Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 17 Review: The Book of Archer

While Goodwin seems to have made the right choice by putting Lenox in charge of the ED, Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 17, “The Book of Archer,” proves that even on his worst days, Archer can still control the ED.

His bad mood and being upset about his ex-wife’s death bring back the old Archer, the one not everyone liked in the beginning. He is blunt, has no filter, and says things to the patients as they are without sugarcoating them. It might not be the most professional thing to do, but it gets results.

If he hadn’t been so straightforward with the pregnant woman, she might have died and left her daughter without a mother. If he hadn’t skipped the red tape and found the heart donor’s mom, Milo might have rejected his heart. Archer does, in his own way, what is best for his patients.

Throughout the seasons, Archer has had one of the most impressive character developments. The man who came in to run everything like the military and was disliked by almost everyone is now one of the most beloved characters on the show. He has grown, found his place, and started to believe he is capable of being good.

The truth is that a lot of that character development is thanks to his relationship with Asher, and that is proved once again on Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 17, “The Book of Archer.”  She is the only one who can tell Archer is having a bad day and something is going on with him.

While he chooses to lie to Goodwin about his ex-wife, he opens up to Asher, telling her what happened. And he doesn’t stop there, either. He goes as far as opening up about his fears and regrets because he knows Hannah is the only person he can be honest with.

Asher has seen the best and worst of him and has chosen to remain by his side every step of the way. That is why he can be as nasty as he is on this episode, knowing she sees him and won’t back away.

That is also proven at the end of the episode when Asher shows up at his house. The most wholesome part is that she shows up with the cereal we’ve just seen him run out of. Even though it’s not exactly the flavor he likes, she knows him enough to know what he needs on his worst days.

Not too long ago, an accidentally high Archer told Asher she deserved better than Ripley. While that encouraged her to end the relationship, she later told Ripley she loved him after he was rescued from a hole.

Since then, we haven’t seen Asher and Ripley discuss their relationship. However, we have seen the dynamic between Archer and Asher, and it’s still one of the best on the show.

Their relationship is built on friendship and the fact that they know the worst about each other and still choose to be there for one another. It is very clear that Archer, whether he admits it or not, has feelings for Asher. The way he reacts to her showing up at his house is a clear indicator of this.

But are Asher’s feelings the same? Is there more to her worrying and caring for Dean than a friendship?

It’ll be interesting to see how she interacts with Ripley after this episode. One thing is certain, and that is that Archer and Asher shippers shouldn’t give up hope just yet.

If Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 16, “Poster Child,” gave viewers a better look at Lenox and allowed us to see her as human, Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 17, “The Book of Archer,” seals the deal on her becoming a likable character.

Choosing to spend her day off with a dying patient because she doesn’t want her to be alone helps understand more of who she is. But what truly makes us see Lenox in her vulnerability and helps us finally make up our minds about her character is the conversation with Archer.

While he chooses to open up with Asher because he trusts her, Lenox sees herself reflected in Archer and can tell him about her past. This is the first time that we learn about her backstory, and it absolutely clears up everything we have learned about Lenox so far.

The reality is that if we had seen that part of Lenox from the beginning, we would have never disliked her. But it’s also true that without that strong protective mask she wears, she wouldn’t have become such an intriguing character. Now, she is a valuable piece of the Chicago Med puzzle.

It’s also true that if she had allowed Archer to see her this way from the beginning, maybe they would have been able to co-exist in the ED without so many arguments. After all, the episode proves that they are able to work well together and keep chaos from turning into tragedy in the ED.

Chicago Med Season 10 Episode 17, “The Book of Archer,” sets the environment for Maggie’s storyline to grow. For as long as we can remember, Maggie has been asking for more help in the ED. After what happened with Doris, adding more nurses to the staff is necessary.

However, the solution to bring travel nurses backfires, leading to even more chaos. It also opens the floor for Maggie to make up her mind about stepping up and becoming an important nurse leader.

It will be interesting to see what happens if the ED if Maggie decides to run for the board.

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Chicago Med airs Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC.

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