S02.E19: Ctrl Alt

[WendyCR72]

A hacker demanding a ransom payment shuts down the hospital computer system, forcing the doctors to diagnose patients without the aid of technology. A stressed Goodwin struggles to keep the hospital afloat when an unexpected visit from her ex-husband Bert and his new girlfriend make matters worse. Making use of his former navy experience, Dr. Choi and Noah have to locate a bullet inside a patient with a gunshot wound. Meanwhile, Sarah feels Dr. Charles may be trying to push her out and Robin's unusual behavior worries Dr. Rhodes.

[Fireball]

Well I missed most of the episode because my NBC station was interrupted by news.

But wow Robin is a bit cray cray.  Poor Connor his season 1 girlfriend was jealous over his good fortune and his season 2 girlfriend hears things.

Also Natalie's whole "It's so hard to see the person you're in love with dating someone else" annoyed me. She could have dated Will, but didn't want to. It feels like Natalie only realized she "liked" Will when he started dating Nina.

At the moment that's all I got.

[Lady Calypso]

Well then. That was something, I guess? I had a question/point about the hackers, but now I've forgotten. Oh well.

So, Robyn's going a little crazy. Of course, with her dad as a psychologist, this storyline will clearly go well. Clearly. Sarcasm needs a font.

I tuned out anything Will/Natalie, especially at the end. I hated her bitch face at Nina, though. I get that her expression after Nina handed her the sweater was supposed to be of confusion, but all I saw was pure disgust and jealousy. I swear she was planning to burn the thing and never give it to Will. Ok, I thought that maybe she would have just forgotten. I get Nina was testing her. Usually I'd be annoyed, but I'll admit my bias clouds my objectiveness and I said "Good for you, Nina Shore. You test that sometimes-pediatric doctor".

Speaking of, she got a kid as a patient this week! Hallelujah! I know I watched the episode less than two hours ago, but I can't even remember her case. Oh well. Oh yeah, he's the kid with the crazy fever that Robyn went crazy over.

I think the show is trying to add more judgmental flaws to Connor to get us to dislike him. I'm not falling for it, show. He's still great in my book. 

Sarah...girl, you're reading too much into things. Can't you see that Dr. Charles is having an anxiety attack over the hackers? My god, chill out. Go back to ED. I am surprised that there's a possibility of her jumping back to that residency, though. The end of season 1 really made it seem like there was absolutely zero chance of it happening ever again.

Sharon seeing her ex husband with his new girlfriend? Damn. That's all I got, though. 

[MakeMeLaugh]

I was so hoping Splendorkable, after commenting that the hospital should be constantly backing its records up and that hard drives are so cheap (thus showing us he knows his IT stuff), would have hacked into the hacked system and fixed it.

[LittleIggy]

What was it that Sharon's ex's girlfriend said she had? Sounded terrible.

Dr. Samuels! Yay! My new crush! :-)

Dr. Charles' daughter...wow! Does she have a "Monster Inside Me" type of condition, picked up overseas?

[Poohbear617]

I am loving dr. Latham. Paid the ransom..and loved the looks of amazment. Nice to see him continue to work on his aspergers...and become a bit more social and the nurses are responding and being supportive of him. 

[greyhorse]

Well, Robin Charles being a little crazy was certainly a shocker.  So she hears rats in walls, but otherwise seems to be a perfectly functioning epidemiologist at the hospital?  Hmmm.  Thinking the writers just decided they needed to spice things up a bit.

Sad to hear that Dr. Choi and Dr. Glass (I'll always know her as Naevia from Spartacus) are no longer an item.  

Natalie had the chance to date Will, but didn't strike when the iron was hot.  Didn't like that Nina seemingly gave Natalie the jersey to essentially pee and  mark her territory.  

What employed doctor is going to pay $30000 from their own personal bank account to bail out a hospital?  That would never ever happen in real life.

[statsgirl]

6 minutes ago, greyhorse said:

What employed doctor is going to pay $30000 from their own personal bank account to bail out a hospital?  That would never ever happen in real life.

He is a cardio-thoracic surgeon so he would be making a ton of money.  He's also single and has Asperbergers so what is he going to spend it on but his patients?  And there are people like that. Jim Eskill, the owner of an appliance company in Guelph, Ontario put up $1.5 million of his own money to bring over and settle 200 Syrian refugees.

Latham and Dr. Nina are the two characters who are recurring who I wish would become regular cast next season.  I will happily give up Manning for them.

Reese needs to go back to the ED. She's too self-involved to be a good shrink.

