As we’ve been saying since before the season, Chicago PD Season 12 is bringing some great energy, and it’s rarely missing.
It has been a breath of fresh air, and now that we’ve officially hit the midseason mark, it’s time to review Chicago PD‘s midseason progress as we await the series’ return.
For the most part, Chicago PD has been a kickass season, but we’ll delve into some of the best, worst, and areas that need improvement.
Best Episode: “Blood Bleeds Blue” – Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2
All the fiery discourse in our comment section would have given someone the impression that Ruzek appreciation doesn’t exist around these parts. But we will continue letting our body of work do all the talking instead. Shall I clarify that I’m joking?
Moving along, Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 was a pulse-pounding, relentless hour of Chicago PD that didn’t let up.
We’ve praised the camera work, cinematography, and more all season long. Chicago PD Season 12 keeps pushing its boundaries from a technical standpoint, resulting in an immersive experience that highlights the season’s artistry.
There hasn’t been an hour as intense as “Blood Bleeds Blue” in quite some time as we picked up right where the season premiere left off, with Ruzek under heavy fire and scrambling to get to his friend, partner, and tragically brief new detective Martel.
It felt like a callback or nod to previous seasons, this time, Chicago PD Season 1 Episode 1 when Jules’ death set off an action-packed premiere that lured viewers in.
As stated in the review, Paddy Flueger delivered one of his most remarkable performances of the series to date. One of the most intense and emotional scenes in the series in some time was Ruzek hopefully cradling Martel’s head, despite literal brain matter on his shirt, while he fended off more gunfire.
From there, the hour didn’t let up. We followed Ruzek and Intelligence in real-time as they tracked down who was responsible, with no resting until they completed their mission.
The hour also introduced us to Kiana Cook, who paired beautifully with Ruzek and gave us a fresh new energy. The two seemingly transformed into action heroes in their quest to solve this case, facing firestorms, taking hits, and even getting hit by a car.
Without a doubt, the episode was the season’s best thus far. It highlighted the teamwork, brought all of the action, and had a real emotional weight that set the tone for the remainder of the season. It’s definitely one that’s worth a rewatch or eight!
Worst Episode: “Contrition” – Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 7
Was it the worst episode of the series? No, but compared to everything else we got this season, Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 7 was pretty mid.
Hence, the average rating. With much of the season truly being on point, “Contrition” was a bit of a letdown for a myriad of reasons.
For starters, Gloria Perez, who wasn’t exactly the most compelling character, returned. Her storyline with Torres was irksome the first time around.
The hour also relied too heavily on a series of contrivances to advance the plot, and there were too many of them to ignore or even enjoy.
There had to be a more organic way for Kiana to blow her cover rather than reciting verbatim something Torres had said about Gloria, giving us that cliffhanger without Burgess and Torres reading as OOC for putting Kiana at risk or any number of other things that had to fall into place to make the plot work.
Twelve seasons in, it’s not thrilling when we still have members on the team ignoring Voight’s signature motto for his squad, “Tell me the truth so I can lie for you.”
After everything the characters in this series have endured working with Intelligence, it’s unconvincing that they’d be abruptly gunshy about giving Voight a heads-up about a situation, particularly as it’s getting out of hand.
The “sleeping with a CI” plot is unoriginal and a waste for Torres.
The chemistry between Torres and Gloria wasn’t really there or easy to buy into in the first place. It never felt like the audience understood why these two souls felt so connected or “saw” each other in the first place.
Torres engaged in a series of senseless mishaps that the only motivation was “because of the plot,” like randomly appearing at Gloria’s place a year or so later to look like a bashful schoolboy, only for the team to go deep into investigating her and even placing Kiana undercover with her.
Torres’ naivete was frustrating. Meanwhile, they saddled Kim with knowing the truth and keeping it from Voight to protect Torres (and her career).
It didn’t ring true that a typically level-handed Kim wouldn’t realize when it had gone too far, and they needed to rope Voight in (even if they didn’t tell the others).
It was also a contrived and cringeworthy moment that reflected poorly when she pulled the plug, thus leaving everyone without ears on Kiana, whom Gloria made.
Because of how cautious everyone has been after Martel’s murder, it felt even more out of character that either Burgess or Torres would risk leaving Kiana “uncovered” like that, even if it was to cover themselves, mainly because it was futile anyway.
