Spoilers ahead for the Chicago Med episode of the One Chicago "Infection" crossover on NBC.
All hands were on deck in the "Infection" crossover between Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med as the heroes of the Windy City faced a potential widespread infection of flesh-eating bacteria. So, there was no time for anybody to deliver anything but 100%, and that could have presented a problem for Med's Dr. Natalie Manning as she continues to deal with her traumatic brain injury and try to hide her mistakes.
Fortunately, Natalie's TBI didn't leave her naming the wrong medications and losing the ability to perform routine medical procedures this week, although Will did start the episode by stepping in when Natalie tried to take charge of an infected patient.
Still, she was at her best, and it would have been impossible to guess that she was falling apart trying to insert a breathing tube or administering the wrong meds in the last couple of episodes. Does this mean the end of Natalie's struggles, or was there just too much going on in the three-show crossover to dwell on the TBI?
Probably the latter, according to Nick Gehlfuss, who plays Will Halstead. He explained that Natalie's TBI isn't going anywhere and her "questionable" decisions as a doctor will continue. CinemaBlend's Adrienne Jones attended the One Chicago day celebrating Chicago Med, Fire, and P.D., and she asked how much Will is going to push his former fiancée. Gehlfuss said this:
Well, actually what’s riding most of this season, there’s these aftermath injuries. Will takes a vested interest in Natalie’s ability to do her job and if she’s just being smart and safe with herself. So, he sidelines her a lot on a lot of the cases, and he’s really worried about her.
If Natalie's aftermath injuries are "riding most of this season," then it's safe to say that her admirable performance as a doctor in the "Infection" crossover wasn't a sign that she was fully recovered, and didn't result in Will getting past his concerns about her.
Why Chicago Med's Natalie Hasn't Seen Through Philip's Manipulation Yet, According To The Actress
It's not surprising that Med isn't dropping a huge storyline like Natalie's TBI -- especially when the resolution could result in Natalie learning the truth about Philip -- as early as the fourth episode of the season, but it's a bummer for Natalie! Will's concern for her isn't welcome either professionally or personally, as viewers saw last week.
Torrey DeVitto, who plays Natalie on Chicago Med, jumped in to explain that Will sidelining her "frustrates" and "maddens" Natalie, prompting Nick Gehlfuss to elaborate on Natalie's "questionable" actions in Season 5:
As it would anybody, but there’re some things she’s doing that are questionable as far as taking care of her patients, and Will thinks that she’s unsafe in a work environment. And, also, Will really wants to know what she was going to say that night when she came to his car. So, throughout all of this, the line gets blurred on, well, what is really driving his intentions at certain points
On the one hand, kudos to Will for not letting his personal feelings stop him from trying to do what's best for the patients at Med, despite the fact that it would probably be easier on him if he didn't have to see Natalie's walking around while wearing Philip's engagement ring all the time, and Natalie really should come clean that she's not at 100% when there are lives at stake.
On the other hand, Will is at least a little bit selfishly motivated, as he wants to learn what she was going to tell him before the accident in the Season 4 finale. He's not wrong to be suspicious, as fans (and Dr. Marcel) know that there's something off with her "engagement" to Philip. The good news is that Dr. Marcel could be key to disrupting the relationship between Natalie and Philip.
Natalie's life probably won't be getting easier any time soon. See what happens next for her when new episodes of Chicago Med air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC, kicking off the One Chicago block that continues with Fire at 9 p.m. ET and P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.
