Chicago P.D. Season 14 is officially back in action, introducing a new challenge for the detectives of the Intelligence Unit.

While audiences may find them vital to the safety of Chicago, the sentiment isn’t shared by everyone, as the final moments of the episode introduce a new challenger for Voight, who has, up until this point, run his unit the way that he sees fit. Sure, he’s had to change up his methods a bit over the course of 14 seasons, but now, he’s been tasked with proving the unit’s an “efficient use of resources.”

And the FBI agent assigned to his team is already someone Voight has crossed paths with—and did not leave a good impression on.

Voight was understandably frustrated with how overrun and chaotic the precinct had gotten while becoming a temporary hub for hundreds of officers and agents relocated from the OCD headquarters, which was getting demolished, but he also took it out on them, including an agent that he didn’t even realize would be the one determining the fate of his unit.

Of course, maybe Voight and the rest of the squad will end up growing on him and proving that they’re essential.

After 14 seasons, the series has to find ways to keep things fresh, with characters evolving and growing with the times while keeping audiences on their feet.

This isn’t the first time Voight has butted heads with someone who could destroy his career, but he’s also never one to back down from a fight. That quality has remained consistent with the character. 

As has his “look the other way” approach, an option he offered to Imani once she found out her sister murdered someone. 

The moment at the beginning reminded viewers how Season 13 ended, as Imani finally found her younger sister, whom she’s been searching for for years.

Unfortunately, it was far from a joyful reunion.

Imani had a tough choice to make—she could bury what her sister did and let her walk free, though she’d always be looking over her shoulder.

And truthfully, it would’ve been a terrible decision that would put everyone in Intelligence in the crossfire, even though they’d surely have her back (in the same way Torres told her he’d have her back no matter what, which I believe is hinting at a possible romance between Imani and Torres. Lord knows he’s into her!). 

We’ve seen detectives who walk a similar path as Voight before, so it was refreshing to see Imani choose the “correct” path, even if it didn’t feel right at all.

Daily, Imani upholds the law, so she didn’t let Shari get a pass, instead, helping her get a solid plea deal and believing that this was the best way forward—the one that would help Shari rehabilitate after everything she’d been through. 

Because, unfortunately, Shari was a product of her kidnapping. She was doing whatever she could to survive in the only life she’d ever known. 

She didn’t have those memories of Imani and her family to hold onto, and therefore, she didn’t reciprocate the level of care and love that Imani showed for her. It was heartbreaking to see unfold, knowing how much of her life Imani gave up, fighting to find her sister. 

She did everything she could to help her, but sometimes, the best thing you can do is offer space and take a step back. Shari wasn’t used to the kind of love that Imani had for her, and it was suffocating.

In time, I imagine they’ll find a new normal that makes sense for them, as this will be the overarching storyline this season, but it’ll also come with a bit of a wake-up call for Imani that good intentions aren’t always enough. 

CHICAGO P.D. — “Demolition” Episode 1401 — Pictured: (l-r) LaRoyce Hawkins as Officer Kevin Atwater, , Marina Squerciati as Officer Kim Burgess — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)

Chicago P.D. Season 14 Episode 1 Case of the Week

The procedural case pulling us back into Intelligence’s orbit paralleled Imani’s own journey and put into question whether a person could change.

The answer? Yes. But it has to come from within. And still, the world has a way of knocking out all hope from people who are doing their best to follow the straight and narrow, a reality that Chris experienced firsthand when he was accused of shooting his parole officer, Lindell, and killing another woman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

All signs pointed to Chris, so everyone just assumed it was him, except for Imani, who approached it with a little more logic and compassion. She didn’t just accept what was being fed to her—she questioned the narrative at every turn. 

Chris had a clean rap sheet ever since he was paroled, so there’s no reason for him to shoot Lindell. And there were no witnesses who saw him take the shot. 

The case deepened when Chris’ friend, Fritzy, who was also Lindell’s parolee, ended up overdosing in Voight’s arms from heroin laced with a lethal amount of rat poison. Imani made the point that Chris had no reason to kill his friend, and everything became clear when they found blood and semen on the bedsheets at Fritzy’s house. 

In a heartbreaking twist, Chris confirmed that Lindell found out Fritzy was using again and promised to keep it a secret in exchange for sex; when she told him she was done, he raped her instead. Fritzy took matters into her own hands and shot Lindell while in Chris’ car, which is why it was placed at the scene, while Lindell drugged her at home to keep the truth from getting out. 

Except Imani was persistent, hoping to find justice for someone she believed in, and once they cornered Lindell, he confessed to everything before asking Voight and his officers to shoot him because he wouldn’t make it in prison.

