Everything that could’ve gone wrong on Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 13 did, but surprisingly, there weren’t any major casualties due to the chaotic storm.
Terrible storms wreaking havoc for characters is a common trope, and while it may be a cliché way to stir up some drama, I find myself always really enjoying these episodes.
The timing of this episode is actually pretty funny because Chicago is currently dealing with really powerful winds, though thankfully, no ice storm to go along with it. The drastic weather conditions meant that Gaffney was overcrowded with people seeking shelter.
And it was Sharon Goodwin who ensured that the doors stayed open for everyone in need despite complaints from Neil Archer and Jack Dayton. Their concerns were understandable, especially when Felix was stabbed, however, Goodwin simply couldn’t turn her back on the people that were counting on the hospital’s service. And when a giant tree branch came barreling through the glass ceiling, she doubled down on her stance not to put the hospital under lockdown.
Sharon is always the moral compass, and you know that if she’s in charge, the hospital will be in good hands.
Gaffney was definitely stretching resources, with a shortage of doctors and many overtired from working 72-hour shifts. It should be illegal, but at the same time, when there’s no other option, there’s no other choice.
I don’t necessarily think Maggie’s judgment was impaired by her fatigue when she sent Felix to the lobby rather than letting him take up a hospital bed. There were other, more critical patients, who needed it, and she could’ve never predicted that it would lead to a stabbing. It wasn’t on her, yet, she felt guilty and only forgave herself when she finally caught the culprit—a woman who came banging on the hospital door after nearly freezing in the conditions. While she definitely needed medical assistance, she was also severely paranoid, which meant that when the situation got too intense, she snapped. Thankfully, no one else was hurt before they were able to sedate her.
I do think Maggie was slightly distracted by worrying about Ben. She knew he had a bowling night, and when she couldn’t reach him, she was scared that something might have happened. After multiple unanswered calls, she was ready to give up when she saw Ben walk through the door. It’s unclear what convinced him to forgive her—I’m hoping he realized that her persistence was love—but I’m glad he did because this storyline has gone on way too long. Ben and Maggie were always such a solid couple, and I want them to get back to that.
After the stabbing, it was revealed that a part of the blade was stuck near Felix’s liver, which made his surgery highly complex. Crockett took it on, despite being overly tired, and he decided to use 2.0 to assist with it. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, Dayton implemented a system upgrade that locked out a surgeon when the AI deemed them too fatigued to continue on. This didn’t sit well with Crockett, but since he had no other choice, he handed the reins over to a junior surgeon, Tanaka Reed. When he confronted Dayton about the issue later, the billionaire stood by his software, informing Crockett that even the best of surgeons have blindspots—and his may just be when he’s too tired to power through.
I have to side with Dayton on this one. I have full faith in Crockett, but it’s not normal for anyone not to sleep 3+ days. In an emergency instance, someone should be able to override 2.0, but it wasn’t necessary in this case. The algorithm did its thing to minimize the damage and walk a less experienced doctor to victory.
The most stressful storyline involved Hannah Asher, who teamed up with a military police escort to get to the hospital. An OB patient was waiting on her, but she didn’t make it in time because they stopped to help a stranded civilian, which put them both in jeopardy. After getting Paul out of his vehicle, it exploded, sending them all flying. Hannah was the only one that came out unscathed, while Paul and Corporal Parker both suffered injuries due to the shrapnel. As they waited for a ride to the hospital, they were surprised to see Sean Archer come to their rescue.
Sean was just at the hospital by chance when he realized his father’s colleague might need help and stepped up to the plate, proving that his father was wrong about him. Archer misjudged his son, and it came from a place of fear that Sean was going down a dark path that would once again land him in jail, but all the audience has seen is a selfless man who wants to make the most out of the second chance he’s been given. He may have made a bad call bringing in a friend who was doped up on a flurry of pharmaceuticals, but he was there for someone when they needed him, which speaks volumes about his character. I hope we see more from Sean because his addition to the episode was truly wonderful.
Halstead, on the other hand, simply couldn’t help himself, and he dragged down Dr. Song with him. For quite some time, Halstead has operated with his heart on his sleeve, and his decision to go forward with a very risky surgery with a less-than-promising outcome was rooted in his desire to save the person at hand regardless of what it meant to those around him. It’s a great quality to have, but not when it puts others at risk. I love that Halstead wanted to do everything in his power to help Nina so that Lucas wasn’t an orphan but it came at a huge cost as the operation exhausted all the units of blood. If someone—anyone at all—needed them, they would have run out because of Halstead and Song’s choice.
Song’s approach to follow the data at all times isn’t the right way either, but in this case, she should’ve listened to her gut and nixed the surgery. She got too caught up in the personal aspect of patient care when she knew that given the circumstances, their best course of action was to reserve the units for those who had a favorable outcome.
It’s definitely a gray line to walk—and it’s case by case in most situations, but I’m hoping that Halstead takes something out of this as well. He can’t save everyone, and if the choice is saving one person, or letting one person die to save countless others, I think the choice is obvious.
Again. I’m glad it didn’t come to that this time around.
What did you think of the episode? Whose storyline are you most invested in?