Chicago Med
Chicago Med Review – For the Want of a Nail (6×09)
Is getting a second opinion so wrong?
The egos at Chicago Med continue to reign supreme, and at this point, it’s interfering with patient care.
Now, don’t get me wrong, there’s a difference between getting a second opinion and sticking your nose into someone else’s business. But there’s also the way you go about it that matters.
While Natalie and Crockett may have “double doctored” Dean Asher, it wasn’t as bad as what Dean did to Ethan. Their intentions were solely about helping the patient, while he wanted to prove a point and being right.
There’s a difference.
Natalie brought up Darby’s infected gallbladder a few times, but her concerns kept getting shut down even though Dean wasn’t able to find another cause responsible for the patient’s stabbing pains.
And even if the gallbladder wasn’t the issue this time, ignoring it would likely lead to problems in the future. At the very least, he could’ve given Darby the option to get a procedure so that it would be her choice.
Dean didn’t even anything other than what he thought was right, and he simply shut it down because he already established an opinion about Natalie earlier in the day after seeing her flirting with Marcel.
Natalie understandably took a personal interest in the case because it turned out to be someone she knew. She didn’t want her friend to be discharged only to have her come back with the same issue, or worse, in the future.
However, when Dean crossed the line and undermined Ethan, it wasn’t because he was concerned about the patient — he was being a smug asshole.
His attitude has been a problem since day one. This time, he got away with that type of behavior because he ended up being right about his diagnosis of Ethan’s patient, but the way he approached the whole situation was problematic.
He told Ethan early on that he was comfortable with the chain of command, but that’s definitely not the case as threw shade and criticism at how Ethan was running the ED at every opportunity.
And bringing up Natalie and Crockett’s relationship was not coming from a place of concern for the hospital – he did it because he couldn’t keep his nose out of other people’s business.
This man really thought he was so important that the duo purposefully conspired against him. Get off your high horse, Dean.
CHICAGO MED — “For The Want Of A Nail” Episode 609 — Pictured: (l-r) Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead, Yaya DaCosta as April Sexton — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)
And while there are definitely benefits to disclosing a relationship, as we’ve seen them be problematic at times, this wasn’t about that.
In this rare instance, Crockett and Natalie make an even better team because they are together. The same couldn’t be said for her relationship with Will or Choi’s relationship with April as they would often butt heads about patient care.
Crockett and Natalie continuously find themselves on the same page and often turn to each other for moral support. They make a good team.
I might even go on a limb and say they are the least toxic relationship the series has ever seen, so I was not pleased with someone trying to destroy that, especially as it led to a tense moment Crockett thought she might be having reservations.
Thankfully, by the end of the hour, she admitted she was simply hesitant to publicly disclose their relationship out of fear, and Crockett was more than understanding. He signed those papers immediately. Swoon!
Natalie’s hesitations were understandable considering her miserable track record in the relationship department, but as I’ve said, up until this point, Crockett seems like the most solid choice in awhile.
It’s entirely possible that introducing the idea of disclosing relationships will help the ED function without personal feelings interfering.
In yet another major move, Chicago Med may be introducing a longer-arc for one of its patients.
Ramona seems like she’s going to be sticking around for a while and causing quite a bit of trouble for Dr. Charles.
We’ve seen Dr. Charles deal with his fair share of patients that have needed to be put on an involuntary psychiatric hold, but we’ve never actually seen him fear for his life.
But being ambushed by an unstable patient with a tendency of projecting her feelings of abandonment on her doctor’s is enough to freak anyone out.
Within the hour, Ramona transferred the obsessive feelings she had for a doctor at East Mercy onto Dr. Charles, the most recent doctor to express a little concern over her wellbeing.
The loss of her father really took a toll on her, but is she trying to fill a void left behind by him, or are these feelings more romantic in nature? I couldn’t quite figure it out.
Will Dr. Charles be able to break this spell? Or will she prove to be a danger? We already know she’s more than capable of harming herself in order to get attention.
How far will she go?
After Maggie brought up giving her daughter up for adoption at the age of 16, it was clear that the series was going to pursue this storyline, especially with Auggie moving to Los Angeles to live with his new family and his brother.
And I have mixed feelings about it.
On one hand, it’s definitely important that Med brings attention to adoption, but on the other hand, I don’t want Maggie to pursue finding her daughter out of some twisted sense of loneliness.
She has every right to feel abandoned and lonely right now, but maybe she needs to wait until all of her emotions about Auggie leaving subside before she makes this big jump.
She told Sharon that she’s carried the pain of giving up her daughter all this time and it’s only getting stronger, but to the audience, this is brand-new information, so it almost seems haste on Maggie’s part.
It doesn’t feel like it’s about Maggie’s daughter as much as it is about Maggie filling a void.
Also, Sharon brought up a good point — does Maggie’s daughter even want to reconnect with her adopted mother? What if she doesn’t know she’s adopted.
I think Maggie has this idea that she’ll be able to make up for lost time by reconnecting, but the situation could go either way. Her daughter might resent her. And there’s no guarantee it’ll bring any closure. She needs to be prepared for all the outcomes and not just the one she wants.
Maggie keeps stumbling into these situations where she’s reminded of all that she’s lost and given up.
The latest case involved a young pregnant woman who couldn’t afford healthcare. Maggie met her at the thrift shop and immediately gravitated towards her, which is when she realized the woman was bleeding profusely.
Again, it felt like the woman wasn’t going to make it and Maggie would end up with yet another opportunity to adopt a child.
When the episode took a different direction and the woman learned that her baby had spina bifida, she blamed herself for causing her child harm and decided to contact DCFS. That’s when I thought Maggie would intervene anyway and make the decision to adopt a newborn, however, I’m glad that she chose to support Tione instead and explain that she can still care for her child through the help of many resources.
It was a heartbreaking case cause it was clear Tione loved her child and wanted what was best for him, but she simply felt like she wasn’t giving that to him because of her financial status. No mother should have to worry about being able to provide a safe and loving environment for her child. And I wish Tione was directed to free clinics that help pregnant women without insurance.
I can’t help but call out the scene between the two women and the questionable use of face masks. Why did Maggie enter the store not wearing a face mask? And why did Tione take hers off when asking the employee a question?
Both of those instances defeat the way face masks are supposed to work in public settings. I understand the show’s explanation that everyone gets tested before coming to the ED because a whole season with nurses in face masks wouldn’t be all that thrilling and appealing, but this was the one instance where they could’ve showed proper face mask usage and failed!
Dr. Halstead’s storyline was on the back burner for the week, which was a welcome change of pace.
There was a brief moment where Sabina informed him that they were closing enrollment on the trial as they had more than enough data to move forward.
Halstead didn’t seem bothered by it, but it seemed to upset April.
Has she been avoiding reality by investing herself into Halstead’s trial? Or is she sad that her time working with Halstead is coming to an end?
Is the series pushing towards a romantic relationship between Halstead and April? Cause I’m not digging it!
What did you think of the episode? Let us know in the comments below!
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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