I did kind of a double take when Sharon said "Miss Charles".  Oh, right, she's a PhD not an MD but she's still a doctor and deserves the title.  (Also it usually takes longer to get a PhD than an M.D.)  I was feeling sorry for Sharon until that point.

I wonder what's up with Robyn though.  Bipolar?  Schizo-affective?  Or a mysterious bug she picked up?

I'm getting a headache from the writing when it comes to Manning.  I really think she's the worst ("At least it's not cancer" when she hears the kid has a very serious condition) but the show seems to think she's special and the one and only for Halstead.  Fine, put her with Halstead  and then I can fast forward them but they have to keep Nina.

On the twitter feed, someone complained that they cut into the show for announcements about the bombing in Syria and now she doesn't know what's happening on Chicago Med.  Now there's a first world problem for you.

[Artsda]

 Goodwin was annoying, she was going to let patients leave/die/not get treatment just because she didn't want the ransom paid & to control the situation. Isn't it her job to put the patients health first? Instead she made it clearly about her personal issues.

So Robyn's fine all day, evening and morning. Yet at night when she's supposed to sleep she hears things in the walls?

[Fireball]

10 hours ago, statsgirl said:

On the twitter feed, someone complained that they cut into the show for announcements about the bombing in Syria and now she doesn't know what's happening on Chicago Med.  Now there's a first world problem for you.

Very much a first world problem. I missed most of the episode because of the announcement; not really something to get upset about IMO. I'll watch the episode online sometime. I only mentioned that I missed most of the episode to explain why I only have comments about things that happened at the end of the episode. ;)

10 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Latham and Dr. Nina are the two characters who are recurring who I wish would become regular cast next season.  I will happily give up Manning for them.

I second this! Manning can go away. She's just annoying! I do not care that she likes/loves Will now; I'm sorry Natalie, but you had your chance! I know that the writers seem to think Natalie is Will's "One True Love", but it would be so refreshing to have the writers keep Will & Nina together.

Edited April 7, 2017 by Fireball
spelling

[starri]

Oh, Robyn.  I guess the cobbler's children have no shoes.

I really like Nina, and I think the passive aggressive thing is really beneath her.  I don't see why she couldn't just have an honest conversation with Natalie.  Not that I don't expect Natalie to be able to engage like an actual adult.  I just think the writers could have written this story somewhat maturely, instead of people acting like high school students.

Speaking of, I get that Sarah isn't groking psychiatry, and I think it's really a shame that they've ruined her great chemistry with Dr. Charles in service of getting her back into the ED.  But she's a grown woman and acting like a bratty teenager is also beneath her.  She started the show as John Carter with two X chromosomes, but now she's not someone I want to root for, let alone identify with.  Her story started out with her being capable but nervous, and she's not that any more.

Go away, Noah.  You didn't get arrhythmias last year, don't pretend like you're a gunner when Choi handed you the diagnosis.

Still really digging Conner and Choi's bromantic rivalry. 

Actually, returning to an earlier thought, I understand that we're very dependent on technology now (I'm surprised Choi even knows how to do a DPL, but I guess you don't have imaging on the battlefield), but I really didn't like seeing everyone squabbling like children.  The lawyer was concerned about losing revenue by going on diversion, but what amount of money would they lose in the lawsuit that someone filed when a diagnosis got missed or a surgery went sideways because they didn't have the right labs?  Personal experience again, but I've always found it's more a shared bonding in misery, instead of fighting in the sandbox.

[NYCFree]

I thought it interesting that the two members of the Charles family were the only ones who seemed to have psychological difficulties with the loss of the computers. We were repeatedly shown Dr. Charles asking after himself pad and being distracted throughout the episode, culminating in his musing about his dependency after they were back. The we have Charles PhD being the only one to freak out to the point of screaming about the lack of technology.

Speaking of technology, when they were using a whiteboard to keep track of patients, anyone remember that is exactly what they did on ER? Huge, see though Board that the doctors and nurses were seen updating.

Finally, I can understand Goodwin's philosophy. She does have to put patients first. That includes future patients as well. The hospital can't function if it is periodically held hostage to hackers, and that is much more likely to happen if they pay ransom the first time.

[Netfoot]

8 minutes ago, NYCFree said:

The hospital can't function if it is periodically held hostage to hackers, and that is much more likely to happen if they pay ransom the first time.

And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
  But we've  proved it again and  again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
  You never get rid of the Dane.

[DearEvette]

I wonder if Robyn's issues are even psychological.  As an epidemiologist she studies lots of different bugs.  I wonder if she got exposed to something and it is affecting her brain & behavior? The exhibition of these behaviors seems so sudden.  This isn't the first time she and Connor have spent the night together.

