Allen MacDonald (Showrunner for Chicago Med)

Summary

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One Chicago Podcast: Alan McDonald (Chicago Med Showrunner)

Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Brian Lucci
Guest: Alan McDonald

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Episode Overview

This episode features Alan McDonald, the showrunner for Chicago Med, in a candid conversation with host Brian Lucci. The pair dive into McDonald's lifelong love of medical dramas, his journey to running one of TV’s top hospital shows, and the heart and grit required to portray Chicago’s first responders authentically. McDonald discusses his approach to storytelling, the emotional realities behind the show’s cases, and offers behind-the-scenes insight into cast dynamics, writers’ room processes, and upcoming character arcs, including the highly anticipated reveal about Dr. Hannah Asher’s baby.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

Alan McDonald's Path to Showrunning (03:47 – 08:41)

• Early Inspiration:

  • Grew up in Huntington Beach, CA, and fell in love with TV watching Little House on the Prairie reruns (03:54).
  • Later, St. Elsewhere solidified his obsession with medical dramas:

    “If there’s something I really like as a writer, I like to cry. I like shows that make me cry.” — Alan McDonald (04:28)

  • Mentions the influence of classic ensemble dramas like Hill Street Blues and ER.

• Transition to Television:

  • Started as a film student at San Diego State, did a range of internships, and broke into TV as a researcher on ER (05:28).
  • Networked via earlier assistantship at Peter Engel Productions (makers of Saved by the Bell), building friendships with industry peers like Rebecca McGill, who eventually brought him into the Wolf Entertainment family (06:46).

Authentic Storytelling and Research (09:00 – 14:25)

• Staying True to the Real World:

  • Emphasizes the importance of firsthand research for emotionally real stories—spending nights in LA county ERs to grasp both medical rhythm and human impact (12:00).
  • Shared a deeply personal and emotional story about witnessing a 14-year-old gang shooting victim die in the ER, and the mother’s heartbreaking cries:

    “I’ll never forget the sounds of her wailing.” — Alan McDonald (13:32)

• Emotional Authenticity:

  • Both host and guest reflect on making TV that honors the lived experience of both first responders and victims.

    “What you bring … is that emotional authenticity from your own experiences.” — Alan McDonald (11:32)

Joining Chicago Med & Building a Writers’ Room (14:53 – 15:38)

• Transition to Showrunner:
  • Joined Chicago Med in season 10, initially anxious about blending new and legacy writing staff but quickly felt welcomed.
  • Praises the collaborative, receptive culture in Chicago:

    “Everyone is just, from the beginning, has been so welcoming to me.” — Alan McDonald (15:24)

• On Being a Showrunner:
  • Describes the role as “in charge of the creative...what stories are gonna be told, what directions the characters are going...the tone of the show” (10:24)
  • Implemented a true writers’ room for Med, something the show hadn’t had before.

Fandom, Cliffhangers, and Character Focus (17:12 – 19:31)

• Surreal Full-Circle Moments:
  • Recalls watching S. Epatha Merkerson (Law & Order royalty) decades ago, now running a show where he works with her (17:12).
• Favorite Character to Write:
  • Loves writing for Dr. Caitlin Lennox (Sarah Ramos) because of her directness and being slightly on the spectrum:

    “...it’s just a lot of fun to write dialogue for her because she says the things that I wouldn’t say … she just doesn’t let any bullshit get in the way.” — Alan McDonald (17:54)

Working with the Cast (21:33 – 23:29)

• S. Epatha Merkerson (“Ipatha”) & Oliver Platt:
  • Praises both as extremely committed, talented, and collaborative.
    • “Oliver is just hysterical… never tires of talking about [story] and trying to make something better.” — Alan McDonald (21:33)
  • First phone call with Platt:

    “He called me…I didn’t answer because I didn’t recognize the number. Then I saw the voicemail, and I said, oh, shit, that was Oliver.” — Alan McDonald (22:30)

• On Dynamics:
  • Enjoys crafting scenes where characters “aren’t on the same page and are trying to get on the same page”—relishes the drama and tension (23:24).

Standout Scenes & Notable Moments (23:55 – 26:33)

• Favorite Dramatic Scene:
  • Highlights an emotionally loaded exchange between Oliver Platt’s Dr. Charles and Darren Barnett’s Dr. Frost, filled with subtext and restraint (24:27).
• Favorite Comic Scene:
  • Recalls Stephen Weber’s Dr. Archer accidentally dosed with acid, providing comedic relief and emotional revelation:

    “You just have to hear a scene from it. But there’s, like… you first realize he’s high because we cut into a scene and he’s just going, ‘Wheels.’” — Alan McDonald (25:10)

• Cliffhanger Philosophy:
  • Justified leaving fans in suspense over Hannah’s baby’s father:

    “You don’t want to give the fans what they want. You want to give them what they need.” — Alan McDonald (01:07, 26:33)

  • Eventually confirmed that Dr. Dean Archer is the father, and explained the misdirects and build-up to the revelation (27:35).

Story Development Process (29:55 – 31:15)

• Season Planning:
  • Begins every year with character arcs, then brainstorms medical stories linked to those arcs.
  • The chosen writer for each episode often picks the relevant medical case to best impact the characters’ journeys.
• Writers’ Room:
  • Credits dynamic team leaders Andy and Lauren for keeping the room self-sufficient and true to the show’s tone.

