Chicago Med
Chicago Med – Down by Law (3×10)
Chicago Med returned from its winter-Olympic hiatus with a few storylines that brought out the ugly side of me and some of the doctors.
I’ll start by saying the writers didn’t listen to us when we told them that they should probably change up the pairings so that we’re not constantly rehashing the same storylines.
Will & Natalie are still working together, he’s still coddling her and treating her more like a girlfriend than a co-worker, and they are still both getting way too emotionally involved in their patients. The latter more than Will, but he vouches for her because that’s his girlfriend, so it’s still bad.
The episode kicked off tackling the gun problem in Chicago.
Natalie and Barry, Maggie’s persistent and off-putting ex, were attending to a gun-shot victim when the suspects circled back around to “finish” the job.
Although I’m not fond of him, Barry pushed Nat out of the way, but then did the stupidest thing possible by pulling out his weapon and firing back, resulting in a shoot-out in plain daylight.
Really, Barry?
In the midst of the gun control debate and in a city that’s notorious for it’s “gun problem” (thanks, Trump), the scene was daring.
Sure, his reaction was justified and the scene makes a solid argument for why paramedics and others in the medical field should be able to carry a firearm.
Olinsky was at Med right away — hey, at least this show knows how to utilize him – to check out Barry’s conceal and carry.
The thought of losing Barry again helped Maggie realize that she actually wanted to be with him. All his groveling seemed to finally pay off. That is until Olinsky returned to arrest Barry.
Had the conceal and carry been valid, Barry’s actions would have been justified as self-defense. But, his permit was not legal because he failed to disclose a name change.
Yes, something trivial, but the repercussions are much graver considering Maggie did not know about his “other identity.”
Maggie, girl, did you not know his family? The way the series made it seem, these two were serious back in the day. I’m talking “buy her jewelry” serious. How did she not know his whole back-story?
Truthfully, I don’t really care because I’m not too invested in his story. Maggie is the heart of Med and she can definitely do better. There has to be someone outside of those depressing and off-white hospital walls that she can pursue.
I’m just really upset that the series wasted ALL THIS TIME trying to make these two find their way back to each other, only to reiterate that not only was Barry a cheater, he was also a fraud. What was the point of that?
I knew there was something off about him. What else could he be lying about?
Natalie was clearly not feeling like herself after hitting her head during the shooting but she’s stubborn and refused to go home and rest up.
Will even tried to make the decision for her, which was a little overbearing, but understandable — he’s just a guy concerned about his girlfriend… and co-worker. See? It’s always so messy.
Let’s just get one thing straight — this series has an obsession with pregnancy stories. And not just normal pregnancies either; I think they have a team of people scouring the internet to find the most messed up storylines involving young women and getting pregnant and then just throw all that onto Natalie, knowing full well she’s a sucker who can’t distance herself from it.
Nat’s 14-year-old patient gets rushed to the E.R by an older man, who we assume is her father.
But plot-twist: she’s actually a child-bride and he’s a 40-year-old reverend that claims their marriage was a gift from the Lord.
Disturbed by the whole situation, especially the fact that this man has obviously been forcing the girl to have sex, hence the bleeding out following a miscarriage (AT 14!), she turns to Sharon and the hospital attorney. “She’s just a child,” Nat retorts, but there’s nothing anyone can do; it’s legal – the girl’s father okayed the marriage — and they have to honor the law if they don’t want to get sued.
CHICAGO MED — “Down By Law” Episode 310 — Pictured: Torrey DeVitto as Natalie Manning — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)
At this point you know, they are DEFINITELY getting sued because when has anyone at Med ever actually “stayed out of it.” This is a hospital with doctors who have a strong moral compass and it makes for really great but also tragically messy situations.
Natalie diagnosed the girl with a tumor on her and recommended chemotherapy, which, if treated early on, could guarantee a full recovery.
Most people would be thrilled with that, however, this old man — who makes all the decisions for his “wife” — didn’t want to risk infertility. Yes, that sound you are hearing is me scoffing with disgust.
We have yet another case of a man making decisions when it concerns a woman’s reproductive organs.
