Ep 1. When Did We Begin to Change

Chicago Med season 6 episode 1, titled "When Did We Begin to Change," follows the emergency department staff as they confront Covid-19 and the increasing cases in Chicago. The medical professionals are shaken by the virus's sheer magnitude as they face ongoing challenges. Dr. Will Halstead (Nick Gehlfuss) struggles to support his neighbors as they battle the virus, all while managing his regular duties at the hospital. Meanwhile, Dr. Ethan Choi (Brian Tee) treats a patient with a concerning respiratory ailment, and he must work quickly to prevent it from turning into a more serious condition.

Dr. Archie Kao (Dr. Ethan Choi) performs an emergency procedure on a patient, requiring him to make tough decisions to prevent further complications. Meanwhile, Dr. Natalie Manning (Torrey DeVitto), who is also battling with the new challenges brought by Covid, must treat a teenage girl informing her of a life-changing diagnosis. Elsewhere, Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) steps up as the pandemic's escalating situation puts the hospital staff under immense pressure.

As the hospital staff struggles with treating Covid-19 patients while managing their regular duties, their personal lives come into play. Dr. Halstead must choose between supporting his neighbors during quarantine or keeping them at arm's length. Dr. Choi grapples with the aftermath of the recent events to take care of his family's back home and tries to reconnect with Dr. April Sexton (Yaya DaCosta), his former colleague, and girlfriend. Dr. Manning puts herself in danger by ignoring her well being while juggling her professional and personal responsibilities.

Chicago Med season six's first episode is intense with various plot lines parallel to each other. The show's return marks the first hospital drama to address the global pandemic's ongoing challenges. The season starts with the emergency department staff confronting the challenges of returning to work in the midst of an ongoing pandemic while also struggling with their personal problems. The episode delivers a robust message of hope, inspiration, and resilience that Michigan Avenue must overcome to understand the motives behind the pandemic's onset and work together to develop a solution for the problem. The episode aptly showcases the emotional and mental stress that the medical professionals who run the front lines in Covid hospitals go through. The scenes of doctors and nurses saving patients' lives, switching masks and gloves between treatments, and the feeling of learning how to navigate during a pandemic give the viewer a peek into the medical pandemic world.

Overall, "When Did We Begin to Change" sets up Chicago Med's sixth season to tackle the pressing issue head-on and provides plenty of engaging subplots for its characters to delve into as they fight for the patients' well-being. The episode reflects the reality of how the pandemic has changed every aspect of the world and effectively portrays the struggles and challenges that impact every individual's life. Anyone looking for a gripping medical drama and realistic representation of covid on-screen should not miss Chicago Med season 6 episode 1.