Chicago P.D
Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 8 Midseason Premiere Review – Voight Sets the Record Straight
Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 8 returned from its midseason hiatus, picking up immediately where it left off with Imani inside the home of Gary Bell.
While acting on impulse was misguided—and could’ve ended very terribly for her if she didn’t find a way out of that basement dungeon with no service and send a 9-1-1 to Voight and the team—it was also the move that blew the case wide open and finally served Bell on a platter to Voight.
Voight knew that Bell was responsible for many murders, but there was no smoking gun that they could ever truly act on.
Imani’s decision to go rogue and break into Bell’s home solo wasn’t done with the intention of finally nabbing him, as she was simply trying to protect Julie, his granddaughter, who was clearly a victim herself. After the fact, Imani made it clear that she wasn’t going to let a child get hurt, or worse, due to protocol. And that kind of mindset makes her more like Voight than he’d probably like to admit. They both act first and ask for forgiveness. Imani’s motivations were also personal, allowing fans to get a closer glimpse at why she is the way she is—she wanted to protect Julie, who reached out to her for help in a way that no one protected her missing sister. She’s carried the guilt of not acting when her sister was taken, and she couldn’t live with herself if she let history repeat itself again.
In this case, the payoff came tenfold.
Imani wasn’t able to save Julie from her grandfather initially, but Intelligence and the crime unit did gain access to his home, where they uncovered several decomposed bodies of all the missing people they’d been investigating. Even Atwater admitted that he’s seen his fair share of horrors in this line of work, but this one may have been the worst. The poor man was horrified at the findings buried within the walls.
They now had what they needed to nail Bell, but first, they had to find him.
CHICAGO P.D. — “Born Screaming” Episode 1308 — Pictured: (l-r) Arienne Mandi as Eva Imani, LaRoyce Hawkins as Officer Kevin Atwater, Jason Beghe as Hank Voight — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)
While Imani was locked in the basement, she found another one of Bell’s victims—a man named Cal, who later told them that Julie asked her grandfather if he visited Preston.
Preston was Raymond’s cousin, who was on vacation in Florida with his family, making his home the perfect hideout for Bell.
In the grand scheme of things, I think locating Bell was a little too easy and convenient for Intelligence, but it was necessary to move the story along and provide a conclusion.
Bell loved control, so when Voight and Imani began asking about Julie’s whereabouts, he used it to play one final little game, informing them that she tried to escape and didn’t survive. He then took them to the place where he buried her, but conveniently forgot which pile of dirt it was, further toying with them and buying himself time.
Frankly, I was confused as to why they gave Bell that much say and freedom to begin with, and I also thought the way they found Julie was too convenient. I know it was meant to showcase Imani’s skills, particularly observing Bell and calling his bluff, but it was too much of a lucky break.
Then again, maybe you need those sometimes, especially when the cases are just so dark.
Julie was broken, understandably. She was in a bad mental state, having seen the horrors of that house at the hands of her guardian. For years, she was exposed to this kind of trauma, even witnessing her grandfather murder a man in cold blood and hitting her so hard he thought she was dead. That’s a lot for any person, but especially an innocent child, who was also made to believe that she was “bad.”
We didn’t get to see a conclusion to Julie’s story, but hopefully, she gets the therapy she needs to come out of this on the other side—stronger than ever.
As for Imani, she definitely got to unload her anger on Bell, proving that the anger she harbors deep inside is yet another way she’s like Voight.
Voight covered for Imani as much as he could, as he understood why she did what she did, even if ill-advised, but this is yet another reason why Intelligence has so many enemies. I imagine the case will be one that sticks with Imani, further allowing us to explore her past.
One of those enemies was Commander Devlin, who was trying to blackmail Voight with his “abusive father.”
But plot twist—Devlin got it all wrong! Voight confronted him and informed him that his father was a great man, and the reason that he’s hunting monsters instead of being one.
We always knew Voight had a dark side, but we never fully understood the why. I don’t think it needs to be explored any further, as we really got everything we needed to know from that little chit chat.
It was also very clear that Devlin messed with the wrong guy. He could threaten Voight with the photos, trying to paint a story about an abusive dad that everyone would believe, but Voight wasn’t phased, knowing he could do far more damage to Devlin than his attempt at a ruined perception and reputation. Voight’s been through it for years, losing so many of his loved ones in the process, so there’s really nothing you could say or do to shake him.