Sigh.  I'll bet she is going to be exiled to ex-lover Island with Tate, Dr. Glass (Choi's gf) and Zanetti (his first GF).

[MakeMeLaugh]

Robyn had pretty sudden onset but maybe she stopped taking her meds for bipolar or whatever. She was to the point of tears early in the episode when she told Rhodes her research was imperiled because of the system being down, which I pointed out to Mr MML (seriously, your research? Not to mention the patients whose lives are imperiled). Papa Charles seemed to have major tablet withdrawal issues.

Robyn can share a stateroom with Nina on the cruise to Ex-lover Island.

Edited April 7, 2017 by MakeMeLaugh

[SunnyBeBe]

I missed most of this episode due to World news interruption and then I forgot to check back until just before it went off.  I did catch a few things.  Apparently, from what I've read here, Dr. Charles's daughter has something odd going on.  I agree, sounds like a Monster Inside Me, for those who watch that show.  (Usually some kind of parasite that makes you think you are losing your mind.)  OR how old is she?  Some mental illnesses manifest themselves in early adulthood. 

Speaking of mental illness, what is wrong with Sarah?  She's so overly emotional about everything.  Dr. Charles really needs to get her assessed to see why she is always brooding, obsessing and freaking out.  

I wish that Sharon had used the opportunity to EXPRESS to her ex's girlfriend how important it is to APPOINT A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND HEALTHCARE POS, while she's still able and sign an ADVANCED DIRECTIVE, BEFORE she gets incapacitated like the Dr. from last week.  Did they ever discuss that?

Edited April 7, 2017 by SunnyBeBe

[FnkyChkn34]

OK, so I just started watching this show for the few weeks that will lead up to the Papa Halstead story, but I gotta say that Nina's interaction with Natalie was ridiculous.  Wasn't Will in a room right there where Nina was?  She couldn't have waited a few minutes for him to be finished and give it to him herself?  No, instead she has to announce loudly and awkwardly, in a crowded emergency room, that she was sleeping in Will's hockey sweater...  Who sleeps in a hockey sweater??  

I guess I don't mind watching this show, and I like Oliver Platt... but I don't see myself becoming a regular viewer.  I am a little curious about what's up with the woman who hears rats though.  That's creepy.

[starri]

I'm embarrassed that I know this, but Med borrowed this plot from CSI: Cyber.  I guess if you're cribbing, crib from the best.

[Aliconehead]

It was also on NCIS this week too

[MakeMeLaugh]

The Good Wife did it too (but didn't pay the ransom).

Edited April 8, 2017 by MakeMeLaugh

[statsgirl]

It's a real life thing.  I listen to a radio program on technology and they were talking about real life cases where ordinary people had their data hacked and were frozen out of their computers for a bitcoin ransom, usually 1 or 0.5 bitcoins.  (Their advice -- back up everything so you can tell them No and wipe your hard drive and start over.)

9 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

I gotta say that Nina's interaction with Natalie was ridiculous.  Wasn't Will in a room right there where Nina was?

That's how you know that Manning is the pre-determined ship, Nina suddenly started acting ridiculously.  Shows that are willing to change their plan when  better relationship shows up are few and far between (and often helmed by Greg Berlanti).

10 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

I wish that Sharon had used the opportunity to EXPRESS to her ex's girlfriend how important it is to APPOINT A DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY AND HEALTHCARE POS, while she's still able and sign an ADVANCED DIRECTIVE, BEFORE she gets incapacitated like the Dr. from last week.  Did they ever discuss that?

It wasn't any of her business though. And it must have been very uncomfortable for Sharon to be there.

Epatha Merkerson was wonderful in that scene. When the girl friend said that she didn't want to spend her last  years alone, you could see Sharon thinking "But that's exactly what you are doing to me."

[MakeMeLaugh]

I actually had my Windows computer hacked by one of these ransom outfits and paid $85 to ransom it, several years ago. My CC company then reversed the charge--by demanding bitcoins, the hackers won't have that happen. I don't know what I clicked on that allowed it to happen. On The Good Wife episode, the main character clicked on a pop-up on her screen and boom, there it was. I would hope an outfit like  Chicago Med would have safeguards in place that would prevent an individual being able to activate the ransomware, but apparently it is behind on its system security if, as Splendorkable noted, it isn't even constantly backing up all its files (in which case the IT department could have wiped the servers and restored the files).

[Fireball]

Finally watched the episode. It took forever and ever! OT but what the heck is wrong with NBC's player it just kept freezing after the commercials which required reloading the page and watching all the commercials again. I always have problems with watching stuff online on NBC, but never have problems with watching shows online on fox, pbs, cbs etc.

 

Back on topic.

