NBC's Chicago Med - Episode 4.21 "Forever Hold Your Peace"
Caroline has news to share, forcing Dr. Charles to make a serious decision about their relationship. Maggie meets her sister's new boyfriend, but discovers danger may lie ahead. Dr. Rhodes experiences a devastating loss. Dr. Choi and April are faced with an unexpected challenge that strengthens their relationship.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of NBC's Chicago Med.
"Forever Hold Your Peace" was written by Safura Fadavi & Meridith Friedman and directed by Charles S. Carroll
These doctors and nurses aren't always the best judge of character. They have to make immediate decisions based on brief interactions with their patients. They have to understand what a person's wishes are before making decisions that could seriously change their lives. As such, there needs to be the inherent trust that the doctors have the clarity to be well-informed and objective enough when interacting with their patients. And yet, there is also the understanding that they bring their own personal baggage to this job. They see things just like any person would. They make quick judgments and don't always get the details right. It's just important to call out that behavior and ensure that lessons are learned so that the same mistake doesn't happen again. It's all about trust and communication. Connor lashes out at the father of his patient because he believes he steals his son's pain pills. Instead, it's a tragic story about the father really needing the medication to handle his chronic pain. He's not an addict but his son has picked up on just how desperate he has been acting as of late. It's devastating but it highlights how the truth brings everyone closer together. Connor even uses it to remember his own past and see that his mother wasn't as involved in his childhood as he would like to believe. He isn't able to apologize to his father for blaming him for everything that happened with her either. He dies before Connor gets the chance. That is unexpected and is bound to only send him into a further rage. That's very dangerous because he has already been erratic and impulsive this season. Elsewhere, the roles are reversed when Will has the clarity over a personal relationship and Maggie is the one having a big reaction. Her sister, Denise, is back in town and dating a new guy. He just happens to be abusive to her. Maggie wants to have him arrested and have her sister realize the truth about this toxic dynamic. Instead, Will is the one who shockingly has the clarity to understand that the truth doesn't always make things better. It can be weaponized as well. Maggie still may lose her sister for good because of this. But she also feels like she did the right thing in order to protect her. Meanwhile, Natalie understands that her patient's husband is making a decision based on how he feels instead of what she would have wanted. It too is a tragic story of a woman being pregnant and having terminal cancer. She essentially dies here with the only question being how much intervention is performed given the risk it could carry to the baby. He has to talk it all out with Dr. Charles first in order to get the strength to make the decision that his wife would have wanted him to make. That also inspires Dr. Charles to draft his resignation letter so that he can move to Minnesota with Caroline. Of course, she was only leaving town because her cancer treatments aren't working. She also seems likely to die soon. But Charles is willing to stay with her through all of the tough moments. Again, it all highlights the power of honesty amongst the characters and how that informs the best decisions. And then, there is the whiplash happening with Ethan and April as it pertains to his sister and her baby. The show can't seem to decide whether or not Emily should stay in town. At one point, it seems committed to April and Ethan reuniting as a couple and parenting Vincent. But then, Emily returns home promising to do better. It just seems like things are going in circles too much.
