Chicago Med 7×06 “When You’re a Hammer Everything’s a Nail” focuses on Stevie Hammer, on the woman she is, and on the reasons why she’s turned out the way she has, as it contrasts her with Will Halstead, and in some ways, with Dylan Scott.
The contrast with Will is easy. Will and Stevie have a history, a past, and set ideas about each other, ideas they’re both finding out were mostly wrong. Or, at least, outdated. No one stays the person they were during college, and that’s a good thing. The contrast with Dylan, however, might be even more important. Because Dylan and Stevie both spend most of this episode …thinking the worst. Prepared for the worst. And reacting based on that.
Dylan is, however, wrong. He acts out of outdated ideas and doesn’t allow himself to look at other options until pushed by Maggie. He’s so certain he’s right that he forgets to make sure he isn’t wrong. And yet, in the end, he does the right thing. Because that’s the kind of person – nay, the kind of doctor he is.
Stevie, on the other hand, is handling a lot more baggage than Dylan, and faltering under the weight of it. How could she not? As Dr. Charles points out, she’s been essentially parenting her mother for her entire life. And yet Stevie’s worst instincts when it comes to her mother are probably right. Unlike Dylan, she isn’t projecting from one experience. If anything, she’s constantly giving her mother a benefit of the doubt she hasn’t earned. Constantly hoping against hope.
But she’s still taking on too much, and the relationship feels anything but healthy. Dr. Charles’ advice seems an impossible one to follow, I know I struggled with it when I first heard it, and Stevie obviously didn’t follow, but as we see her trick her mother, we’re left wondering …wouldn’t it be better for her if she took a step back? Wouldn’t it be healthier? Is this what’s best for Stevie and her mother in the long run?
And yet, how can we blame her for not giving up. How can we blame her for the lies? What would we do for the people we love? Probably about as much as she’s doing, if not more. That’s the thing about love …it leads you into reckless decisions, for better or worse.
This storyline with Stevie isn’t anywhere near over, and at some point, there’s gonna come a reckoning. She’s gonna have to learn the hardest lesson there is, which is …you can’t put other people over yourself forever. Or it’ll break you. No, it’ll shatter you. Interestingly enough, there’s another character on Chicago Med who’s had a lot of trouble learning this same lesson, a character who, in season 7, seems to finally be getting to the point where he understands that empathy is a great quality, but you cannot put others over yourself: Will Halstead.
Did I expect the show to go this way? Yes, and no. I felt like they were probably going to set them up to be a couple. I didn’t even dream they were going to take them down the road of being mirrors to each other, and then, hopefully, friends, before things progressed any further.
But you know what? I love it. I’m in for it. Interested? Oh yes, I’m interested. And that’s a hell of a lot more than I’ve said about Chicago Med for years.
Things I think I think:
- Can we keep Sarah forever? Asking for me.
- I cannot properly explain the way this show has made me fall in love with Stevie Hammer, and how shocked I am at how quick it was.
- Will is emotionally invested already, WHO’S SHOCKED? Not me.
- Also, duh, people with scholarships are the people who need help, Will, did this JUST occur to you?
- I would like the show to pick up on the threads of Crockett/Will friendship we got in the first episode of the season.
- Honestly, I haven’t liked Will Halstead as much as I do right now in seasons. Season 7 is truly using his innate desire to fix everything, and his empathy, in the best way possible, instead of letting him put others first in a way that’s destructive.
- “She couldn’t get out of her own way” is …a very kind way to put it, Stevie.
- “I promise I’ll do everything I can” feels like a win for Will.
- “Does she have to know?” Oh, Stevie.
- Maggie pushing Dylan is A+. She’s truly the beating heart of this show. If you don’t agree, you can fight me.
- Am I supposed to …what? Feel good about Dr. Cooper?
- Glad Dr. Donna Paulsen was there to tell it to Crockett like it is.
- “Sometimes you gotta check yourself. Thanks for reminding me.”
- Vanessa and Maggie are gonna break my heart at some point this season, right?
- We took that advice for about 0.3 seconds, right Stevie?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago Med 7×06 “When You’re a Hammer Everything’s a Nail”? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC.