Chicago Med
Chicago Med Review – April and Choi’s Big Decision (808)
Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 8 is starting to prepare audiences for Ethan Choi’s exit from the series.
At the kickstart of the episode, Gaffney’s finest received cream colored envelopes in their lockers, which, upon opening, revealed that a wedding is on the horizon! While it feels like April and Ethan just got back together, the truth is, when you know you know.
Choi told Charles that the second time around, their relationship is much more solid, which is largely due to the fact that following his father’s death, Choi grew up and became the man that April always needed him to be. As he realized how short life is, he didn’t want to waste anymore time. And honestly, I think that’s beautiful and realistic. Most of the time, you get wiser with age and realize just how much time was spent on things that didn’t matter.
Choi and April always had a special connection that was unfortunately ruined by the show’s need for drama. The drama was necessary, but with their relationship continuing off-screen, they can finally ride off into marital bliss!
Of course, Choi needs to have a compelling reason for leaving behind his job, and I think he’s going to try to take on a very flawed and broken system. He was especially triggered by Buddy’s case, the homeless man who was brought in after someone from the neighborhood realized that he was in need of medical attention. Buddy was, sadly, a victim of Medicaid fraud as a recruiter took him to a hospital in Wisconsin to undergo a procedure that he didn’t need for kickbacks. And once it was done, she dropped him back off without a care in the world knowing damn well that he didn’t have the resources to go to any follow up appointments or to heal properly from the procedure. All the while, Buddy was also in advanced stage prostate cancer, which is one of the most curable and treatable cancers, and no one did a thing about it. He could’ve survived and lived for many years but he was brushed off and ignored. He was failed by so many people simply because he didn’t have the means to seek out help on his own or advocate for himself. I’m not surprised that Choi was so angered by the realization. And while I don’t know what Choi is going to do to bring about the much-needed change, I know that the first step is simply acknowledging that it’s necessary. If losing Choi is inevitable, I’m just glad it’s going to be a worthy send off that remains true to his character that’s become so beloved over these eight seasons.
There was a bit of a shakeup with Asher and Nellie Cuevas teaming up together to help Gloria, a young woman who walked into the ER looking to get some clarity on what happened to her at a warehouse party. Gloria explained that she blacked out after a single drink and had no memory of the evening aside from waking up in a room alone and with her undergarments missing. The care that Asher and Nellie extended was truly remarkable as they both felt a personal connection to Nellie—Asher having lost a college roommate who was sexually assaulted and Nellie being an undocumented immigrant who knew the dangers and the realities of the failed system all too well.
Gloria was in good hands, even though this is a situation that no woman ever wants to experience. Upon confirming that there was evidence of sexual assault, Gloria decided against reporting it or doing anything about it, which proved Nellie’s suspicions that she was undocumented herself.
When Asher wanted to encourage her to change her mind, Nellie shut down the conversation and reiterated the fears going through Gloria’s mind as an immigrant. And everything Nellie said was totally valid, however, there’s always more sides to a story or situation. When Chicago PD’s Hailey Upton came in with another sexual assault survivor who also blacked out at a warehouse party, Asher stood her ground in her efforts to convince Gloria as she knew just how important her case could be to finding the person who did this.
Asher revealed that her college roommate experienced a sexual assault that ended with her untimely death, and after seeing the firsthand effects of what that kind of trauma can do to a person that represses it and tries their very best to “forget it ever happened,” she couldn’t stand by and watch Gloria make those some mistakes.
Asher’s story helped Nellie see the situation in a different light, and while she remained cautious and respectful of Gloria’s undocumented status, she revealed that she was a DACA recipient to assure her that if she did decide to file a report, they would protect her as they knew what she was going through. The relatability was comforting to Gloria, who eventually spoke with Upton, another agent who was in no way going to put Gloria in harm’s way. As I said before, despite the truly devastating circumstance, Gloria was in good hands.
Halstead teamed up with a new intern, Justin Leiu (The Cleaning Lady fans will recognize him as Marco!), who honestly feels like he’s going to be a really great addition to the team. Justin was sharp and on his game, and even went along with Halstead’s plan to do a trans organ exchange to help out his patient, a 15-year-old girl in advanced liver stage from a rare condition. The truth is that Halstead will do just about anything to help his patients, but this time, he was determined to keep it above board. And with a little help from Crockett, they were able to provide a solution that helped two patients in one. Crockett realized that “quid pro quo” doesn’t always have to be a bad thing if it’s done for the greater good, which convinced him to attend the executive dinner with Goodwin and billionaire Jack. Crockett really got caught up in the optics of asking someone he previously helped out of the goodness of his heart (and because he took an oath) for money, however, a few million is just another drop in the bucket for Jack. And, as it turns out, he was already expecting the ask and was even willing to go way above what they wanted because he saw value in helping Med and investing in the doctors there. At the end of the day, it’s a charitable write off for Jack, which he surely knows, and it helps so many people in the process.
