‘Chicago Fire’ season 3 spoilers: ‘Law & Order’ alum joins ‘Chicago Med’ backdoor pilot

We have one of the latest confirmed castings for the upcoming “Chicago Fire” / “Chicago PD” crossover “Chicago Med,” and this one just so happens to know the world of Dick Wolf rather well already.

According to a report from Deadline, former “Law & Order” actress  S. Epatha Merkerson is going to be appearing in the upcoming 19th episode of “Chicago Fire” this season, which will serve as the backdoor pilot for this long-rumored spin-off show. She will be playing the part of Sharon Goodwin, the head of the hospital in which the show is primarily set. She is a no-nonsense woman who is not a fan of the political side of things, and prefers to focus on the other aspects of her job.

What is somewhat interesting about this casting to us is that technically, “Law & Order” is in the same universe as “Chicago Med,” so Merkerson will have played two different characters within it. This is hardly unheard of, but it is still curious to point out.

What we worry about with this new series is strictly a matter of figuring out how to stand out from the crowd. After all, ABC already has “Grey’s Anatomy,” and this remains in so many ways the crown jewel of hospital dramas. After being around for as long as it has, the show has really earned that title. Meanwhile, NBC already has “The Night Shift,” and we’re not quite sure how easy it is to make one hospital show that different from the others.

After this episode airs, NBC will have until May to make a decision on the future of the pilot.

What do you think about this casting, based of course on the limited information that we have? Share right now with a comment.