Chicago Med 7×02 “To Lean In, Or To Let Go” continues to set up the new dynamics the show is looking to capitalize in season 7. This doesn’t just involve the new characters, as this episode spends a fair bit on time on the dynamics between Will and Sharon Goodwin, Maggie and Vanessa, Vanessa and Crockett Marcel, among others. These are all relationships that already existed and/or were teased before, but not relationships that had really been developed to their fullest. The episode also spends a fair bit of time on the Will and Goodwin relationship, which has been explored before, but which season 7 is turning into an entire new thing.
These are good things, and it’s possible for the show to try them out because some of the other stuff they’re doing has been working — and the new characters are playing into some emotional beats that were perhaps left vacant the past few years. Shows like Chicago Med are all about balance, and about emotion. Both were mostly missing for the show, at least in a consistent way. I cannot say after two episodes that season 7 has brought them back, but there’s at least a clear attempt to.
A show that doesn’t recognize what it’s doing wrong can never fix it.
Or move forward. But moving forward is exactly what Chicago Med is doing. It’s easy to see this when we examine the new dynamics between Will and Stevie. It’s not romantic, yet. It’s not even particularly caring. There’s a great deal of antagonism, and a lot of …not understanding each other. But this episode ignited a spark, particularly in Will. He doesn’t understand Stevie Hammer, but he wants to. And we all know that once Will is invested, he’s gonna go full on.
He doesn’t know any other way to exist.
As for Stevie, she’s got about 86 different walls, and she’s got a good reason for those walls. Perhaps Will can be the one to help her open up, perhaps not. But I do hope she finds a way to make connections, and to let other people in. She’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders, and she’s pretty strong, she’s doing it, has clearly done so for a long time. But that doesn’t mean she should, or that it’s healthy to continue the way she has been.
Then there’s Dylan, who makes connections much more easily, and who gets much more emotional pushback from it. We’ve got two new doctors, one who pretends nothing gets to her and one who fully admit it all gets to him, and surprisingly, they both work well. Let’s chalk it up to a combination of good writing and great performances and count ourselves lucky they’re giving this show something to build on.
One of the things Chicago Fire excels at, and Chicago P.D., through its ups and downs, mostly manages to transmit, is an idea of family. Procedurals work better when they center on the team-as-family aspect. This goes for every kind of procedural. Chicago Med isn’t there yet, in fact, they’re so much better at individual dynamics than they are at this. But if season 7 is spent establishing this …it will be a good season.
Particularly because the new dynamics are working. The new doctors are working (how do we have a crush on Dylan already? It’s been two episodes!!). Now we just need a reason to care about the team aspect. And if Chicago Med can give us that …well, it might go from the black sheep of the One Chicago universe to a show that we all agree is absolutely worth the investment.
Now, that’s something we all want.
Things I think I think:
- We went for do whatever you need Will, to be careful Will in exactly one episode. Sharon Goodwin cares too much.
- I knew the Maggie and Vanessa thing couldn’t be this easy, but it huuurts that it isn’t.
- A good sign for the show is that I’m once against starting to appreciate how attractive everyone is.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago Med 7×02 “To Lean In, Or To Let Go”? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago Med airs Wednesdays on NBC.