Maggie got a little too caught up taking a ride through her past with Grant, which landed them both in the ED. While it was sweet of Grant to want to show off the high school ride that he restored with Maggie, the truth is, these two can’t just be friends. There’s history and chemistry there that only spells trouble. Ben wouldn’t even be happy with the idea of Maggie riding shotgun in the car with her ex boyfriend, so I’m not surprised that she hesitated to tell him about the car accident as it will cause more unnecessary problems in her marriage. Sharon encouraged Maggie to take time and think it through, and while I would typically say that she should trust in her connection to Ben, we all saw how he reacted the last time Grant came around. I don’t think he’ll be understanding in the slightest.
The storyline with Grant really only made sense when Vanessa was still around, but now that she’s off living her best and most authentic life, the truth is, Grant and Maggie have no reason to exist in each other’s orbit anymore. It’s probably for the best that they don’t see each other again.
And then there’s Neil, whose painful condition following his broken ribs is clearly going to pose a problem down the line. He’s been keeping his colleagues in the dark about what’s been going on, but it’s bound to get worse and eventually, it won’t be something that he can ignore. I feel like he was trying to tell Choi about it, but when he saw how impassioned his friend was about fixing the system, he just let his problems take a backseat.
What did you think about the episode? Are you excited for Choi and April’s wedding? Do you like seeing different doctors in the ED pair up and work together?
The fall finale of Chicago Med will air on Dec. 7, so get ready and we’ll touch base then!
Chicago Med delivered yet another dose of drama with the inclusion of 2.0, this time forcing Marcel Crockett and Sam Abrams to butt heads while performing a risky surgery.
On Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 17, the doctors took on a very fragile and unique case with Kwan, who spent most of his life bent over and bedridden. The case was so unheard of, in fact, that Mr. Dayton paid to fly the family to Chicago and, in return, asked that the surgery be captured on film as part of a documentary to promote the cutting-edge technology at Gaffney, helping to position it as a top-tier hospital.
Now, there’s nothing wrong with that line of thinking from a marketing and financial standpoint. If you’ve got it, flaunt it. However, there’s this thing called a time and place, and the filmmaker’s approach simply did not consider that, nor did he seem to understand that there were lives at stake and that Crockett and Abrams weren’t paid actors but doctors who were tasked with a significant challenge.
Kwan’s life was hanging in the balance, with Crockett and Abrams the only two that could help him get a new lease on life and sit up for the first time in 19 years. It was incredibly stressful, so it didn’t help that the filmmaker kept asking questions and distracting them by requesting commentary for the camera. One wrong move could have cost them everything. Could that commentary not be added in after the fact? Why not let them focus, especially when there’s a chance that the surgery doesn’t have a good outcome and their responsibility, first and foremost, is to the patient?
The cameraman took it even further, trying to sensationalize the situation by requesting commentary from the terrified and distraught mother once a complication arose. The doctors didn’t even give her an update, so he wanted a real and raw reaction, which again, would undoubtedly make for a great movie, but this is a real-life situation with potentially deadly consequences. I’m glad that Sharon Goodwin found the courage to put her foot down and stop them from exploiting the patients. While she’s not going to stand in the way of marketing the hospital and its potential, she’s also a doctor first and must protect those that walk through the doors. Without patients, there’s no hospital, and it would be good for Dayton to remember that.
I also love that Sharon isn’t afraid of Dayton in the way others are, including new board member George. She doesn’t care if she steps on toes or if she makes him angry, as long as she’s making decisions that she can live with and that put patient care at the forefront of what they are doing.
The good news is that Kwan’s surgery was successful, with both Crockett and Abrams hailed as heroes. Unfortunately, they still don’t see eye to eye when it comes to the AI technology. And honestly, they both have valid points. Abrams has always been blunt, so it’s not surprising that he’s avoiding the spotlight at all costs and not trying to become a mouthpiece for Dayton. But it’s also unfair to hold it against Crockett when he’s simply embracing new-world tech that’s making it possible for them to even person such surgeries in the first place. If it wasn’t for the AI, they wouldn’t have been able to help Kwan, so Crockett sees the trade-off as beneficial.
Crockett isn’t agreeing to these documentaries and promotional pieces because he wants a career boost. It’s never for his own personal gain, but for some reason, everyone around him just rolls with the false assumption because it’s easier to drag your colleague than to admit that maybe sometimes a machine is better than a human—or, at the very least, that the tools can elevate what the human can accomplish.
