Chicago PD Season 6 Episode 1 Review: New Normal
Lizzy Buczak
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And we're back!
Although months have passed, Chicago PD Season 6 Episode 1 picked up shortly after Olinsky's unsettling death.
Voight was benched by some new blonde in town who he suspected was trying to make a name for herself by ridding the streets of "middle-aged, white cops," Antonio was assigned as the lead on a dirty drug case, and Ruzek wasn't having a hard time adjusting to the change in leadership.
We don't really know what happened since Chicago PD Season 5 Episode 22, but it doesn't seem like the unit had any time to process Olinsky's death.
They are all still dealing with the repercussions of losing one of their own which is causing some friction within the unit, namely between Antonio and Ruzek.
The throwdown between the two of them is going to go down as one of the best on-screen fights ever. You have to admire Ruzek's dedication and loyalty.
Personally, I thought Antonio deserved it. He's been getting increasingly annoying with his righteous and borderline heroic attitude. I understand his point of view, but it was just too much.
You are benched until further notice.
Brennan
We get it; you follow the rules.
Though Voight didn't hold any grudges against Antonio for not backing him up and following his code -- one of the main reasons why I like Voight so much -- Ruzek couldn't grasp how someone could turn on one of their own in a time of need.
It became evident rather early on that Antonio's "by the book" methods weren't cutting it. I'll agree that you need someone with a moral compass on a team to steer others in the right direction. However, those qualities don't necessarily make a good leader.
I wish Antonio were given some more time to "get it done" his way without Voight interfering because I believe it would get to the point where he'd understand why Voight is so ruthless in handling these cases sometimes.
As the new superintendent said, "nobody cares how hard you try" if there aren't the results to back it up.
There's only one way to succeed in Chicago!
Voight's partnership with Dep. Superintendent Katherine Brennan (new addition Anne Heche) can go one of either two ways. I haven't quite figured her character out yet, but I don't necessarily think she's as squeaky clean as she first led on to be. She cares more about making a name for herself than about justice.
When she mentioned she needs someone who will solve cases quickly or slowly, it felt like there was a shady partnership being struck up.
Wait, so is this business or is this some sicko serial killer out here just trying to kill people with dope instead of bullets?
Atwater
Is the show once again rewarding Voight for being shady and bending the rules to get the desired outcome?
In fact, based on my review of Chicago PD Season 5 Episode 22 (and all of your comments), we were in agreement that Voight killed the man that ordered the hit on Olinsky in a fit of rage and revenge.
Based on the video Voight somehow got his hands on from a camera that he didn't see when he was up there pulling the trigger in the first place, the shoot was warranted as the man did reach for something in his back pocket mere seconds before the kill shot was fired.
I'm on the fence about this as I really believed the whole point of that scene was to show us that Voight doesn't take any mercy when it comes to someone wronging his friends.
We all wondered how he was going to get out of this one and get his job back and now, suddenly, it seems he was in the right?
It was definitely not the direction I was expecting this season to go.
At the very least, I expected him to pay for his actions a while longer and for this drama with Antonio and Voight being on opposing sides to drag on a wee bit longer.
Jaylan: Sure thing, but only after you get on your knees and kiss my black ass.
Burgess: Pass. But I'm sure you're gunna meet some new friends in prison that are going to be happy to take you up on that offer.
While Olinsky's death was felt throughout the episode, they took rather long to address his actual funeral. For such a prominent character, I don't think the sendoff did him the justice he deserved.
Related: Chicago PD Season 5 Report Card: Saddest Moment, Standout Performance and More!
They didn't even have a picture of Al up anywhere to stir up those emotions!
We can all sit here and say that Voight was to blame for the death of his best friend but in the end, that doesn't really change what happened.
The best thing you can be is you, the best thing I can be is me.
Voight
Nor does it change the fact that even in his final moments, Al respected Voight and had his back.
There is continued talk about Meredith, but I would rather see her confront Voight to tell him in person that she didn't want him at Al's wedding.
She went against his wishes because there's no way Al would have wanted Voight to skip out on such a moment.
Voight, standing behind some crumbling cement wall, hand shaking as he said his final goodbye, is what made the scene so powerful.
And hopefully, his name will be exonerated so that they can get his pension -- it's the least that Voight could do for the family.
Ruzek: This shooting investigation, you gunna be alright? You got an angle to play?
Voight: Yah, the truth.
It was also a little odd that they never adequately addressed what Voight was doing that led to his face injury.
Last we saw him, his fist was meeting the cement wall on the rooftop. However, I'd like to see what else he did to cope with the guilt of unintentionally having his best friend murdered. I feel like all of that is vital to the grieving process not only for the characters but also the fans.
The case of the week differed only in that it raised the stakes for the unit by involving children. The person shooting at the cops ended up being Vargas' child, and the folks making the battery acid-laced drugs were just kids who didn't know any better.
All of this led to a unique moment between Ruzek and Atwater that solidified their friendship. Atwater always had a soft spot for kids while Ruzek was cautious because he's always been adamant about protecting his friends.
These two will forever be my favorite bromance on television.
Many of you have expressed your distaste for Upton, and I've never personally felt it until this episode. Everything about her just irked me, especially when she told Ruzek not to jam her up in the drama.
Ruzek couldn't be the only one reeling about the way Antonio was handling everything, right?
You can watch Chicago PD online to catch up with all the episodes and share your thoughts below!
Did you miss the squad? Do you think Voight should be reinstated? Is Brennan bad news?
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
