Dr. Manning's actions with a recent patient lead to serious repercussions. April and Noah disagree over a patient who is injured after a beating. Dr. Charles is visited by a childhood friend with a surprising revelation.
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. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of NBC's Chicago Med.
"It's All in the Family" was written by Safura Fadavi and directed by Meridith Friedman
This episode immediately sets out to redeem Natalie. She assaulted a patient in the previous episode. She gave antibiotics to a toddler without the consent of his parents. She believed she was doing the right thing. And yet, it came across as her acting recklessly as a result of her traumatic brain injury. Everyone was questioning her judgment. The audience should have been as well. It was infuriating because it came across as if everyone else was right and understood her health and well-being better than she did. Now, people are certainly allowed to be stubborn about their health. Sometimes it truly does take doctors to see plainly and objectively what's happening. Maggie refused to tell anyone about her cancer for awhile. But now, she has the absolute clarity to offer Natalie the precise advice she needs to hear right now. Her instincts have always been solid. So long as she relies on them in everything she does, then she will ultimately make the right decisions. Sure, it's manipulative how the show suggests that Natalie is allowed to continue treating this patient. She is arrested eventually once a judge learns she started making decisions before the court order arrived granting her such privilege. However, it's all wrapped up in the message that she couldn't have been doing any damage because she was trying to save Lucas' life. It is absolutely possible for a person to love someone too much. Natalie's insistence that something more must have been going on could have highlighted just how determined and delusional she had become because of everything that was happening. In the end, the patient did have a more serious condition that was only confirmed after Natalie performed another test knowing that she didn't have the legal standing to do so. It may all happen a little too easily with the resolution being really nice and neat. However, it's fairly dramatic to see the show buck expectations and feature Natalie standing up to both Will and Philip. In that moment, she is trusting her instincts and understands that they both need to be removed from her life. With Will, it's an insistence that he always knows what's right and is continually trying to help her. However, his help can often be so damaging to other people. He wanted to see all the evidence that pointed to his patient no longer being a practicing Jehovah's Witness. He needed to perform the surgery that could save this man's life. It's only afterwards that he sees the error of his sanctimonious ways. He still rushed to Natalie once again believing that he knows best. He does so to inform her that Philip has been lying about the engagement. It didn't matter though. She was already breaking up with Philip. She had made her decision. That information may have only solidified it. But again, she doesn't need to be saved by Will. He constantly feels like that is his place. She may always be tempted to fall in love with him again. That's what she wanted to tell him before the accident. However, the love he offers isn't healthy. She sees that clearly and shouldn't be fooled so easily again. That's big and dramatic. Of course, the show is also saying that couples that thought they were completely over for good still have the ability to come back together. That may offer some hope to fans of Will and Natalie. Charles and Caroline are happy once more. Sharon does go out for a drink with Bert after being ambushed with a reunion. Charles also spends the shift helping a woman through a heart attack and being vulnerable with her ex-wife. It may be simplistic. It's based entirely on the circumstances. There has to be merit to what's currently happening that keeps the various characters apart though. April is right to be concerned about Noah considering he takes a patient home with him. However, he is also right in wanting to be treated as a college instead of as the younger brother who needs to tell her everything. It's all complicated. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. The show just needs to properly follow through on every action that happens to ensure a satisfying story arc.