Abrams then points out that Dayton is reserving the AI for paying customers only moving forward, which as Crockett pointed out, seems to be a larger issue with the healthcare system in general. It’s not exactly surprising—how many times has Goodwin emphasized that the hospital is a business at the end of the day? I have full faith that Crockett will vouch for his patients, but there’s only so much that man can do, and he cannot and should not carry all the burden all the time.
Dr. Charles’ time spent with Kwan’s mother also helped him reframe his own thinking when it came to sending his daughter off to college. When she initially told him about possibly applying to Stanford, Charles’ shocked response indicated that he wasn’t ready for his little girl to spread her wings and fly, however, once he had a heart-to-heart with Kwan’s mom about the beauty of letting go because once they want to leave, it means you’ve done your job as a parent well, he realized that he couldn’t keep Anna in Chicago for selfish reasons. It was his job to prepare her for the world—it wasn’t her job to diminish her sparkle and opportunity simply to take care of dad, though the fact that she considered once again speaks volumes to the girl he raised.
There was also some progress with Neil Archer’s storyline—and in one hour, he went from a man who was refusing help from everyone around him to the person that asked for help and accepted that his illness does not define him. The change was thanks to a little wake-up call from Maggie, who previously dealt with the same feelings bubbling up to the surface when she received her cancer diagnosis. It’s always good to get some perspective, as Archer didn’t want to be seen as the sick frail man, but the tough guy act was doing more harm than good.
CHICAGO MED — “Know When to Hold and Know When to Fold” Episode 817 — Pictured: Steven Weber as Dean Archer — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
Everyone, including Zach, was trying to be supportive and make Archer’s day-to-day a little less stressful and taxing. Archer isn’t one to apologize, but he understood the point and made it up to Zach, who got the brunt of his anger throughout the episode.
Maggie truly is the one keeping things afloat at Gaffney, and the way she stood up for Zach just adds to how awesome she is.
Archer also told his son, Sean, who got a job at the hospital as a valet driver thanks to Hannah, about his condition, and while he didn’t want to burden his son with the news, transparency and honesty are necessary if they are going to have a functioning relationship.
Archer also asked Asher for help with his dialysis treatment, and now, I’m rooting for them even more than I already was. There’s so much unspoken love between the two of them, which was made even more evident when Asher decided to stick around and keep him company so he didn’t go through it alone.
As for Will, he’s finally coming around to the idea that he is romantically interested in Grace. And though I’d typically say that’s a terrible idea based on his track record with dating women at the hospital, the fact that Will recognized that his past was problematic means that he may just be ready for this next step. And Asher—his ex who has turned into one of his closest confidants (proving that men and women can just be friends)— brought up a good point that he’s no longer hung up on Natalie, which was the core problem in all his previous relationships. Since he’s not pining for her anymore, he’s ready to give it a real shot with someone else.
Grace’s nomadic lifestyle does make me a little hesitant because it seems that she goes wherever Jack Dayton assigns her, though she didn’t seem too keen on moving around anymore, so maybe her relationship with Halstead will allow her to make permanently call Chicago and Gaffney home. She’d be a great addition to the team!
What did you think of the episode? Did Sharon Goodwin do the right thing? Are you shipping Asher and Archer? Or do you think Halstead and Grace are a better romantic team-up? And is Crockett doing the right thing by standing by the AI?
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What an intriguing and powerful installment of Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 16.
“What You See Isn’t Always What You Get” honed in on that theme to the fullest. The episode drew audiences in with striking visuals of a man pinned up against an MRI machine with scissors lodged in his neck as the doctors emphasized that his odds of survival were abysmal (because sensationalized storylines sell), however, the heart of the storyline was in those deeper, more emotional moments—with the man’s diagnosis following the near-fatal event, with the Spanish teen who came in with an unknown illness whose family would do anything to get her life-saving care, and finally, with Dr. Cueva’s poignant realization about her own immigrant status.
All of those smaller—yet arguably more powerful moments—made for a compelling episode, but don’t get me wrong, Quentin’s situation was also one of the craziest incidents to occur at Gaffney no doubt, so there’s a reason it was a huge draw. His life was literally hanging in the balance, and one wrong move could’ve ended in disaster. His survival really speaks volumes to all the skilled men and women from all departments, including Chicago Fire, who rallied together and devised a plan to save him. There was no guarantee that it would work, but they tried their best. It was an all-hands-on-deck situation.
And no one even held what happened against him as it was an unfortunate accident stemming from a psychotic break triggered by the birth of his first son, Trevor. After being given some antipsychotics, Quentin didn’t even fully understand what transpired, but there was plenty of relief to know that he was safe and that they did find a physical diagnosis that would help him manage.
While the stakes were high with Quentin’s case, I’m so glad he survived the freak situation. All the odds were against him, but he deserved a chance to meet his son and bask in the joy of fatherhood. It would’ve been extremely depressing if he died, not to mention the toll would have taken on his wife, who realized that though it was a genetic condition, the psychosis that he experienced was triggered by a change of diet that he undertook due to the pregnancy. In short, she would’ve blamed herself for what happened, and that’s a lot for any person, especially a new mother, to live with.