The hour had endearing moments; it delivered long-awaited Ruzwater scenes. Burzek had a cute unofficial date, and the team has been working incredibly well together. The series shows them onscreen as a unit more, but it was a frustrating hour, too.
Most Original Episode: “Water and Honey”- Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 5
It was a mesmerizing hour as the series played with new elements. The rain was damn near a paid actor all on its own during Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 5, and it added this atmospheric vibe that set the tone for a dark, twisty, and deliciously creepy case that was perfectly suited for Halloween.
It was the second time we spent time with Kiana Cook. If we didn’t know for certain that she was a perfect fit for the unit after her experience with Ruzek, the episode solidified it as she worked the case with Torres and Intelligence.
The chemistry between Benjamin Levy Aguilar and Toya Turner was fantastic at this hour. Their instant connection was intriguing and insightful for both, leaving one clamoring for more time exploring these two characters as a partnership.
There was a distinct feeling of “passing the torch” that we got between the two that felt right and properly earned, as Dante was the one to invite Kiana. The two very much felt representative of the new or next era of Intelligence.
The case was fascinating, with guest star Vienna Weaver serving as the ultimate scene stealer with her feral performance as Jess Marks.
It not only expanded on the series’ more recent approach with darker cases, but it knocked it out of the park, felt creative and unique, and employed symbolism and intrigue.
Most Shocking Gamechanger – Martel’s Murder
It has felt like a long time since the stakes on Chicago PD have been high for many characters, even for newly introduced ones.
Maybe that’s why it was such a shock when the season premiere kicked into overdrive with Martel and Ruzek under fire and Martel lying dead in the street after someone shot her in the head.
The entire premiere did a wonderful job of showing us how well she had integrated into the unit. We learned that she and Ruzey had a history as they attended the Academy together.
Martel had just transferred to the unit after tragically losing her partner. She had easy chemistry with the other characters and a great wit. But life, or in this case, death, comes at you fast, and in the blink of an eye, Martel was gone.
It set the pace for the rest of the season as we continued to see how her death affected the other characters.
Most Unexpected Revelation – Chapman’s Love Confession to Voight
We’ve spent over ten years never really considering Voight as a romantic love interest to anyone because he’s married to the job and still grieves his late wife.
Nevertheless, it didn’t stop some from shipping him and Chapman, but even then, it never seemed like something the series would ever address.
But boy, were we wrong!
After Chapman puts her neck on the line to help Voight on Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 4, she lets him know that she has feelings for him; those feelings mean she’ll look after and protect him as she pleases, as those are her choices, and that he doesn’t get to dictate how she feels.
And she did all of that before sashayed out of his house and hopped a flight for a three-month assignment, leaving Voight and half of us speechless.
You have to love and respect a woman who knows who she is and what she wants and isn’t afraid to express it all!
It’s been long overdue for someone (or everyone) from Burzekwater to get a promotion, but as the storyline unfolded, it became evident that Kim Burgess was the best fit for the job.
Kim is a natural in this position, and it’s satisfying that we’ve had the opportunity to follow her trajectory from the often underestimated flight attendant turned patrol cop to this fierce, confident, even-keeled detective.
She’s taken to this promotion incredibly well, which Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 6 outlined well enough, and she brings a different vibe to what we’ve previously seen with the series’ other detectives.
It’s a real moment of growth for the character, personally and professionally, and this development is rife with potential as we slowly see her slide into being a trusted figure for Voight and her colleagues on the job.
Her mentorship role, which she takes on with Torres and Kiana, has been particularly refreshing.
Most Intriguing and Puzzling Development – Reid’s Secret Plotting
If the Fall finale didn’t do anything else, it left us theorizing about Reid’s motivations and how he discovered so much information about what’s happening in Intelligence.
This storyline pulls a bit from the usual ones where an authoritative figure poses a threat to Intelligence, so once again, they’re not reinventing the wheel here.
However, Reid is such a conundrum that there’s more intrigue than anything else about this storyline and how it could play out for the remainder of the season.
Reid’s fixation on Burgess’ promotion and his seeming obsession with and desire to be Voight’s “friend” is alarming, and I’m eager to learn why!
