Chicago Med
Chicago Med Season Premiere Review – Out With the Old, In With the New (7×01)
Something felt off about the season 7 premiere of Chicago Med.
It wasn’t just the fact that Gaffney welcomed a slew of new faces, but more so that the time jump was so forced as it abruptly sent Natalie packing and reinstated Will as a doctor.
I know that the series tried their best to give fans closure following Torrey Devito’s departure, but since she already agreed to an appearance, couldn’t they have at least made the most of those few minutes of screentime?
Where was she going? Did it have something to do with her mother? And why was Will the one seeing her off? Is it because he covered for her and the stolen pills? The whole scene, much like her exit, felt rushed.
After her exit, Will decided to ask Goodwin for a second chance since Nat confessed to stealing the trial meds, and Goodwin agreed under the condition that he’d basically become a mole and corner the new doctor, Matt Cooper (Michael Rady), for upselling an unnecessarily expensive and dangerous device called the Vask Comp in order to receive kickbacks.
It definitely sounds like Goodwin is asking Halstead to just take a plunge into boiling hot water here, but what choice does he have? If he wants his old job back, he has to prove his loyalty.
And, in a way, the good outweighs the bad as the hope is that his intel will help them pull a potentially dangerous device off the market.
But why Will? Aside from the fact that he always makes absolutely nonsensical choices, he is said to have a past with Cooper, who used to date his cousin.
There’s definitely some tension between Cooper and Halstead from the getgo when the latter propositions catching up over drinks. There’s also a weird line about Cooper being a “good boy” in his marriage, which alludes to the fact that he likely cheated on Halstead’s cousin.
And considering that he’s flirting with the lady working the counter, I’d say he isn’t as reformed as he’d like people to believe.
Just what we need — another frenemy for Halstead!
The fallout of the Kinder trial has really derailed his career, and his return to the ED isn’t necessarily welcomed with open arms, particularly by Crockett, another doctor who hasn’t seen eye-to-eye with Will in the past.
Crockett was forced to rely on his former colleague when he accepted a former Kinder trial patient whose filed was locked. Halstead was the only person who had any insight into the patient’s history, but even when he tried to advise, Crockett hesitated to believe him and went with his gut instead.
It’s a valid reaction considering Halstead’s murky past, but it was also a battle of the egos.
This time, however, Halstead was right.
And while Crockett’s ego may have been bruised, he was able to own up to his mistake. Call me crazy, but I think these two just might become friends after all.
The biggest obstacle standing in the way of their friendship was Natalie, and since she left both of them in her dust, there’s really no reason to continue this feud.
I’m willing to bet that if they work together, they can do great things.
Cooper wasn’t nearly as problematic as Dr. Asher, who somehow, despite crossing every single doctor at Gaffney, snagged the Chief of ED position after Ethan’s shooting.
Not only are Nat and April gone, but Ethan’s absence from the premiere was reduced to a one-liner about how he’s in rehab recovering.
I was kind of hoping Asher wasn’t going to stick around, but with all the recent departures, Med kind of needs him.
His disdain for Dr. Charles and the field of psychology, in general, was at an all-time high. Asher is a vet, so his approach to mental health is rather old school. He doesn’t really respect any Dr. Charles’ calls, particularly when they interfere with his ability to treat a patient. Asher continued to not be impressed that Charles indulged a patient’s fantasies or delusions, though it’s clear he also doesn’t really understand the science behind psychology.
At the kickstart of the episode, they both made snarky comments to each other about the mishandling of Neil’s case, the man who believed he was living in a simulation and shot Ethan after Asher treated him against his will. The tension between them amplified when Asher treated two identical twins, one of whom needed her ovary removed. Since Jemma and Emma grew up without developing a sense of identity, they were convinced they had to do everything together in order to remain “one person.” Thus, the healthy twin also wanted Asher to remove her ovary, which was obviously unethical.
CHICAGO MED — “You Can’t Always Trust What You See” Episode 701 — Pictured: (l-r) Kristin Hager as Dr. Stevie Hammer — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)
The whole relationship between the twins was borderline disturbing, and I kind of wish the series tapped into that more. However, I was impressed that Charles found a way to convince them to go through with the life-saving procedure without dismissing their feelings or beliefs.
But despite emphasizing that he’s never seen a case quite like this one in his 40 years on the job, he probably should’ve anticipated the old switcheroo.
Maybe Asher and Charkes will find a way to put their difference aside and learn from each other?
In addition to Cooper, there were two new faces making the rounds at Gaffney: Dylan Scott (Guy Lockard) and Stevie Hammer (Kristen Hager).
Scott’s a former cop-turned-doctor who loves to share that tidbit with his patients, including a young boy who was bitten by a rattlesnake as part of a gang initiation. My guess is there’s going to be some tie-in to Chicago PD at some point as he told Will that he knew his brother Jay Halstead.
Hammer, on the other hand, reminds me of Dr. Elsa Curry at times. She’s an emergency room attending that seems very perceptive.
She also has a connection to Halstead as they attended med school together, so you can probably tack her onto his long list of love interests. Sparks will fly sooner rather than later, I’m sure.
And since Halstead is a sucker for taking on his romantic partner’s burdens, it won’t be long before he gets involved with trying to help her homeless mother.
Neither of these characters have hooked me just yet, nor are they filling the Natalie and April-sized voids, but I’m not writing them off either.
Scott, in particular, has the ability to offer a unique perspective as there hasn’t been a doctor that has also been on the other side of the coin and worked the streets of Chicago.
Maggie’s storyline with her daughter, Taylor, is going to be a bigger focus this season. If I were to put my money on it, they’ll have a decent relationship by the time the season is over.
Though, I’m glad that Maggie is pulling back and following Taylor’s lead on this. Despite wanting to do what was best for Taylor, it was pretty manipulative of Maggie to get close to her daughter and withhold the truth about her identity.
Taylor deserves all the space she needs, and my hope is that the series doesn’t force this storyline.
Taylor can be curious about her mother while also resenting her for how she’s handled things up until now. And it’s not a surprise that she wants to focus on her career and not have this secret overshadow all the work that she’s doing.
What did you think of the Chicago Med Season 7 premiere?
Did you find it struggled to find its footing with the new characters or did it make you excited for what’s to come this season?
Sound off in the comments below!
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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