Themes and What’s Ahead (31:21 – 32:09)

• Season 11’s Theme:
  • “Running out of time”—manifesting through different character arcs (31:21).
  • Example: Dr. Charles facing his own aging and retirement anxieties.

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Memorable Quotes

• On giving fans what they need, not what they want:

  “You don’t want to give the fans what they want. You want to give them what they need.” — Alan McDonald (01:07, 26:33)

• On writing for Dr. Lennox:

  “She just doesn’t let any bullshit get in the way.” — Alan McDonald (17:54)

• On Oliver Platt:

  “He has a way… of just putting you at complete ease, and you really feel that everything is going to be ok, even if it’s not.” — Alan McDonald (32:52)

• On emotional research:

  “It imprints itself on you indelibly.” — Alan McDonald (12:28)
  “I’ll never forget the sounds of her wailing.” — Alan McDonald (13:32)

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Rapid-Fire “STAT” Questions (32:09 – 34:44)

• Any Wolf Entertainment character to bring on Med:

  “Christian Stolte, because I love Mouch.” — Alan McDonald (32:23)

• Doctor he’d want to wake up to:

  “Dr. Daniel Charles, because I think everyone should wake up to Oliver Platt.” (32:52)

• Surgical team:

  “Dr. Dean Archer and Dr. Caitlin Lennox together. Both have military trauma backgrounds.” (33:14)

• Vacation buddy:

  “Dr. John Frost. He just seems like he would be fun.” (33:36)

• Would swap lives with:

  “Dr. Caitlin Lennox … would be fun to have people see Lennox coming and to kind of, you know, back away.” (34:21)

• Dream guest star:

  “Dana Delaney—she’s phenomenally talented and a phenomenal person.” (34:50)

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Key Timestamps

• Early life & TV inspiration: 03:47–04:28
• Transition to ER/medical research: 05:28–06:09
• How Wolf connection happened: 06:46–08:41
• Authenticity and emotional storytelling: 09:00–14:25
• Joining Chicago Med & staff integration: 14:53–15:38
• Being on set, full-circle moments: 16:15–17:12
• Favorite character to write: 17:36–18:35
• Cast insights (Epatha & Platt): 21:33–23:29
• Favorite dramatic scenes: 23:55–25:07
• Season 10 finale cliffhanger & pregnancy arc: 26:33–29:31
• Writers’ room and process: 29:55–31:15
• Season 11 theme: 31:21
• Rapid fire questions: 32:09–34:44

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Tone and Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, candid, and often emotional, with Alan McDonald and Brian Lucci bonding over shared experiences in service-oriented professions. The podcast balances laughs and deeply personal moments, mirroring the show’s unique blend of drama and levity.

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For New Listeners

This episode offers rich insights into how Chicago Med is crafted, what motivates its showrunner, and why emotional truth and collaboration are at its core. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, you’ll walk away appreciating the heart, humor, and authenticity driving the stories in One Chicago.

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Transcript

[Brian Lucci]

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[Alan McDonald]

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[Brian Lucci]

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[Alan McDonald]

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[Alan McDonald]

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[Brian Lucci]

Shop [e-mail] hey, I'm Brian Lucci, and this is the official One Chicago podcast.

[Alan McDonald]

Action.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay, we're only a couple episodes into the new season, and we're jumping right into it on pd. Voight got his unit back, but it sure came at a cost. New kids on the block like Vasquez from Fire, who, by the way, we're going to be talking to in a couple weeks. And the reveal we've all been waiting for. Unmet. Yes, I'm talking about the father of Asher's baby. So today we've got the Chicago med mastermind on the podcast, the fearless showrunner Alan McDonald, the man with the knack for cliffhangers.

[Alan McDonald]

Or as he puts it dramatically, I can be cruel because this is an old adage, but it's absolutely true. You don't want to give the fans what they want. You want to give them what they need.

[Brian Lucci]

That's right. He's davious. But that's what makes this show so dang good and keeps us wanting more. And let me tell you, our conversation, it really stuck with me. We laughed, we cried. And it says a lot about who Alan is as a storyteller. He understands when to lean into the heavy stuff and when to lighten it up.

[Alan McDonald]

If there's something I really like as a writer, I like to cry. I'm a crier, too, and I like to laugh when I'm crying, too. You know, that mix of emotions, I think is key on all these shows.

[Brian Lucci]

We'll get into his lifelong obsession with medical dramas, the characters he loves writing for the most, and the challenge of keeping it real. That's all coming right up after the break. Stay with us.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Brian Lucci]

Alan, thanks so much for joining me. I really appreciate you coming down here to chat.

[Alan McDonald]

It's my pleasure and thank you for having me.

[Brian Lucci]

Tell me a little bit about yourself, where you're from, where you went to school, and how the hell did you get in the show biz?

[Alan McDonald]

I grew up in Huntington Beach, California and I knew from a very early age that I wanted to work in television. My first television love, and my mom will be listening to this and she'll know what this is, is Little House on the Prairie. I know what it is and I loved Little House on the Prairie and I used to come home every day and watch the 5 o' clock repeats. And then on Monday nights at 8, I would watch the new episode.

