Fortune Favors the Bold

Regardless of the circumstances, it's not a good look on an actor to come crawling back to the show that burned his acting career so badly he was unable to find work after his departure.

Rhodestead.. we all know Will wants to ride.. and same Will, same.. 😏😏

How dare she accuse Will of being the one who got the drugs off the drug dealer. She KNOWS Vanessa has brought drugs before, so whose risking whose job here!?

Then Goodwin has to stride into the treatment room with that patented scowl she reserves only for Will Halstead. He's been summoned to the "principal's office" again for a scolding like none other.

She then proceeds to rip him to pieces for protocol violations. No mention of his actions saving his patient. Just another excuse to deride him.

And I'm sure similar has been done before by another doctor and they got applauded for it.

Unfortunately, Will taught Goodwin and everyone else in the ER back in Season 1 that it was appropriate to react to him this way.

Following the Jennifer Baker debacle, Will was offered an Attending position in the ER. Of course, now that he's an Attending he needs to find his own malpractice insurance, but he couldn't find any insurance carrier that would take him on because of the lawsuit. Goodwin offered to help find him a carrier. He was so grateful for this "second chance" that he tracked down Goodwin and thanked her.

She then looked him square in the eye and said the following, "Don't thank me. I'm still waiting to see how long it will take before you get fired from here."

That's a verbatim quote. She said those very words to his face.

Now, any doctor with a modicum of self-respect would have said "You know what? On second thought, no thank you, Ms. Goodwin. Gaffney Medical Center isn't where I belong."

She completely transforms him into someone he was never intended to be, then has open contempt for him.

Then Goodwin has to stride into the treatment room with that patented scowl she reserves only for Will Halstead. He's been summoned to the "principal's office" again for a scolding like none other.

She then proceeds to rip him to pieces for protocol violations. No mention of his actions saving his patient. Just another excuse to deride him.

I’ve always thought he needed someone like Sylvie Brett or even Cindy Herrmann in some form if that makes sense? He thinks he needs someone like Natalie or someone who is like say Gabby or even Erin but doesn’t realize that they aren’t right for him

I personally don't like Sylvie Brett. I think they made her one of the biggest Mary Sue characters ever- too sweet to do anything wrong, all the guys want to be with her, she had like no flaws that are ever pointed out. But I'm missing the point here.

I agree I don't think Will needs someone like Natalie or Gabby. They are harsh, want to take care of themselves, and a bit emotional distant or stunted. Not that they aren't great characters none withstanding- just not a good fit for Will.

I think he would be better with someone who is more laid back and goes with the follow. Not meek or quiet just not as set in their ways and have a little more flexibility. Will has a constant need to be in control and prove that he is good enough. That need has stemmed from his childhood.

With the lone exception of Sylvie Brett (who is so sickeningly sweet you need a dose of insulin just to watch her) all of the female characters in every one of the Dick Wolf shows are rude, bossy, arrogant, disagreeable, strident, abrupt, and dismissive. That conduct really detracts from the storyline, actually. That's not a strong woman. That's fucking asshole. Nothing admirable about that.

Want an example of a strong fictional female character? Ellen Ripley from the second Aliens film. Perfect balance of vulnerability, inner turmoil, unresolved grief, and steely determination. That moment between her and Hicks before she rescues Newt - "Don't be long, Ellen..." Just pitch perfect.

Now, regarding Will. He wouldn't fare very well with any female character in the entire One Chicago franchise. I think they should have introduced an recurring character who is either a social worker who occasionally comes into Med working on an active case, or possibly an occupational therapist who works at various hospitals in the area and occasionally gets called in to Med to work with a patient.

She's friendly, but quiet. There's an air of mystery surrounding her because she keeps her private life to herself. She's not gregarious - not an attention-seeker. She's no wall-flower, either. She speaks up when it's needed, but is never strident. There's a quiet confidence about her.

And one day, she catches Will's attention. Attention turns into interest. And the interest is very mutual.

