med death was understandably Lynne. But he only visits her in this episode because Nate’s sick, and he lies to her about why he’s not at work. This suggests that Mitch hasn’t been fully leaning on anyone but Hannah. The fact that Lynne complicates things by kissing him is irrelevant if he wasn’t being open with her beforehand anyway. Leaning on Hannah for everything is unfair to her and unhealthy for Mitch himself. Hannah cutting things off not only gives her room to breathe, it gives Mitch room to grow.

Why Asher & Archer Being Just Friends Is Better For Chicago Med

Their Friendship s More Storylines Than Their Romance Would

As noted before, trying to set up a romance between Dean and Hannah would ruin the dynamic they already have. Perhaps their friendship wouldn’t be as difficult to salvage as Hannah’s was with Mitch, but maintaining their friendship allows them to continue ing each other through storylines unaffected by their relationship status. There are other Chicago Med characters who could fill this role for Asher (she has great rapport with Frost), but the friendship between Hannah and Dean has always felt like a standout that shouldn’t be eliminated just to fulfill a popular ship.

No matter how many other romances they embark upon, the fact that we’ve never seen them try to get together and fail means that the potential for a spark is forever alive.

Keeping them apart also does a service to the very shipping community that wants to pair them up. No matter how many other romances they embark upon, the fact that we’ve never seen them try to get together and fail means that the potential for a spark is forever alive. Chicago Med could certainly benefit from stronger romantic subplots than the ones it currently has, but the weight of that could easily fall on the shoulders of other characters. Sometimes, it’s okay for TV friends to just stay good friends.

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