S03.E10: Now I'm God (3)

[WendyCR72]

Crossover time again with this as the last part from the Chicago franchise.

 

A doctor with personal connections to Voight is under investigation when four of his patients are committed to Chicago Med after an overdose of chemo. The doctor denies Lindsey and Halstead access to his files, but after obtaining a warrant the team is able to track down his patients and discover all of them have been poisoned with unnecessary chemo. Meanwhile, Burgess and Platt work together to clear Roman's name.

[betsyboo]

I feel that Jay borrowed his brother's McDouche title last night in the Med epi.

[preeya]

Best episode of the entire series. Voight is actually likable.

Edited January 7, 2016 by preeya

[MakeMeLaugh]

I think Sue Ellen wore a bra in this series (gratuitous Seinfeld trivia reference).

Is this episode testing the waters for a Chicago Legal?

PD is my favorite Chicago: tight writing, fast pace, quick resolution of plot points. Trudy and Alvin both get screen time tonight. Sweet scene of Erin working late and Voight reminiscing with her about Camille. Good show, Show!

[Sandman]

Has Brenda Strong ever played anything other than hateful Valkyries? "Sally Sasser, Evil Attorney-at-Law."

[Xantar]

Someone with legal knowledge is going to have to explain this to me: if the doctor pled guilty to fraud and that fraud was treating patients with chemotherapy drugs that they didn't need, then isn't that inherently pleading guilty to at least felony assault? I like Chicago PD for the characters, but man they really seem to be stretching legal realities here.

 

On another note, was that real footage of a younger Jason Beghe?

[Noirprncess]

Lol, Xantar, Chicago PD and plausible legalities in the same sentence are laughable. I'm still trying to figure out how Voight could remain so assigned as lead in a case involving a doctor that may or may not have killed his wife. Then turn around to be the star witness in the case too.

Oh, and the case went to trial in 24 hours?

[Crs97]

I thought Voight said they were referred to the doctor after her ovarian cancer returned. Were we supposed to wonder if she was just like these women because it seemed to me like she actually died of the disease. What am I missing?

[betsyboo]

I took it that she was actually sick, too. 

 

I think it must have been actual footage, but I'm too lazy to google his bio re: a baby that age.

[Noirprncess]

I thought Voight said they were referred to the doctor after her ovarian cancer returned. Were we supposed to wonder if she was just like these women because it seemed to me like she actually died of the disease. What am I missing?

I think the writers wanted to have it both ways... By implying that yes, his wife was actually sick but still could have been over treated at the same time. That perhaps the doctor took it upon himself to prematurely end her life. Possibly.

We also know it was a contrived plot point to ensure that Voight got on the witness stand with a sneer (and appropriate sob story) to nail the doctor.

I just realized that Voight needs a prop a la "Sunglasses of Justice". This show seems to have hired the writers from my other fave hammy show, CSI:Miami.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Noirprncess

[MakeMeLaugh]

I think it was a strategic ploy on the prosecutor's part--they just wanted a witness who could testify (as the other patients were off limits having been involved in the fraud case, which makes no sense to me but sure, why not). Voight actually saw the doc administer the chemo to Mrs Voight--I don't think it was a question of whether doc killed her, just that he stuck the syringe in vs another doc or nurse. Then the other lawyer cross examined and brought up the other patients who then somehow could be witnesses since she opened the door (again, really? but sure, why not).

[statsgirl]

It seemed ridiculous to me that the other people couldn't be witnesses.  Yes, he treated Voight's wife (and wouldn't it be the nurses to administer the chemo, not the guy running the clinic?) but he's treated lots of people who apparently did have cancer.

 

He signed the requisition forms for chemotherapy for a bunch of people who didn't actually have cancer.  Wouldn't that have been enough?

[Kel Varnsen]

I thought Voight said they were referred to the doctor after her ovarian cancer returned. Were we supposed to wonder if she was just like these women because it seemed to me like she actually died of the disease. What am I missing?

Here is what I don't get (and to be fair I fell asleep through a chunk of Chicago Med), but if a number of these women didn't have cancer, and this guy was a cancer specialist, how were they getting referred to him?  Or was he just approaching random women on the street and saying "I think you might have cancer"?

[millahnna]

On another note, was that real footage of a younger Jason Beghe?