[Brian Lucci]

She is gonna be all right, isn't she? Doctor said she'd see twice as well with those glasses.

[Alan McDonald]

Twice.

[Brian Lucci]

Well, of course I couldn't handle that. You're far too pretty to me just.

[Alan McDonald]

The way you are.

[Brian Lucci]

What attracted you to Chicago Med World?

[Alan McDonald]

A love of medical dramas, and specifically a love of two particular medical dramas. Because after my Little House on the Prairie obsession, I became obsessed with St. Elsewhere, which, you know, Hill Street Blues was a seminal show in the early 80s and really like brought on the beginning of ensemble casts and told stories in a very different way. Once that show hit, I really loved it. But the next year, or maybe it was a year and a half later, they premiered St. Elsewhere, which at the time they called Hill Street Blues in a hospital, which was really true. It was an ensemble cast, very emotional. If there's something I really like as a writer. I like to cry. I like shows that make me cry.

[Brian Lucci]

I'm a crier, too.

[Alan McDonald]

And I like to laugh when I'm crying, too. You know, that mix of emotions, I think is key on all these shows. What'd he give you, Michael?

[Brian Lucci]

Quaaludes?

[Alan McDonald]

Valium?

[Brian Lucci]

Hey, who the hell are you to.

[Alan McDonald]

Go through my stuff?

[Brian Lucci]

Look out of there.

[Alan McDonald]

How many did you take?

[Brian Lucci]

Not enough.

[Alan McDonald]

I had a auteur film director phase when I went to film school at San Diego State. But I knew that I wanted very quickly to write one hour television. So I ended up moving into an intern job on the fourth season of er, which was the biggest hit on NBC at the time. I started off as a research assistant. I called the show and said I would be happy to do research for free and be an intern. And the researcher had me come in two days a week for three hours, and I would go through all the hard copies of the Chicago Tribune, the LA Times, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and I would cut potential medical articles out and I would make a packet for the researcher that passed it out to the writers.

[Brian Lucci]

ER that was filmed here in Chicago.

[Alan McDonald]

Yeah.

[Brian Lucci]

So while you were doing research, I was hired to do what they call the movie detail. And anytime they had exterior shots as a policeman on your day off, it wasn't, like, cool or anything. You blocked traffic. But ironically, this is how small this world is. You did the research, I'm out there blocking traffic. And here we are.

[Alan McDonald]

Here we are.

[Brian Lucci]

Now you're the showrunner. And that's neat. Really screwed up this time, huh?

[Alan McDonald]

Yeah, you did.

[Brian Lucci]

Gonna press charges?

[Alan McDonald]

I doubt it.

[Brian Lucci]

How did you get hooked up with the one Chicago family?

[Alan McDonald]

I came in through an executive at Wolf Entertainment named Rebecca McGill.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, love her.

[Alan McDonald]

I do, too. And we were actually assistants together at Peter Engel Productions, which is the company that made Saved by the Bell. And my first job in television was Saved by the Belle, the new class fourth season, if you're counting Vicki.

[Brian Lucci]

The meeting is over. No one wants Che.

[Alan McDonald]

Cheeseless cheesecake or piglets? Pigs in a blanket. Well, if I break out in a.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Rash in the middle of the rally, it's gonna be all your fault.

[Alan McDonald]

Fine.

[Brian Lucci]

You bring the food and I'll bring the doctor. I gotta go.

[Alan McDonald]

And I worked on those shows for a couple of seasons, and then I got the job on er. And when I went and became a researcher on er, that was around the time that Rebecca was hired as an assistant for one of the executives at Peter Engel Productions. I no longer worked there, but my whole social circle were those people. And then I met and got to know Rebecca and we became good friends. And she always read my scripts and always liked my writing. But most importantly, she knew I was, like, obsessed with ER at the time, and she knew that I liked medical shows.

[Brian Lucci]

When did you come season 11? It's two years.

[Alan McDonald]

I came on to Med season 10, and now we're in season 11. We're starting season 11.

[Brian Lucci]

So it was last year when I first met you.

[Alan McDonald]

Yes.

[Brian Lucci]

So the very first thing she did was she knew I was coming to town because she's. Lakeisha tells her to travel, like itinerary or whatever it may be. So they know you're coming. You can't duck and weave in la. They find you.

[Alan McDonald]

Yeah, they certainly do. Because the buildings are lower.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah.

[Alan McDonald]

They get harder to hide.

[Brian Lucci]

So I get the call. We're going to lunch. Yes, ma'. Am. Now she's the big boss lady, so you can't say no to Rebecca. You got to meet my new friend. You got to meet the new showrunner, you. And that's when I met you, you know, at lunch with all those guys. And ever since, it's been really cool. And you guys had some police stuff that we talked. I talked with your writers throughout the year season. I don't know if you anything coming up, but I always look forward to it, you know.

[Alan McDonald]

Likewise.

[Brian Lucci]

Likewise. It's fun when we intersect, you know, it's funny. Cause, like, I never realized when I say when the police used to be the police or when the job was the job, when it was cops were cops, was it different like being a doctor back then or writing for it back then, or doing the research? Or has it always been pretty much the same kind of science?

