Chicago PD Season 8 Episode 13 Review: Trouble Dolls
Lizzy Buczak
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It's been a rough season for Kim Burgess, but after Chicago PD Season 8 Episode 13, it seems like things are finally starting to look up for her.
Any time an episode focuses on Burgess, you know it's going to be good.
Marina Squerciati continues to deliver outstanding performances on both a personal and professional level for Burgess.
The episode had it all: it touched upon Burgess's work-life balance, addressed Makayla's struggles with adjusting to her new life, and dealt Burgess and Ruzek's falling out following the fight on Chicago PD Season 8 Episode 10.
It's almost as if the writers read our concerns and addressed the storylines we've wanted to see.
Burgess: I didn’t get scared for me, I got scared for.
Trudy: Makayla.
Burgess: Yeah.
Trudy: You’ve given her a second chance at life and that is worth protecting. And I wonder if this is why the universe is telling you to name your guardian.. .your backup. I wonder if you’d hesitate the same way if you’d have that peace of mind.
It also shows that the series can juggle storylines that tackle both the personal and professional aspects of a character's life in one episode.
Now, let's give everyone a life outside of work because it allows for stronger storylines all around.
Initially, Burgess and Makayla's home life seemed pretty great (how cute was that little at-home play?), but soon, it became clear that Makayla was suffering trauma as a result of what happened in her life.
I'm so glad the series didn't just gloss over that part because it would've been unrealistic.
Makayla watched her whole family get murdered by the father that also hunted her down. That's not something you just get over.
She may not fully comprehend the weight of what happened, but she'll feel the effects of that loss for the rest of her life.
And while it's great that she has someone in her corner like Burgess who wants to protect her and make her feel safe and loved, there's no denying that Burgess's job is dangerous.
Burgess may leave her work life at the door, as the therapist pointed out, but Makayla has seen her with a gun.
To some extent, she knows that if something were to happen to Burgess, she's all alone once again.
Burgess is her person.
Burgess was in denial by thinking that she didn't need to assign a custodial guardian for Makayla.
Deep down inside, she wanted to pretend that everything would be okay, but she ignored the fact that she has a high-risk job.
Every time she responds to a call -- in uniform or not -- she's putting her life at risk.
I love that the emotionally heartbreaking case helped Burgess make the right decision.
She had a close call with a suspect after a bullet gently grazed her jacket, but it was a brutal reminder that the situation could've been much worse.
Intelligence deals with the toughest cases and pursues the worst criminals, and Burgess's life is always on the line.
Voight: So, Richards is talking?
Ruzek: Oh yeah, he folded like a lawn chair.
After everything that Makayla has been through, she deserves a backup.
And there's no one more fitting than Ruzek.
We knew he would be Burgess's go-to -- after all, he was going to be the father of her child -- but it still allowed for a tender moment between the two and what seemed like the beginning of a reconciliation.
Even though Burgess questioned Ruzek's character, which strained the foundation of their relationship, we knew he would say yes.
He's always there for Burgess because they have an unbreakable bond.
As Burgess put it, they're family whether they like it or not.
You could even see that after she explained her decision to choose him as Makayla's custodian, Ruzek was overcome with emotion.
I'm actually digging this friendship between them. While I want Ruzek and Burgess to find their way back to each other eventually, they aren't knocking the idea of an unconventional and modern family together.
Makayla knows if something happens to you, what happens to her? You’re all she’s got.
Therapist
They also aren't forcing a relationship for the sake of it.
If it happens sometime in the future, they're open to it, but this arrangement works for them for now.
I know some fans are annoyed with the back-and-forth, but I think the nature of their relationship is realistic.
Timing matters when it comes to relationship success, and they never seem to be at the same point in their lives.
We know you use young women as couriers. Mules. See this time, this time was different. This time one of them got murdered.
Voight
Speaking of having each other's back, Ruzek was even there for Burgess during the raid. He noticed that she was zoning out while getting shot at, and he checked in on her.
This moment also made it clear to Burgess that she needed to have someone to take care of Makayla as it was affecting her job.
She couldn't be a good mom if she weren't a good cop and vice versa.
Burgess was tasked with stepping up to the plate during the episode, and she didn't shy away from responsibilities.
The case of the week was also one of the worst the series has ever seen.
How gruesome was the footage of a pregnant woman being pushed off a rooftop and shot execution-style?
It was even worse when they discovered that these women weren't coming to the states to smuggle drugs but rather to deliver their babies safely.
Then, upon arrival, they found out that their children would be taken away from them and sold to families looking to adopt.
The gang was running a "baby farm" and in cahoots with a legitimate adoption agency!
I'm still disturbed just thinking about it.
I've never been prouder of the team for solving the case and putting an end to this disgusting practice.
Sofia's death wasn't in vain; if she hadn't risked everything to expose these men, more women and children would suffer.
Overall, it was just a heartbreaking case with a semi-happy ending.
The ending scene with Burgess giving Makayla the trouble dolls that she found in Sofia's fanny pack brought the whole episode full circle.
It was a memory of Sofia that lived on, but it also helped Makayla process her fears and scaries as they were trinkets that "took away all her troubles."
Honestly, the episode was brilliant from start to finish.
What did you think? Did you enjoy it?
Are you digging Burgess and Ruzek's arc? Don't forget to watch Chicago PD online and let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
