Chicago Med continues on with the humans versus AI debate—and it almost cost Dr. Archer his job.
While Crockett was hesitant about the 2.0 technology at first, he’s seen the AI machine in action a handful of times and knows that there are definitely some benefits to it. Obviously, he’s not gunning for the elimination of human doctors altogether, but he’s definitely advocating for doctors to familiarize themselves with the piece of machinery that can lend a hand and possibly boost outcomes for serious and potentially dangerous operations.
Crockett tried his best to get Archer on board on Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 12, and he eventually succeeded in getting him to put a little bit of faith in the AI, however, it quickly backfired when Archer became overwhelmed with the “backseat driver” and broke it.
And that was the last straw for Jack Dayton, who, upon finding out that Archer destroyed his very expensive piece of equipment, fired him. Dayton and Archer haven’t seen eye-to-eye, and with Archer’s vocal distaste over introducing machines, Dayton assumed Archer acted with malice.
Once Sharon Goodwin found out about Dayton’s decision, she gave him an ultimatum—if Archer goes, so does she. I was a little surprised by her desire to go to bat for Dean. I don’t necessarily think he’s worth losing a job over, but it also proves exactly why Goodwin is such a good boss—she’s there for her employees no matter what. She knows that it’s her job to protect them. Dayton knew Goodwin would be a huge loss to the hospital, so he agreed to give Archer his job back, but what happens the next time the Chief of ED decides not to play ball?
Dayton has big visions for the hospital, visions that are very modern and definitely instill a bit of fear into the staff. Everyone is so used to doing things their way—the way that they are comfortable with—so the idea of changing things up, even if it may be for the better, terrifies them. Change can be good, but it can also be scary. But what are without change? While I agree that the human approach is vital in a medical setting, there’s something to be said for finding ways to be more efficient.
A good example of that was Halstead’s partnership with Dr. Grace Song, who coded a system to help him narrow down Jason’s rare condition. Without her tech, Halstead would’ve never found the answer in time, thus not being able to save the young boy’s life. But with Song’s intel, they knew how to treat his condition—and it didn’t have to be deadly. It was a healthy partnership, even if Halstead was a bit skeptical at first.
My only hope is that the writers don’t make this romantic between Halstead and Song.
Maggie and Goodwin were witnesses to a hit-and-run, and if they weren’t on the scene, the two victims might not have made it out alive. Thankfully, they were able to render the necessary aid to hold the women over until they got to the hospital.
Maggie was personally moved by the incident as the women were in a fight right before the accident, proving to her just how fragile life is. She then visited Ben at work to apologize once again and inform him that she was going to fight for their relationship. Ben didn’t even seem phased by any of it, simply telling Maggie that she “lied to him.” I get it, Ben feels betrayed, but he could at least meet her halfway. It’s very clear that this is important to Maggie and she feels remorseful, so why can’t he even consider forgiving her? Many will say that emotional cheating is still cheating, but in this case, I think Maggie was just trying to be super careful about juggling all of these relationships, including finding a way to remain on good terms with Grant, the father of her daughter, who she reconnected with not too long ago. It was all new territory for Maggie, and while she should’ve been more honest and upfront with Grant, there was no blueprint for how to handle it all.
Dr. Asher dealt with a postpartum patient who ended up having an issue that required a hysterectomy. She was so livid after having to perform this avoidable procedure on a 26-year-old, that she barged into Dayton’s meeting demanding that he put his money to good use and sign the hospital up for a program that offers postpartum checks on mom and baby. And honestly, good for her. I don’t understand how this isn’t a normal thing in our country especially considering all the problems and issues that can arise post-delivery. Moms need support, and yet, their symptoms and experiences are often dismissed until it’s too late. It’s nice to see someone advocating for moms during the most fragile and vulnerable moments in their lives. And it seems that Dayton’s heart is definitely in the right place when it comes to the hospital even if he doesn’t know how best to roll things out or what to prioritize. Whenever a doctor yells at him with their concerns or requests, he’s responsive and helpful, which is a start.
As for the Dr. Charles storyline with Lilian, well, it was only a matter of time before their socioeconomic differences played into their relationship. She was right in questioning why Charles made it a point to tell his manager that Liliana is an opera singer—he wanted people to see her as more than just a cleaning lady. I don’t think he was embarrassed by her job, per se, but he wanted to lift her up, possibly to remind her of her worth, though it definitely backfired because Liliana seems pretty self-assured. She knows that her job doesn’t define her, which is such an important lesson for all of us to learn. It’s a reminder that even those who seem like they have it all figured out, like Dr. Charles, don’t actually. But it’s also bullshit that people were judging Dr. Charles for mingling with the cleaning staff as if they are less than. Let’s not feed into this because there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the image!
What did you think of the episode? The series will return on Feb. 8 after a two-week hiatus!