[Alan McDonald]

I think that it's always generally been the same kind of science and that there is a necessity to research in order to tell the medical stories. But in terms of coming up with the heart of a story and the emotion of a story, I think that probably hasn't changed very much. I do know that, like, from St. Elsewhere to ER and from ER to more modern medical shows like Chicago Med, there have been a lot of advancements in technology that I think have honed the storytelling process and created opportunities for new kinds of stories to tell. But the emotion of it, I, I think, has not changed.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Now he says he's worried about me, but the truth is he doesn't want me to be alone with her. There's always that fear that, you know, that I'm gonna. I'm gonna go to that place again.

[Brian Lucci]

Do you mind me asking, did you. Did you ever think maybe that I had misdiagnosed you? No.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

There was something wrong with me, and I'm. I'm grateful for what you did. Otherwise, I don't know if I would be here today.

[Brian Lucci]

Most people know and show business what a creator is or an executive producer or a writer. Most people don't know what the hell a showrunner is and what a showrunner does.

[Alan McDonald]

I guess the showrunner, first and foremost, above everything else, is in charge of the creative of the stories, what stories are gonna be told, what directions the characters are going to be going in, the tone of the show and making sure that that's communicated to the very gifted writers room. Before I came along, Chicago Med did not have a writer's room. And I come from kind of a writer's room background. So that was something that I changed when I. The culture that I came from when I started my first big credit was csi, and that was very much a room culture, a writer's room culture. And we were in the room every day, so.

[Brian Lucci]

So I'm with you. Like, I was just a cop, but people say, oh, he's a good storyteller, or he remembers, or he. He has gravitas or he captured. It's just that you like telling stories. You like making people laugh, you like making people cry. And I'll call up cops and say, yeah, remember that scene you told me you guys were on and it was real, or it hurt you, or you went home that night in tears, whatever that may be. But you'll ask the cop to retell it. And a lot of them don't have that art.

[Alan McDonald]

But what you bring, if you don't mind me saying really quickly, is that emotional authenticity from your own experiences. And that is so important for any of these shows to have someone that brings that emotional authenticity. Because, sure, the writers can and do come up with emotional stories, but you really heighten your game if you work for the people that have actually done it.

[Brian Lucci]

You, as a writer, getting out and talking to people is where all the money is to me, because then you get the heart of it.

[Alan McDonald]

You know, I wrote a medical pilot about. It was in 2011, so 14 years ago, and a friend of mine hooked me up with a friend of his, and I'm now friends with this doctor. His name is Giancarlo DiMasa, and I spent one or two days a week for a month doing the graveyard shift at his emergency Room in Long beach. And you really get the rhythm and sometimes the sense of dread, sometimes the sense of needing to move through a large group of people in tragic circumstances quickly and efficiently. But, yeah, well, it imprints itself on you indelibly. It's like Giancarlo, when I got there one night, he was like, come with me. And there wasn't much preamble. And he took me into one of the trauma rooms and they had a 14 year old boy up on the table and they were massaging his heart, trying to keep him alive.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, my God.

[Alan McDonald]

His older brother was a gang member and the opposing gang had knocked on his door and he answered and they just, they were. I don't know, they were scared or whatever, but they thought he was the older brother and they shot him and he died on the table. And the thing I always remember is how crowded that trauma room was with doctors and people because you could really feel, this is a 14 year old boy.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, they want to do everything.

[Alan McDonald]

They want to do everything they can. And there are people standing around that can't do anything because all the positions are taken, but you can tell they want to do something. And when Giancarlo took me into the hall, there was a waiting room where the mother was sitting and she was just. I'll never forget the sounds of her wailing.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, I see it in your eyes now. So then when you read a script or something that's very similar to that and they bring it to you and you tell the writer respectfully, no, this isn't right. Yeah, and you know it because you lived it and it'll stay with you forever. You know, I tell a story of, we heard gunshots. They come around the corner and there's a 14 year old who got shot. And I don't want to get into it, but he had the wrong color jacket on because his ma bought it for him and had it on layaway for several months. And the mom, I could hear the mom screaming, no, no, no. She knew it was her kid, like. So we did a scene kind of similar and someone said, no, it wouldn't be like that. And I was like, no disrespect. I smelled it, I felt it, I lived it. You know, and we're responsible to be able to have the strength to be able to tell that story. And I love you for that. You're aware you're hard on your sleeve, too. See, we weren't supposed to get so deep. We were supposed to be laughing. But it's life.

[Alan McDonald]

I haven't thought about that in a long time.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah. I'm so sorry. And I'm glad that you shared it with us, and I can't thank you enough. But I think those are the stories that are hard to tell because they profoundly affect us. And I leak, and now I just can't keep it in, you know? Cause there's some crazy things. All right, you stepped in as a showrunner in season 10 of Chicago Med. What was it like jumping into a situation where everyone is super close and you were the new guy?

[Alan McDonald]

It was all really positive. I was very anxious about it coming in. I think the biggest anxiety I had is that from season 9 to 10, half the staff for season 10 were from previous seasons, and half the staff were new people that I brought in. So my big question is, how are these two groups of people gonna gel and everyone just locked in? I'm not saying that it all happened in a day, but I would say after two weeks, we were moving along.

