Chicago Med midseason finale recap: I Can’t Imagine The Future

Maggie

Maggie’s (Marlyne Lockwood) boyfriend Ben has gotten much worse since we last saw him. Natalie explains a lot of stats that are bad for him. Ben tells Maggie he wants his ashes laid with his parents in a Florida cemetery, and Dr. James Lanik (recurring guest star Nate Santana) arrives later to intubate as Ben’s condition continues to decline. “I don’t think he has long,” he says, stating what’s obvious at that point.

But Lanik calls for Maggie after that and shows her that Ben is actually improving; perhaps the break from chemotherapy was good for him. In the final minutes of Chicago Med, Lanik pulls out the tube and Ben can breathe on his own! So now he and Maggie can actually, y’know, try to get to know each other for a little bit.

Charles

As we predicted last week, Caroline (recurring guest star Paula Newsome) has had her condition take a turn for the worse. She’s bedridden now, and wants Charles (Oliver Platt) to remarry after she dies. He does not want to talk about this, especially since he did just get remarried. To her. Nine episodes ago. He breaks down in tears as soon as he leaves the room.

Charles asks Goodwin for some time off to take Caroline on a vacation, and also says he’s throwing “a bon voyage party” for her, which makes it clear how Caroline won’t be coming back. At least this means we get another guest appearance from Mekia Cox, as Robin returns at the party. She tells Charles that she wants to go on the trip he has planned.

But Charles reiterates that Caroline doesn’t want her there when she passes. “She wants you to remember her the way she is tonight,” he says. An emotional Robin sobs in her dad’s arms at the thought of never seeing her mom again.

Will

Will deals with a Down syndrome patient involved in a car accident. Jordy seems generally okay, but this is Chicago Med, so it’s not long before Will finds a possible neck issue. And why is the kid losing feeling in his hands?

Will calls in Dr. Sam Abrams (Brennan Brown) who tells Jordy’s father that he has a spinal instability. There are two options: surgery that could also end up making things worse, or delay the surgery for now and use a brace as a stopgap. Dad goes for the latter option, but when the son finds out it will stop him from competing in the Special Olympics, he wants the surgery anyway. So who does Will listen to?

He has a heart-to-heart with dad and convinces him that the decision should ultimately be about what his son wants. Dad changes his mind and consents to the procedure. Abrams tells both Will and Dad that it has gone well, and even asks if he can come to the kid’s next Special Olympics event! Aw, Abrams has a heart in there somewhere.