Chicago Med Review: Stories, Secrets, Half Truth and Lies (Season 6 Episode 15)
The sixth season of Chicago Med is coming to an end, and with it, an era of the show.
Chicago Med Season 6 Episode 15, “Stories, Secrets, Half Truth and Lies,” pushes many characters’ arcs and stories to a close, while giving us a taste of the potential of others.
With the announcement of Torrey Devito (Natalie Manning) and Yaya Dacosta (April Sexton) leaving the series, “Stories, Secrets, Half Truth and Lies,” seems to indicate more than ever that the season finale will have more finality than typical of a Chicago finale.
DaCosta’s exit from the series isn’t a surprise, especially considering how April has been used this season. She’s hardly had a plot of her own, and her main role this season has been facilitating COVID storylines. Even this episode uses her primarily for this.
It’s sad to see her go, but it’s likely to see the COVID aspect leave with her as society inches farther and farther away from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The fact that April has decided to advance her career is great. But not now, not as great as it could have been — now that she’s missed her meeting.
I’d much rather her see her get where she wants to go all by herself, much less with the likely help of a male colleague.
But while April seems to be going out with a whisper, Natalie seems to be leaving kicking and yelling.
I’d expect nothing less for Natalie’s swan song, and even more so that Will is directly involved. Don’t get me wrong — I’m still not a fan of their romantic relationship, but Natalie and Will, and what they mean to each other has always been part of Chicago Med‘s DNA.
It probably always will be.
It clear how much they mean to each other, and if this is the note Natalie’s going to go out on, this seems appropriate. Still, the lengths Natalie goes to is a lot to take in.
She’s always been willing to stretch the rules, but she’s willing to sacrifice multiple people’s livelihoods for her mother. There’s plenty of people who would do that, but there’s also a lot of people who wouldn’t.
The most painful part of this storyline is probably the characters who get screwed over in the process — Will, Sabeena, Crockett, all of them good people unfairly put at risk by Natalie’s decisions.
Maybe not Crockett, but he’s opened himself up to Natalie so much, and the way he consoles Natalie when she admits the truth makes me feel screwed over. #MarcelFanForLife
Where Chicago Med has failed April, Maggie, and Natalie and her cohorts, “Stories, Secrets, Half Truth and Lies,” fares much better with its storylines centering around Charles and Archer.
Archer has been hit and miss so far, adding a different perspective to Chicago Med, but also falling victim to the typical veteran storyline usually seen in procedurals.
Regardless, his addition added a tension that successfully shook up Gaffney’s ED, but like most things with tension, Chicago Med almost pulled this too far, threatening a snap.
“Stories, Secrets, Half Truth and Lies,” eases back on this, giving Arched just the amount of lax he needed.
His success with talking his patient into surgery is surprising and unexpected, layering Archer into a character who has the capacity to stick around. After all, Chicago Med needs it, being down two cast members.
Chicago Med also subverts expectations (in a good way) with the return of Dr. Charles’ patient with attachment issues. It’s hard not to judge him for completely cutting her out (see New Amsterdam Season 3 Episode 12, “Things Fall Apart”), but also an interesting twist.
When all of this started, I completely expected Dr. Charles’ to go after his daughter — I am so glad I was wrong.
Chicago Med proves itself to be an interesting and everchanging show. Now it needs to learn how to lean into the change and let go of the past.
What did you think of this episode of Chicago Med? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC.
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Amanda Reimer
In addition to working as a freelance writer, Amanda also works with animals and stage manages various live performances. She has an invested interest in the perspective and experience of fandoms as well as anything in the science-fiction genre. She also loves spoiling her cats, Drummer and Kiki.