Chicago Med
Chicago Med Season Finale Review – And Now We Come to the End (7×22)
Chicago Med brought the heat for the season 7 finale!
The final few moments of the episode were life-changing for a handful of characters.
Having Halstead testify in the VASCOM trial was likely saved for next season, but it’s unclear if he’ll even survive in order to make it to court. Okay fine, who am I kidding, we know Halstead will survive, but keeping his life hanging in the balance does make things slightly more thrilling.
The apartment complex fire connected back to Milena, real name Jo, who was gearing up to skip town after her cover was blown by a dirty cop. Can someone tell me why I’m convinced the dirty cop is Dylan’s father? The fact that she asked Dylan if he trusts his dad was such a red flag.
Milena had an in with the Bosnian mafia, but we knew that they began suspecting her when they saw how cozy she was with Dylan at the hospital.
It wasn’t exactly surprising that one of the men found her hideout and tried to take her out for being a “traitor,” but it was surprising that Dylan and Halstead also went down with the ship for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Dylan’s feelings for Milena got the best of him. If he hadn’t paid her one last visit to say goodbye, he likely would’ve been spared. However, he also wouldn’t have been there to defend her.
When Milena was ambushed by the hitman, Dylan fought him off and took the shot. Milena knew it wasn’t safe to stick around, so she made a break for it, which is when she realized she was also injured in the scuffle. All the blood tells me that she’s not going to make it far without seeing a doctor.
Dylan’s “do no harm” oath kicked in, so even though he knew the man was part of the mafia and a huge threat, he couldn’t leave him behind to perish in a burning building. He risked his life to save him, as did Halstead, who heard the shots and ran back to lend Dylan a hand. That’s when they became trapped in the hallway with no escape, engulfed by flames on both sides.
Of course, this is the perfect lead-in for a #OneChicago crossover. If it doesn’t happen, it’ll be a huge missed opportunity. Chicago Fire’s squad can put out the flames and get Dylan and Halstead to safety, while Chicago PD’s team can build up the case against the Bosnian mafia and clear Milena’s name once and for all.
It would be awesome for Riley Voelkel to stick around as a recurring character and Dylan’s love interest as his tether back to law enforcement, which he just can’t seem to shake.
Plus, they’re a cute couple, and we don’t have many of those left around here.
That is if Dylan and Halstead even get out in time or survive the following hours. For those of us who have seen This Is Us, we know what happens when someone endures too much smoke inhalation.
I definitely feel for Halstead since he just purchased this complex with the money he got by being a whistleblower in the VASCOM scandal.
I know the insurance money will likely cover the damages, but it’s just one blow after the other for him. And right when it seemed like things were finally stabilizing in his life.
It’s safe to assume that Halstead got his resident, Hannah Asher, to safety prior to running back into the burning building to assist Dylan. Right before the fire, Halstead and Hannah agreed to a clean slate as “neighbors.” Admittedly, it’s a much better meet-cute than a doctor who helps a woman while she’s overdosing.
I know the series is really trying hard to make this Hannah and Halstead relationship happen, but I would really rather it didn’t happen. One sweet moment between the two of them doesn’t erase the fact that they never see eye-to-eye, especially when dealing with patients.
Earlier in the day, they had two very different approaches when it came to dealing with a joint patient.
Julia was rushed to the ER after experiencing discomfort with urination. Her boyfriend, Owen, wanted her to get checked out since she was donating an organ to him the following moment. It definitely seemed like the couple was madly in love and the stars just aligned for them, well that is until Owen confessed that he wasn’t in love with Julia and was torn about whether to tell her the truth and risk having her change her mind about the transplant.
Halstead then confided in Hannah even though it was clear that he had already made up his mind about how to proceed with the information. He didn’t want to sabotage Owen’s chances of getting an organ transplant because he knew that if Julia backed out, Owen might have to wait years for another shot.
However, Hannah argued that they were essentially conning Julia into the transplant and that she had every right to know the truth.
Eventually, Owen had a chat with Hannah who encouraged him to tell Julia the truth. And I’m glad he took her advice because she was right.
Yes, the worst-case scenario was that Owen might lose a donor, but it was the morally sound thing to do if he ever cared about Julia at all. It was her choice — a choice she was making from a place of love — and she deserved to know all the facts before making a decision about her body and life.
Julia was hurt by the breakup, but she agreed to go through with the transplant regardless because she wanted to save his life. She knew that she was Owen’s only shot, and wouldn’t let something as trivial as a breakup stand in his way.
At the end of the day, Julia proved that she loved Owen no matter what. It wasn’t a transaction — Owen didn’t need to repay her by promising eternal love; he just simply needed to acknowledge the sacrifice she was making for him.