It’s nice to see OG Voight make an appearance sometimes.
Also, I giggled at Devlin trying to make himself the victim as a spineless cop who protected a “corrupt unit,” when his actions make him more corrupt. And Intelligence has faced many corrupt individuals before, all while being the true heroes who always put the people of Chicago first, at the expense of their own mental health.
The Gary Bell case was solid, with the villain being a true delusional psychopath that Voight was determined to bring down once and for all. And they did.
I’m excited to see what the second half of Chicago PD Season 13 has in store.
What did you think of the midseason premiere?
A major change is coming to Chicago P.D.
Ahead of Chicago P.D. Season 14, it was announced that LaRoyce Hawkins, who has played Det. Kevin Atwater since the show’s inception on NBC in 2014, will be exiting the procedural.
Deadline confirmed the announcement, noting that Hawkins will return this season for a handful of episodes to “wrap up” his character’s storyline.
Hawkins has not addressed the report.
The outlet expressed that Wolf Entertainment declined to comment, but that the series is casting a new “Black cop who is an agent of chaos.”
Hawkins’ exit is definitely a bummer, given that his character is expecting his first child with Officer Tasha Fox. The writers could use that as an exit for Kevin, who has long wrestled with the tension between his role as a cop and his place within the Black community.
Tasha was living in Miami when she got a positive pregnancy test, so it’s possible Atwater will make the choice to move there and be there for her and the baby.
CHICAGO P.D. — “Long Lost” Episode 1011 — Pictured: LaRoyce Hawkins as Kevin Atwater — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)
However, it’s also unfortunate because not only is Hawkins one of the fan-favorite characters who consistently delivers excellent episodes with emotional and gripping storylines, but fans are finally getting what they want from the character—his romantic life explored with a serious love interest.
The situation between Fox and Atwater is definitely complicated, but there’s so much to work with. What do you mean we’re going to get cheated out of seeing Atwater become a father!? A partner in a committed relationship? All the things?
Of course, the report notes that he will no longer be a series regular, so there’s a possibility to revisit Atwater’s storyline on a guest role basis, but it’s not the same.
And it comes as P.D. has already lost a handful of original core cast members, following the more recent departures of Tracy Spiridakos (Haley Upton) and Jesse Lee Soffer (Jay Halstead).
I know it’s par for the course for long-running shows like this one, but it’s a hit that’s felt by the fandom, as the Deadline social media post echoed the same message among viewers, “That’s a huge loss to show.”
“Wow. A big loss to the show. They will likely end his character by him moving to Miami with the mother of his child,” someone else suggested, as another quipped, “Just cancel the show already.”
“We finally get something good with your character storyline and you leaving??” another expressed, with others noting, “Welp, guess it won’t be a reason for me to watch the show anymore once he leaves. This is heartbreaking 💔💔💔”
Chicago
One Chicago Shows Finally Get 2026 Fall Premiere Dates—Here’s When ‘Chicago Fire,’ ‘Chicago P.D.’, and ‘Chicago Med’ Return
Summer may have just started a few days ago, but NBC is already looking to the fall, specifically, its fall premieres.
On Wed, June 24, the network set return dates for its fan-favorite shows, including all of the One Chicago franchises.
When Will Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med Return for Fall 2026/2027
One Chicago will stick with its Wednesday night time slots, which is great for fans who have gotten used to the schedule.
The 2026/2027 Fall TV schedule will see all One Chicago shows returning with new seasons on Oct. 7, 2026.
Chicago Fire will return for Season 15, Chicago P.D. will kick off Season 14 and Chicago Med will be back for Season 12!
Full NBC Fall 2026/2027 Schedule
Wednesday, September 9
7-8:20 P.M. – Football Night In America
8:20-11:30 P.M. – NFL Kickoff Game (New England at Seattle)
Sunday, September 13
7-8:20 P.M. – Football Night In America
8:20-11:30 P.M. – Sunday Night Football (Dallas at N.Y. Giants)
Thursday, September 17
8-10 p.m. – THE TRAITORS: NEW BLOOD
Monday, September 21
8-10 p.m. – The Voice
10-11 p.m. – LINE OF FIRE
Tuesday, September 22
8-9 p.m. – The Voice
9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent
Wednesday, September 23
8-9 p.m. – The Voice
9-11 p.m. – America’s Got Talent season finale
Friday, September 25
9-11 p.m. – Dateline NBC
Wednesday, October 7
8-9 p.m. – Chicago Med
9-10 p.m. – Chicago Fire
10-11 p.m. – Chicago P.D.
