S04.E04: Backed Against The Wall

[WendyCR72]

Dr. Halstead gets an unplanned visit from the CPD while Ethan is skeptical of a woman who is experiencing chronic pain. Natalie tends to a cancer patient whose brother has strong feelings on why he is refusing to lend his assistance.

[Netfoot]

Take out ONE ovary, and test it.  If it's the bad one, stop there.  If the ovary is clean or the symptoms persist, you have to take the other one.  But at least you give the woman a 50:50 chance.

[VinceW]

A citizen can be forced to be a law enforcement CI because he appears innocently on surveillance? How long before Will gets in danger and needs his brother cop to bail him out?

Edited October 19, 2018 by VinceW

[Texasmom1970]

Can we start every episode with Ethan working out pretty please!

[watcher1006]

For all her manipulation, Bekker did have a point to make. Rhodes' hybrid ER/OR may be up and running, that doesn't mean that all of the specialized equipment used in the various operating rooms has been duplicated. The hybrid facility is going to draw resources from the operating rooms, and getting additional equipment will cost money and the cost of the equipment may or may not be justified by how much it is used.

[mommalib]

I can't stand Bekker.

[Ohwell]

9 hours ago, watcher1006 said:

For all her manipulation, Bekker did have a point to make. Rhodes' hybrid ER/OR may be up and running, that doesn't mean that all of the specialized equipment used in the various operating rooms has been duplicated. The hybrid facility is going to draw resources from the operating rooms, and getting additional equipment will cost money and the cost of the equipment may or may not be justified by how much it is used.

No problem.  Bekker will just screw Connor's dad to get the money for the additional equipment.

[watcher1006]

It was clear that the patient's brother who was donating the stem cells to her was going to get picked up by the immigration authorities. And when it happened, it wasn't surprising that it was that new COO who was responsible for informing them. Such are the times we live in that such plots are to be expected.

[Ohwell]

1 hour ago, watcher1006 said:

It was clear that the patient's brother who was donating the stem cells to her was going to get picked up by the immigration authorities. And when it happened, it wasn't surprising that it was that new COO who was responsible for informing them. Such are the times we live in that such plots are to be expected.

Yeah, I saw that coming.  Didn't the COO say something about the lawyer woman who wanted the prescription drugs saying the brother hit her or something like that?  I thought the lawyer was the one who got things started. 

[LittleIggy]

Ethan needs to get that stick surgically removed from his butt. Bernie seemed like a nice guy.

[limecoke]

I think I may have concussion from the gigantic anvil that fell on my head watching this episode.  Not to mention my poor eyes that may be permanently focused on my spine from all the eye-rolling.  Why do I keep watching?  Maybe there’s a part of me that hopes it will get better.   Shame too, because Med has a couple of great actors and they seem wasted on this drivel.

[TimetoShine]

My first thought was Choi is some sweaty goodness. And then, I hope there’s no April. 

[kgg]

On ‎10‎/‎17‎/‎2018 at 10:34 PM, Netfoot said:

Take out ONE ovary, and test it.  If it's the bad one, stop there.  If the ovary is clean or the symptoms persist, you have to take the other one.  But at least you give the woman a 50:50 chance.

Right???  In what world does any surgeon do this?  Send something to path from the other ovary during the operation.  I'm always flabbergasted that they fail to get OBGYN involved.  Every other ED is like, "Problem with your lady parts?  Someone page OB!"

And discussing stem cell transplants does not happen in the ED, at least not by ED docs!  There are literally hematologist/oncologists who specialize in this very area.  Because it takes special knowledge.  

I don't know why I keep hate watching this show.  

[statsgirl]

If the patient's brother is illegal and afraid of ICE, why didn't Manning use a fake name when she put him in the data base  And even before that, why didn't she test him to see if he was a match before putting him in danger?

Since the lawyer used a fake name and then lodged a complaint against the Mexican guy, why didn't Choi lodge a complaint against her for seeking drugs while using a fake name?

Ethan, since your sister's old boyfriends were young like her and turned out to be disasters, maybe an older man is what she needs.