What’s even more infuriating is that the guy basically made this girl believe that as his wife, she has absolutely no say in anything.
Luckily, the law protects women and allows them to make their own health-care choices, without having to discuss it with their husbands.
Nat engaged in an explosive, and very unprofessional screaming match, with the disgusting reverend, who proceeded to call her a bitch. Yes, because we’ve never heard that one from a man who thought he was all high-and-mighty.
At this point, I don’t know what’s worse: the man saying that or the name calling is the only thing Will was concerned about.
Nat was, obviously, removed from the case, which Sharon should have done immediately because how could she not expect Natalie, a woman who cares about her patients so deeply, especially young women, not get involved?
Will took over the case and basically did the same thing as Nat, but without all the emotion. He hatched a plan to make the reverend think he too was a woman-hating guy, then, when he was distracted, snuck into the girl’s room to convince her to make the right choice.
For a 14-year-old, such a medical diagnosis is a major undertaking; to go against her husband, her sole provider, and thus the church and proceed with a hysterectomy, an irreversible procedure which guarantees she will never have kids, was bold.
Halstead tried to convince her to not to make the drastic call, but she heartbreakingly told him, “you don’t know my life.”
I can only imagine the trauma she’s had to endure. How can it be legal in any state for an odler man to marry a teenage girl? I mean, that’s pedophilia.
Keep this case fresh in your mind folks because I bet it will come back around very soon when the Reverend starts a legal battle with the hospital.
Will’s intentions are in the right place, but he’s definitely the kind of guy who doesn’t understand the #MeToo movement. The writers are trying to make us think that’s okay because he’s “not as bad” as the others and has Natalie to guide him, but “not as bad” still isn’t good. He still thinks he’s stronger and better than Nat, which is what he displayed by trying to take care of her like she was a wilted flower. In order for this to work, he has to see her as his equal and he’s got a long way to go considering he’s just learning that women are “strong.”
Connor continued bringing his personal life to the E.R, this time literally. He waltzed in with his one-night-stand after she was having chest pains.
Come for the sex, stay for the thorough medical check-up. To be honest, that’s not a bad deal considering Connor is one of the best, personal problems aside.
Ava was quite enjoying seeing him squirm as he had to rehash his night to Latham and then when he realized his chick was actually married.
In the beginning of the series, Ava was deemed a bitch, but she’s been crafted into a character who is determined to succeed and blunt in her efforts. She’s one of the realist people at Med!
While we know Ava and Connor will eventually hook-up, the writers made the right call by allowing him to just rebound after Robin. He needs to get it all out of his system and not with Ava, cause something tells me, she might be a more permanent fixture in his life. Which will be very awkward when Robin does choose to come back and talk through what happened only to realize he’s actually fallen in love again.
Aside from seeing him be the most-wanted surgeon in Chicago, there wasn’t much to Rhodes’ storyline.
Take home lesson — always ask a woman if she’s married before taking her back home!
Finally, Sarah Reese… what are we going to do with you?
Reese has taken on a character transformation of the worst type; she went from being tremendously shy and timid to a firecracker who thinks she’s smarter than anyone.
CHICAGO MED — “Down By Law” Episode 310 — Pictured: (l-r) Rachel DiPillo as Sarah Reese, Olivier Platt as Daniel Charles — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)
In just a few episodes, she’s gone from one extreme — thinking every patient was going to hurt her and seeing them as a threat — to the other — having absolutely no fear of anything.
See, fear, to a degree is important because it prevents us from doing mindless and stupid things, like locking ourselves up with a MAN WHO WANTS TO SLIT HIS WIFE’S THROAT AND GIVING HIM A KNIFE.
Exposure therapy may have worked for her, but that doesn’t mean it’s a sure-fire for every patient, especially one that is convinced his obsession is real.
No sane person would actually do that, which is why I’m thinking Reese may be sicker than she’s letting on and she’s finally cracking under the pressure.
Not only was this dangerous because she could have been killed, it was dangerous for this man because what if he had acted on his impulse? He would have to live with it forever.
Dr. Charles may take a more timid approach sometimes but he’s been in this game far longer and can see through certain situations quicker than she can.
