ONE CHICAGO Women: CHICAGO MED “The Ties That Bind” (3×06), CHICAGO P.D. “Confidential” (5×11) & CHICAGO FIRE “The Whole Point of Being Roommates” (6×08) recap

The ONE CHICAGO leading ladies were certainly taking charge this week and we approve! Read on to find out what went down with the women of CHICAGO MED, CHICAGO P.D. and CHICAGO FIRE this week…

Pictured: (l-r) S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin, Eddie Jemison as Dr. Stohl, Marlyne Barrett — (Photo by Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Sharon Goodwin:

It’s all about budget cuts again this week for the ED Chief Administrator with head nurse Maggie pushing that they are understaffed and need more nurses but with the ED budget under tight review Goodwin is not in a position where she can hire more staff. You know the situation is dire when we see Maggie out of the ED and going to see Goodwin in her office. Thankfully, she has a proposal that could work and help Goodwin get around the red tape. In order to get more resources for the department, they need more money so why not entice the paramedics to bring them more patients, particularly ones that have insurance and can pay their bills. And so a “motivational room” is set up for the paramedics, which includes a large TV and pizza. On a more serious note, when Dr Reese pepper sprays a patient (more on that later), Goodwin is concerned and wants an explanation from the young doctor. When Reese can’t give her one, Goodwin has no choice but to suspend her for two weeks.

Maggie Lockwood:

As mentioned, this week Maggie is concerned with the lack of staff in the ED and with not enough nurses, she’s forced to step in on a number of occasions. Frustrated by the situation, she gives her paramedic ex a bit of hell when he comes in and tells him that while they’re all about providing the best care they can, it would be nice that instead of bringing them patients with no insurance that he brings some with a bit of money in their pockets. Yes she was lashing out at the time but wheels start churning and before you know it, she’s pitching to Goodwin an idea to entice the paramedics to bring more patients their way. As she gets chummy with her ex at the end of the episode in the new motivation room, this idea may not seem that crazy after all.

Pictured: Torrey DeVitto as Dr. Natalie Manning — (Photo by Nino Munoz/NBC)

Dr Natalie Manning:

Again this week’s episode begins with some Manstead cuteness with the pair bantering about  great basketball players like Michael Jordan, whom Nat thinks Halstead idolizes simply because he’s from Chicago. Nat is immediately called to see a patient. which sees her working with April this week. Initially they’re treating an elderly woman with a fracture, who has been brought in by her daughter but the daughter becomes the patient when she starts experiencing pains that seem suspiciously like appendicitis. The patient says it can’t be her appendix because it was removed when she was 14 years old and so Manning arranges for some scans. The scans reveal that not only has her appendix ruptured but also her tubes are tied. The patient is still adamant that it can’t be her appendix but when Manning goes to speak to the mother, she reveals that the woman was a wild teenager and to avoid getting into more trouble a judge ordered for her to get her tubes tied so what the patient thought was appendectomy was actually sterilization. Manning is horrified and even more so when she does research into the history of it. She is concerned about informing the patient of the truth though, especially when there isn’t anything they can do about it. April  disagrees and thinks the patient has a right to know, even if it destroys the relationship between the mother and daughter who only have each other. As April muses that she doesn’t understand how the patient can forgive her mother, Manning is more optimistic and believes that people can surprise you.

April Sexton:

As mentioned, April is working on a case with Dr Manning and when it becomes more complex, she doesn’t necessarily agree with Nat’s views. While the doctor is hesitant to tell the patient the truth, April is more adamant that it is her body and her life and she deserves to know even though she may not be able to do anything about it. The situation reminds April of her pregnancy last season, which is why she feels so strongly about this. In the end she admits that she doesn’t understand how the patient can forgive her mother for sterilizing her and taking away her choice.