Goodwin is ANYTHING but indifferent to Will.

I’ve always thought he needed someone like Sylvie Brett or even Cindy Herrmann in some form if that makes sense? He thinks he needs someone like Natalie or someone who is like say Gabby or even Erin but doesn’t realize that they aren’t right for him

I personally don't like Sylvie Brett. I think they made her one of the biggest Mary Sue characters ever- too sweet to do anything wrong, all the guys want to be with her, she had like no flaws that are ever pointed out. But I'm missing the point here.

I agree I don't think Will needs someone like Natalie or Gabby. They are harsh, want to take care of themselves, and a bit emotional distant or stunted. Not that they aren't great characters none withstanding- just not a good fit for Will.

I think he would be better with someone who is more laid back and goes with the follow. Not meek or quiet just not as set in their ways and have a little more flexibility. Will has a constant need to be in control and prove that he is good enough. That need has stemmed from his childhood.

With the lone exception of Sylvie Brett (who is so sickeningly sweet you need a dose of insulin just to watch her) all of the female characters in every one of the Dick Wolf shows are rude, bossy, arrogant, disagreeable, strident, abrupt, and dismissive. That conduct really detracts from the storyline, actually. That's not a strong woman. That's fucking asshole. Nothing admirable about that.

Want an example of a strong fictional female character? Ellen Ripley from the second Aliens film. Perfect balance of vulnerability, inner turmoil, unresolved grief, and steely determination. That moment between her and Hicks before she rescues Newt - "Don't be long, Ellen..." Just pitch perfect.

Now, regarding Will. He wouldn't fare very well with any female character in the entire One Chicago franchise. I think they should have introduced an recurring character who is either a social worker who occasionally comes into Med working on an active case, or possibly an occupational therapist who works at various hospitals in the area and occasionally gets called in to Med to work with a patient.

She's friendly, but quiet. There's an air of mystery surrounding her because she keeps her private life to herself. She's not gregarious - not an attention-seeker. She's no wall-flower, either. She speaks up when it's needed, but is never strident. There's a quiet confidence about her.

And one day, she catches Will's attention. Attention turns into interest. And the interest is very mutual.

He didn't tell Hannah about the bounced check. That's an awkward conversation to have and he was giving her time before approaching it.

He stands in her corner when Crockett might not do a procedure she's referring a patient to.

And now she's sounding like Natalie "You have a need to save me".

Excuse the man for trying to be your friend!!

It's clear that Will Halstead was One Chicago's eunuch character. The buffoon, forever the fool.

However, the drug addict doctor who actually killed a patient on her operating from her own ineptitude gets a complete character re-write and is allowed to move on.

The only time Will was allowed to have a win and have his moment to shine was early in Season 7 when he and Stevie Hammer worked together to save a patient. Each admiring the other's unique skillset to bring about a positive outcome.

Stevie was the very best thing to ever happen to Will. I'm not talking romance either because I don't think they had that kind of chemistry, but they were becoming really good friends underneath all the good-natured teasing. That's what Will needed most, to be honest. An staunch ally in ER. He was also forging a friendship with Dylan Scott, too.

So when Will starts talking about going out for things to eat, and going to work events together, and she yoyos between agreeing and rebuffing him, she knows she has to shut this down. And she hopes it doesn't ruin another thing because, despite their old rivalry, they do work really well together. They are something like friends now, something like what they used to be in med school without the insecurities burning each other.

So when it's, she dares to think the word, quiet, she seeks out Will who is thankfully in the break room by himself scrolling on his phone.

"Can we get drinks later? I want to talk to you about something."

Will looks up, concern written all over his face. "Yeah, sure. You okay?"

Stevie plasters a cheery smile on her face, knowing it doesn't quite fit, and says yes. Which Will clearly doens't believe but he nods and says yes anyway.

"Great, meet you here at end of shift." And she walks off and tries not to practice exaclty what she's doing to say. Or thinks about how Will, with his St Christopher medal and cross tattoo may react.