And the fact that Halstead was supporting to deceptive approach really goes to show you what kind of man he really is. There are moments of kindness from him, and then there’s this. It sets us back every time.
Dr. Choi and Dr. Archer treated Zach, Peter’s son from legal, who suffered a leg injury from lacrosse that meant he wouldn’t be able to finish out the season and get scouted by college reps. He was pretty torn up about it and lashed out at his father, who admittedly wasn’t a fan of the sport.
After losing his father and harboring a ton of resentment, Choi had a little heart-to-heart with Zach. It may have been too late for him to fix things with his dad, but that doesn’t mean he can’t help others make amends before it’s too late.
And it was the perfect segue to his father’s navy funeral. Choi regretted all the things he didn’t say or didn’t know, and when he was handed the flag as the next of kin, he passed it on to Gerald. It was a sweet gesture that acknowledged that he approved of his father’s secret life and welcomed Gerald into the family.
The moment also encouraged Archer to reconnect with his estranged children, so we’ll likely see his personal life expand next season.
Speaking of children, Sharon Goodwin’s birthday dinner turned into a delivery with a view. Her daughter, Tara, went into labor while they were having a celebratory dinner at The Signature Room at the 95th.
It’s a good thing Tara was dining with doctors because when the staff informed them that the elevators were down, she had to throw her birth plan out the window and improvise.
Sharon assured her that she was in good hands as she’s delivered hundreds of babies. And there’s nothing more special than delivering your grandson into the world.
Tara and baby were both happy and healthy following the emergency delivery!
Maggie admitted a patient named Donna, who was an alcoholic suffering from end-stage liver disease. Charles deemed her unfit to make any medical decisions, so they called her daughter, who basically laid into her mother for all of her mistakes.
It was brutal to watch as she told her unconscious mother that she’s been dead to her for years. There was a lot of resentment there, but at the end of the day, a child cannot help but love a parent despite their flaws.
The moment convinced Maggie to make the call to Vanessa’s birth father and set up a reunion. Vanessa finally met Grant at Grant Park (fitting, right?), and though they didn’t say much, it sure seemed successful.
Grant seems like a stand-up guy who has an interest in getting to know his daughter. And honestly, I think Maggie is in trouble because when she laid eyes on Grant again, you could tell she was smitten and feeling all the feels. Ben doesn’t deserve this, but you know it’s coming.
The series doesn’t typically venture outside of the hospital walls, but it was nice to see some Chicago landmarks incorporated in the finale.
There was a lot of focus on children and their parents.
Dr. Charles finally told Anna about his relationship with Lonnie, but once he finally got it off of his chest, he realized that he was never scared of telling his daughter, he was scared of saying it out loud to himself.
Almost immediately after the realization, he informed Lonnie that he was breaking up with her. For a therapist, she didn’t seem to handle the emotions that come with a breakup very well, but Charles had a valid point — she knew way too much about him and his past for this to ever work.
He couldn’t get past their patient-therapist connection, and he felt as though she was criticizing, judging, or assessing his every move based on the profile she built on him. You can’t blame him for feeling like he was under the microscope. And as a therapist himself, he gets it so there was no blame either.
Pamela finally went under the knife for her spinal issues, but when Sam ran into a complication, Crockett overrode Avery’s decision about her mother’s treatment because Pamela granted him power of attorney.
Seeing as though Sam and Avery both agreed on the procedure that they thought Pamela would want, it was obvious that Crockett’s choice was the least popular one.
Pamela wanted Crockett to approach it as a doctor, but he was too influenced by his personal feelings. He was paralyzed by the fear of losing her, so instead of agreeing to the risky procedure that she would’ve preferred, he chose the safe one that threatened her motor skills.
I don’t know why Crockett ever thought that Pamela would forgive him for sabotaging her chances of operating again. The very fact that she wouldn’t be able to operate led her to put off the procedure in the first place, so that should’ve told him everything he needed to know.
The decision was so simple, and yet, Crockett messed it up.
Things were going well for them as a couple, and I was rooting for them, but it doesn’t seem like Crockett will bounce back from this, especially since she feels like she made the wrong choice by trusting him instead of her daughter.
And Avery already has a dislike towards Crockett, so she’s definitely going to take her mother’s side on this one.
Poor Crockett — he meant well, but it’s going to cost him the woman he cares so much for.
What did you think of the Chicago Med season 7 finale? Will Dylan and Halstead survive? Will Milena/Jo survive?
How will Pamela punish Crockett?
Share your thoughts in the comments below, and we’ll see you in the fall!
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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