Pictured: (l-r) Oliver Platt as Daniel Charles, Rachel DiPillo as Sarah Reese — (Photo by Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Dr Sarah Reese:

Poor Reese, she is not having a good week. We knew that her buying pepper spray at the end of last episode was not going to end well and it didn’t. When Robin Charles relapses, Dr Rhodes confronts Reese about not monitoring her patient properly. This coupled with a patient suffering delusions being brought in and having to be restrained, has Reese on edge and quite uneasy, something that Dr Charles picks up on but isn’t able to follow up on when he’s alerted about the Robin situation. Nonetheless, Reese ends up facing her fears to talk to the patient and even carefully removes him from his restraints. Much to her relief, he doesn’t attack her like she fears. Ironically, it’s a patient that Dr Choi asks for Reese to consult on that has her reaching for her pepper spray and using it on him when the patient becomes aggitated and backs her into a corner. Next thing she knows, she’s in Goodwin’s office with her and Dr Stohl, the latter who is not impressed that a doctor has attacked a patient. Goodwin is a bit compassionate and wants an explanation but when Reese can’t give her one, the young doctor finds herself suspended for two weeks. After receiving a text, Dr Charles shows up at Reese’s apartment at the end of the episode, where Noah Sexton is (we’re assuming maybe he texted Dr Charles?) and Reese breaks down, sobbing “What have I done?”. Ever the father figure, Dr Charles holds her as she cries.

Pictured: Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Kim Burgess:

This week’s episode is quite Burgess-centric as she handles her first CI, a young woman who she gave a month to give her some intel before she files her drug charges. The deal is almost coming to an end and the CI has no substantial information. In a fit of desperation, she declares that she knows about a murder that involves a body being dumped. Burgess thinks she is just making it up to buy herself more time and tells Upton, who has been waiting in the car for Burgess. Upton tells her that handling your first CI can be tough and sometimes the book isn’t always right and you have to trust your gut but Burgess is adamant to do things by the book. Burgess sure has toughened up this season! The CI ends up being right and so the case ends up being Intelligence’s new project with Burgess and Upton continuing to team up (largely due to Halstead being relegated to desk duty following the mess of last episode). There ends up being some conflict between the pair when Upton doesn’t want to pressure her own CI but Burgess argues that providing information is the CI’s job because they’re an asset to the CPD. Upton, however sees her CI as more than that – he’s a friend with family and has helped with over 20 cases in the last five years so she’s not going to put him in danger. The pair do make up once the case is over with Upton telling Burgess nice job and that she did amazing before inviting her to dinner on the weekend. Aww girl power friendship!

Sadly Burgess’ own CI turns up dead and Ruzek tells Burgess that it’s not on her, trying to make her feel better. It’s nice to see that support between the two, even if it is because of lingering feelings on his end. When they’re monitoring a witness in a safe house, the pair have a conversation about being blinded by love and protecting the partner. Burgess says that sometimes people trick themselves into what they want to see whether it’s real or not. Ruzek argues that sometimes it is real, it’s just complicated. He’s obviously referring to their doomed relationship even if she’s not and later when Burgess and Voight are interrogating the witness, Burgess tries to connect with her to try and get her to crack by telling her that she was in love with someone once but it was all pretend so it hurt so much when the relationship ended, but one day she felt whole again and the only thing she regretted was not ending it sooner. Ruzek and Upton are watching through the glass and can hear this story… can you say awkward? At the end of the episode though, while having a drink at Molly’s, Burgess tells him it was just a story to get the witness to flip and it wasn’t about him. He then invites her back to his place and she declines, making a remark about going backwards and how they work together. He’s obviously disappointed but then she has a change of heart and kisses him and telling him she feels like having fun tonight. This is not going to end well guys…

Trudy Platt:

We get one scene of Platt this week when Burgess does a coffee run for her, Upton and herself. We learn that Platt’s order is a double shot latte with three sugars. As they discuss Burgess’ CI situation before it became an Intelligence case, Platt remarks that it’s nice to see Burgess toughen up and not be taken advantage of and we have to agree!