Most Improved – Dante Torres/ Benjamin Levy Aguilar
No, I wasn’t the biggest fan of the whole Gloria plot, but setting that aside, Torres has grown a great deal as a character, and the season has given Aguilar so much to work with.
And in giving Aguilar the space to do what he does, he absolutely slays it every time!
Even when there are some plot points that I don’t care for, Aguilar’s performance is captivating.
Gloria’s death itself wasn’t gutwrenching, but Torres’ reaction to it certainly was, and his anxiety and pain were so palpable with every desperate plea and prayer throughout the midseason finale.
Aguilar has settled in well with this character enough to bring out all these nuances.
This season, Torres feels immersed in the unit well. Sure, he still wears his signature white T-shirt and jeans combo, which he often uses to distinguish himself from the others, but even that has had some irregularity.
Torres feels more open with the rest of the unit, and you genuinely see how much he cares about everyone, especially in the aftermath of Martel’s death, and his respect for everyone as well.
The series doubling down on who he is as a man of faith is wonderfully refreshing and authentic.
This season, he’s had a chance to show off his range, as well as Torres’ evolution and layers as a character, from “Water and Honey” and “Contrition” to Chicago PD Season 12 Season 8, “Penance.”
We’ve also seen layers to his dynamics with other characters, notably Burgess, Kiana, and Voight.
Watching the character and actor evolve this season via these storylines has been genuinely enjoyable and satisfying.
Character Who Needs a B.O.L.O Issued- Atwater
Credit where it’s due, and it really is due; the season has done significantly better at balancing out the characters and making the team feel more cohesive.
The character-centric episodes work much better because they don’t typically bench the other characters or render them useless when they aren’t focused.
But if there’s anyone that has taken a hit worth noting, it’s Atwater. He hasn’t exactly had much focus since Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 3; a few more throwaway lines to let us know what he’s been up to or a quip or two during the episodes would help.
It’s still better than previous seasons, though. Thank goodness.
Best Plot Development – Kiana’s Addition
Kiana Cook is such a breath of fresh air for this series. She easily fits into the unit, and you’d swear she was there the whole time.
Her quick connections with Ruzek and Torres proved interesting. They instantly ingratiated her with the unit, especially since she was instrumental in finding Martel’s killer.
She’s an enigmatic but trustworthy character who brings a different energy to the team than we’ve seen before.
We’re also seeing promising arcs, like the stronger camaraderie between her and Kim (a much-needed win for female friendships in this series).
Also, with the fallout from Torres’ error, it will be interesting to watch how the trust is rebuilt between her and him moving forward, which means the show could be compellingly and productively exploring inter-unit conflict.
Overall Thoughts
- The season started incredibly strong and wavered a bit toward the midseason, but it’s still such a satisfying season thus far that it feels as if it’s improved on some of the issues that used to plague the show before.
- The unit feels more cohesive and like a family than it has in years, and every episode delivers on some team moments and actually utilizes the characters in some capacity.
- The action has been out of this world. Nearly every episode has a great action sequence that feels ripped out of a scene from an action thriller.
- Voight’s strong leadership presence this season really ties together many of the episodes and the unit as a whole.
- Even though Trudy Platt still doesn’t have a significant storyline, she’s been far more prevalent this season, which is a relief. There’s no such thing as too much Amy Morton!
- Some of the humor and lighter moments we used to see in earlier seasons have reappeared again, which offers more levity to the series since it has taken darker turns, particularly with cases.
- Martel’s death has a subtle influence on the characters throughout the season, but sometimes, it’s too subtle, and I’d love for the series to touch on that loss a bit more, especially for someone like Ruzek, who knew her well before and witnessed it.
- I remain fascinated and impressed with the editing, direction, and camera work this season. Hats off to all.
- The season feels really tapped into the actual characters, which is a great place for it to be 12 seasons in.
- They’ve been nailing all the dynamic exploration this season, so we get great team moments and mix and match well with all the characters, which keeps things interesting.
Here’s our assessment of the first half of the season. It’s been a strong one thus far, averaging a B+ from us, but now it’s your turn to share your thoughts below.
What are your favorite episodes, storylines, characters? Do you have a least favorite? What does the season need to improve, and what improvements have you enjoyed most?! Let’s hear it below.
Chicago PD returns on January 8 at 10/9c on NBC.
Watch Chicago PD Online
