Spoilers ahead for the fall finale of Chicago Med Season 10, called "Love Will Tear Us Apart."
There's nowhere in primetime quite like NBC's One Chicago when it comes to stressful finale cliffhangers, and Chicago Med went farther to close out the 2024 TV schedule than even I imagined! "Love Will Tear Us Apart" resolved the mystery of the person stalking Goodwin and threatening her life, but it didn't end with one of the Chicago P.D. cops making an arrest. Goodwin was stabbed, and Archer is her only hope... but he might not be able to save her. It was a twist that will have me stressed until Med returns in the 2025 TV schedule, but dang it, the final shots of the episode were amazing.
The big reveal of Goodwin's stalker was somebody who appeared earlier in Season 10: Cassidy. If that name doesn't ring a bell, it didn't for Goodwin either until her attacker explained: her wife was Wendy, one of two critical patients who needed the last available units of blood back in the Season 10 premiere. Wendy died when the man who caused the crisis got the blood per Goodwin's decision, and Cassidy wanted revenge.
And unfortunately, Goodwin was supposed to be out for the Thanksgiving holiday, so the usual parade of visitors wasn't visiting her office to come to her rescue after she was stabbed. She outsmarted Cassidy by distracting her long enough to get to her phone, but an unfortunately-timed call from Maggie alerted her that Goodwin was hiding the device. The two just sat there in the dark, with Goodwin slowly but surely bleeding.
Her potential savior came in an unlikely form: Archer, determined to leave Gaffney after Goodwin demoted him from co-ED Chief and kept Lenox in the top job. Despite promising Hannah that he'd give the decision 24 hours before handing over his letter of resignation, his mind was made up and he went to slide the envelope under Goodwin's door. Cassidy covered Goodwin's mouth as soon as she heard somebody moving in the hallway, which could have been the end...
Except this is Sharon Goodwin we're talking about! When Cassidy turned her head just enough, the nurse-turned-administrator grabbed a bottle, bashed her attacker over the head, and made a run for it into the hallway, staggering to catch Archer before he took the elevator down. In the final moments of the episode, Cassidy stalked up behind her and loomed to stab her in the back... just as the elevators closed on Archer.
It's hard to do the final shot of Cassidy standing over Goodwin justice in a still frame, and you should definitely watch (or rewatch) the episode with a Peacock subscription for the full experience, but I think Archer's horrified reaction says it all:
Am I now stressed about Goodwin's fate, and will remain so when I think about Chicago Med in the coming weeks ahead of the winter premiere in the new year? Yes, but that's not a bad thing when it comes to One Chicago. If anything, I take it as further proof of how Steven Weber described Med "getting gritty" with a new showrunner this season. The final shot of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is worthy of a horror movie, in the best way.
In the best way as long as Goodwin survives, recovers, and participates in the three-part One Chicago crossover, that is! For now, check out the promo for the winter premiere:
It looks like Chicago Med is going to pick up in the new year right where it left off. While it's not great news for Goodwin that Archer couldn't stop the elevator as soon as he saw her stumble out of her office, I would say that a former Navy trauma surgeon is a great person to rely on to save the day!
Tune back in to NBC on Wednesday, January 8 for the winter premiere of Chicago Med Season 10 at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Chicago Fire Season 13 at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. Season 10 at 10 p.m. ET. You can also stream all three shows via Peacock now.
