Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 6 Review: Mama Said There Would Be Days Like This
Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 6, “Mama Said There Would Be Days Like This,” shines a light on the perils of fame. It also says goodbye to yet another member of the Gaffney family.
After a brief one-week hiatus, and a fight in the ED, the doctors and nurses are back tackling everyday issues that feel larger than life. This episode features shake-ups and a lot of characters facing a crossroads.
It remains hilarious that no matter how famous other doctors may become, there are patients who will only seek Will Halstead’s advice. If he isn’t causing massive amounts of chaos, he’s letting his insecurities show in a big way.
He obviously cares deeply for his patient with the hilariously exaggerated Italian accent. However, he lets in envy of Crockett’s newfound fame get in the way of her getting the best care. Thankfully, he manages to have a moment of self-awareness just in time to save face.
To Marcel’s credit, he takes his fame in stride. This is all new territory for him, of course. The fact that he’s personally requested for a VIP surgery shows that the positive consequences of his heroics are still being felt.
Obviously, he still has much to navigate when it comes to being such a high-profile surgical star. However, he shows that he has a good head on his shoulders, and so far, he isn’t letting it go to his head.
Chicago Med continues to do a surprisingly good job at highlighting obstetrics patients, and real-life situations that play out in hospitals and doctors’ offices every day. This episode is a perfect illustration of the nuance with which the medical drama handles these cases.
First, Hannah is put in the spotlight when caring for a patient who is experiencing an ectopic pregnancy. Without being alarmist, this episode successfully shows how dangerous such pregnancies can be.
This storyline is also a venue to continue highlighting how ongoing supply shortages impact patient care across every stage of life. Hannah and Dean being compelled to work together to save this patient is a great way to develop their workplace dynamic further.
This story also highlights the importance of patient autonomy and respecting patients’ treatment wishes, even when it’s inconvenient or perhaps not the first choice of the healthcare team.
The storyline about the patient possibly suffering from post-partum depression is an important one. Not only is this Dr. Charles at his best (but really, when is he not?), there are some important truths spoken about the way society treats brand new parents, mothers in particular.
Dr. Charles is an idealized version of a doctor. He takes what his patients are saying at face value, never questions them, and vows to get to the root cause of their issues. Here, he’s able to channel his compassion to normalize this patient’s intrusive thoughts and get her the help she needs.
The fact that Sharon, who’s so strong and always has everything together, admits to having suffered from post-partum depression is a brilliant way to illustrate that this illness doesn’t discriminate.
Chicago Med makes an important commentary on this episode that post-partum mental health is incredibly necessary. The less that these conditions are spoken about, the more stigmatized they become.
The fact that connecting with this patient was the first course of action, as opposed to immediately calling DCFS, is commendable. This is also a terrific way to show how far by-the-book Ethan Choi has come.
In the latest Wolf Entertainment exit, Asjha Cooper gives her final performance on Chicago Med as Dr. Vanessa Taylor. Honestly, this departure feels incredibly rushed and out of left field.
It feels like there were many more stories to tell, as Vanessa had been connecting with her birth mother, Maggie. These two have been getting to know each other, yet it doesn’t feel like it’s enough.
Vanessa may not always have been front-and-center on this show, but her role has been crucial. That’s especially true regarding Maggie’s character development. Maggie’s been able to show a lot of growth since her daughter’s re-entry into her life.
Hopefully, Chicago Med hasn’t seen the last of Vanessa Taylor as she takes her talents overseas. She is clearly incredibly talented. Her work at Gaffney, however, feels incomplete considering everything she has been through.
Finally, the fact that Chicago Med is teasing Dean developing an addiction to his pain medication is troubling. Perhaps this will be a venue for Hannah to support him as someone who lives with addiction herself.
If this is the direction that the story is taking, it requires compassion, nuance, and a lot of authenticity. Rather than showing addiction as a spectacle, the series has the opportunity to change the narrative and promote conversations in the real world that will hopefully destigmatize this illness.
Chicago Med continues to have many of their characters in a period of transition, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Sometimes, dynamics need to be changed to keep a show feeling energized.
What this show continues to do well, particularly this season, is show patient care from a patient-centered approach, rather than showing doctors imposing their own wills. If this continues, it will only make the medical drama better.
What did you think of this episode of Chicago Med? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Chicago Med airs Wednesday at 8/7c on NBC.
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Justine Kraemer
Justine is an unashamed fan of too many TV shows and movies with a particular love of all things Marvel. She balances her love of massive massively popular shows with hidden gems that are just waiting to be discovered.