“Nothing happens in my kingdom that I don’t take responsibility for.”
Things go haywire at the top of the hour when an accident sends several people to the ER. An eighteen-year-old boy suspected of a DUI caused the crash, and his refusal to take a blood-alcohol test along with Maggie’s refusal to break hospital policy (that would give the cops the ability to do the test) ends with Maggie in handcuffs and the kid in the OR.While Connor operates on the boy, Ethan and Sarah work on the injured police officer. We don’t see much of Ethan the rest of the episode, which is sinful (I know, I know, we have to shift the focus each week). Ethan heads of with a case from April, who temporarily fills in for Maggie. Though she’s hesitant to take on the position, she kills it. Obviously.
The boy who caused the accident makes it through surgery and seems to be recovering just fine. His dad, a butthead, arrogantly tells his son that because the DUI test wasn’t done, the cops can’t make anything stick. So even though the kid was a fool and hurt himself and others in the process, he’s walking away without consequences. That doesn’t sit too well with Connor, who now regrets not letting the cops to the test.
Meanwhile, Sharon works to get Maggie released, but it’s a dicey situation. With the help of Chicago PD’s Voight, a few strings are pulled and Maggie is thankfully set for release. But when Sharon is pulled into Natalie’s case, it’s surprisingly Connor who steps up to handle the situation.
It wasn’t a pairing I was expecting, but I love Maggie and Connor. They had a few great moments together a few weeks ago as well (Connor sleeping in one of the exam rooms) and I love that this is a friendship that’s really developing. More, please!
Elsewhere…
I love the guy, but Will is too nosy for his own good. He can’t let the case go and tries to figure out a way to see what kind of treatment Jennifer was given for her illness. Connor, of all people, logs in to the medical records under his name for Will. The results? Jennifer was given medication that she could only be given if she’s on the placebo in the drug trial. Well, shoot.
It’s important to remember the main reason Will went crazy and ignored Jennifer’s DNR: his own mom. His need to save Jennifer not only made him ignore the DNR, but also jump through hoops to get Jennifer into the cancer trial, a trial that could have given his own mom time she didn’t have. So basically, this storyline is far from over. If anything, Will will only become more obsessed with Jennifer Baker living.
The tension between Connor and Will finally comes to blows (literally) when Will determinedly heads for Jennifer’s room to tell her she’s on the placebo. Connor slides into the elevator and physically restrains Will. But Connor isn’t fighting Will because he’s angry, or looking for a fight, he’s fighting Will because he recognizes the great doctor he is. “I’m not going to stand by and watch another guy ruin his life…You’re a good doctor. The world needs good doctors, you ass!”
The two have drinks at Molly’s later, but don’t speak. Progress is progress, I guess. I’ll take what we can! This will no doubt continue to be a featured relationship on the show.
Daniel is disheveled. Something is definitely off, and I’m worried. When Sarah treats a man in with a minor injury (for being hit by a car, at least), Daniel shows interest in the case and asserts himself into the mix. Because it’s obvious something is off with Daniel, his assertion in the case is unsettling and a bit worrisome. We haven’t spent much time with him as a character, so his background is a complete mystery. As the episode went on, Daniel become more and more convinced that the man was trying to commit suicide. He has him held in the psychiatric ward, despite the man’s insistence that it was all an accident. Near the end of the hour, Daniel talks with the man about depression, telling him it’s not his fault and it’s not a sign of weakness. The man finally breaks down, and it’s clear he’s not the only one suffering from depression. Sure enough, we later see Daniel with his psychiatrist, talking about how he stopped taking his depression medication.
What an intriguing reveal about Daniel! It’s an interesting twist, but I think he’s the perfect character on this show to embody the “depression is not weakness” declaration. He’s a brilliant doctor, a wonderful person, and shows that anyone can be affected and it’s not their fault. It seems we’ll see more of Daniel and his background story next week, thank goodness. He’s been neglected too much this season.
A woman bursts into the ER holding a baby, both screaming. Natalie’s quick to judge the single mom (as was I), as she takes a smoke break during her baby’s test and has no idea who the father of her baby is. So when Natalie sees the markers of Shaken Baby Syndrome, no one is that surprised. And even though this single mom might not be a candidate for mother of the year, something tells me she didn’t cause her baby’s injury. Natalie doesn’t have a choice but to report it, so Sharon makes the call to DCFS. Later, Natalie receives medical records that shows Gray, the baby, suffered the trauma before birth, when her mom was in a car accident. Honestly, this case was my least favorite of the night. With the exception of Natalie’s conversation with Sharon at the end of the hour, there wasn’t much character development for her.
What did you think of the episode? Which relationship do you want to see more of? How will the Jennifer Baker case be resolved? Share your thoughts below!