On 10/18/2018 at 12:29 AM, watcher1006 said:

For all her manipulation, Bekker did have a point to make. Rhodes' hybrid ER/OR may be up and running, that doesn't mean that all of the specialized equipment used in the various operating rooms has been duplicated. The hybrid facility is going to draw resources from the operating rooms, and getting additional equipment will cost money and the cost of the equipment may or may not be justified by how much it is used.

Rhodes wouldn't need his own bypass machine if Bekker had played fair.

He requested the bypass machine so that he could do the operation in his hybrid ER/OR.  She cancelled it and talked him into taking the patient to the OR, at which point she claimed territory and took over the case.  Up until that point, they had been working well together. Rhodes even acknowledged that she had been right about last week.  After that move, he decided his ER/OR needed all of it's own equipment.

Bekker is her own worst enemy.

[Netfoot]

So, he has his own little OR because the normal OR suites upstairs are often too busy to handle an ER patient.  And now, he has to completely duplicate all equipment and facilities that the normal OR contains.  

So, wouldn't it have been easier to simply add another OR suite upstairs?

[Ohwell]

11 hours ago, statsgirl said:

Since the lawyer used a fake name and then lodged a complaint against the Mexican guy, why didn't Choi lodge a complaint against her for seeking drugs while using a fake name?

I didn't understand why she was allowed to just walk out of the hospital.  I can't believe Choi didn't do anything and I was disappointed in him this episode.

[Ailianna]

On 10/18/2018 at 12:02 AM, VinceW said:

A citizen can be forced to be a law enforcement CI because he appears innocently on surveillance? How long before Will gets in danger and needs his brother cop to bail him out?

He doesn't appear innocently though.  He did break the rules with giving the treatment and meds off the books, which looks suspicious, and then received a benefit--the reception hall for his wedding at cost.  He apparently can't figure out who the mafioso he's known all his life is, but it certainly looks like he's giving treatment for a kickback, whcih is illegal, and also probably violates his contract with the hospital, since I'm sure they don't want him randomly moonlighting and giving their supplies without any reimbursement.

[VinceW]

12 hours ago, Ailianna said:

He doesn't appear innocently though.  He did break the rules with giving the treatment and meds off the books, which looks suspicious, and then received a benefit--the reception hall for his wedding at cost.  He apparently can't figure out who the mafioso he's known all his life is, but it certainly looks like he's giving treatment for a kickback, whcih is illegal, and also probably violates his contract with the hospital, since I'm sure they don't want him randomly moonlighting and giving their supplies without any reimbursement.

Agree that he broke rules except he puts his life at risk for police work that he is being forced to do without cause. He should just take consequences if contract violation. The reception hall tradeoff seems pretty innocent, but unethical. Voight is just blowing smoke to get him to help. Recall that Voight got Will to treat gun shot wounds for the son of a woman CI at her home while at risk from drug cartel during the procedure.  Also,there have been other instances during the series in which Will treated people off site.

Edited October 21, 2018 by VinceW

[Ailianna]

If the feds decide to arrest him, even if just for leverage, they will follow through, and he will also lose his medical license.  Think that's just Voight blowing smoke?  Look to the real-life prosecutions of people involved in the Mueller probes.

[VinceW]

On 10/20/2018 at 12:34 PM, Ailianna said:

If the feds decide to arrest him, even if just for leverage, they will follow through, and he will also lose his medical license.  Think that's just Voight blowing smoke?  Look to the real-life prosecutions of people involved in the Mueller probes.

He can't be forced to put his life at risk by the Feds by using unlawful prosecutorial powers. The Mueller probes are just ridiculous politics and the first convictions were for face-saving process crimes. Will just needs a good lawyer to defend him against possible entrapment.

Edited October 21, 2018 by VinceW

[watcher1006]

Will didn't help matters though, blackmailing the tech (who's a good guy) into doing the blood work off the books. That was a jarring incident and, I thought, a bit out of character for Will.

[VinceW]

3 hours ago, watcher1006 said:

Will didn't help matters though, blackmailing the tech (who's a good guy) into doing the blood work off the books. That was a jarring incident and, I thought, a bit out of character for Will.

Blackmail? Jarring incident? Will just reminded the tech of the favor he did for him to avoid hospital rules over his own treatment. Will needs to stop the favors for sure because it hurts his credibility as a good, ethical doctor.