Pictured: Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Hailey Upton:

It’s a good dose of Girl Power on CPD this week with Burgess and Upton partnering up. With a few more years of experience on Burgess, Upton knows that sometimes you don’t always have to follow the book and that it’s better to trust your instincts. She has one of these moments this week when Burgess dismisses her CI’s intel that there’s been a murder and she knows where the body is. Upton quietly follows up on it instead and low and behold the body is found! She does apologize to Burgess for looking into her case and says it was just a hunch she had. It doesn’t seem like Burgess has a real issue with it anyway. Having more experience that Burgess also means that Upton knows what her CI’s limits are and when Burgess gets frustrated that Upton won’t pressure her CI for more info, Upton sticks to her guns and makes no apologies for it. She’s a tough cop but she also cares. In the midst of teaming up with Burgess this week, Upton does check up on regular partner Halstead, who has been relegated to desk duty and to attend therapy. She’s not impressed that he doesn’t seem to be taking therapy seriously and warns him she’ll look for a new partner if she has to. Hopefully not though, as it looks like Halstead is taking therapy a bit more seriously at the end of the episode.

Pictured: (l-r) Taylor Kinney as Kelly Severide, Monica Raymund as Gabriela Dawson — (Photo by: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)

Gabriela Dawson:

Totally called it – that girl who Dawson saved from a fire last week? Dawson winds up visiting her this week and becoming involved in her life. Turns out the teen was stealing drugs for her sick dad, a situation that Dawson can’t help but relate to given everything that’s been going on with her own dad. Anyway Dawson ends up discussing the situation with Severide so we get a lot of Dawson/Severide friendship this week, which is great. Casey happens to come in during one of their conversations and he thinks Dawson is being snowed. You can imagine she doesn’t exactly take this observation well and so Casey removes himself from the conversation. When the dad becomes more sick, the teen calls Dawson, who rushes over there with Severide. Despite protests, they call an ambulance and the dad is taken to hospital. When the teen figures out social services are going to get involved, she runs away, leaving Dawson and Severide scouring the streets at night trying to find her but with no luck. Also in this episode, Dawson tries to be supportive about partner Brett starting things back up with Dawson’s brother.

Pictured: Kara Killmer as Sylvie Brett — (Photo by: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)

Sylvie Brett:

Following last week’s episode, Brettonio are a thing again. She spends the weekend at his place, a detail that does not go unnoticed by roommates Otis and Cruz, so much to the point that they feel the need to broadcast to the whole firehouse that Brett has a new man in her life, because hey that’s what roommates are for right? She remains coy and Otis tells her they’ll find out because she can’t keep a secret. Low and behold, the next scene is Brett in the ambo telling Dawson that she’s seeing Antonio but it won’t be like last time because she’s a different person now and can handle herself. Throughout the episode, Cruz and Otis keep speculating (the latter thinks it’s someone from Med), especially when Brett ditches their movie night when Antonio turns up outside their building. In the end the guys figure it out and Cruz in particular is concerned about his ex, even making an analogy about burn victims. In the end though when Antonio cooks her dinner (which by the way, how did she not know from last time they were together that he can cook?), Brett decides to lay it all on the table and tells him that habits are hard to break and maybe they were right the first time when they ended things and she leaves. You can tell Antonio is disappointed, as are we. However, as short-lived as this reunion may have been, we don’t think that it’s the end of Brettonio. Executive producer Derek Haas has said there will be more Brettonio so we sincerely hope he’s not playing us!

Pictured: Miranda Rae Mayo as Stella Kidd — (Photo by: Elizabeth Morris/NBC)

Stella Kidd:

Storyline wise, this episode is quite Kidd-lite. Things are still up in the air between her and Severide but we can deal with the slow burn. There is a cute moment near the start of the episode where she tries to give him some tips and he remarks that he’s not taking advice from a woman who duct tapes her mirror to the wall. Ha!

CHICAGO MED airs Tuesday at 10/9c, CHICAGO P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10/9c and CHICAGO FIRE airs Thursdays at 10/9c. All three shows air on NBC.

RELATED LINKS:

ONE CHICAGO Women: CHICAGO MED “Mountains & Molehills” (3×05), CHICAGO P.D. “Rabbit Hole” (5×10) & CHICAGO FIRE “A Man’s Legacy” (6×07) recap
ONE CHICAGO Women: CHICAGO MED “Trust Your Gut” (3×03) & CHICAGO P.D. “Monster” (5×09) recap
ONE CHICAGO Women: CHICAGO MED “Nothing to Fear” (3×02) & CHICAGO P.D. “Politics” (5×08) recap
CHICAGO MED: Marlyne Barrett talks Season 3, real life connections and more