As Chicago Med season 10 takes a holiday break, the tone of the NBC drama is more horror movie than decking the halls. Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson)’s stalker was introduced on Halloween, and in season 10, episode 10, “Love Will Tear Us Apart,” Goodwin was put through the wringer.
The sweet character’s stalker turned out to be Cassidy (Tiff Abreu), the wife of a woman named Wendy who died at Gaffney Medical Center when Goodwin could only give blood to one patient, and didn’t pick Wendy. This happened at the start of season 10 when a boat crashed on Lake Michigan. Cassidy kidnapped Goodwin in her office and stabbed her, causing serious injuries. Goodwin came close to being saved before the credits rolled. She yelled for Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber), who was nearby and witnessed Cassidy pulling Goodwin to her office again. Tragically, Archer stared at his boss as the elevator door shut. That was it! End of episode!
Wait. What? How can Chicago Med do that? Is she okay? Will she live? What’s happening? Fans were unable to keep it together, with one writing on X, “Nooo that ending I can’t.” Others rallied behind the much-loved character. Another user pointed out a massive problem with this storyline: “Goodwin will see you in FOUR WEEKS!” Sadly, it’s even longer, as Chicago Med comes back on Jan. 8, 2025.
Others continued that they are “terrified for Goodwin” and that this was a huge “cliffhanger” that won’t be resolved until 2025. Chances are many people’s New Year’s wishes will be for the administrator’s life to be saved. This is the only way that the fresh calendar year should kick off.
It’s tough to guess what could happen in the next episode. On the one hand, Chicago Med would be making a huge mistake by killing off such a fantastic character. But Goodwin’s life did seem to flash before her eyes when she spoke to Cassidy. She said “I don’t want to die, but I don’t regret one moment of my life” and talked about the love she has experienced, including having her kids. At the very least, Goodwin felt like she could die, which is horrifying enough to make viewers fret while enjoying their Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas celebrations.
In an interview with NBC Insider, Merkerson compared her Chicago Med boss to Law & Order‘s Lieutenant Anita Van Buren. She said, “I hope that what I’ve done with both of these characters is show that not only are they good at what they do, but they also have a heart.” The entire stalker story is a prime example of Goodwin’s kindness. She hit Cassidy with an alcohol bottle, but that’s because she was trying to get away (and to survive). She could have been cruel and insulted Cassidy, But she also focused on the people she has known and been close to, which made this a powerful and meaningful scene along with a totally scary one.
A possible resolution? Asher will call for help and Goodwin will survive. After all, she’s already in a hospital, so that will cut down on some time. But Chicago Med is no doubt going to make fans sweat and fret a little more, so it might be another episode or so before a happy ending appears. In the meantime, let’s think of Goodwin while opening presents and drinking eggnog.