I consider myself to be a major Chicago Med fan. There are many aspects of the medical drama that I have loved.
One recent example of an aspect of Chicago Med that I think has been a perfect addition to the show is the introduction of Dr. Caitlin Lenox, who has quickly emerged as a great character. In fact, I would even argue that Chicago Med season 10 was the best chapter in the show's lengthy history.
Even though I could spend a lot of time singing Chicago Med's praises, there have been some aspects of the NBC show that I have really disliked. In those cases, it has been wonderful when the parts of the show that didn't work have gone away. Sadly, however, I find myself worried that one of Chicago Med's worst storylines ever could be set to be recreated soon.
Chicago Med could be poised to recreate the disastrous OR 2.0 storyline
During Chicago Med season 11, episode 4, "Found Family," the show introduced a new character named Dr. Theo Rabari. Given that Dr. Rabari has since been portrayed as an invested and sincere caregiver, the character's introduction could be a great thing. However, the problem is that as a part of Dr. Rabari's debut storyline, the character helped Dr. Daniel Charles by using a brain scan known as an FMRI to diagnose a patient who wanted to amputate his own hand.
Throughout medical history, evolving technology has been consistently used to upgrade the treatment that patients receive. As such, it would seem silly if Chicago Med never featured storyline in which emerging technology was used in ways that hadn't been seen on the show in the past. That said, the way that the FMRI was spotlighted on the show brought to mind one of the show's past storylines that I couldn't stand.
During season 8 of Chicago Med, the show introduced a new high-tech operating room that used artificial intelligence to supposedly help surgeons operate. However, the new operating suite, which was called OR 2.0, quickly became a massive distraction to the show that resulted in storyline moments that often felt goofy.
For example, there was a lot of melodrama around OR 2.0 malfunctioning and how hospital staff would react to that. It all felt like a storyline that was penned by older writers who didn't fully understand AI and the fact that nobody would ever try to use it to solely make life and death decisions at this stage in the tech's lifespan.
A few years after the OR 2.0 storyline debacle was abandoned, the way that the FMRI was depicted being used during season 11 felt like the beginning of the show potentially going down a similar road. The only saving grace has been that the tech hasn't been the focus of the show since then. I sincerely hope that remains the case because Chicago Med has proven itself to be very capable of mishandling storylines like that.