Thursday, October 8
9-10 p.m. – Law & Order: SVU
10-11 p.m. – Law & Order
Friday, October 23
8-8:30 p.m. – Happy’s Place
8:30-9 p.m. – NEWLYWEDS
Monday, November 2
8-8:30 p.m. – St. Denis Medical
8:30-9 p.m. – The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins
Chicago P.D. Season 13 finale, Episode 21, titled “Born or Made,” explored the dynamic between Eva Imani and her sister, Shari/Sable, who was kidnapped nearly 20 years ago.
Naturally, the situation was extremely tense, especially the realization that Shari wasn’t the little girl Imani remembered and spent her whole life looking for.
She was no longer an innocent six-year-old; she lived a full life with experiences that shaped who she is and what she believes in.
And despite her objections that she wasn’t a victim, Shari was definitely brainwashed by her captor over the course of 20 years, with their bond nearly unbreakable.
Russ Kirby made Shari believe that she didn’t have a family, which meant that over time, she forgot everything about her childhood, including the fact that Imani existed.
For Shari, the only person who mattered was the man who raised her as her adoptive father, who later became her husband and her pimp. The brainwashing continued, as she seemingly rehearsed the speech that she gave Imani, explaining that it wasn’t wrong because they weren’t blood and other people didn’t get it.
It was a very fragile situation, as Imani wanted so badly to remind her sister who she was and help her see the truth, while Shari clung to the only thing she ever knew. It also meant that Shari was a wild card and not someone that could or should be trusted, despite Imani’s desire to believe the best in her sister.
When Voight realized that Shari was the one who murdered her friend Lila, he knew that Shari could pose a danger to Imani, who was blinded by her duty as an older sister. Imani has been a great addition to the series, but she can be a little reckless and impulsive, especially when it comes to the case involving her sister. She’s never actually played by the rules because the case was so personal to her. It was the entire reason she became a cop and came to Chicago.
She wasn’t thinking straight as she walked right into a trap laid by Shari.
Shari was able to pull a fast one on Imani, who thought she had made a breakthrough by showing her sister her belongings from when she was taken.
And the truth is that Imani’s instincts aren’t wrong—there’s clearly an internal battle happening within Shari, who seems to be trying to block out anything that reminds her of the past or differs from what her kidnapper hammered into her mind.
However, Imani also trusts Shari a little too much, going rogue when she promises to take her to Russ Kirby—only her.
That’s when Shari and Russ ambush Imani in a moment that’s too close for comfort. We see the hold and control that Russ has over Shari, as he tells her to shoot her own sister before they try to make their getaway.
Again, we see Shari wrestling with her thoughts and what she’s supposed to believe, before Imani’s team finds her.
And then, Voight sends Shari over the edge, as he murders Russ right in front of her, with the series giving us a little slive rof the old ruthless Voight from the early days.
Shari’s whole world was flipped upside down in the matter of 24 hours, with everything she thought was true turning out to be a complete lie. And the only person she ever thought of as family was murdered in front of her, causing her to spiral and make an attempt on her life.
Thankfully, Imani notices in time and is able to get Shari to Med, saving her life in the process, though the journey to healing will take much longer, for both of them.
It’s also not going to be linear, as Shari might go down for the murder of her friend Lila. Russ knew exactly what he was doing while forcing Shari to do his dirty work, never actually getting his hands dirty, so that there’s no way to prove that he was responsible. Will Imani find a way to clear her sister’s name? After all, it’s clear that she’s a victim who has been manipulated and coerced, though she maintains that she wasn’t held against her will, so it may prove to be impossible.
And can Imani live with herself if this is the path that she sens her sister on?
Hopefully, she’s able to lean on the rest of her team during this tough time.
Ari Mandi gave this epoisode her all—with an heartwrenching and powerful performance that left my emotions torn in so mnay different directions.
I hope the next season gives us more ensmeble episodes that focus on the whole of Intelligence, as those were rare this season, but individually, the character development, growth and storylines were top-tier.
Chicago PD Season 14 has so much material to explore and work with aready.
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