And regardless, Reese needs to simply obey Charles because he is her mentor and boss. Many people have been saying her actions are a result of daddy issues but they need to be dealt with because they are affecting other patients now.
Going above a ruling from your boss is frowned upon in any profession.
Maybe their friendship has allowed her to think that there are no consequences but this time, she did something so incredibly stupid, she needs to be paired with a different doctor.
However, with Daniel having so much experience under his belt, he should have also foreseen that she would attempt her own way since that’s kind of her personality.
Is he too close to her to realize she needs help as well?
Thoughts on this week’s episode?
It’s finally happening—our favorite One Chicago shows are coming home to us!
Chihards, mark your calendars and get ready to sit down in front of the TV on January 17 because that’s when Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD will make their highly-anticipated and long-awaited premieres!
It’s truly beginning to feel a lot like Christmas… though I hope that turning around new episodes doesn’t mean that the actors will have to work through the holidays.
one chicago wednesdays return January 17 on @nbc and streaming on @peacock!!!
— Top 1% of Burzek shippers (@NBCOneChicago) November 20, 2023
Chicago Med returns for season 9, Fire for season 12, and Med for season 11.
Of course, the full NBC 2024 lineup will kick off on Jan 1 with America’s Got Talent: Fantasy League, which means they are wasting no time getting back into the swing of things following the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike delays.
Law & Order franchises will have their moment on Thursday, Jan 18 with Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime.
Part 1 of The Voice returns on Feb. 26, along with BC’s new Deal or No Deal spinoff, Deal or No Deal Island.
La Brea will air its final season on Jan 9, leading into the final two episodes of Found. The Irrational will also air its final four episodes starting Monday, Jan. 29.
Quantum Leap and Magnum P.I., Lopez vs. Lopez, The Weakest Link, Password, That’s My Jam and The Wall currently don’t have a premiere date.
It’s the end of an era. The Chicago Med Season 8 finale saw Will Halstead saying his final goodbye to Gaffney Medical.
And the best part is that you don’t even have to wonder where he’s going!
After realizing that his time at the hospital had come to an end, Will thanked his colleagues and friends who have been like family for all these years and made a swift departure to Seattle to be with his one true love, Natalie Manning!
Chicago Med pulled off the ultimate surprise by bringing back Torrey Devito for a brief yet emotional cameo. She greeted Halstead outside of the airport along with her son, Owen, and they made it very clear that this time they were going to make things work. “I’m never letting you go,” Natalie told Halstead as they embarked on their new chapter together.
CHICAGO MED — “Does One Door Close and Another One Open?” Episode 822 — Pictured: (l-r) Ari Morgan as Owen, Torrey DeVitto as Natalie — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
While I usually wouldn’t recommend going back to a relationship that didn’t work in the past, in this case, it just makes sense. They both had a clean break to find themselves and figure things out and yet their paths crossed once again. Timing is everything, and without the setting of Gaffney, I think they may actually be able to work things out this time around.
And that’s a wrap on Will Halstead. Thank you so much to Nick Gehlfuss for bringing such an “irritating” yet “inspirational” character to life for eight seasons. Sharon Goodwin was right on the money with that comment.
He even went out in such Will style by going off the rails and doing something that only Will could ever justify as a good idea.
Halstead was very triggered by 2.0’s glitch, and when he realized no one was going to do anything about it, the took matters into his own hands without realizing the larger implications of his decision.
By reprogramming 2.0 to go completely haywire during Jack Dayton’s hernia resection, he not only destroyed the product by setting in plenty of doubt, but he also ensured that 2.0 would never see the light of day again as it tarnished Dayton’s reputation in the process.
Dayton could no longer go through with the IPO, which meant that he couldn’t secure the funding to make 2.0 a better and more reliable product, which in turn meant that Jack Dayton had to sell Med, putting everyone’s fate up in the air.
As much as I want to praise Halstead for trying to do the wrong thing, his decision was very costly, especially because, as Crockett pointed out, 2.0 did a lot of good. With the right improvements, it could be a very useful tool in the future, but Halstead ensured that said future would never happen.
