Warning! SPOILERS ahead forChicago Medseason 10, episode 16, “Poster Child.”
This article contains mentions of stalking, violence, and PTSI/PTSD.
I’m shocked thatChicago Medseason 10, episode 16, titled “Poster Child,” ignores Sharon’s (S Epatha Merkerson) trauma earlier in the season during a story that has similarities to it. During the first half ofChicago Medseason 10, Sharon dealt with a mysterious stalker. The woman eventually broke into Sharon’s office, armed with a knife, and Sharon was stabbed and nearly died. This traumatic experience led to Sharon developing Post-Traumatic Stress Injury, or PTSI, which is the preferred term for what used to be called PTSD, and she spoke with a psychiatrist but refused further treatment after her diagnosis.
In “Poster Child,” Sharon has a more heartwarming story. Instead of the violent events of theninth episode ofChicago Medseason 10, she gets a second chance with a mother who blames Sharon for her daughter’s 22-year-long coma. The mother initially continues to blame Sharon for her daughter’s condition and doesn’t want anything to do with her, but eventually forgives Sharon and admits she was lashing out because she couldn’t help her daughter.
Sharon’s Story In Chicago Med Season 10, Episode 16 Is Reminiscent Of Her Stalking Incident
In Both Cases, A Patient’s Family Member Blames Sharon For Their Loved One’s Condition
Although the story goes in a completely different direction, it is similar to the stalking incident.In both cases, a woman related to a patient blames Sharon for the patient’s poor conditionand has held onto rage over it for a long period of time. Of course, not every grieving family member is likely to turn violent, so Sharon might have understood logically that there was no reason to fear this woman. However, in my experience working with trauma survivors, rationality does not always factor into the way someone like Sharon would respond to a similar situation.
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Surprisingly, though,Sharon doesn’t acknowledge the similarity at allduring “Poster Child.” Instead, she continually tries to make amends with the woman, who initially doesn’t want any further interactions with Sharon. While Sharon’s eagerness to fix this relationship could be construed as a response to her earlier trauma, unfortunately, this is not spelled out. Thus, this story about Sharon’s attempt to rectify her perceived error from the past appears to be completely separated from her earlier traumatic experience.
Chicago Med Could Have Connected Both Sharon Storylines For A More Powerful Storytelling
Sharon’s Trauma Could Have Been Included Without Overpowering The Main Story
Sharon’s story in “Poster Child” is intended to be a positive arcin which she faces her guilt and regret over her mistakes with this patient and is able to come to an understanding with the mother. For this reason, it is understandable that the writers chose to eliminate references to her trauma — they didn’t want it to overshadow the new story or distract from its point. However, it wasn’t necessary to ignore Sharon’s recent backstory altogether.
The medical drama could have done something as simple as have Dr. Charles point out that Sharon’s eagerness for forgiveness was related to her trauma.
The medical drama could have done something as simple as having Dr. Charles point out that Sharon’s eagerness for forgiveness was related to her trauma. Conversely, Sharon could have initially become anxious, then used positive self-talk to remind herself she was safe, thus demonstrating that she had learned some tools for dealing with triggers. This second idea would have been a powerful moment that could have empowered those in the audience who have survived trauma in real life.
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Chicago Medruined the climax of Sharon’s stalker storybut made up for it by creating a strong story about Sharon’s mental health condition after she recovered physically from the attack. Unfortunately, the series again missed an opportunity to address her trauma history in “Poster Child.” This is especially disappointing because it would have created a more powerfulChicago Medstory if Sharon’s past trauma had been acknowledged while she dealt with the current situation.
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Chicago Med is a medical drama series that explores the high-stakes environment of a bustling Chicago hospital. Set against the backdrop of chaotic emergency room scenarios, the series follows a team of dedicated doctors and nurses as they confront challenging cases inspired by real-world issues, while navigating complex relationships.