Bert annoyed me! He could have taken his girlfriend to any other hospital, but nooo he just had to take her to the hospital where his ex worked.

Sharon I can understand her reasoning for not paying the ransom, but all I could think was you are sooo setting the hospital up to be sued! I thought Connor was right that they should just pay the ransom. 

Noah shut up and let the adults talk.

Will still has that chip on his shoulder over Connor having money.

Nina giving the shirt to Natalie was so high-school. Why can't shows have people act like adults? There can be enough drama without these high-school antics.  Will not telling Nina about his past feelings for Natalie will be drama enough without making Nina seem like a immature high schooler.

Manning's whole I'm so freaked every time a kid comes in because they might have cancer had me thinking that she really needs to learn to not get so emotionally involved. I also thought maybe she needs a different job if she's that emotional. Also her face when Will leaves was annoying! Why is she all of a sudden in love with him? He's still the same guy that she didn't want to date before.

Sarah what the heck did the writers do to her? She use to be capable but nervous, and now she's rude and seems on the verge of having some kind of breakdown! I feel like when the writers decides that Sarah needed therapy that they started writing her differently. If Wheeler hadn't just committed suicide, I'd think that was where Sarah's story was headed. Oh and her telling her boyfriend that he doesn't know how to communicate had me thinking please dump her you deserve so much better.

Choi I'm sorry that they broke him up. But not surprised we can't have a healthy mature relationship.

Connor's apartment was huge! 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Fireball
spelling

[mehtotheworld]

I find myself annoyed by almost every character on the show except Dr. Charles, Goodwin, and Reese, and even Reese was borderline in this episode.

I liked Manning and Halstead so much more in their separate relationships and trend toward hating them when there's even a hint of them being together. Dr. Charles' daughter is annoying as hell, and Rhodes gets even more insufferable when they're together, so that was a most unwelcome development. Maggie's conduct toward Halstead was really unprofessional and stupid. Choi was fine, but you know he's going to go back to being a dick. Even Goodwin's husband was a fuckhead. And yet I watch and still love the Chicago franchise! If panda heart surgery didn't put me off this show, what will? Hmmm.

[SnarkySheep]

Count me among those who think that maybe Robyn has been exposed to some kind of weird bug or virus; I doubt this will be a pre-existing mental illness.

I agreed with Goodwin about not giving in to the hackers, for all the reasons stated. I know they had to move the story along and all that, and that Latham being the mystery donor was a nice element of surprise; but I'm also a bit disappointed in him. Having Asperger's should make him all the more logical and objective in such matters, so I would have thought he'd be vehemently anti-payment.

On a side note, I literally LOL'd as Goodwin stormed around asking everyone about the mystery payment, i.e. "Well, at least she can cross Will right off her list..."

[Lady Calypso]

12 hours ago, SnarkySheep said:

and that Latham being the mystery donor was a nice element of surprise; but I'm also a bit disappointed in him. Having Asperger's should make him all the more logical and objective in such matters, so I would have thought he'd be vehemently anti-payment.

I think they actually attempted to explain this quite well. Latham prioritizes his job and his work above all else, so when he told the nurses that he paid it off because the work was being affected, I bought his reasoning. In his mind, paying off the hackers means that they can go back to doing their jobs, so why wouldn't that be the first priority? I'm surprised he held off for so long to do it. 

[Sandman]

On April 7, 2017 at 1:58 AM, greyhorse said:

Well, Robin Charles being a little crazy was certainly a shocker.  So she hears rats in walls, but otherwise seems to be a perfectly functioning epidemiologist at the hospital?  Hmmm.  Thinking the writers just decided they needed to spice things up a bit.

I hated this twist. Partly because it seems like she's not just a little bit disturbed, but full-on bug-eyed Lulu Crazypants with no development -- unless there is some pathogen she was recently exposed to that creates auditory hallucinations as a symptom, I'm not buying that this kind of break with reality comes with no warning signs and leaves her otherwise completely functioning and rational. It's too gothic and irresponsible. And the fact that she's the daughter of a psychiatrist just makes it even more of a cliché.

I did rather enjoy that Dr. Latham had an exceedingly limited supply of fucks to give about paying the hackers off.

Edited April 14, 2017 by Sandman

[Tiger]

I really liked Maggie telling off Burt, and that Neurosurgeon twlling Sharon he didnt pay the ransom.

[Chas411]

Robyn might be bonkers but it bugged me how Connor kept trying to patronisingly step in and handle her. 

[starri]

And then it happened for real.

[statsgirl]

Good for the show.  They got something right.

[Kristi800]

This happened on Grey's as well. One of the Residents had been in the Army and knew how to rehack it.