Chicago Med
Chicago Med Review – Will Dr. Choi Ever Learn? (5×11)
Chicago Med packed in some heavy storylines into one gut-punching episode that will have plenty of repercussions in the weeks to follow.
An electrical fire at O’Hare filled the ED with a few burn victims including one man that was so far gone, they weren’t even able to identify him.
Based on the seat number and the medical convention pass in his pocket, they deduced that it was their Head of Neurosurgery, Sam Abrams.
It was a blow to everyone on the staff as the realization that Sam would never walk or operate again set in.
His wife, Michelle, was a mess and after some time, decided to pull the plug on him because “Sam wouldn’t want to live like this.”
It was a fair assessment as the odds weren’t in his favor. Crockett and Choi believed he’d be mentally okay once his brain swelling went down, but Michelle knew that this wasn’t the quality of life an independent and successful man like Sam would have wanted.
And, of course, Choi didn’t respect Michelle’s wishes at all.
Choi’s always had an arrogance about him and his ego has pushed him into corners that don’t paint him in the greatest of light, but assuming that Michelle didn’t know what she was talking about because she was his wife of three months was a new low.
How did Choi think he had any authority to speak on Sam’s behalf if he mistook Michelle for Sam’s daughter? Clearly, they aren’t as close as Choi led on and thus, Choi wasn’t equipped to be making any kind of calls for Sam.
In fact, it’s way out of line for a doctor to try to push his own beliefs onto a patient or the patient’s spouse. And that’s what they were — Choi’s beliefs of what he would have wanted versus what was in Sam’s best interest.
Choi went to great lengths to stop Michelle, who he even called money-hungry, but even the board didn’t agree with him.
And neither did Crocket, who seems to be the only doctor in Gaffney who ever practices what he preaches and stays in his own damn lane.
Dr. Choi did do one thing right and that was saving the unknown patient after realizing that Sam is very much alive.
Sure, he was a little burnt by the Hawaiian sun, but not nearly as bad as the man they thought was him lying on the table getting the plug pulled.
Everyone’s reaction to seeing Sam was the equivalent of seeing a man get raised from the dead. Technically, he was, he just didn’t know it.
And yet, Dr. Choi still couldn’t let it go.
After Michelle left the hospital, he approached Sam to inform him that Michelle was going to remove him from life support and that proposed they wait until his daughter could be there to make a ruling.
Sam echoed the same exact thoughts Michelle did — he didn’t want to live like this and he never wanted his daughter to see him this wear or bear that responsibility — meaning that Michelle knew Sam better than anyone.
When Choi suggested that Michelle was a gold-digger, Sam pointed out that she’s the one with money in the relationship after inventing the formula for a widely popular protein shake. Cha-ching.
See what happens when we make unwarranted assumptions about a person based on our own personal bias.
Choi should spend more time worrying about his relationship and less about others.
Because last time I checked, he proposed to a woman who cheated on him with the very doctor he’s been clashing with and judging without really knowing.
Passing judgment is such an ugly look on Choi.
He apologized to Crockett in the end, but a friendship between Choi and Crockett is even more dangerous than them being frenemies.
Crocket promised to keep his and April’s kiss a secret, but will he be able to lie to a colleague for long?
The longer April keeps this from Choi, the worse it’s going to be for their relationship when he finds out because the fact that she’s hiding it means that it meant more than just an in the moment kiss.
April is trying to ease her guilt and smooth things over by marrying Choi and proposing IVF, but those are just attempts at covering up the truth.
Another employee at Gaffney had an eventful day and proved that she’s a terrible person who probably deserves everything that’s coming for her.
Gwen Garrett, the Chief Operating Officer, left her baby in the car when she went to work.
If it wasn’t for Natalie finding the baby (and knocking on the window as if an infant would somehow open the door and let her in), the child would have died.
Then, things would have been even worse for her.
Sharon Goodwin took mercy on Gwen, despite their very obvious differences when it comes to patient care. She understood that Gwen’s going through a lot with her divorce and custody battle and knew that it was an honest mistake that Gwen deeply regretted.
