Chicago Med Review: What a Tangled Web We Weave (Season 6 Episode 13)
Chicago Med Season 6 Episode 13, “What a Tangled Web We Weave,” is an improvement from the prior episode, but it still fumbles to present engaging character developments.
Usually, an episode centered on Sharon would be a welcome delight, but she spends most of the episode acting wildly unlike herself. It’s understandable, but it still pushes the bounds of what I would expect from the chief administrator of Gaffney Medical Center.
Manning also spends much of the episode walking backward on this season’s growth. Like Sharon, her behavior is understandable, but both of these arcs just beg the question, “Why?” Maybe it’s just one of those episodes.
Sharon takes the spotlight on “What a Tangled Web We Weave,” and if anything, she proves how human we all are. Even though she’s trained for high-stress situations, when it happens to her, she does the human thing and goes against her more practiced logical conflict resolution.
But what’s iffier about this plot than the expected dramatized details of Goodwin’s behavior is the way it’s all resolved because she has the power to fix it. The reality of the situation is that she used her power in an arguably unethical way to insert herself and place her wishes and fears on a grieving mother.
It worked out this time, but just because Sharon does this from a good place, doesn’t make her actions right. This is something that Chicago Med could do a better job of addressing in the moment, instead of purely focusing on how the doctors are all saviors; process and rules be damned.
Meanwhile, Maggie stalks her biological child.
Of course, Chicago Med attempts to paint her actions much more innocent, but essentially, this is what she does. She crosses a line that takes away all agency from her child. Simply put, it’s really unfair.
It’s no secret I haven’t been a fan of Maggie’s arc in season 6 of Chicago Med. However, despite Maggie’s behavior being rather selfish, the possibility of her child coming to Chicago Med could make for some good drama.
Maggie’s plots though never seem to have much permanence, and it would be sad to see another character developed only to leave shortly thereafter since Chicago Med seems to always want to put Maggie through some type of pain. After all, this is the Dick-Wolf-verse, and there is plenty of that to go around.
But while those two characters push limits that seem wrong on a bigger scale, Natalie and Archer do as well, but their schemes are at least fun to watch, however much it hurts my heart to see Natalie at odds with Marcel (who is as supportive and patient as ever).
Natalie is completely and utterly suspicious as she tries to slyly ask Will questions. Really, she’s the most obvious thing in the world, and it’s bound to haunt her come next episode. It’s embarrassing in a surprisingly good way.
Archer pushing April is surprising too, and oddly suspicious. Though, it still seems like Chicago Med could add more of a teaching element to its structure, with April’s aspirations and the introduction of Maggie’s biological doctor.
In the end, “What a Tangled Web to Weave,” would fare much better if Chicago Med tries to stay more on the amusing and interesting side of soap opera.
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.