However, on the other hand, maybe selling the hospital isn’t the worst idea as it will likely put the power back in the hands of someone who cares about the patients over profits. Turning Med into a for-profit hospital has not been a welcome change for the doctors as they are limited in who they can treat, and it’s also a terrible experience for patients who don’t have the best insurance and can’t pay exorbitant prices.
Turning away patients is never ideal, especially patients who need critical care. One of Archer’s patients, Rachel, was admitted to Med with terrible stomach pains, and by waiting for an ambo transfer to a hospital that would have accepted her insurance, she likely would’ve died in the process.
The doctors took it upon themselves to do the surgery under the radar so as to not put her in debt for life, but that was a risky move. If anyone from upper management found out, it would not be pretty. Though, it’s nice to see Archer coming around and doing what needs to be done to save lives.
CHICAGO MED — “Does One Door Close and Another One Open?” Episode 822 — Pictured: (l-r) Luigi Sottile as Sean Archer, Steven Weber as Dean Archer — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
During the surgery, which Hannah Asher assisted, Archer became very weak, and he realized he had another infection from his “DIY dialysis.” At this point, Asher insisted he start at a proper dialysis clinic, which he was against because of the time commitment, and when Sean suggested they just go through with the surgery as he was approved as his father’s donor, Archer and Asher had to inform him that he was no longer eligible after falling off the wagon.
It was honestly heartbreaking to see Sean come to terms with what his relapse meant. It was one misstep—that stemmed from a misunderstanding in the first place—and yet, it set back his plans to help his father for at least six months.
Hopefully, this doesn’t set Sean back even further because I can see how he’d deal with thinking that he’s a “disappointment” by turning to drugs and alcohol yet again.
CHICAGO MED — “Does One Door Close and Another One Open?” Episode 822 — Pictured: (l-r) Jessy Schram as Hannah Asher, Steven Weber as Dean Archer — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
Archer, however, cannot blame himself for what happened, nor can he blame the fact that he allowed his son to be a donor as the relapse had nothing to do with the pressure of the situation. Sean was set off after seeing his father and Hannah getting “close,” and while there may have been some flirtation happening, when he finally addressed it with the two of them, they were both quite shocked.
I honestly think that Asher and Archer are good friends, and though there may be underlying feelings there, they’ve never considered them because they’ve never thought about going there. Could this be what convinces them to give things a try? Or did it cement them in the friend’s zone forever? I’m not surprised the romance hasn’t gotten the spotlight as Archer’s health is definitely a priority.
Hannah also seems pretty adamant about keeping her personal life and professional life separate, so I could see her shutting any possibility of a romance with either of the Archer men down.
Dr. Charles dealt with two patients that Dr. Loren Johsnton brought in via ambo. There was also a misunderstanding there as the wife, Janice, thought her husband Fred was trying to kill her, when in reality, Fred was fighting with his body impulsively doing things he couldn’t control. Turns out, he had a small stroke that resulted in a rare neurological called alien hand syndrome. With everything cleared up, the couple was back on track, and it put Charles’ relationship with Liliana in perspective. He realized that he had to clear up the misunderstanding by simply being vulnerable and honest with her about his feelings—he didn’t think of her as a charity case, and just because he has a fancy title doesn’t mean he doesn’t share the same insecurities as other people.
And Liliana, for her part, realized she’d put up a wall because she’s so used to being independent. Of course, there’s still the issue of her overbearing brother Pawel, who, quite frankly, needs to be told to get his own life. I understand siblings being there for each other and helping each other out, but he’s constantly bossing her around, talking down to her, and being kind of emotionally abusive.
Also, I truly hope Dr. Loren becomes a new addition to Med next season!
With Maggie interviewing at other hospitals, I was certain she’d be the person leaving Med at the end of the season, but Halstead’s problematic heroics make so much more sense.
I’m just glad it isn’t Crockett because I was just getting invested in the character, while Archer and Asher have been the best duo this season.
What did you think of the Chicago Med Season 8 finale? Are you pleased with how Halstead’s storyline ended?