It’s the kind of compassion that mothers should show each other in a time where judgment for actions isn’t necessary and won’t’ change anything.
And here I thought we were making some kind of progress with Gwen; that she was being humanized from the constant profit-turning machine that we’ve known her to be.
It’s easy to make calls to protect the hospital when you’re not on the receiving end, but now that Gwen was, it was obvious how much help and support she needed.
She also wanted Natalie and Sharon to keep the secret from her husband and lie about what happened, which isn’t only unethical but it’s just wrong.
Yes, telling the husband the truth would give him a lot of pull in the custody battle to paint Gwen as a bad mother, but owning up to her mistakes was the right thing to do.
Sharon thought that Gwen would understand that. Instead, Gwen tried to “return the favor” for Sharon’s silence by pushing through Halstead’s proposal for safe injection sites at Gaffney.
Eventually, Natalie came clean to the husband who did not have kind words for Gwen and in return, Gwen pulled the plug on the proposal that would help thousands of drug users with a safe space to wean off drugs.
It was an eye for an eye with her.
She never thanked Natalie for saving her son in the first place or the hospital for showing her so much sympathy when they could have dialed up DCFS.
Gwen proved that she’s a monster through-and-through who didn’t learn from her mistakes. She doesn’t care about other people, she only cares about what’s in it for her.
I hate to say it, but I don’t feel bad for her one bit. I do feel bad about the patients who will suffer at the hands of her wrath.
Speaking of Halstead’s safe injection site, it’s a cause near and dear to his heart following the death of his patient on Chicago Med Season 5 Episode 10 who died of addiction after being hooked on painkillers he prescribed her.
It’s great that Halstead is trying to right his wrongs and take responsibility, but with the proposal shut down, he has decided to open his clinic at an unsanctioned site, which Dr. Charles informs him is illegal and could cost him his medical license.
Halstead agrees seemingly admitting defeat, but if we believed that, we wouldn’t truly know Halstead.
Instead, he went to the site and struck up a deal with his partner to move forward with the injection site.
There’s trouble ahead for Halstead, but what else is new?
Amidst all of that action, there was an IVF switch-up storyline that found a couple from the plane crash delivering a baby that wasn’t there’s.
The baby needed a lung transplant, but only one of the parents was a donor match, which brought up the revelation that they weren’t the biological parents.
The real parents were finally tracked down (and were pregnant with the other couple’s embryo) and one of them was also a match so the “mom” that carried baby agreed to donate to save the baby’s life.
Despite the trauma that they endured due to the switch-up, everyone bonded and they came out of the situation with new family members. Sometimes, there is a happy ending.
What did you think of Chicago Med?
Are you happy Sam is still alive?
What did you think of Dr. Choi? Should April tell him the truth?
Is Gwen the worst or is Gwen the worst?
And be sure to watch all episodes of Chicago Med season 5 right now
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.
Is ‘Chicago PD’ New Tonight? Everything We Know About Season 10 Episode 13
A janitor’s strike made for quite a mess at Gaffney on Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 15.
The strike has been a few episodes in the making, with this installment resulting in a direct impact on patient care.
All of the nurses on staff were forced to pitch in and help out with cleaning the rooms to pick up the slack from the scabs, and even then they couldn’t prevent a full-on bed bug outbreak. And honestly, it was gross.
No patient deserves to walk into an ER seeking help only to end up getting a rash. I’m not surprised that Will’s patient Walter was upset with the service he received. And it’s actually quite embarrassing for a respected hospital like Gaffney. The place has a 2.0 AI machine to help with surgeries yet they can’t pay their janitorial staff a livable wage. I understand not wanting to cave in and set a precedent for all the other unions, but as evidenced, the janitors are essential to the hospital as without clean rooms they are unable to deliver the standard of care that’s necessary.
Someone like Jack Dayton should honestly understand that better than anyone.
Eventually, the board and the union were able to come to an agreement, but it did come at the expense of some longtime patients who once believed Med was a good and reliable hospital.
