Archer’s my least favorite Chicago Med doctor, but does he deserve to be fired?
Chicago Med Season 8 Episode 12 spoilers suggest Jack Dayton wants to!
Archer’s sin this time doesn’t have to do with overriding patient wishes or dismissing mental health issues. He doesn’t want to follow Dayton’s plan for implementing AI throughout the hospital.
Archer’s never been a fan of AI or similar technology, and he has valid reasons. He doesn’t like the idea of doctors being overly dependent on technology that can break down or yield wrong results. And he has observed firsthand that AI can get things wrong.
He’s too eager to throw the baby out with the bathwater, and that’ll be a problem now that tech guru Jack Dayton is in charge of the hospital. The spoiler video suggests that Dayton fires Archer (or tries to!) after Archer refuses to use OR 2.0 during a procedure.
The OR 2.0 technology isn’t perfect. Marcel constantly gets annoyed by its all-too-conservative advice, and his assistant always overrides it.
That’s a problem, especially if less talented or confident surgeons use the tech. Marcel knows enough to be aware of when the AI is wrong, but other doctors might not.
That said, Archer’s blanket hatred of all technology is unreasonable. OR 2.0 has helped Marcel do previously-impossible procedures and allowed a kid who feared police action to get lifesaving surgery without risking his freedom. Plus, Marcel doesn’t put up with nonsense in his OR, whether it’s 2.0 or the traditional operating theatre.
If, as the spoiler video suggests, Archer interferes with completing a procedure properly because he hates 2.0, Marcel will be righteously indignant.
Archer should face disciplinary action for allowing his personal feelings about AI to interfere with patient care, though it should come from Goodwin or the board, not solely from Dayton.
Neither Archer nor Dayton is entirely right here. Archer should not be changing the game plan mid-operation, and Dayton should not be head of the hospital when he has a clear conflict of interest.
While Dayton doesn’t have the evil intentions other corporate hospital owners have had (I’m looking at you, The Good Doctor and New Amsterdam!), he has a vested interest in promoting AI: he owns the tech. He will make lots of money from selling it to hospitals.
That makes him little better than the doctor who was getting kickbacks for prescribing the VAS-COM machine.
Asher also has issues with AI tech, though so far, her problem is only with the program that flags patients as potential drug abusers. But will she stand up for Archer after he gets into it with Dayton?
Archer and Asher started as enemies but developed a positive working relationship. In addition, Asher is the only one who knows that Archer has kidney disease, so he needs her in his corner.
That said, Asher’s been in a precarious position since her re-hire. Not everyone believes she’s sober or will stay that way, and that can be used as leverage against her if she takes Asher’s side.
I don’t usually like stories revolving around company politics, but this might make for compelling drama!
Most of the hospital will be caught up in helping the victims of a hit-and-run accident. Maggie and Goodwin are both on-hand to help at the scene.
Goodwin most often acts in her administrative capacity, so it’s easy to forget she was once a nurse. This time, she’ll be able to use those skills to help keep patients alive until the ambulance can arrive.
Maggie’s inclusion in this story is unsurprising because she’s a charge nurse and often works directly with patients. But Maggie has been in a funk since Ben left, so this might help give her a renewed sense of purpose.
Also, Maggie and Ben’s issues began with the car accident she didn’t tell Ben about; could this hit-and-run trigger PTSD-like flashbacks or otherwise negatively affect Maggie?
It might also make her realize that life is fragile; she might decide to fight harder for her marriage.
The hit-and-run isn’t the only medical case. Will has a patient with unexplained seizures.
Lately, these kinds of cases require Dr. Charles’ intervention. But since this is potentially a neurological issue, Dr. Abrams might appear.
Abrams is not a popular doctor. He’s blunt and often condescending. But he plays a vital role in caring for patients with neurological disorders and often needs to work alongside Charles to address neuro-psychiatric issues.
He appears infrequently enough not to alienate viewers with his obnoxious attitude. I can’t remember if he and Will get along, but it might be interesting for them to butt heads over this patient.
Will always fights for patient care, whether that means fighting with other doctors, the board, or the patient. If he thinks his patient needs something that they aren’t getting, he will get himself into trouble.
Goodwin doesn’t need this extra problem to deal with while Archer and Dayton are fighting, but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen!
What do you think, Chicago Med fanatics? Will anything save Archer’s job? How will the hit-and-run case affect Maggie? And do you hope that Abrams shows up as part of Will’s story?
Hit the big, blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know! And don’t forget that you can watch Chicago Med online while waiting for the new episode to air.
Chicago Med airs on NBC on Wednesdays at 8 PM EST / PST.
Jack Ori is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. His debut young adult novel, Reinventing Hannah, is available on Amazon. Follow him on Twitter.