[Brian Lucci]

They were probably open to it. Yeah, they were. They were.

[Alan McDonald]

And they were very open to me, which I'm grateful and appreciative of. And I would say the same about everyone here in Chicago is that I like being out here and on set and having a presence here. And everyone is just, from the beginning, has been so welcoming to me.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, you get a lot of compliments, whether you want to hear it or not. Oh, that guy's so down Earth. Oh, he's so funny. Wait till you meet that showrunner. Like, showrunner. You think, okay, here's this big, scary guy, and you're not scary at all. You're this warm welcome, really fun to talk to, Interesting cat. And I seen you on set one time, and I was like, I didn't even know who you were either. I forgot, you know, because you're just in the crowd, you know, I'm like, wait, get that guy a chair. That's the shit. Showrunner, you know? Yeah. That's neat.

[Alan McDonald]

I appreciate that.

[Brian Lucci]

When you finally came here and you walked around the sets and everything, was it a funny feeling like, it's your home, you're the showrunner. You own the castle now. You know what I'm saying?

[Alan McDonald]

Yeah. They literally give you the keys to the castle. And I was a kid in the candy store. Cause I loved medical shows. And here I was running the type of show that I loved growing up, that I never thought I would get the opportunity to at this point in my career, because I did a lot of murder procedurals. Cause I started on CSI as An actual writer with scripts. I just didn't think a medical show was in my future. And then there I was on a set with them shooting a trauma and a patient coming in. And then, you know, in the thing I think about with Epatha and about Dick Wolf's shows in general is that when I was a PA On Saved by the Belvede New Class, I was on the NBC Burbank lot, and we had a live east coast feed. So when things aired on the east coast, we would see them at the same time. So when the office was empty at the end of the day at 7pm I would be collating new colored pages into all the Saved by the Bell scripts.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, my God.

[Alan McDonald]

And I would have the east coast feed on. And I remember watching Ipefa on Law and Order because I would watch Law and Order every week. I would watch ER every week. I would watch Homicide, Life on the Street. It was a full circle moment when I met Ipefa.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, don't tell her I got a big crush on her. Or don't tell my wife I love her.

[Alan McDonald]

She probably already knows.

[Brian Lucci]

She knows. You know, who is your secret favorite character to write for?

[Alan McDonald]

Oh, my gosh. I love writing for them all. Luch. But I think, oh, I'm gonna get taunted about this. But I think that if I had to choose one, I really enjoy writing for Dr. Lennox, who's played by Sarah Ramos.

[Brian Lucci]

And why?

[Alan McDonald]

I just love Lennox, Dr. Caitlin Lennox. And how she just says exactly what she's thinking. Cause she was always designed to be a tiny bit on the spectrum. And so she doesn't process information the way everybody else does. And so that causes her to be more abrupt and more honest. And it's just a lot of fun to write dialogue for her because she says the things that I wouldn't say because, you know, polite social niceties and everything like that, but she. And that's one of the magical things about a character and why she's efficient, why she's a good doctor, is because she just doesn't let any bullshit get in the way.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay, I know you and your colleagues think that we were abusing these kids.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

I can't speak for my colleagues, but, yes, I do. While these camps may be legal, which blows my mind, I think they're despicable.

[Alan McDonald]

So you think I'm despicable?

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Connect the dots however you will.

[Alan McDonald]

I've seen this method change lives, save your shtick.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

I'm not buying what you're selling. Trust me.

[Alan McDonald]

As a character, she has a lot to learn about human interaction too, because she has a way set in her mind of how she wants to deal with the world. But she got, and this isn't a secret, she got a prognosis for a terminal illness in the finale last year. And so as she goes into season 11, that's really going to influence how she lives her life and she's going to go off in a very surprising new direction.

[Brian Lucci]

Okay, that was some deep stuff. So let's take a little breather and we'll be right back after the break with something just a little bit lighter, I promise.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

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[Brian Lucci]

Learn [e-mail] this episode is brought to you by Jack Daniels. Jack Daniels and music are made for each other. They share a rhythm in the craft of making something timeless while being a part of legendary nights. From backyard jams to sold out arenas, there's a song in every toast. Please drink responsibly. Responsibility.org Jack Daniels and Old Number 7 are registered trademarks. Tennessee Whiskey, 40% alcohol by volume. Jack Daniel Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee. Limu Emu and Doug Here we have the Limu Emu in its natural habitat helping people customize their car insurance and.

[Alan McDonald]

Save hundreds with Liberty Mutual.

[Brian Lucci]

Fascinating. It's accompanied by his natural ally, Doug.

[Alan McDonald]

Uh, Limu is that guy with the binoculars watching us.

[Brian Lucci]

Cut the camera. They see us. Only pay for what you [e-mail] Liberty, Liberty, Liberty.

[Alan McDonald]

Liberty Savings vary underwritten by Liberty Mutual insurance company and affiliates. Excludes Massachusetts.

[Brian Lucci]

We're back talking with the showrunner of Chicago Med, Alan McDonald. I wanted to know what it was like to work with a couple legends like S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt.

