Critic’s Rating: 4.85 / 5.0
4.85
The comedown from the adrenaline-fueled Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 is an experience all on its own.
Following mere seconds after the shocking Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 1, the hour sets an unrelenting pace.
It doesn’t slow down for a second until the credits roll, leaving Ruzek and the audience to process everything that’s transpired.
And there’s a lot to process as Chicago PD delivers one of the strongest installments in the series.
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 is a Relentless Hour
It’s no joke when we speculate that the series feels like it’s having a renaissance, a soft reset that centers not only on the characters and this unique unit we love but also on what they do best and how they execute it.
It’s early yet, but Chicago PD Season 12 genuinely wants to honor its characters.
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 had me glued to the screen for the entirety of the hour as Ruzek and Intelligence went into overtime scouring the city for Darrow in hopes of bringing him to justice and rescuing his two-year-old child.
However, the opening moments were tough to watch, although I appreciate Paddy Flueger setting the tone for one of his most remarkable performances yet.
We watched in real-time as Ruzek struggled to keep Martel together while fending off shots from an unknown perpetrator.
It was a traumatic ordeal, where Ruzek cradled Martel like a child, desperately attempting to keep pressure on her head as if there was still some semblance of hope that she’d survive a headshot and there weren’t literal pieces of her brain on his shirt.
Even the arriving officers carrying her away and placing her in their car to rush her to the hospital, her body completely limp and lifeless, was an emotional ordeal.
Martel’s Death is Has Ripple Effects
We all knew that Martel was long gone, yet at that moment, Ruzek still dwelled in a state of denial anyway until the ever-soothing, calm in all storms, Atwater had to tell his brother — his Intelligence family — the news that Martel didn’t make it.
No, Martel wasn’t a character we got to know long, and maybe, for some, her death didn’t have any impact because of that.
Cartagena did a great job of breathing life into this character for her short stint, and the rest of the cast completely sold me on the idea that she’s become close to them in the offscreen time.
The weight of her death and what happened to her was heavy and deeply felt, especially on a unit that already bears its fair share of scars.
Trudy was beside herself when she heard that someone from the unit had engaged in a shootout and was at the hospital.
You could see her heart drop as she worked to keep everything together, and her hesitation to tell Voight was a scene that spoke such volumes with very little.
They’ve undergone so much recently, and it was an event that merely retraumatized them all (or served as their first experience with losing one of their own, as is the case for Torres).
Voight: I need you to focus. We don’t have time to feel it.
– Chicago PD S12E02
But it’s Ruzek who spends most of the hour carrying the weight of Martel’s death, as he hit the ground running in search of their suspect from the moment it happened and didn’t get a chance to process or FEEL anything until the end.
He spent all of Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 with her blood still staining his skin and fingernails.
Chicago PD’s Direction, Shots, and Sequences Are Top-Tier
I genuinely love the camera work and direction this season.
The tunnel vision effect Ruzek kept experiencing as he got lost in what was happening was effectively trippy.
So many of the techniques used throughout the hour felt immersive, transporting us into this moment with all the other characters and never allowing us to leave.
Ruzek was our touchstone for the hour, even though Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2, to its credit, did an incredible job of focusing on him while still balancing out the other characters.
Again, Flueger was exceptional, carrying us through so many stages and perfectly encapsulating what it’s like for first responders in these moments.
He experienced one of the worst things you can do on the job, yet he had to keep moving on, doing so in a level-headed manner.
Ruzek’s Evolution Reflected in His Ability to Handle a Crisis
The hour was a poignant nod to his growth, as this perpetual hothead who often used to fly off the handle or get too primarily overzealous kept his head in pursuit of Darrow as the many elements of this horrific domestic situation unfolded.
It was pleasant to hear that it wasn’t Ruzek who Voight was directing that comment about restraint over revenge but instead echoing the sentiment to Reid in an explanation for why Intelligence needed to stay onboard and the approach necessary to rescue this innocent child.
Voight: We need restraint, not revenge.
– Chicago PD S12E02
So much of Ruzek’s growth is rooted in the fact that he’s become a family man.
Burgess and Mack ground him, so even though he couldn’t answer Kim’s call (although, by then, she likely knew the truth about Martel), he could look at the picture of her and Mack on his screen and ground himself a bit.