Crockett was once again caught up with 2.0, though this time, he embraced his skills and knowledge rather than following the AI blindly. While treating his patient, an 11-year-old whose leg was brutally injured by a machine on her family farm, 2.0 suggested that the blood flow to the leg was only 7% which would warrant an amputation. It pained Crockett to perform this procedure, and right before going through with it, he realized that the foot was getting its color back. When he re-ran the tests, 2.0 agreed that the leg was likely salvageable. It’s nice to see him using the machine in the way it’s intended—as an aid rather than as an end all be all.
Crockett’s one misstep, however, was calling in DCFS for the situation that was far from abuse. While he might not agree with children working on a family farm, it’s simply the reality for too many people. It’s a good thing Maggie stepped in and talked some sense into him because DCFS is permanent and can do a lot of damage. And in this case, Crockett was too blinded by his anger to get the full picture—Abby’s father warned her not to get too close to the machine but she didn’t listen because she wanted to help. It was all her fault, and Crockett almost made it worse for everyone involved. I love how much he cares about his patients, but sometimes, you have to take a step back.
Dr. Johnson was a good addition and seems like he’d be a great fit at Med. I mean, why else would they even introduce Abby’s personal doctor if he wasn’t going to stick around? The series could use some fresh blood.
Dr. Charles was on the front lines of the protest supporting Liliana, which was sweet. It’s been a tough situation to manage as he wanted to be supportive of his girlfriend while also supporting Sharon Goodwin, who is siding with the hospital. I thought things there’d be more tension between them, but that wasn’t the case as Goodwin understood why Charles needed to extend his support. Instead, Goodwin fought to convince the board to do the right thing by the janitors, while Charles was called in to assist with a case involving a former patient, David.
CHICAGO MED — “Some Problems Require a Shock to the System” Episode 815 — Pictured: (l-r) Karin Anglin as Patty Sullivan, Madison Durks as Eric Sullivan, John Henry Ward as David Sullivan, Oliver Platt as Daniel Charles — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
In a prior episode, David was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder, and despite taking his meds, his parents brought him in because they were concerned that their son was convinced he was dead. Worst of all—he thought Dr. Cuevas was the reason he died because she gave him medication. It seems as though he was simply not jiving with the drugs, but Charles had another solution—electroshock therapy. We’ve never seen him suggest this type of treatment to anyone, but in David’s case, it was their only option that seemed to have the desired effect. David was a little more receptive after being treated, he had a more emotional reaction to his parents, and he no longer heard voices. A psychiatrist’s shift is never really over, and it’s a good thing because Charles knows what he’s doing.
Cuevas assisted Archer with his patient, a woman who came into the ED after experiencing debilitating stomach pain that ended up being a result of her compulsion to eat hair otherwise known as trichophagia. After Archer removed a huge hairball from her stomach, she initially denied it, but when her daughter, who was undergoing chemo for breast cancer, came to visit, she finally admitted that she was eating her daughter’s hair as it was falling out because it made her feel better and numbed the pain. It was quite a surprising twist, but I’m just glad they got to the bottom of it and were able to get her help.
Archer also had a big moment with his son Sean, who was making amends with his father as part of his recovery program. Archer dismissed Sean’s apology initially because he felt so bad for not being there for him and his mother when they needed him the most and for pushing them away. It was truly heartbreaking to see, but it’s also nice that Archer is finally breaking down those walls, admitting his faults, and opening up in a way that makes his character more dimensional.
What did you think of the episode?
Things are bustling at Gaffney Medical on Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 14.
While there was no winter storm to keep anyone down this time, the characters dealt with some complex cases that tested their moral and ethical responsibilities.
Asher rushed to the hospital to check on her patient, Liza, a former friend who was pregnant and struggling with an addiction. Asher promised to be a source of unwavering support, and she did not let Liza down, championing her every step of the way through pre-birth, birth, and her relapse shortly after.
It was a heartbreaking storyline but one that reminded audiences just how far Asher has come and how committed she is to helping others who walk the same path. Liza wanted to be a good mom, but she had vices that were just too strong. When Asher found her overdosing in the bathroom, she didn’t judge her or immediately rush to call DCFS despite Archer’s suggestion. Instead, she stood firmly in Liza’s corner, asking to buy some time so she could figure out a solution that didn’t strip Liza of her motherly agency.
