Chicago Med - Theseus' Ship - Review

“I should have never allowed myself to get involved like that.”

Road trip! Not really. But because of a patient’s needs at a different hospital, Connor convinces Dr. Latham to take a trip to Rock Island to perform a difficult heart procedure. It seems that knowing why he is the way he is has given Dr. Latham the self-awareness to make different decisions when potentially uncomfortable situations arise. I absolutely loved this story for Dr. Latham and Connor. Even though Dr. Latham was scammed (fear not, he got everything back!) seeing Dr. Latham’s development as well as their growing friendship was fantastic.

“Everybody has their time to live, I’ve had mine. I wanna see what’s next.”

And so, the love triangle saga continues. Though can you call it a triangle of one of its points doesn’t really have a clue? (That would be Natalie.) You know who’s starting to get a clue? Nina. When Will strikes up an ordinary, friendly conversation with Natalie, Nina starts to suspect the two might have a past. Will doesn’t exactly lie when Nina asks, but he isn’t forthcoming with his past feelings for Natalie or that awkward kiss they shared. Maggie, in all her wisdom, encourages Will to be honest. As a side note, I request more of the Will/Maggie friendship—it’s one of the best relationships on the show.

But Natalie doesn’t have time for the love triangle drama she’s not even aware she’s in—Gabe Moore, a young boy with cancer, is brought to the hospital and Natalie’s on the case. April discovers he hasn’t been on chemo in months, and his father Adam shares it’s because Gabe is done fighting. We’ve seen stories involving patients who’ve accepted their fate, but a young boy? That’s tricky. As Natalie points out, his brain development, because of his age, isn’t far enough along for him to fully understand the decision he’s making. (Fun fact: your brain is not fully developed until roughly age 22.) Understandably, ethical questions arise.

Legally, I assume the hospital has no choice but to call DCFS. Even if they aren’t legally obligated, it’s better to be safe than sorry when it’s a child’s life on the line. But it’s also clear that Adam, the father, is as good as they come. And Gabe? Well he’s wise beyond his years. They’ve accepted his fate, but Natalie certainly hasn’t. But fate, as luck would have it, has something else in mind. In a surprising turn, the absence of chemo actually strengthened Gabe’s immune system, and he should recover!

“Knowing the truth could change how she thinks.”

Will treats Ms. Holloway, an elderly patient more concerned with taking care of her cats than fixing her potential heart problems. Her twelve (yes, twelve!) cats are named after the first twelve presidents which is fantastic. I’m not a cat person (dogs are obviously superior), but I can admit that presidential names are surprisingly perfect for cats.

I knew it, I knew it! Cats are the worst! Ms. Holloway has a condition called Toxoplasmosis, a parasite in her brain from cat feces. The parasite, among other things, brings on the desire to take care of cats. So in a nutshell, cats poison you to make you love and care for them. Also, there’s no cure. Should…should we be terrified? I feel like we should…

“Every medical discipline, psychiatry included, is as much art as it is science.”

Ethan and Sarah treat Grace, a car crash victim with a tulpa named Becca. A what, you ask? Oh, just a sentient being that lives inside her. Shout out to any psych professionals reading this—I have questions. Wouldn’t this be something like dual personality disorder? Or split personality disorder? Schizophrenia? Answers and explanations in the comments would be appreciated. Becca ultimately saves Grace, which confuses me even more. Seriously, so many questions. I will say that I’m so glad this show features two of its main cast as psychiatrists. I find it all fascinating.

It seems that very question is what Dr. Charles challenges Sarah to answer throughout the hour. Does Grace actually have a disorder? Or is she, as Sarah questioned, within the bounds of functionality? Could Grace and Becca be battling for sole control of one body? But Grace seems to be in complete control, as does Becca (who is a bit creepy, I might add), when each is “present”. Not quite as fascinating, but still intriguing, is Grace’s husband’s role in all this. Can you imagine being married to someone who shares their body with someone else? The man is constantly battling with someone he can’t even see for his own wife. So, if Grace is fully functional, could we blame Mark for leaving her? Because I don’t think I could blame him. If both Grace and Becca are fully functional and Mark offers the choice between Becca and him, I think that’s completely fair. Either way, I’m leaving this storyline with so many more questions than I expected.


What did you think of the episode? Are you enjoying Dr. Latham’s story and his friendship with Connor? When will this Nina/Will/Natalie drama come to a head? What are your thoughts on the tulpa story? Share your thoughts below!