[Alan McDonald]

It's amazing with ipatha, who has got such a kind heart and yet is so strong and so confident about who she is and what she wants out of her character. But you know, she's just very fair. Oliver is just hysterical. A lot of fun. Super smart, all in. Super, all in. 100% super smart about story. Never tires of talking about it and trying to make something better. And I think they do feel comfortable to come to me and have discussions and scenes change and are altered because of it. And they always get better, in my opinion. Oh, you bought me a coffee.

[Brian Lucci]

They spelled your name wrong.

[Alan McDonald]

Daniel. You stole somebody's coffee? I left him five bucks.

[Brian Lucci]

He's an old friend of mine.

[Alan McDonald]

That's the magic with those two. I told you earlier that I used to see Ipatha on. On law and order, but, you know, my first phone call with Oliver Platt, he called me. I didn't answer because I didn't recognize the number. Then I saw the voicemail, and I said, oh, shit, that was Oliver. That was Oliver. And then I called him back, and he answered. And he goes, Alan McDonald, and we've never talked to each other before. And I go, oliver Platt, I loved you in flatliners. That was what I said. And then he laughed.

[Brian Lucci]

So Oliver Platt and Voight had a scene and the crossover that was awesome. And Oliver just kept getting. You know, he wanted to talk about it more and more, and Boyd wanted to shoot it. You know, there was this thing, but then the paint that came down. It didn't matter. Boyd listened when she talked. You know, like, keep talking, keep talking. She had him. You know, she's the matriarch. Like, okay, here we go. What's your favorite dynamic to write in Met? Is it romantic scenes, fights, high drama, code blues?

[Alan McDonald]

I like when characters are angry at each other and they're having, like, a bit of a knockdown drag out.

[Brian Lucci]

There's the drama.

[Alan McDonald]

Yeah, I like romance, too, but especially if they're fighting. And I don't mean they're yelling at each other either. I mean that they're not on the same page and they're trying to get on the same page. And in that struggle, a lot of painful things come out.

[Brian Lucci]

I call it verbo judo with a few hits in there. Yeah, I know exactly what you're saying. Can you think of any scene, specific scene where it was the two doctors arguing?

[Alan McDonald]

You know, I have a favorite moment. It is not like the biggest fight that we had last season, but there's this beautiful moment between Oliver Platt and Darren Barnett, who plays Dr. John Frost, where Dr. Frost had his own drama going on last year about his past. And at a certain point toward the end of the season, he was a bit tangled up in that. And Oliver's character, Dr. Daniel Charles, has this laser like, focus on people and knows when something's up. So he likes, like, a magnetic pole. So he goes over to Dr. Frost and he goes, hey, how you doing?

[Brian Lucci]

Well, what's going on?

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Sorry, Dr. Charles.

[Brian Lucci]

I don't mean to take you away from the party. All right. I'm fine.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Not asking for help right now. Thank you.

[Alan McDonald]

Okay.

[Brian Lucci]

Sure. What is this? Did Ripley put you up to this?

[Alan McDonald]

What?

[Brian Lucci]

No. Put me up to what?

[Alan McDonald]

Nothing. All right, whatever.

[Brian Lucci]

I don't need you shrinking me right now, okay?

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

I'm good.

[Brian Lucci]

Well, that's good. Cause I don't shrink colleagues. I do check in with my friends every now and then when they're having.

[Alan McDonald]

A bad day, but if they get.

[Brian Lucci]

All huffy with me, I tend to leave it alone. Good night.

[Alan McDonald]

And then he walked away. I loved.

[Brian Lucci]

He just loved it.

[Alan McDonald]

I loved both their performances. I loved the way Oliver said goodbye as he was turning and walking away. Goodbye. And he walked away.

[Brian Lucci]

Don't drink, my friend.

[Alan McDonald]

Can I use one more example?

[Brian Lucci]

Please.

[Alan McDonald]

Is on the comedy side is Stephen Weber, who has this amazing background. I mean, the guy's a legend. And he has done comedy and he has done drama, and he does them with equal aplomb. And in one episode, he accidentally gets dosed on acid by a couple ravers, and it becomes clear very quickly, he's high. And you just have to hear a scene from it. But there's, like. You first realize he's high because we cut into a scene and he's just going, wheels.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Every wheel in the ED. That's gonna take all day.

[Alan McDonald]

Wheels.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

You have 12 minutes.

[Brian Lucci]

Wheels, wheels, wheels, wheels. You don't ever think of that. H in wheels. Everything okay, Dr. Archer? Yeah, I feel good.

[Alan McDonald]

Yeah.

[Brian Lucci]

A little warm, maybe a little glowy. Glowy.

[Alan McDonald]

And something's clearly wrong.

[Brian Lucci]

Right?

[Alan McDonald]

And then he also has this beautiful scene where he tells his best friend, Dr. Hannah Asher on the show, you know, how he really feels about her, and that she's this light in the world and that she doesn't see it, and she doesn't know how special she is. And the look on her face is so magical, because he would never say those things if he weren't under the.

[Brian Lucci]

Influence, if he wasn't high. Speaking of Hannah, in the season 10 finale, you were kind of cruel to fans. You left us on a hell of a cliffhanger.

