‘Chicago Med’ Season 11 sees Sharon Goodwin’s future in doubt after an ethical stand and a midair crisis
Every long-running, popular television show often establishes character arcs that prove vital to its narrative. In the case of 'Chicago Med' on NBC, the character of Gaffney hospital director Sharon Goodwin, played admirably by S. Epatha Merkerson, is one such stalwart. As the head of the hospital's medical board and an accomplished, experienced doctor herself, Goodwin is uniquely placed to empathise with the daily struggles of the medical professionals under her wing and to look out for their interests. Nevertheless, the latest episode of the show pointed out that her future may be in jeopardy.
As described by NBC Insider, the previously aired January 21 episode titled 'Frost On Fire' had depicted fellow board members Miranda Lewis, played by Orlagh Cassidy, trying to lean in on Goodwin using her influential position on the board. Lewis intended to have her nephew be inducted as a nurse in the hospital. Goodwin, however, would have none of it and shut down the proposal, which she rightfully saw as a deliberately nepotistic gesture.
The previously charted narrative arc of Goodwin on the NBC show, as recalled by One Chicago Center, had her fighting tooth and nail against the proposed budget cuts that constantly threaten to scale things down at her hospital. On the most recent episode of the medical procedural fittingly titled 'Spill Your Guts', Goodwin was on her way to board a plane to attend a meeting in Wyoming with an important hospital stockholder. Since both Goodwin and Lewis were supposed to attend the meeting, Goodwin remarked that the moment called for them to reconcile and be on the same page before they showed up together.
The issue on the table was, of course, the proposed budget cuts. While Goodwin was interested in finding a solution, Lewis would have none of it and expressed her dissatisfaction with her ice-cold behaviour. Moving on, Goodwin soon realized that Lewis wasn't her usual self and was visibly suffering. Upon being prodded by Goodwin, Lewis confessed to feeling uncomfortable ever since she got into a slow-speed collision while she was making her way to the jet plane earlier in the day.
Goodwin's suspicions were soon proved right after she examined Lewis and discovered that she was bleeding from an internal chest injury and immediately needed surgery. Goodwin called Dr. Naomi Howard at Gaffney Hospital, and the former agreed to virtually assist her with the surgery. Although surgical tools and other resources were largely limited inside the jet, Goodwin spoke frankly with Lewis about the situation, and the latter consented to the surgery. It goes without saying that the surgery was successful, and Lewis recovered. Since Goodwin saved Lewis's life, it remains to be seen whether the latter would be so keen to have Goodwin removed from the board. 'Chicago Med' airs new episodes on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