That was definitely really Beghe and I do seem to recall reading he has a son when I was reading every interview about scientology he's ever given. I was curious about the woman in the video because I think some of the scenes in it overlapped with him so it wasn't "just for show" home footage spliced into Beghe's actual home video.

That or I'm remembering the overlap wrong.

[Ailianna]

Someone with legal knowledge is going to have to explain this to me: if the doctor pled guilty to fraud and that fraud was treating patients with chemotherapy drugs that they didn't need, then isn't that inherently pleading guilty to at least felony assault? I like Chicago PD for the characters, but man they really seem to be stretching legal realities here.

 

On another note, was that real footage of a younger Jason Beghe?

 

Not a single thing that that State's attorney did, or that happened in that courtroom, was real.  As a prosecutor, even though in another state, it was driving me crazy.  Crimes might be a bit different, but the basic rules of evidence are pretty standard.  I have to almost not watch that part just to not throw things at the TV because it was so not real.

 

Also, apparently it is real home video footage.

Although producers had originally considered including a flashback scene to when Camille was alive, they eventually decided to have Beghe and his wife look into their old home movies. “It’s far more powerful, for us, to see real footage than made-up footage. Once we saw the home movies that Jason submitted, we knew we had a home run,” Olmstead says. “To see him looking back and accessing those memories was the best ending we could have hoped for.”

from http://chicagopdfan.com/ But be careful with that link--spoilers for the next episodes are in it through February.

It seemed ridiculous to me that the other people couldn't be witnesses.  Yes, he treated Voight's wife (and wouldn't it be the nurses to administer the chemo, not the guy running the clinic?) but he's treated lots of people who apparently did have cancer.

 

He signed the requisition forms for chemotherapy for a bunch of people who didn't actually have cancer.  Wouldn't that have been enough?

 

 

It was ridiculous, from a legal perspective, but as mentioned above, it was necessary to prove he knew those specific people were getting those overdoses, and not that someone on his staff was messing up, for example, or he was, as his lawyer tried to suggest, helping them to get meds not covered by insurance by paying out of his own pocket.  It was a convoluted mess--my advise is not to think too hard about it!

[statsgirl]

It was ridiculous, from a legal perspective, but as mentioned above, it was necessary to prove he knew those specific people were getting those overdoses, and not that someone on his staff was messing up, for example, or he was, as his lawyer tried to suggest, helping them to get meds not covered by insurance by paying out of his own pocket.  It was a convoluted mess--my advise is not to think too hard about it!

When I got my chemotherapy, I saw the doctor in the morning for an appointment. She wrote out the prescription, which then went to the hospital pharmacy.  They filled it, the nurse called me in again, and administered the drugs.  So it would have been clear from the prescriptions that the doctor knew how much chemo the patients were getting even without administering it himself if it was more than the recommended the amount dictated by the drug company.

 

But you're right, best not to think about it too much.

[Chas411]

Great episode... paving the way for Chicago Legal with the courtroom emphasis.

Allowing Voight and Lindsay to be so heavily involved in the case was a bit much. Especially when they could barely keep their emotions in check.

[SnarkySheep]

Because I am a nitpicker, I couldn't stop thinking about that VHS tape, "Xmas '88."

 

Let's say the child in the movie is about three or so; this would make him born in 1985. That, in turn, would make him now 30.

 

We know that Erin was 30 on her last birthday. Somehow I am doubtful she and Justin are supposed to be the same age. (Remember the first time Jay met him, and Erin said he was "like a little brother" to her?)

 

Also, if Camille died six years ago, that would mean Justin was 24 then. Of course having his mother die would be horrible, but it wouldn't seem that it would have affected him so dramatically as an adult as it apparently did when he was younger. It would also seem a bit odd that Justin did essentially NOTHING with his life in practically three decades until joining the Army last year.

 

Ok, I'm done...I'll see myself out...

[Sandman]

Does Voight ever keep his emotions in check? I think he might cease to function entirely if he tried to do that.

 

If Dr. Cancer Genius Sociopath was prescribing four to seven times the recommended dosage of chemo drugs, wouldn't someone else in the chain (pharmacy, nurse, oncology department), well, notice? Right, right: best not to think too hard.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Sandman