While it wasn’t safe to send the baby—who Liza later named Hannah—home with her mother, they did find a temporary solution that would get Liza the help she needed while ensuring that her daughter was taken care of, with the eventual goal of reuniting them both.
Asher is a true ride-or-die, and the more we get to know her, the more she’s becoming one of my favorite characters.
Halstead actually did the right thing—on his own—for what may be the first time ever. While it was tempting to look the other way on Isaac’s results, Halstead knew that he had to order additional testing to rule out anything serious before they allowed him to go through with his kidney transplant.
Unfortunately, the MRI revealed that Isaac had cancer, which destroyed his only shot at getting a new kidney—and that’s not the news anyone wanted, especially Isaac.
While it was a tough call to make, and Nellie seemingly wanted Halstead to just turn a blind eye, it was the right one. Isaac’s body could never handle chemo and kidney treatment. The poor man walked into the ED hoping for a clean break and was dealt an even worse set of cards, but that’s the reality of life sometimes, and there’s nothing we can do about it.
Crockett, who has become 2.0’s biggest champion, found himself a little let down by the AI, but it was a good reminder that putting all your faith into a computerized robot isn’t what makes anyone a good doctor. Crockett has stopped relying on his skills and instincts, which is never good as that’s what made him the best of the best. 2.0 should be a guiding tool, but it should never do the work for you!
Audiences also got to see Crockett attach a severed hand to a leg to keep it alive longer before reattachment. I’m not exactly sure if this is possible in real life, but it was a seriously impressive and out-of-the-box solution.
Dr. Charles found himself walking a thin line between his personal and professional life. Liliana came to him about a custodial strike taking place at Gaffney, and naturally, he wanted to do everything in his power to help her.
However, he may have crossed a line when questioning why the hospital wouldn’t give the workers a 6% raise. While everyone deserves it, Sharon Goodwin was right that it would set a bad precedent for all the other union negotiations. And at the end of the day, her job is to cut costs and keep them down. It’s hospital politics. Charles should know that, so it was clear that he overstepped, letting his personal feelings for Liliana get in the way.
Liliana was also out of line for asking Charles to go on the record against the hospital. He’s good friends with Goodwin, so it’s in bad taste, plus, he doesn’t have a stake in the game. He already advocated for her and pushed some buttons, which she didn’t seem too grateful for. I’m not digging this relationship at all.
Of course, the promo for the upcoming episode reveals that a hospital strike is going to happen—and it won’t be pretty for those working the ED.
Speaking of relationships, Goodwin agreed to have lunch with a potential new board member, Dr. Thomas, at the request of Jack Dayton, and despite dreading the afternoon, it turned out to be a great meeting. She hit it off Thomas immediately, as he revealed some deep roots to the hospital—he was born there!
He seems like a decent guy who actually cares about the hospital and improving the patient experience, so I think she should endorse him for the board so that she has someone on her side. And I’m definitely not against the chemistry either. Goodwin deserves some love and happiness, and though she may have turned down Thomas’ offer for drinks, she was seriously considering it. Maybe next time she’ll take the leap? I almost feel like Dayton meant to set them up.
What did you think of the episode?
Chicago P.D2 weeks agoIs ‘Chicago PD’ New Tonight? Everything We Know About Season 10 Episode 16
Chicago Med2 weeks agoIs ‘Chicago Med’ New Tonight? What We Know About Season 8 Episode 16
Netflix2 weeks agoWho Is Rhys Montrose on ‘YOU’ Season 4?
Outer Banks2 weeks agoWill There Be a 4th Season of ‘Outer Banks’? Here’s What We Know
You2 weeks agoYOU Season Finale Review – The Death of Jonathan Moore (410)
Chicago P.D3 weeks agoChicago PD Review – Blood and Honor (1015)
Alaska Daily2 weeks agoAlaska Daily Review – Tell a Reporter Not to Do Something and Suddenly It’s a Party (208)
Alaska Daily3 weeks agoAlaska Daily Midseason Premiere Review – Enemy of the People (107)