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!
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?
Everyone is starting to feel the brunt of Jack Dayton’s decision to turn Gaffney into a for-profit hospital.
When the board voted to support Dayton’s money-hungry decision, the writing was on the wall, but Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 20 honed in on the aftermath revealing that everyone is suffering–from patients seeking treatment to doctors wanting to help.
Halstead couldn’t fathom seeing uninsured patients get turned away, so he found a loophole (classic Halstead), meanwhile, Crockett decided to act first and apologize later by booking 2.0 for a prior patient whose cancer metastasized. If I’m being honest, Richard should’ve been a VIP member since he was the first person to use 2.0 and, essentially, a test dummy for the program.
Crockett made up his mind, and he was backed by Goodwin, who agreed that Richard was going for a “necessary follow-up” and that they would forgive the bill. Unfortunately, it seems as though Dayton didn’t exactly agree because 2.0 glitched halfway through the procedure and Richard didn’t wake up from the anesthesia, falling victim to a stroke despite showing absolutely no signs of distress.
Goodwin assured Crockett that these things happen, but he wasn’t convinced, and based on the teaser trailer for the upcoming episode, we can’t exclude the possibility that Dayton retaliated and purposefully glitched 2.0 to put Crockett’s patient in danger. If that’s the case, we’re talking about a much larger issue than just turning non-paying patients away. We’ll have to wait until next week to find out how this will pan out and if Dayton brings a new meaning to the word “villain.”
Dr. Charles and Maggie teamed up to deal with a paranoid patient with a phobia of hospitals. Jan was spewing all of the conspiracy theories she’d read online verbatim, which prompted her to refuse the necessary care following her car wreck. The dynamic duo did their best to quell Jan’s concerns and prove to her that they didn’t mean her any harm, but in the end, they couldn’t get through to her and she refused to provide any bloodwork so they could check out why she was experiencing jaundice.
This wasn’t a straightforward case for psychology because Jan was simply gullible and fearful as she experienced a traumatic incident where her sister walked into a hospital as a healthy person and was diagnosed with cancer that took her life in less than a month. Jan is still processing all that trauma, so Charles had to believe that she’d deal with it when she was ready and on her own terms. There’s no forcing someone to seek out help when they don’t want it, especially if they seem to be of sound mind. Hopefully, her storyline will circle back around in the future and they will be able to give her the proper care she needs.
Meanwhile, the Archer boys and Hannah Asher once again found themselves rotating in each other’s orbit. Dean came around to the idea of Sean donating a kidney to him, though he definitely chewed out Hannah for clueing his son in on his waning health.
Dean dealt with a patient with a 6-foot-long tapeworm in his intestines—yeah, suddenly, we’re not hungry either—while Hannah and Sean assisted the patient’s wife, who shockingly went into labor without even knowing she was pregnant. The two scenes mirrored each other in that Dean was removing the tapeworm while Hannah was removing a baby. Gruesome and brilliant at the same time! And Sean fit in perfectly by stepping in for the father to help Pam during the delivery process, which also gave him a front-row seat to Hannah’s skilled labor and delivery.
He was in awe seeing her in action, which just confirmed that he has feelings for her, but when he told his father, Dean shut it down by suggesting that it was too early to get into a relationship as they are both focusing on their recovery. Of course, the admission threw Dean off, especially because we know he has a soft spot for Hannah, which was evident when she trolled him in the doctor’s lounge and helped him clean up his coffee off of his medical coat. Sean witnessed the moment, and though it definitely looked more romantic than it was, you can’t deny there’s chemistry there. I smell a love triangle brewing—not a first for Med. And while I want Sean to find someone, I think it’s written in the stars for Hannah and Dean!
Lastly, and I won’t say much about this, I’m genuinely disliking the storyline between Dr. Charles and Lilliana’s brother, Pawel. I get that he’s going through a tough time in terms of finding himself in a new country, but I continue to cringe at the way immigrants are being represented on this show. We’ll see how things escalate and if the storyline can be salvaged in my eyes.
What did you think of the episode? Is Maggie really considering leaving Med? Are we on the brink of a Crockett and Dayton face-off? How will Sharon figure this out to once again save Med?
Featured3 weeks agoPat Sajak Kicks Off Final Run on ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Season 41
Virgin River3 weeks agoWhat Happens to Mel and Jack’s Baby on ‘Virgin River’ Season 5?
Featured3 weeks ago2023 Fall TV Schedule—Here are the 17 Shows That Need to Be on Your Radar
What to Watch3 weeks ago2023 Fall TV Schedule—16 Reality TV and Game Shows That Are a Must-Watch
Wilderness2 weeks agoWho Dies on Prime Video’s ‘Wilderness’?
What to Watch3 weeks ago‘Sullivan’s Crossing’ Is The CW’s Most Promising New Show—And It Stars Chad Michael Murray
Only Murders in the Building2 weeks agoWill There Be a Season 4 of ‘Only Murders in the Building’?
Coffee Table News2 weeks agoWhen Will ‘The Drew Barrymore’ Show Return for Season 4?