[Alan McDonald]

I did. That kind of comes from my cold, dramatic heart. I have my warm, dramatic heart, which is what makes people cry. Hopefully. But this is an old adage, but it's absolutely true. You don't want to give the fans what they want. You want to give them what they need. And sometimes that means not giving them the answer, and they get upset about it, but they're so invested that I think it deepens, you know, their love of the characters. Now you're asking me about who the father of Hannah's baby is. And by the time everyone hears this, they'll know that Dr. Dean Archer is the father of the baby. But it's a funny story there, Luch, because when the finale was written and when it was shot and I was on set and when it aired, I thought it was very clear that we were telling the audience that Archer was the father. But we never revealed. Revealed it. It was never said in dialogue. The last moment of that scene is the door opening, Hannah saying to someone we can't see.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

We need to talk.

[Alan McDonald]

And then cutting to Stephen Weber as Dr. Dean Archer, like, waiting to get the news that the audience already knows. And I thought that that was 100% confirmation. But when I did interviews before the finale aired, people were asking me, well, is Archer the father? They want to know 100%. They wanted to know 100%. To me, it was obvious. But as soon as I knew they weren't sure because I'm cruel dramatically, I wouldn't tell them for sure. I was like, well, I don't know. You're just gonna have to see in.

[Brian Lucci]

The fall, how and when did you decide it would be Archer?

[Alan McDonald]

The original idea was that we would play that it was Archer or Ripley and then have her go tell the father and knock on the door, and then have Nick Gelfas answer the door. And then the audience would be like, oh, my God.

[Brian Lucci]

That's like a Lynskey coming back on our show. Holy cow. There you go. There's some torture. What. What are you interested in exploring with Hannah's pregnancy this season?

[Alan McDonald]

I want to see how two people that clearly have been best friends for years are obviously attracted to each other, but feel that a romantic relationship would be a threat to their friendship. How do they negotiate having a child together? And then beyond that, how do they raise a child together? And how do they prevent those feelings that ended up with them in bed in the first place from popping up again? What kind of insecurities does this create for them both? Hannah has guilt cause her sister can't have a child. And she was supposed to be a surrogate for her sister Lizzie, and is now not able to do that. She wants to be a mother, but I don't think she was expecting it to happen so soon. And for Archer, I think it's gonna be a chance for him to explore getting the opportunity to be a father again. Because he wasn't the greatest father to his son Sean. And this is like A second opportunity.

[Brian Lucci]

But also, which is amazing.

[Alan McDonald]

Archer's older than Hannah. And so, like, I think there's a little bit of fear that he's not going to be around for as much of it as he would like. Whether rational or irrational, these are the feelings that will come up in both of them, because they're all true.

[Brian Lucci]

Like, everything in there is true. How much do you know about where you want to take the story before you jump into the writer's room? Meaning any story.

[Alan McDonald]

What we do at the beginning of the season is we spend the first week, week and a half, talking about each character's arc one at a time. And then we spend a couple days where everybody brings in story ideas from just ideas they have that are medical or articles that are ripped from the headlines that we can use. And we put them up on a board and then we go through them and we choose which ones best fit. And then from there, I usually do it so that the writer of the episode can choose what medical stories they do. We already know on the board which character things are gonna happen for each character in each episode. But what are the medical stories that we're gonna tell to help facilitate that character story?

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, what best affects that? Right. What kicks it off more?

[Alan McDonald]

That's cool. Yeah. And like I said, we have a brilliant writer's room. And like you asked me about being a showrunner earlier, the most important thing for a showrunner, because they can't be in the room that much most of the time, is to have people running the room like Andy and Lauren and a staff that they're just self starters and they just, they're great. There's a synergy between them that when I go in there, like, I always have notes and thoughts when I hear the story, but like, it's usually not that much because they know what they're doing, they know what the tone of the show is that I kind of set forth in the beginning.

[Brian Lucci]

Now, without spoiling anything, what themes and characters did you know you wanted to explore this season?

[Alan McDonald]

The theme of the season, and this is gonna sound very vague, is running out of time. And that will be expressed through different character storylines in different ways. You know, the obvious way. You know, one thing I'll say about Dr. Charles is, you know, he's still youthful and he has a long time to go, but he is 60 now and he has friends that retiring or want to retire and like, Dr. Charles has no interest in that. So I think that is going to put him in crisis a little bit this season.

[Brian Lucci]

Oh, that's cool. Okay, Ellen, it's time for a round of rapid fire questions. But since it's your show Med, we're going to call it stat. All right, I'm going to ask you a series of questions that you need to answer quickly and the best that you can. Are you ready?

[Alan McDonald]

I am.

[Brian Lucci]

All right, Alan, if you could bring any character from any Wolf Entertainment show. I'm talking Law & Order, SVU, FBI, other Chicago shows, et cetera, onto Chicago Med, who would you choose and why?

[Alan McDonald]

Christian Stolt, because I love Mouch.

[Brian Lucci]

You love Mouch? Half man.