Maria’s parents brought her into the ED basically begging Halstead and Cuevas for help, but they weren’t able to identify the disease that was causing her symptoms. All they knew is that if it went untreated, it would kill her, just like it killed their son, Hugo. The fact that they were still grieving a loss made their current urgency understandable. Hugo died from brain swelling, but no one, even the doctors treating him, knew what led to it, and they were afraid history would repeat itself with Maria, who was displaying similar symptoms.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t exactly clear to Dr. Halstead and Cuevas what was happening to Maria either, and when the insurance company informed Goodwin that they refused to cover any of the treatment unless the family went back to Oakview Community, the hospital where Maria was initially admitted, Med’s doctors basically had no say in what happened next. That is until they smelled a maple syrup scent in her urine, which allowed them to properly identify the very rare and easily missable disease. Maria was going to make it! And while not every case is a win, it sure feels good when it happens.
CHICAGO MED — “What You See Isn’t Always What You Get” Episode 816 — Pictured: (l-r) Nick Gehlfuss as Will Halstead, Lilah Richcreek Estrada as Nellie Cuevas — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
Cuevas felt personally connected to Maria’s case because she understood the many levels to it—namely the struggle and sacrifice that immigrant families endure and make. All Maria’s parents wanted was to help their daughter—they were willing to sell all of their possessions and take on extra jobs to make it happen—however, Maria also understood all that they’d done for her and her siblings, and she was willing to sacrifice herself so that the rest of them would ha a better life. Maria was willing to get transferred back to Oakview and likely die so that her family wouldn’t have to endure major debt on her account.
At the end of the day, she didn’t have to, but the moment stayed with Cuevas, who then informed Goodwin during her DACA renewal discussion that Maria’s bravery inspired her to continue fighting for her career since her parents gave up so much to make this life a possibility for her. It was a very moving moment, particularly with Cuevas divulging that she hasn’t hugged her parents in a decade. Can you imagine how that feels? Can you imagine not being able to see your family because they live in a different country and you risk being denied entry back into your country if you leave to see them? It’s such a sad reality for so many individuals—and it’s important that shows like Chicago Med underscore it and shine a light on it.
Selfishly, I’m also happy that Cuevas decided to stay as she’s been a great addition to the series, which has lost too many people over the course of the past seasons.
As for Dr. Charles, in addition to his very hectic day in the ED treating Quentin, he also had some personal developments with Liliana, namely feeling embarrassed that he left his office a mess the night before and she had to clean it up. Liliana is doing far better with juggling the power dynamics between them, though Charles is trying his best to make sure she feels appreciated and respected. It would be better if he didn’t make such a big deal of it and stopped emphasizing it, but I applaud Charles for dealing in his own way and being transparent with his feelings whenever something does bother him.
Quentin’s case took such a toll on the doctors that Neil completely forgot to drink his water, which made him feel dizzy and weak (thankfully after he successfully clamped down on Quentin’s artery). A quick visit from the nephrologist confirmed his worst fears—his kidneys were failing and dialysis was necessary. How will it affect his work? The good news is that he seems to have Asher in his corner supporting and looking out for him. Maybe the situation will bring them even closer together.
We also got a glimpse of Tanaka Reed’s personal life when the resident became the patient following a diaphragmatic hernia exasperated by his fitness routine. Despite Reed’s overinflated ego, which kind of makes him a pain to be around, Crockett went the extra mile to help him figure out what was going on and treat it properly. And honestly, the fact that he’s now the farting doctor does kind of make him slightly more approachable. Maybe he’ll finally lighten up a bit.
What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments, Cravers!
One Chicago fans are likely itching for new episodes of their favorite dramas, but unfortunately, you’ll have to wait just a smidge longer.
It’s going to be a bit until we catch up with our friends at Gaffney Medical. The last Chicago Med episode aired on March 1, and Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 16 won’t be back on the air until Wednesday, March 22, 2023.
However, it will be worth the wait as the episode, which is currently untitled, finds the 2.0 causing quite a bit of trouble in the ED.
As evidenced by the teaser trailer, the hospital spearheads a “rescue situation” after a patient is pinned against the machine with a pair of scissors lodged in his neck.
“The magnet is holding everything in place,” Hannah Asher can be heard saying, adding that “when gravity takes over, we’ll have 20 seconds until he bleeds out.”
As the tense situation unfolds, the patient looks rather concerned, asking Neil Archer if he’s going to die.
Can Gaffney’s finest pull this off and save him in time?
You can watch the gut-wrenching promo below:
In the meantime, check out our gallery of One Chicago stars who have left the series.
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