Mekki Leeper and Kahyun Kim of St. Denis Medical Back Matt and Serena Delay
Season 2 of St. Denis Medical surprised fans by putting Matt and Serena’s budding romance on hold.
During the premiere on Monday, November 3, a brief time jump showed that Matt (Mekki Leeper) and Serena (Kahyun Kim) were stationed in different areas of the hospital. Serena requested this change to help Matt move past his feelings for her, only to discover that Matt had asked for the same separation.
Matt then informed Serena that he had moved on from her, a revelation that left her less than thrilled. This twist suggested that Serena was now more conscious of her feelings for Matt, a shift from their dynamic in Season 1.
“Like in a real relationship, you’ve got to get to know one another,” Leeper, 31, shared exclusively with Us Weekly. “There’s a bit of stop and start there.”
Leeper hinted at Matt’s mental state: “He doesn’t want to come off as desperate and aims to play it cool. Sometimes that means taking a step back for a season,” he explained. “I appreciate that they’re not following a typical sitcom romance formula.”
He continued: “They’re both quirky in their own ways. If they weren’t a couple, they would just be two fascinating characters. It’s great that we get to be oddballs together.”
Kim, 36, added that fans can expect more surprises as the season unfolds.
“A lot happens in Season 2,” she noted. “There are plenty of ups and downs, and it definitely evolves into something exciting.”
In her conversation with Us, Wendi McLendon-Covey reflected on her shock at the storyline developments. “Every table read left us asking, ‘Well, what happens next?’” she shared. “We all have our hopes for how it should go, but the plot is sure to take unexpected twists and turns.”
St. Denis Medical follows dedicated doctors and nurses striving to provide care at an underfunded hospital in Oregon. Alongside Leeper, Kim, and McLendon-Covey, the mockumentary features David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, and Kaliko Kauahi.
When the series debuted on NBC in 2024, viewers couldn’t help but see the potential for Matt and Serena to become the next beloved sitcom couple. Creator Eric Ledgin hinted at the possibility of a romance between the two.
“There’s definitely at least a one-sided will-they-or-won’t-they situation brewing,” he previously teased to Us. “So, it’s safe to say it’ll be a slow burn that we will monitor over time.”
Before Season 2, Tolman, 43, defended the choice to not rush into the onscreen romance.
“We’ve learned — especially from media portrayals — that certain scenarios in shipping can go wrong. Sometimes, someone is gone for a month for work, and when they return, things feel off,” she explained to Us. “It’s a bit awkward. Relationships require constant work, even when things are good. There are plenty of avenues to explore a romance.”
St. Denis Medical airs on NBC on Mondays at 8 p.m. ET and is available for streaming the following day on Peacock.