Voight informed him he won’t be “getting the easy way out,” promising that he’ll feel “everyday” of his charges. 

The saying don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time comes to mind because Lindell was so good at manipulating in the shadows, but couldn’t stand his own when confronted with his ugly decisions. 

Atwater’s Baby Is Coming

Enough time has passed between seasons that the moment has arrived—Tasha is in labor, and Atwater is about to become a daddy.

And it’s bittersweet. For 14 seasons, fans have been asking for Atwater to get more personal storylines, specifically, a love interest. He’s had a few romances here and there, but never anything serious, and they finally nailed down the right girl for him with Tasha. She’s vibrant, electric, and she challenges him, making her an incredible addition to the team.

So what does that mean? LaRoyce Hawkins is exiting the series. 

I’m personally upset that Atwater is leaving the series before we can really dive into Kevin’s new journey or even see how fatherhood will change him, becuse I’m sure it will. 

Hopefully, the sendoff gives us at least a glimpse of what could have been so we can hold onto the good moments. Atwater has gone through so much as a detective; in this new chapter, he deserves to focus on the good in the world versus constantly finding himself carrying the weight of his community.

It was fitting that Ruzek was the one to drive him to the hospital before he earned the title, but admittedly, I’ll cry my eyes out when it’s time for Atwater to say goodbye to the OG crew and move on with his life. 

Losing a core character is never easy—and fans of the One Chicago shows have been hit with many losses these past few years. It seems to be the curse and blessing of a show being around for so many seasons. 

What did you think of the premiere? Let us know in the comments! 

Chicago Med returned for its 12th season with major changes on the horizon for all of the doctors at Gaffney. 

And it wasted absolutely no time throwing us all back into the chaos of the E.D. with a mass shooting situation at a wedding that initially seemed random, before the bride revealed her jealous ex-boyfriend, Henry, was responsible.

The victims began overwhelming the E.D., which was already understaffed thanks to Sharon Goodwin’s (hopefully temporary) replacement, Ms. Sloane, who cut plenty of the staff due to budget constraints. 

Since Goodwin was the heart and soul of Gaffney, it’s no surprise that not a single soul has taken kindly to Sloane’s arrival.

Audiences learn that Goodwin willingly stepped down after being accused of leaking Dr. Rabari’s medical records, though she’s not pleased about any of it, as a fight between her and Miranda heats up. Goodwin is encouraged to take a sizable payout with the promise that the hospital won’t press charges, but she assures them she’s not guilty, despite Miranda claiming to have evidence. We don’t know what that evidence is just yet, but she seems pretty confident that it’ll incriminate Goodwin, who also seems kind of nervous about everything. At first, I thought maybe that was an admission of guilt, but I think it’s just that everything she’s ever worked for is on the line, and she doesn’t have anyone from leadership in her corner. 

The final few moments of the episode reveal Doris showing up at Sharon’s door and admitting that she was the one who leaked the records, which is a plot twist I didn’t see coming. Sweet Doris?! Of course, we know Sharon will always protect her own, so it’s possible she’ll take the plea deal to prevent this going to trial—or she’ll find another way out of it, since she, of all people, knows how to work the system in her favor. I know Sharon will not go down without a fight, and Miranda is absolutely naive to think otherwise.

And obviously, the hospital functions more smoothly when she’s in charge.

The mass shooting event ensured that it was an all-hands-on-deck situation, with Hannah even coming out of her maternity leave early to help the bride, who was 23 weeks pregnant and had a bullet lodged in her uterus. Thankfully, she was able to successfully remove it without having to deliver the baby early. 

We also got to see Hannah and Archer’s baby girl, Mabel, as Doris asked the question we all wanted to know—are they “co-parents with benefits?” Obviously, new parents are extremely tired, but that is the elephant in the room after Archer declared his love for Hannah after Mabel was born. By the way they look at each other, there’s clearly something more there, even if she hasn’t admitted it yet. 

The bride’s situation was taken straight out of a soap opera, as it was revealed that her fiancé, Dexter, didn’t know about the baby. And they couldn’t find him after the shooting, leaving her to believe the worst. On top of all of that, her ex was responsible for this disaster, and her soon-to-be mother-in-law was adamant that she was only marrying her son for money, which prompted Dexter to get cold feet and not even show up to the church where the tragedy occurred, ultimately saving his life but potentially putting his marriage in jeopardy. 

When he finally got wind of what happened, he arrived at the hospital full of regret. Dr. Charles told him the best course of action was to apologize and come clean to Tamar. Dexter realized the root of all his problems was his mother, so he finally did the right thing and put his family—along with the unborn child he just found out about—ahead of whatever it is his mother was trying to do. 