While Kim wasn’t there to ground him, and Atwater was relegated to staying at the hospital, he found a new person to serve as his anchor during Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2.
Kiana Cook is Chicago PD’s Best New Addition Since Torres
Kiana Cook is a force to be reckoned with, and she’ll be a fantastic addition to the series and the unit.
From the moment she arrived, she brought great energy, and she’s more than proven to be the type of person you want by your side when the going gets tough.
She never hesitated to jump into action and help Ruzek- they were whisked right into the heat of the pursuit, making fast friends and partners and working together so effortlessly that you would’ve thought they had known each other for years.
Cook goes above and beyond for the job, is tenacious and fearless, and is not reckless but surprisingly restrained.
She took a bullet to the back of her vest and didn’t blink twice, and somehow, not unlike Torres during the previous installment, she took getting hit by a car too, and not only clung on but had the wherewithal to still aim and shoot at the Darrow in the process.
Cook is Made For Intelligence
Cook could seamlessly fit into the Intelligence unit without feeling like she’s a replacement for anyone because she’s a different type of character.
And maybe it’s the type of addition that the unit needs since, if her demeanor with Ruzek is any indication, she has a calming effect every bit as much as she’s someone who matches energy.
It’ll be interesting to learn why she got bumped down to patrol from tactical.
If Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 served as her audition for Intelligence, then, like Torres when he first arrived, she’s a natural shoo-in.
Ruzek: Well done, Officer.
Cook: You too, Officer. You too.
– Chicago PD S12E02
It’s disturbingly poignant that Martel’s death was not only the result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time but because of a domestic.
Studies have always shown and supported that domestic calls are the most dangerous calls law enforcement can take, which speaks to their pervasiveness and unpredictable factors.
A Domestic Situation Brings a Bloody Intense Case
Darrow attempted to murder his ex and was set on taking his kids to kill them, too, in some attempt to keep them forever.
Because there was no catching a breath on this case, we had Torres hitting the streets and working the angle of finding Nate, one of the sons, and it was another perfect opportunity to showcase how well he does on the streets.
One of the most unexpectedly amusing moments was when he kept it 100 with the kid on the basketball court, who delivered that Elvis quip perfectly.
While it was puzzling that Voight or no one else tipped him off that Nate had a weapon and was desperate to use it if it meant taking his father out, Torres adapted to that situation well, too.
The Case Brings out What Each Intelligence Member Does Best
In Nate’s defense, Torres rolls up in a beat-up Chevy with his signature crisp white tee shirt, jeans, and Forces, and it doesn’t scream “cop” but rather “stranger danger.”
As nervewracking as it was to witness yet another of our beloved characters staring down the barrel of a gun, Torres handled Nate incredibly well.
Even with how limited Atwater was, he was put to good use. Getting pertinent information and being that soothing voice for the victim is peak Atwater, and it wonderfully showcases his compassion and empathy.
The hour also made Trudy, who had been criminally underused, useful again, which was delightful. It captured her Mother Hen nature as well as her skills at running the desk and tracking down information.
Voight, there were subtle ways that showed how affected he was by this death and everything else.
He immediately went into action and wanted to be on the street, but he affectionately referred to team members, from reminding Ruzek that they’ll “feel” it later to affectionately calling Torres by his first name.
But it was his dedication to getting this done right, knowing that when most law enforcement hear that one of their own got murdered, they play fast and loose with the rules when tracking down the person responsible.
Voight wanted to take the best and most appropriate route, knowing that his team could handle not letting their thirst for vengeance outweigh all else.
It feels like we have a new version of Voight, and that’s fascinating.
Chicago PD Season 12 Brings the Heat
Reid is fascinating as well.
Based on Chicago PD’s history with authoritative figures, we’re conditioned not to trust this man.
Plus, Shawn Hatosy is great at playing complex and sometimes flat-out baddies.
But Reid is earnest, devoted, and supportive. What are we supposed to do with that?
Chicago PD has been on fire this season, and each installment is more exciting than the last.
Let’s hope it can keep up this momentum, although thus far, it hasn’t had any issues with that.
Over to you, Chicago PD Fanatics. Let’s discuss it all!
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