Chicago Med Season 3 Episode 10 Review: Down by Law
Elizabeth Harlow
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Soooo....am I the only one still trying to figure out what headlines any of these stories were supposed to be "ripped" from?
The storylines might not have lived up to the Wolfsian hype, but Chicago Med Season 3 Episode 10 managed to deliver some more thought provoking stories than usual.
Oh, sure, plotting still conformed to the standard formula: Doctors encounter an effed up situation, struggle to put aside their personal feelings, are completely unable to do so, and some how find a moral victory even though they ignored basically all ethic of medicine.
But at least that formula has finally been acknowledged. If a show is going to be predictable, it should at least be meta about it.
Now the writers just need to acknowledge their ridiculous obsession with pregnancy related cases.
I realize that this is distasteful for all of us, but I implore both of you to do your best not to let your personal feelings interfere with the care of this patient or the law.
Sharon
There was one other moment where the show was trying really hard to be self aware, but it just failed miserably.
Will has improved markedly since the first season, but to say that he's far ahead of other men in realizing that "women are tough" is just pure and utter nonsense.
Let's face it, Will is totally the guy who doesn't understand the fuss about the #metoo movement, who doesn't see that harassment and abuse exists on a spectrum, who scoffs at the mention of microaggressions.
Will, I'm fine. Just please don't do that. Don't make unilateral decisions on my behalf, okay?
Nat
Using the despicable child raping reverend as a mirror for his behavior and then excusing Will of all his sins because he's not that bad is perverse. Not as bad as the other guy is not the same as being supportive and respecting Natalie's autonomy.
The fact that Will has only started to grow and understand the plight of women and the strength of women since he started dating Natalie is another thing that irks me.
It's basically buying into BS "I have daughters" platitude we hear from politicians and so other men in the public sphere when they denounce harassment, assault, and general misogyny.
Will: She's just a kid, Nat.
Nat: She's tough. Women are tough. Tougher than you think.
Will: I guess I have a lot to learn about this kind of stuff.
Why does that matter? Why does one need to have a women in their life to understand that those things are bad?
And why did the writers have to validate Will's overbearing behavior by actually giving Nat a concussion?
Sure, it gets her out a certain amount of trouble with hospital administration, but it also undermines her anger. It's a less offensive way of discounting her feelings and opinions than just calling her hysterical, like Will did later to get the Reverend on his side, but it end result is the same.
While Will may be evolving on his understanding of women and how strong we all are, Connor's lesson about ladies was just a little different.
While significantly less irritating, it was also significantly less interesting. So he slept with a married woman. Who happened to be a recreational cocaine user. So what?
This was literally ripped off ER Season 3 when Dr. Ross (George Clooney) had to rush his one night stand into work. Except his lady wasn't married, but had epilepsy, and died.
What if I told you that most of the thoughts that we have are just nonsense. Just synapses popping off in our heads and that we shouldn't take them so seriously?
Sarah
But basically, it was the same thing, just with much lower stakes. The only redeeming features were Latham's dispassionate reaction to Connor's outburst about why he didn't think cocaine was the problem, and Ava's teasing.
Ava might have started out as a bitch -- or rather, a professionally ambitious woman who had the temerity to not let Connor walk all over her and the wherewithal to call him on his crap -- but she has really grown on me.
Which considering I'm currently 98.4% sure that she and Connor are going to hook up before the end of the season is probably a good thing.
I read that Derek Jeter used to send his conquests home with a gift basket, but a full cardio workup is much classier.
Ava [to a bedraggled Connor]
Connor's subplot was basically pointless, but the conflict of interest did put him back in the ED to treat Barry's victim. Ah, yes, Barry. Talk about a bizarre plot twist.
Was the only point to Barry having changed his identity at some point to contrast how it was kind of hypocritical for Maggie to not accept his attempt to have a fresh start in life after giving him a speech ABOUT THE EXACT SAME THING?
Look, I was never team Barry in the first place, and his whipping out a gun at the drive by didn't help matters. It was an idiotic thing to do, and also a missed opportunity by the writers to refute the whole "good guy with a gun" myth.
Legally changing your name so that you can put some dumb ish you did as a kid behind you is actually pretty understandable. I could even see it being the kind of thing that happened so long ago, that no, it never came up.
But Maggie, did you never meet anybody from his family? Really, how serious was this relationship the first time around? Buying a gaudy gold bracelet makes it seem like a while, but then it also seems like there's a lot they don't know about each other.
In the end, I'm not really invested in how this turns out. Maggie could do better, and Med could really use a cross franchise relationship. Let's find Maggie a hot fireman to hook up with!
Sarah wasn't dealing with any romantic issues, and thank god at least one person in that hospital is focused on their career, but also she seems to be over correcting after her breakdown.
I enjoy a well developed story, but after waiting forever for somebody to notice she was not okay earlier this season, I will lose it if this continues.
Sure, it makes a certain amount of sense that her emotional pendulum is going to swing back too far in the opposite direction. But doesn't that also mean that Daniel should have been expecting that kind of recklessness?
Daniel: You directly defied my orders and put yourself and your patient in real danger.
Sarah: Ben isn't dangerous. I think I just proved that.
Daniel: The only thing you proved to me is that you're reckless and insubordinate and I have half a mind to suspend you again.
Sarah will finally have to deal with some of her Daddy issues on Chicago Med Season 3 Episode 11. Freud would have a field day with the fact that her estranged biological father is coming to see Daniel for treatment.
Dear Dr. Charles will clearly struggle to protect his patient's privacy, but what I really want to know is if he can stay impartial to the man who supposedly abandoned his favorite student.
You are missing the point! I appreciate that exposure therapy has given you a new found sense of confidence, but it does not make you all-knowing and invincible.
Sarah The last few months you've been preaching to me that I can either see my patients as a threat or as an opportunity. Was I afraid in there? Yes, but my fear no longer controls me. I control it, and now Ben controls his too. Daniel
Choi may have taken a back seat on "Down By Law," but he and April will be having an out of hospital adventure next time. No, not that kind of adventure, that would require them to have chemistry.
Nope, Ethan is going to violate the apartment building neighbor code and get involved in someone else's business. Okay, so it's a stabbing and not something gossipy, but those two still have no business playing amatuer detective.
April isn't the only Sexton stepping out of their lane; Noah makes a misdiagnosis causing Ava and Connor to work as a team to save the day.
Connor [to his conquest cum patient]: Well, we will get you in and out of here as quickly as possible.
Ava: That's what Dr. Rhodes is renowned for around here. Quick in-and-outs.
I think we all know that the fear inducing promo about viral outbreaks is all total BS and that Natalie will have that baby well in no time, and we'll just all have to sit through the vaccinations are safe PSA.
Blame this case on this year's flu outbreak and that people are still dumb. It's medically relevant, but it's not going to convince anybody that already refuses to listen to actual science, no matter how it's explained.
So what did you think of "Down by Law?" Did Sarah get the reality check she needed, or will she spin out of control? Is Barry gone for good? Should Nat have forgiven Will for his condescension so easily?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments section! And remember, you can watch Chicago Med online, or catch up with our past Chicago Med reviews anytime.
Elizabeth Harlow was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She left the organization in October 2018.
