The following contains major spoilers from Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 6, “Forget Me Not,” which debuted Wednesday, Nov. 6 on NBC. It also contains discussion of child abuse and substance abuse.
Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 6, “Forget Me Not” is clearly building a bridge to other storylines. The episode on its own doesn’t have a ton of revelatory scenes, but it provides major developments for two pre-existing storylines — one of which happens in an explosive way. And while it isn’t perfect, it gives audiences something to chew on, both in terms of story and in terms of the acting performances.
The most important part of the episode is that the NBC show finally reveals who’s been behind the threats to Sharon Goodwin. Even though that plot has only lasted a few episodes, it’s dragged out so deliberately that it feels like it’s gone on a lot longer, and now fans have an answer (with a catch that only this series would try to pull off). But the most impressive part is the renewed battle between Dr. Dean Archer and Dr. Caitlin Lenox, which reaches a deserved boiling point.
Chicago Med Puts Lenox and Archer on the Hot Seat
The Characters Finally Throw Down for Good
“Forget Me Not” is the episode that will likely solidify Chicago Med fans’ opinions on Dr. Caitlin Lenox. Those who dislike her will have plenty of reason to be furious with her — not just in the choices that she makes treating a young man with a brain injury, but in how she reacts to the results. Those who agree with actor Sarah Ramos that Lenox is doing great as the new co-head of the Emergency Department will respect how she once again makes a tough decision and stands behind it. Convinced that Jordan needs emergency surgery, but unable to reach his parents, Lenox learns that Jordan’s disciplinary camp counselor is legally responsible for him, and accepts the counselor’s consent instead. But when Jordan dies on the operating table, her call to go ahead seems harsh and devastating.
Audiences will debate whether or not Lenox made the proper decision, or if Dr. Dean Archer was right that her choice directly led to Jordan’s demise. What’s almost as unsettling, though, is the way Lenox handles the situation. When she tells Jordan’s parents that he has died, she’s as clinical as any doctor has ever been on this show. One could chalk that up to the fact that she’s just not an emotional person. But then in her subsequent confrontation with Archer, Lenox brushes off Jordan’s death as just part of the job — already brushing it off. She reminds him that “sometimes we lose patients” and is last seen heading down to the ED as if nothing happened. That’s a callousness that runs contrary to the compassionate vibes Chicago Med (and really, the whole One Chicago franchise) is known for.
Love or hate Lenox, what isn’t debatable is how good Ramos and Steven Weber are in this episode… particularly the latter, because Archer’s spirited arguing with Lenox is a sign of how far he’s come since he was the callous doctor in the ED. Weber puts so much heart and anger and determination into every line; this is not just a professional spat, but a personal affront to his character. Ramos has a great moment, too, where Lenox makes clear that she finds the camp’s methods despicable — so her accepting the counselor’s consent is purely based on wanting to do what’s best for Jordan. But it’s very clear now that the ED isn’t big enough for both these characters, so it will be very interesting to see how the writers handle Archer’s quest to see Lenox held accountable. Does someone end up leaving? Or will all this sound and fury wind up amounting to nothing in the long term?
Who’s Threatening Goodwin on Chicago Med?
The Answer Isn’t Entirely Satisfying
Chicago Med fans now know who’s been sending Sharon Goodwin threats: Patrick Dunn, a disgruntled ex-employee. For those who don’t remember, Dunn was the guy who overdramatically slammed the door when he left Goodwin’s office in Season 10, Episode 2, “Bite Your Tongue.” In retrospect, it seems that bit of melodrama was an intentional hint about this storyline. So the good news is that the audience has an answer to the question; the bad news is it’s not a great answer. Viewers barely remember Dunn, if they do at all; the only reason they have to be scared of him is because of what Kevin Atwater tells Goodwin (and therefore the audience) about him. That makes the reveal have no emotional impact; it’s just the period on the end of the proverbial sentence.
Contrast that with Chicago Med Season 2, Episode 17, “Monday Mourning.” While the character who died by suicide was a relatively minor character, Dr. Jason Wheeler, he was still someone whom audiences knew; he’d appeared in seven episodes before that tragic one. This plot wants audiences to react with shock, too, but it hasn’t laid the groundwork for that. After all the suspense surrounding Goodwin (the creepy walk through the hospital parking lot, being scared out of her house), the payoff just isn’t big enough.
Things get even stranger when the head of hospital security later tells Goodwin that Dunn attempted suicide when confronted by police — and he’s now being brought to Med for treatment. That’s one of those “only on TV” moments, because it’s cringe-worthy. Even though one nearby hospital closed in the Chicago Med Season 10 premiere, there are all kinds of things wrong with bringing someone to the hospital where the person they want to kill is working. Chicago Med has sometimes stretched plausibility too far in the name of entertainment, and this is one of those times.
Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 6 Fills in the Blanks
One Character Is Noticeably Missing
The remainder of “Forget Me Not” feels mostly like Chicago Med moving its characters into position for future storylines. Fans see the official launch of Dr. Hannah Asher and Maggie Lockwood’s mobile clinic, but the subplot that comes out of it about Maggie delivering a high school student’s baby is predictable — albeit emotional and with a reference to Maggie’s daughter Vanessa Taylor. Marlyne Barrett is reliable as ever, but the story itself won’t be remembered past this hour. Plus, the fact that the young woman is named Sylvie will likely get unintentional chuckles out of the folks who also watch Chicago Fire.
