Dr. Charles’ Plight Was The Least Interesting Part of Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 17

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

Chicago Med wrapped up Dr. Charles’ stroke story, but that was the least interesting part of the hour.

While Charles’ friends and family were waiting for news, trying to make medical decisions, and hoping for the best, Hannah dealt with a different type of grief.

The doctor that Lenox chose to replace her seemed like she would fit in better on Scrubs than at Gaffney Medical Center, but at least she forced Hannah to admit the truth about how she was feeling about becoming a mother.

Charles’ Stroke Included My Least Favorite Trope

The aftermath was better than the pile-on the Gaffney psychiatrist experienced in the first half of Chicago Med’s Charles-focused arc.

However, there was far too much focus on the strange visions and dreams Charles had while unconscious.

I know the intent behind this part of the story was to explore Charles’ personal psychology while he hovered between life and death, but this trope always pulls me out of the story.

I especially disliked the use of the television set. It brought back bad memories of that time that Days of Our Lives used a similar motif as a stand-in for DID alter egos arguing over who was going to be in charge of Abigail’s psyche.

Also, did anyone understand why Charles had to switch from a rerun of Little House on the Prairie to viewing himself in surgery? That seemed entirely random, and it distracted me because it reminded me that the new version is premiering on Netflix soon.

The feelings and experiences Charles explored in these visions were interesting, but they didn’t tell a coherent story, making them even more pointless.

Charles obviously has unresolved feelings about his parents’ deaths and about having ruined his relationships by working too much and always putting his family on the back burner, but there had to be a better way to explore this than giving him a stroke and having him relitigate the conflicts while unconscious.

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The drama his family experienced was the best part of his arc, and it told a different story than the one he was telling himself.

Charles might have felt guilty about not always being there for Anna or about fighting with her mother in front of her, but Anna only remembered that he turned into his mother when he got mad, and she looked forward to confronting him about it when he recovered.

Her comments to Sharon demonstrated a lot of love for her father, even though he aggravates her more often than not.

I’m Glad The Medical Proxy Decision Didn’t Become a Huge Drama

Too many television shows feature people fighting over who should make these medical decisions or over how unfair it is that the “wrong” person was chosen.

Thankfully, Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 17 didn’t go there.

I especially loved Anna saying that Sharon had been her honorary aunt throughout her whole life. Although there hasn’t been much evidence of this on-air, it was a sweet moment that was completely believable.

Even better, Sharon shared decision-making with Anna and Robin rather than insisting on making the decision about Charles’ treatment herself.

I’m disappointed that Robin wasn’t actually on-screen, though. She was supposed to be part of the process, but got lost in the delayed flight logic, which is an all-too-typical excuse for not including someone who really should be in the story.

It was unsurprising that Charles almost flatlined after Sharon and Anna made the riskier choice rather than waiting to see whether Charles would recover on his own, but I knew he would ultimately survive.

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Abrams was the best part of the surgical team, though.

Although he’s mellowed a lot in recent years, he still has that sarcastic streak, and his interactions with Archer had echoes of the old, far more arrogant Abrams.

Meanwhile, Hannah’s Story Took a More Serious Turn Than I Expected

I wasn’t quite sure what to make of Hannah’s replacement at the beginning of Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 17.

This storyline felt more like comic relief than anything else, and I felt like I was watching Scrubs every time this much younger doctor opened her mouth — in fact, the medical comedy had a similar story recently about an intern who seemed too TikTok dependent until that knowledge came in handy.

Additionally, Lenox’s attitude annoyed me.

Dr. Lowell didn’t seem like she should be the replacement for a seasoned OBGYN — she seemed like an intern who should be a thorn in Hannah’s side all season long.

And while Hannah’s dislike of her may have partly stemmed from feeling replaced or from not wanting to have to go on maternity leave at all, it didn’t seem fair for Lenox to dismiss her concerns without bothering to process what Hannah was saying.

I was glad that Hannah finally admitted that she was feeling a loss of control that she didn’t want, though. TV rarely looks at this side of motherhood, instead of making expectant mothers purely elated.

Plus, Hannah being close to her maternity leave date means there’s a good chance she might carry the baby to term, which I wasn’t expecting.

However, if the baby is stillborn or dies during childbirth, I’m going to be incredibly angry.

All of this emotional preparation that Chicago Med Season 11 is putting Hananh through had better result in a live baby that she has to adjust to!

How did you feel about Chicago Med Season 11 Episode 17?

I can’t wait to hear your opinions!

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If you enjoyed this article, check out our coverage of the other One Chicago shows.

Chicago Med airs on NBC on Wednesdays at 8/7c and streams on Peacock on Thursdays.

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