Edited October 20, 2018 by VinceW

[MakeMeLaugh]

So someone with a medical license can't decide to treat someone on his or her own? Seriously? And can't accept a friends and family rate for something like a car or a reception hall? This story line makes no sense.

[VinceW]

6 hours ago, MakeMeLaugh said:

So someone with a medical license can't decide to treat someone on his or her own? Seriously? And can't accept a friends and family rate for something like a car or a reception hall? This story line makes no sense.

Totally Agree. It is a little misguided to think the Feds could force you to work undercover. A voice on a wire is not probable cause for an arrest per se. The writers like to use selective morality to fit a weak story line. Will should just listen to his brother and stay away from the target.

Edited October 20, 2018 by VinceW

[langford peel]

The whole immigration story line is very heavy handed and phony. It seems very unlikely that they would get such an immediate response. In Chicago? It is just more propaganda and silly politically correct foolishness. 

I thought that nasty Doctor Manning and that idiot April were the worst things about this show but they are finding new ways to increase the suckitude. 

[statsgirl]

This is a Dick Wolf show.  When was the last time he was subtle or even realistic?

2 hours ago, MakeMeLaugh said:

So someone with a medical license can't decide to treat someone on his or her own? Seriously? And can't accept a friends and family rate for something like a car or a reception hall? This story line makes no sense.

Treating the guy wasn't the problem. The problem is that is he is taking favors from a known criminal.  He didn't know that the cheap rate on the hall could get him in trouble legally by connecting him to the criminal organization.

5 hours ago, watcher1006 said:

Will didn't help matters though, blackmailing the tech (who's a good guy) into doing the blood work off the books. That was a jarring incident and, I thought, a bit out of character for Will.

That didn't make any sense. Why not just take the blood to a lab outside the hospital? Can't you do that in the US? Or did they need to show Will going down a slippery slope of unethical behavior because of his relationship with the mob guy.

5 hours ago, Ailianna said:

If the feds decide to arrest him, even if just for leverage, they will follow through, and he will also lose his medical license.  Think that's just Voight blowing smoke?  Look to the real-life prosecutions of people involved in the Mueller probes.

It's probably Voight blowing smoke to intimidate Will.  The Mueller convictions were people who knew that they were engaging in illegal actions.

[MakeMeLaugh]

On 10/20/2018 at 7:58 PM, statsgirl said:

This is a Dick Wolf show.  When was the last time he was subtle or even realistic?

Treating the guy wasn't the problem. The problem is that is he is taking favors from a known criminal.  He didn't know that the cheap rate on the hall could get him in trouble legally by connecting him to the criminal organization.

That didn't make any sense. Why not just take the blood to a lab outside the hospital? Can't you do that in the US? Or did they need to show Will going down a slippery slope of unethical behavior because of his relationship with the mob guy.

It's probably Voight blowing smoke to intimidate Will.  The Mueller convictions were people who knew that they were engaging in illegal actions.

I just think this plot is so weak—doing business with a criminal means you could go to jail unless you wear a wire and put your life in danger to do the police’s job for them to obtain evidence? Half of Chicago would be in jail. Not buying it. Although I wouldn’t mind if Doc Halsted went to jail if he would take Manning with him.

[SnarkySheep]

How was that lawyer able to give a fake name? Wouldn't she have been asked for her insurance card? I broke my femur and was in absolute agony...yet nobody in the ER would do a single thing for me til all the insurance info was squared away.

As for the illegal immigrant...isn't Chicago a sanctuary city? 

[Chas411]

I really wish Jay would go away. He's so unlikeable in Med but also hes always there. He's in every episode with his own stupid cop related storyline. Can they not just utilise him in PD instead of us having to put up with him getting more screentime then the actual regulars on Med. 

[Fireball]

On ‎11‎/‎13‎/‎2018 at 1:19 AM, Chas411 said:

I really wish Jay would go away. He's so unlikeable in Med but also hes always there. He's in every episode with his own stupid cop related storyline. Can they not just utilise him in PD instead of us having to put up with him getting more screentime then the actual regulars on Med. 

IMO Trying to shoe horn in characters from the other Chicago shows really hurts the show they are being forced on. I stopped watching Fire when every story line had to be police related. And now Med has to have Jay from PD show up basically every episode!