[Alan McDonald]

We had him in episode 15 last season because I loved him. And I went over and asked Andrea Newman, the showrunner of Fire, very nicely if I could borrow him for an episode, and she graciously said yes. And he was just fantastic.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, I love him. He screamed chicago. If God forbid, you were rushed to Chicago, met unconscious, which character's face would you want to see when you wake up, and why?

[Alan McDonald]

Dr. Daniel Charles, because I think everyone should wake up to Oliver Platt. He, like, has a way, in his manner on the show of just putting you at complete ease, and you really feel that everything is going to be okay, even if it's not this one.

[Brian Lucci]

Who would you want to perform surgery on you if you needed it, and why?

[Alan McDonald]

That would be Dr. Dean Archer and Dr. Caitlin Lennox together. I would want them both on the case because they both have military backgrounds with trauma surgeries, and I would trust the two of them the most as a team together.

[Brian Lucci]

Alan, which Chicago Med character would you most want to go on vacation with and why?

[Alan McDonald]

Dr. John Frost. He just seems like he would be fun, and he would be, you know, plugged into the. The fun of wherever we went.

[Brian Lucci]

You're a capable, intelligent woman with a big heart. I can tell. Well, thank you for really seeing me, Dr.

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

Frost.

[Brian Lucci]

Does this usually work? Does what usually work?

[Podcast Advertiser/Announcer]

The charm of salt and the smile.

[Alan McDonald]

And the puppy dog eyes.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, it does.

[Alan McDonald]

I'd say the same about Darren Barnett, who plays him. Like, he would be the guy if you're at a film festival or something, to hang out with. There you go.

[Brian Lucci]

Alan, if you could trade places with one Chicago Med character for a day, who would that character be and why, stat?

[Alan McDonald]

I'm gonna say Dr. Caitlin Lennox. And the reason I feel that way is because I think it would be fun to have everybody react to me the way they react to her, because I think she scares people, and I find that people aren't usually afraid of me, and I wouldn't want them to be. But it would be fun for a to have people see Lennox coming and to kind of, you know, back away. I just want to know what that.

[Brian Lucci]

Feels like, to have that fear. Who's your dream guest star? Could be anyone in the world.

[Alan McDonald]

I would like to have Dana Delaney on the show. She was on China Beach. She was a nurse that. Colleen McMurphy and I worked with her on a show called Body of Proof for two seasons and she's phenomenally talented and she's a phenomenal person and I would like to work with her again.

[Brian Lucci]

There you go. Well, that's it in a nutshell. We'd like to thank you very, very much, Alan, for coming out. Showrunner, one of the kindest men in the business so far that I've met.

[Alan McDonald]

Right back at you.

[Brian Lucci]

Yeah, I mean, can't wait for hopefully many, many more years in our family and hopefully we'll be able to make a whole lot more sausage out there.

[Alan McDonald]

That would be amazing. Thank you, Luch. I appreciate.

[Brian Lucci]

High stakes drama on the page, but one of the most grounded guys you'll ever meet, that's Alan McDonald, the showrunner for Chicago Met. And that, as they say, is all she wrote. But watch her feed for the next episode of the One Chicago podcast coming next week. Once Chicago airs on Wednesday night at 8 Central on NBC and you can stream it on Peacock. The One Chicago podcast is a production of Wolf Entertainment and USG Audio. The series is hosted by me, Brian Lucci. It's executive produced by Dick Wolf, Elliot Wolf and Steven Michael at Wolf Entertainment, Josh Block at USG Audio and John Yell Kastner at SpokeMedia. Our showrunner is Derek John, our producer is Maggie Dubrizi and our audio producer is Jason Mark. Video production by Bo Delmore. Coordinating production by Tess Ryan. Our production assistant is Montserrat Rodriguez with engineering and mix by Evan Arnett and original music by John o'.

[Alan McDonald]

Hara.

[Brian Lucci]

This series is produced by Spoke Media and distributed by Realm Production. Support for USG Audio by Josh Lalonghi. I'm Brian Luch. Thanks for listening and we'll see you all soon. It's okay not to be perfect with finances.

[Alan McDonald]

Experian is your big financial friend and here to help.

[Brian Lucci]

Did you know you can get matched.

[Alan McDonald]

With credit cards on the app?

[Brian Lucci]

Some cards are labeled no Ding decline.

[Alan McDonald]

Which means if you're not approved, they won't hurt your credit scores. Download the Experian app for free today. Applying for no Ding decline cards won't hurt your credit scores.

[Brian Lucci]

If you aren't initially approved.

[Alan McDonald]

Initial approval will result in a hard inquiry, which may impact your credit scores. Experian from the darkest corners of our imagination comes a game show that's more ridiculous than. Than terrifying. Welcome to Tickled to Death, the horror comedy game show where nothing is sacred, everything's a little unhinged, and the only thing more cursed than the questions are the jokes. I'm Roz Hernandez, your fearless host, and.

[Brian Lucci]

Each week I'll be leading a brave.

[Alan McDonald]

Group of guests through twisted horror trivia, improv games, and enough sarcastic banter to make you question all your life's choices.

[Brian Lucci]

So come for the screams, stay for the snark.

[Alan McDonald]

Listen to Tickled to Death wherever you get your podcasts and hit follow, unless you want the show to follow you. In the meantime, don't get Tickled to Death.