Their wedding day didn’t pan out as they expected it to, and came with plenty of hurt and loss, but the couple still managed to find a semblance of a happy ending.

The most heartbreaking plot, however, was with the flower girl, Dakota, who came to the hospital with a head wound after her mother pushed her under the pews when the shooting erupted. She couldn’t find her mom in the aftermath, but the wedding’s guitar player, Bruno, stayed by her side to make sure she was okay, and they formed a sweet little bond. The trauma of the day led to Dakota losing her eyesight temporarily, while everyone else searched for her mother, Edith. 

Dr. Frost’s reaction to learning that both Edith and Bruno were dead mirrored mine because how could they put this little girl through so much pain? The nerve!

Not only do they have to tell her that her mom died, but Bruno, who survived a mass shooting event and walked away barely unscathed, was then killed while he was being discharged by the shooter as he drove his car through the reception area?

And this whole time, the shooter survived? Ripley was in sheer disbelief as Bruno’s body flew through the air on impact. And honestly, same. 

CHICAGO MED — “Shots Fired” Episode 1201 — Pictured: (l-r) Luke Mitchell as Dr. Mitch Ripley, Michael Alix as Bruno — (Photo by: George Burns Jr/NBC)

It’s a reminder that not only is life super fragile and unexpected, but it’s also completely unfair. Thankfully, Mitch Ripley later revealed that they got their wires crossed and Edith was actually alive, so at least the little girl didn’t have to grow up without a mother, and this tragic day didn’t put a permanent stain on her life. And she’ll always have Bruno as her guardian angel! 

Ripley had a tough day, no doubt, as he also had to lay down the law with a new 4th-year resident, Anna Wu, who Archer described as “smart, cocky and a pain in the ass.” Sound familiar?

Why do I feel like those are the personality traits they give every single new character? There have been so many Wus throughout the years.

Ripley was pissed that she undermined his call with a patient, accusing her of deliberately making the shooter suffer, which she said wasn’t the case, as she did what she had to do to keep the patient alive. However, she then made another bold move and called Ripley out for projecting onto her, suggesting that maybe he enjoyed seeing him suffer after all the pain he’d caused. 

Either way—it seems like Ripley and Wu are off to a rocky start, which may set a precedent for their working environment moving forward. 

As for Caitlin Lennox’s absence, she’s on a “3-month sabbatical” for a drug trial for her prion disease, which will hopefully buy her some extra time, though, as Ripley noted, nothing is ever guaranteed, even with a clean bill of health. 

What did you think of the premiere episode? Do you think Chicago Med has started veering too much into soap territory, or do you enjoy the overly dramatic storylines? 

Like the rest of the audience, I was shook by the Jack twist (one of the more exciting primetime reveals in quite some time), as it was revealed that the supposedly dead Hollingsworth brother from Mike’s former marriage isn’t dead at all—a fact his parents have known this entire time.

“Jack” died when he went undercover, they whisper among themselves, informing the audience…but they believed him to be very much alive up until now, despite the narrative they fed their kids. Whew, just wait till they get wind of that lie!

While Jane admits she once convinced herself Jack was dead—knowing she’d never be able to reconnect with him—she now believes, after getting confirmation, that he died in the line of service. Though honestly, it feels like that’s the story they’d tell regardless if he’s meant to still be undercover.

Jane believes whoever is leaving behind his signature mark at the murder sites—a silver paper crane—is someone who knew him well and is trying to send a message.

However, viewers have seen him hiding in plain sight… that is, if it’s really him. I’ve been burned by shows one too many times to know the “twin theory” is always lurking, even if it feels like a cheap plot device for a show of this caliber.

Forming a solid theory is tricky because we only have bits and pieces of Jack’s story for now, as we’re slowly filling in the gaps.

We don’t know why Jack went undercover, which could explain why he chose to kill Clare’s boyfriend, Logan—whom she was equally shocked to discover was an undercover CIA operative. Was any of it real? That’s an answer that might ease the betrayal, though she won’t get clarity until they uncover why she was the assignment.

There are a lot of secrets lurking in the shadows, including Jack’s decision to take a job at a dental office right next to the Homeland Security office where Detective Nia Wallace works.

He seems intent on keeping tabs on her, aware she’s piecing things together that could lead her straight to him. But is there such a thing as being too close? And how has no one in the area recognized Jack? If he grew up in that house, wouldn’t people know what he looks like?

As much as our focus shifts to Jack, we should be paying equal attention to Logan—or whatever his real name is—because ultimately, he’s the one who was targeted by Jack, in his family home, no less, so there must be a good reason. Was he dangerous, and was Jack protecting his sister from the shadows? Was Logan searching for something? Is that why he was so intent on getting close to Clare’s family? And who was his real target in the family? Was it her—or was he using her to get to someone else?