-

They don't go to Molly's, where others might be, they go somewhere Stevie's remaining chicago friend took her to a few weeks before, where the end with the pool table and kitchen is always loud but the area with the tables nearest the doors are quiet. They both order beers and Will darts looks at her to try and guage the conversation they're about to have.

Anything she thought of saying has vanished from her mind and she think she should just blurt it out and get it over with when-

"Are you okay?" Will asks.

Stevie laughs because that's Will for you.

She sighs, takes a drink and then looks at Will. "I don't know if you're just glad to have a friend back or if you're trying to date me, but I have to tell you why me and Andrew broke up."

Will looks like he is about to protest the accusation of trying to date her, but must realise that's not the focus of the conversation, because he nods slowly like he's taking it in. "Okay."

"I... I always thought it wasn't quite right, me and Andrew, but I thought I had cold feet, and then commitment issues... and then I realised i was gay. A lesbian.."

Will pulls his head up, taken aback by Stevie's admission. "Oh."

"And I don't, uh, I don't want to have a problem with it anymore, so if you do, I need you to tell me now because-"

Will is already shaking his head and waving his hand a little. "I don't have a problem with it. It's fine. It's great, even! I mean" He pauses to collect himself, and then looks at Stevie in sincerty, "- I'm glad you figured that out, you must have been unhappy for a while, there."

Stevie wasn't expecting that and it chokes her up a bit. "Yeah, I was."

"Are you... are you more happy now?"

Stevie thinks of her decent apartment, starting new, but problems with her mom and not settling in quickly enough for her liking overshadow the leaps she's taken to find herself. "It's so so," She settles on, "Some things are better, but some things are just the same."

Will quirks his head and huffs out a self depreciating laugh, "I hear you."

"So... we're good? We can still be friends?" She hates how childish it sounds, but can't take her words back. Besides, she really wants to know the answer.

Will's eyes soften, "Of course we can. Of course we can be friends. Stevie, I'm an asshole soemtimes, and an idiot, but i'm not a bigot."

Stevie laughs and nods, "You can be an idiot, yes."

Will gestures between them with a smile, "See? I'm being honest and you're insulting me. Nothing's changed."

They both laugh softly but then Will sobers up. "But I am sorry that I made you... uncomfortable. In all honesty, seeing as we are being honest, I have... issues when it comes to people who are nice to me. I guess i've got to work on that."

Stevie was surprised by the admission but glad he said it.

She raised her beer bottle up slightly "To working on things."

Will knocked his bottle against hers, "To working on things."

Will's got a patient whose a teenage girl who doesn't want anymore treatment for her cancer and he's talking court orders against the mother for negligence because they're giving her herbal tea instead of forcing her to have chemo.

Don't do this, Will. We've been down this road before, remember Jennifer Baker? The reasons for the malpractice suit and insurance premiums and poverty??????

Will Halstead was ultimately Med's toilet. People just lined up, pulled down their pants, and shit all over him.

What the writers' imaginations failed to take into account is that Will didn't need yet another workplace romance that would ultimately end badly. He needed a staunch ally who would support some of his unorthodox ideas, yet have the sense to pull him back from the ledge once in a while.

The screen just lit up when Stevie and Will were working together. Unlike his working relationships with Natalie or the drug addict doctor, Stevie never, ever one-upped him, never belittled him. She was confident, but never arrogant. She knew her limits and that vulnerability made her instantly likeable and relatable.

That was the difference.

In fact, theirs was a true relationship of equals. They each had deficits and tremendous strengths. They balanced each other perfectly.

Will's got a patient whose a teenage girl who doesn't want anymore treatment for her cancer and he's talking court orders against the mother for negligence because they're giving her herbal tea instead of forcing her to have chemo.

Don't do this, Will. We've been down this road before, remember Jennifer Baker? The reasons for the malpractice suit and insurance premiums and poverty??????

Will Halstead was ultimately Med's toilet. People just lined up, pulled down their pants, and shit all over him.