What do you want to see next season?
Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 21 mostly focused on Jack Dayton’s continuing efforts to ruin Gaffney at every turn.
It’s starting to become a little exhausting to constantly write about Jack, but he’s the main focus this season, with the latest storyline focused on the impending 2.0 IPO launch that would propel Med into a destination hospital, naturally, at the cost of all the other patients needing healthcare services.
But even more concerning and daunting is the last-minute revelation that 2.0 may have been the reason for killing a man. Richard’s death in the prior episode was weighing heavily on Crockett and Halstead. Neither of them could truly understand what went wrong, and when they went to look for the data from 2.0, it was nowhere to be found. Once Crockett confronted Jack, he was given a flash drive that detailed a mistake he made during the procedure that ended up being deadly.
However, once Halstead gave the drive to Grace, she found that it wasn’t Crockett’s fault at all. 2.0 showed Crockett a phantom lesion that was never actually there, and if it wasn’t for that display, Crockett would’ve never operated and Richard would’ve still been alive. The machine is faulty, which isn’t something that looks good when you’re about to go public. As of now, it seems as though Jack wasn’t aware of the glitch on 2.0 and assumed he was genuinely protecting his star doctor, though, I wouldn’t be surprised if that was his cover to protect the integrity of the product. But if Jack really knew that 2.0 glitched, I don’t think he would entrust his life to it, especially on live television with the whole world watching.
At this point, it’s clear that while machines and AI can be great tools, they should complement doctors and their skills rather than replace them.
We’ll see what comes of this development.
One of the more intriguing plots included Sam Abrams, who found out he was going to be a father despite having a vasectomy years ago. Sam’s shocked reaction likely wasn’t what Michelle wanted, but for someone who is an empty nester and never expected to have more kids, it was genuine.
Hannah was able to intervene with a cervix surgery that assisted in Michelle’s pregnancy, but more importantly, the writers were able to humanize Sam a little bit, which is always nice to see. He pops in and out, but he’s always so blunt and stoic, so it was nice to see him get a little personality. Plus, we got to see a little heart-to-heart with Hannah, who, while encouraging Sam to embrace this opportunity life handed him, also decided to put herself out there in the dating world again. Can you believe she hasn’t dated anyone since Halstead?
Meanwhile, Archer learned that Sean was a donor match, much to his dismay, but any moment of happiness was fleeting as he also found out his son missed work and wasn’t picking up any calls. Naturally, his mind went to the worst-case scenario that Sean relapsed, and boy, I’m hoping that isn’t the case. Things were going so well for Sean and he was doing so well in his recovery. However, seeing his father cozying up to Hannah may have put him over the edge, or he simply decided to distance himself from his father’s world as he felt betrayed. Either or, I think we’re going to see Sean and Neil’s relationships with Hannah come to a head.
Elsewhere, Maggie interviewed for a new job spearheading the ED at a local hospital. While Sharon Goodwin wasn’t pleased as Maggie’s employer since she didn’t want to lose her best people due to Jack’s poor decisions, she was personally happy for her friend for putting herself first. I hope Maggie doesn’t end up leaving because she makes this whole place function!
As for Dr. Charles and Cuevas, they helped their patient, David, who has been a recurring guest on the series this season, navigate the normal fears and complexities of being a teenager, which was refreshing for a change. David thought he was hearing voices again, but it was simply his inner monologue and he needed to understand how to live with it and alongside it.
As for Charles’ relationship with Liliana, well, it’s not going in the right direction and that’s mostly because she has a very codependent and toxic relationship with her brother, Pawel, who we now know has a gambling problem that she’s going to pay off at the expense of buying her own house because “that’s her brother.” I feel like Charles needs to make a run for it before he’s dragged down too much, but I understand it isn’t that easy since he really loves Liliana and wants to help her. When he learned that she still needed to move out of her place, he asked her to move in with him, but it only backfired as she saw it as Charles thinking he needed to rescue her. The whole “charity case” mindset simply stems from the difference in their positions—if they don’t get over it, it’s always going to drive a wedge between them.
What did you think of the episode? Are you excited for the season finale next week?
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