The Chicago Med Season 8 premiere didn’t skip a beat, picking up right in the thick of the fire at Halstead’s apartment complex.
While everyone managed to get out safely, with a little help from the Chicago Fire department, the aftermath of the incident played a huge role in the episode as everyone involved was somehow affected in the long run, particularly Dylan, who lost Milena when she bled out from her gunshot wound.
The promising couple never got their chance to stand in the sun, which was unfortunate, but in her last moments, Milena assured Dylan that it wasn’t his fault. That, of course, didn’t make her death any less painful or tragic, nor did it stop Dylan from blaming himself as the guilt consumed him because he was the one that shot the gun.
At the end of the day, Dylan is a protector. He wants to help everyone and do good, so he felt as though he failed Milena.
It’s unfortunate that there wasn’t a happy ending for this couple or that they didn’t get a little more time together. Their romance was short-lived when it could’ve been the source of a stellar PD/Med crossover throughout the season.
Milena’s death wasn’t entirely surprising considering Riley Voelkel likely has other projects to attend to. And it is a changing point in the series as it underscores the dangers that come with undercover work while also pushing Dylan to finally make a choice about his future.
Dylan has been a breath of fresh air for Med, but he was consistently torn between being a doctor and a cop. He may wear the white coat now, but he still bled blue, and Milena’s death showed him that there was no path forward in Chicago as he would always find himself walking the line between both duties. He couldn’t shake the past no matter how badly he wanted to, so, he decided to leave Med and find a fresh start. I can’t blame him either as everything here would have reminded him of the future he envisioned and lost with a woman he didn’t even realize he was falling in love with.
Dylan’s exit is a loss, and I selfishly would have preferred if he went over to Chicago PD instead and played around with the Intelligence unit a bit. They could use a man that’s passionate about doing the right thing and helping clean up Chicago.
Hannah Asher also experienced some side effects from the fire. Halstead didn’t know she was even home, so it’s a miracle she got out. But despite being cleared for smoke inhalation, she began having trouble breathing and a scan later revealed that the smoke triggered some heroin residue in her lungs. Much like Dylan, Hannah also can’t seem to shake the past.
CHICAGO MED — “How Do You Begin to Count the Losses” Episode 801 — Pictured: (l-r) Brian Tee as Ethan Choi, Jessy Schram as Hannah Asher, Nick Gehlfuss as Will Halstead — (Photo by: George Burns Jr./NBC)
Halstead remained by Hannah’s side throughout, but he continues to be the same problematic character. How has he experienced no character growth over the years? In some moments, he’s fine, but mostly, he butts heads with everyone and claims to know better. It’s exhausting.
Choi was right when he told Halstead that he was too close to Hannah. They may not be together as a couple, but he obviously still cares for her in some capacity. This is the core reason why a doctor is never allowed to treat a loved one. His judgment was skewed when it came to Hannah, especially as he was feeling particularly guilty that she was in this situation because of him.
As for who was responsible for the fire, well, all fingers seemed to point to Goran as the likeliest suspect as he figured out that Milena was an undercover cop when he saw her getting cozy to Dylan. However, since that was the obvious choice, it actually ended up being Jesse from Vasik, which wasn’t entirely surprising either as the fire was perfectly timed to the start of the trial where her reputation was going to be dragged through the mud.
Jesse didn’t want to face the punishment, so she attempted to kill Halstead so that he couldn’t testify, in turn, making things much worse for herself. Did she seriously think they wouldn’t catch her? When Halstead’s brother is part of PD’s Intelligence? She deserves everything coming her way.
With Jesse arrested, let’s hope that this whole VasCom drama is put behind us once and for all because it’s been dragging out way too long.
Elsewhere, Crockett was dealing with the fallout of his choice to save Pamela Blake’s life, which, unfortunately, came at the cost of her surgical skills.
It’s a bummer to see everyone bash Crockett— Sam even suggested that his decision was opportunistic to sideline the Chief of Transplant—when, in reality, Crockett was a man terrified of the possibility of losing the woman he loved.
Blake’s anger is understandable as she’s only ever seen herself as a top-tier surgeon, so this setback forces her to question and reframe everything, but I do think she’ll come around when she puts herself in Crockett’s shoes. While he seemed to regret his decision initially, when Sharon Goodwin forbid him from departing the transplant team, he realized that he needed to continue doing the job. And he stood by his decision with Blake, informing her that if the roles were reversed, she would’ve done the same thing. I’m truly living for Crockett’s vulnerability.
He was also essential in saving Goran’s life during the transplant, once again proving that Med will be in fine hands until Blake returns because she taught him well.
There were some stellar moments between Neil and Dr. Charles, along with the new psych student, Nellie Cuavas (Lilah Richcreek Estrada), and it goes to show that Chicago Med is committed to keeping mental health stories at the forefront. Cuavas got an unfiltered look at what it’s like to diagnose an underage patient whose parents weren’t interested in seeking the help that their child needs due to stigma. It’s unfortunate the storyline didn’t really find a resolution once the parents were informed that their son was diagnosed with schizophrenia, but it just shows that sometimes, as a doctor, your hands are tied no matter how hard you try.
Neil previously attempted to dismiss mental health and Charles’ work in the ED, but it’s nice to see him coming around and acknowledging that it is necessary. He even opened up about his estranged son, who he lost to addiction. He clarifies that his son isn’t dead, he just doesn’t have any kind of relationship with him, though, that’s about to change because towards the end of the episode, Neil accepted a call from his son from the Cook County Jail. while it’s heartbreaking to find out your kid is in jail, at least he now knows his whereabouts and they can start mending the fractures. It’ll be fun to explore this storyline further and get to know a different side of Neil.
Maggie is struggling with finding a place for her ex, Grant, in her life. It’s clear that there are plenty of feelings bubbling back up to the surface after she reunited Vanessa with her birth father. When Grant approached Maggie asking if she ever wonders what would have happened if their parents didn’t force them to put Vanessa up for adoption, she shot him down immediately, but her need to inform him that she’s happy with her husband, Ben, was telling about her state of mind. Since it’s evident her relationship with Grant didn’t end on her own terms, Maggie has a lot to work through. Hopefully, she doesn’t jeopardize the good thing she has with Ben, to give things with Grant another shot, but honestly, Maggie has always wanted a big happy family, so I can see why her heart is being pulled in this direction that guarantees her that outcome.
And finally, April is back in town! It’s unclear if Yaya Dacosta is going to return to Gaffney after finishing her NP program and returning to Chicago, but it does put into perspective Choi’s comment to Halstead that “feelings” don’t “disappear.” His feelings for April never disappeared, and when they accidentally meet at his father’s grave, there’s definitely plenty of love and chemistry between them. Will they give their relationship another try? After all, they made sure that neither one got married or moved on.
What did you think of the season premiere? Do you like how the Chicago franchise is staging mini crossovers with a little appearance from Fire’s Herman and PD’s Kim Burgess?
Sound off in the comments below!