Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 8 returned on Jan. 7 from its two-month holiday hiatus, delivering an episode format that we’ve never seen.
Instead of picking up with the events of the cliffhanger from the midseason finale, fans were kept in suspense, with the storyline being told by the characters a day later.
Dr. Charles was recounting the trauma of the day to his therapist, Dr. Archer and Dr. Kingston were answering to Sharon Goodwin and Peter, who questioned their decisions regarding a patient’s procedure during a power outage, and Caitlin Lennox was in the interrogation room following the aftermath of her confrontation with Devon Carter.
The stakes were at an all-time high going into the midseason premiere, and while fans found out exactly what happened that night during the storm that knocked the power out, the implications are bound to stretch way beyond this episode.
The good news is that Caitlin Lennox survived, even after being knocked out by Devon and tied up in his basement. When Dr. Ripley came looking for her, he was also ambushed by Devon, proving that their decision to do all this without police was misguided, at best. They knew this, but where one goes, the other follows. Ripley couldn’t let her walk into the lion’s den on her own, though he definitely should’ve notified police before getting there.
Of course, Caitlin’s intentions were in the right place—she wanted to help Faye, the victim who was abused by Devon on multiple accounts, and she was fearful the police wouldn’t take her seriously. And for a case of domestic abuse, it was very strange that the detective was so determined to poke holes in her story, or that he immediately picked up on Caitlin’s anger and accused her of purposefully leaving the gun behind.
Throughout the whole tense exchange, it almost felt like we were missing crucial information or a previous confrontation that would explain why he was more inclined to side with Devon, the aggressor, in all of this.
The one thing the detective was right about was that Caitlin and Mitch were lying, but it was to protect Faye, who ended up shooting Devon in a panicked state after he ordered her to shoot Mitch.
Faye did what she did partly for herself, but also to protect the two people who stuck their necks out for her every step of the way. They were all trauma-bonded by the end.
And while Devon wasn’t being an aggressor in that moment, it’s clear that he was still emotionally abusing and trying to manipulate Faye, all while being extremely dangerous to the trio.
The case isn’t going to resolve anytime soon, so we should expect to see the effects linger, as the detectives are determined to get to the bottom of it. I’m also picking up on a vibe between Caitlin and Ripley. Again, that could be the trauma bonding, but I think the series has been trying to convince the audience that this mismatched match might actually make sense long term, especially since things with Hannah are officially over.
Caitlin and Ripley’s storyline may be the most gripping, but there’s a fair share of concern that should be extended to Dr. Charles because he’s going through something serious.
His therapy session revealed a tough day at work—a daily balancing act to make the right choices for patients, even if they don’t always feel right.
He felt troubled that his decision regarding a patient was a death sentence for them, even though the situation that they found themselves in was sadly of their own making. It was unfortunate, but it wasn’t Charles’ fault. He even gave her a fair assessment, essentially fulfilling the obligations of his job.
Unfortunately, it took a toll on him, as he explained that the case led to his first panic attack since med school. Paired with the bloody nose that followed soon after (channeling his inner Eleven from Stranger Things), Charles is convinced something is wrong with him. Is it his health? Or is it all just stress-related?
Dr. Charles has been a little off in his actions for quite some time, most recently by accusing Dr. Rabari (Manish Dayal) without good reason. Something is definitely causing him to be off his game, but is it enough to consider retirement? No one would blame Charles if he just didn’t have steam left—he’s dealt with plenty that would make the average person fold under pressure, but he’s also one of the best at what he does and treats patients fairly, more than the others at Gaffney.
He’s also one of the most complex characters, and as one of the few originals left, it’ll be exciting to deep dive into his issues later this season.
Archer and Kingston were being interrogated for their decision concerning their dying patient, Jeremy, who underwent a risky procedure in order to meet his baby. While I agree that under normal circumstances, going through with the surgery would’ve been questionable, there were so many factors that played into their decisions, specifically his desire to be there when his baby is born. No one could foresee a power outage, so it’s unfair to hold that against them. They acted with their patient’s best interests in mind, which ended up working out for him (and them as they gave him a shot at life for a few more weeks!
Archer also helped Asher overcome her nightmares, which were a result of her mother’s death during childbirth. Hannah was terrified that her daughter would encounter the same fate—losing her mother during birth. Archer realized that the only way to stop the recurring nightmares was to face the question of the baby’s gender head-on. And it’s a girl!
The news came as a relief to Asher, especially considering she had so much support from Archer. Their heart-to-heart and candid chat also broke through all that awkwardness that they’ve been dealing with ever since finding out about the baby.
“I just want my friend back,” was such a wholesome reveal and a heartbreaking line. He may be older and wiser with so much more life experience—including a grown son—but he’s also navigating uncharted waters and terrified of what lies ahead. The more they can lean on each other, especially since they have such a solid foundation, the better they will be.
What did you think of the Chicago Med Season 11 midseason premiere? What do you think will happen to Caitlin? Did her brush with danger and death give her a new outlook on life so she’s no longer making such rash decisions? Is a romance between her and Ripley bound to happen? They are both sticking to the story, but will Faye eventually come clean about it all to protect them?