Have we got Jack all wrong simply because we saw him stab Logan? Is it possible that he’s he eliminating anyone who has ever posed a threat to his family without them even knowing it and leaving behind little cranes so that they know he’s got their back? Given their line of work, they’ve likely made their fair share of enemies.

As audiences wait for answers, one thing is clear: Nia is exactly who you want on this case. I love that she and Clare immediately built a relationship on trust. They are both equally as driven and motivated to see this to the end, for their own reasons.

Nia immediately clocked the crane at the Hollingsworth residence and recalled seeing it at the crime scene, which will allow her to connect it to other deaths. It’s almost as if Jack wants them to follow the breadcrumbs, despite his mother tampering with evidence and muddying the picture for Nia.

Character development was front and center this week, diving further into the complicated family dynamic. In a short span of time, they went from competitive to a more nurturing and collaborative nature.

The first two episodes made it clear everyone was vying for control, but the reality is they make more progress when they work together and leverage their positions, even illegally. There’s a lot of cross-contamination between departments that’s been useful for now.

Clare was so determined to secure a win in the grand jury case that she put Russ’s new job on the line, which was a dark move, though she did apologize later. 

And despite being the rule follower of the bunch, he didn’t hold it against her, taking the fall.

Everyone else in the family seems to think that the rules bend in their favor, which could ultimately be their downfall and blind spot. 

There was also a moment that seemed innocuous but could be more meaningful down the line, as Russ mentioned that Jack always craved structure and clarity, which doesn’t exactly align with the rogue figure we’re seeing now. Maybe something happened to him while undercover. Maybe he uncovered something about his family. We still don’t know who Jack’s birth mother is or what happened to her. Could it be connected to that in some way?

Not only did Russ and Clare team up, but Jane joined her kiddos as well, and eventually it became an all-hands-on-deck situation as they raced against the clock to uncover who was intimidating jurors and paying them off to get dismissed.

Because yes, amid the whole Jack and Logan storyline, there was an actual case of the week. 

When the judge ignored their warnings and sent the jury home, prioritizing their safety (rightfully so), Clare took matters into her own hands to catch the suspect.

Russ and his girlfriend, Natasha—whom he sprung on the family, likely just to see their reaction—joined in, along with Jane and Terry’s assistants, Micah (aka “Junior”), and eventually their father, who showed up at Jane’s house unannounced and was surprised to see her boyfriend there.

Some families bond over board games; others sift through case files and solve crimes together. 

Admittedly, there was a lot going on with the case of the week, and with every department involved, it became a bit hard to track. I found myself hitting the rewind button more than once just to keep up, as the pacing was fast and packed. My head was spinning. 

One flaw of the show is that the cases feel somewhat disposable. While Clare celebrated her win and got a much-needed confidence boost, and Russ proved he could handle a high-profile case, shaking his probation, the resolution didn’t significantly impact the larger narrative. This might be one of the shows that benefits from more multi-episode arcs.

It turns out Jane was skirting around her boyfriend, Senator Terry, to get intel. While he ultimately helped her present the case to the judge, he wasn’t happy about how she handled things and decided to hit pause on their relationship. And honestly, that might be for the best, as Jane is juggling a lot, including the possible return of her supposedly dead son and her complicated relationship with Mike, whom she’s been sleeping while also romancing Terry. This family clearly thrives on secrets.

Mike and Micah also clashed in a “let the best Secret Service agent win” dynamic. After seeing how hard Micah took his suspension, Mike realized he had been too harsh, trying to prove he was still the best man for the job. Meanwhile, Micah is capable, but he’s constantly trying to live up to his father’s legacy, which makes earning approval difficult. Sometimes, people lose sight of how far a “good job” can go.

We’ve seen how helpful it can be to work alongside your family, but there’s no denying the difficulties when they aren’t playing ball—or when they’re all trying to come out on top.

Micah’s loyalty was pulled in two directions, as he first warned his dad about everyone trying to get him fired, before siding with his team that his old and rigid methods were outdated.

And I loved his reminder about being not being an example but leading by one. Seems like they can both learn from each other! 

Micah has made questionable choices, too, however. Yep, I’m talking about his secret relationship with the President’s daughter. As the head of detail, it’s a huge conflict of interest and bad judgment (though it’s hard to blame him because we know the heart wants what it wants).

I’m curious to see how that impacts both Micah and Mike’s careers. His father may be a legend, but this could tarnish them both.

Though it’s a little surprising that no one has caught on just yet. Aren’t the agents supposed to notice everything? Maybe Mike was onto something with his old-school training. 

What did you think of the episode? Are you enjoying the series so far?