NBC's Chicago Med - Episode 4.10 "All the Lonely People"
April finds herself in a dangerous situation. Natalie gets an update on Will. Connor gears up for a gala honoring his hybrid O.R. and tries to convince Ava to join him.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. Premieres and finales may feature longer reviews. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of NBC's Chicago Med.
"All the Lonely People" was written by Diane Frolov & Andrew Schneider and directed by Michael Waxman
At first, it seems as if this hour is going to focus on mass shootings and gun control. Instead, it covers a ton of socially relevant issues including sexual harassment & assault, depression, sexism and PTSD. It's really remarkable how well the show is able to cover all of these topics too. Of course, some are better handled than others. Some are also setting up ongoing stories for these characters. It's clear that Will will remain traumatized following the events of the previous episode. Now, he's fully expecting Natalie to commit to a third wedding. That's crazy and ridiculous. Moreover, he thinks it won't be a big deal if he just brings a gun into their home. That's so reckless and dangerous. He believes he's being smart but once again he's not taking her feelings into consideration. That could tear this couple apart. And yet, the show still wants the audience to have empathy for Will because of everything that he has been through this season. He's traumatized and needs the proper help to deal with all of it. Of course, Dr. Charles may not be the best source of comfort at the moment either. He is reaching out to Elsa in the hopes of her actually learning in this environment while still taking care of herself. Now, it's understandable that he would reach out in the hopes of helping someone who could be suffering from depression. However, it's easy to side with Elsa as well for being outraged that he would try to force himself into her life by believing she could be suicidal. That's not the kind of relationship they have. The show has previously established that Charles has his own issues he needs to deal with. He usually deflects by focusing on his patients and the fellow doctors at the hospital. This is him doing that once more. The hospital has always been able to rely on him though. So, this is a position everyone is more than comfortable putting him in. That may not be the healthiest thing for him. And yet, the show could once again prop up his intelligence and perception with no doubts if something tragic does happen to Elsa because she doesn't want to get help. She essentially has the right reaction to learning that the shooter opened fire because women have continually rejected him throughout his entire life. He is such a despicable human being who believes that he deserves sex and is entitled to get it no matter what. He is a byproduct of social media connectivity and toxicity. He found a community online that turned him into an even more hurtful and deranged individual. One who still deserves the best care from the doctors at Chicago Med. Choi and Charles have their heads on straight despite this shooting happening in front of the hospital. Elsa has an extreme reaction. That could just be her as a student still learning how to do this job. Or it could signal something much worse. And finally, the show is offering more clarity as to what happened between Ava and Connor's father. She went to him in order to get the financing for the hybrid O.R. And now, the program has been a success. The hospital is quick to hold a gala celebrating its launch. That just means Cornelius shows up as a member of the board looking for even more from Ava. Again, it's curious just how much happened between the two. Ava denies anything except flirting with him for money. Cornelius says they actually had sex. Connor is quick to take Ava's side because he hates his father as well. And yet, all of this is bound to only get more complicated for everyone involved.
