It may sound redundant by now, but Chicago PD Season 12 delivered its most balanced, emotionally resonant storytelling in years.
From bold cinematography and risks to complex character arcs, the show proved it still has grit and heart, and that the key to what makes this series so great is the bond amongst a strong, united team.
However, while it soared in many ways, the finale missed key emotional beats that fans had waited over a decade to see, and there were some misfires along the way.
If you checked out our Chicago PD Season 12 Midseason Report Card, you’ll know what some of our thoughts are regarding the first half of the season. But now, we’re addressing it all.
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Best Episode – Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 21: Open Casket
The penultimate episode was one of the season’s standouts. It delivered high stakes, intense momentum, and had Intelligence scrambling to bring Reid down finally.
But Reid stayed a step ahead — waltzing into the bullpen, stripping Burgess of her badge, arresting Torres, and disbanding Intelligence. His timing, strategy, and arrogance secured his place as one of Chicago PD‘s all-time great villains.
The ending was explosive, shocking, and begged for Dark Voight’s return to avenge his team. Honestly, it was such an intense and satisfying hour that it could have been the finale itself.
With that ending, it felt as if we were gearing up for an epic, unforgettable showdown, and as if the season would end on a high note.
Most Frustrating Episode – Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 22: Vows
Is this surprising to anyone? All of the excitement, momentum, and goodwill of the previous hour completely fell apart during the season finale.
Our Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 22 Review outlined our frustrations. And we’ve also elaborated on how it fumbled the Burzek Wedding and shafted Chapman.
However, the finale was an incredibly rushed affair, rushing us to a Reid resolution without actually filling in the gaps, such as how Reid amassed so much dirt on the unit to use for leverage, how he only discovered Burgess and Torres’ involvement, and his peculiar obsession with Burgess that never developed.
They didn’t allow the emotional beats of a disbanded Intelligence to sink in, nor did they consider how deeply imprisonment, however brief, impacted Torres.
And then the highly anticipated and heavily promoted Burzek wedding, which had been 12 seasons in the making, was barely shown, with no vow exchange, kiss, or any real focus on the happy couple and their special moment.
It was an ambitious finale, albeit with some rough editing and execution, and it’s also controversial.
Best Addition – Kiana Cook
We cannot stop raving about Kiana Cook, but that’s because she truly has become a genuine breath of fresh air for the series.
Intelligent, vulnerable, and fiercely loyal, she brought out new sides of everyone she worked with. Her character felt fully formed from the start and added much-needed heart and balance to the team.
She’s earned her place in this unit and adds something special to it.
Kiana has definitely been a highlight this season, and we cannot wait to see more of her next season!
Worst Addition – Val
It’s not that Val was particularly bad or anything. She’s just boring and forgettable.
While it’s great that Atwater finally had a love interest who respects and cherishes him, her storyline lacked depth.
Most of Atwater’s screen time revolved around her, and that time could’ve been better spent elsewhere.
Val comes with a lot of unresolved issues that had us ironically wanting her to devote her time to seeing a therapist rather than Atwater.
Best Villain – Charlie Reid
We’re living in a Shawn Hatosy Supremacy Era, and boy, has it been a blast seeing one of the hardest-working (and most underrated) actors on television take on such a captivating role as Reid.
What made Reid so great was that he didn’t even need to appear in many episodes to still pose this enigmatic threat hanging over Intelligence and Voight’s heads.
We didn’t always see him, but we always felt his presence. When he was onscreen, smirking or assessing everything with calculated expressions, he was so hard to read that it instantly put us on edge.
Reid was such a formidable villain because there was always something slightly off-kilter with him, but it took a minute before he fully showed how evil he was.
He was also someone who served as a mirror to Voight — like a younger, more evil version of him, who ran the streets in the name of cleaning them up and the greater good.
It just went to show how those same motivations could be all wrong and corrupt when the wrong person employs them. Reid was a villain who played chess, not checkers, and he genuinely felt like someone who could bring down Voight and Intelligence.
Worst “Villain” – Gloria
Gloria always felt like a character who should have been left in Chicago PD Season 11, so it wasn’t particularly exciting when she returned, and Torres’ chickens came home to roost because he had slept with her.
Their special connection was always difficult to fully understand and process. However, she felt about Torres, she never extended that sentiment toward those he worked with, as she almost posed a serious threat to Kiana during her undercover mission.
Her connection to Torres felt forced, and her manipulative behavior bordered on toxic. While her death became a catalyst for major arcs, her presence was often more frustrating than compelling.
Character Who Needs an APB Out – Atwater
Chicago PD Season 12 has indeed done a much better job of making Intelligence actually feel like a team and even family again.
However, if there’s one Intelligence Member who still gets sidelined the most, with redundant or frustrating storylines (when they occur at all), it’s Atwater.
He only had two real character-centered episodes this season, and his relationship with Val was a dud. Atwater also often disappeared into the background. Hell, did he even have more than two lines in the finale?
Sometimes, Chicago PD doesn’t properly utilize one of its heavy-hitter actors who brings it every time. But at least we have some great Cookwater scenes, they brought back Burgwater!
Most Badass Story Arc – Dark Voight Returns
For years, viewers have been asking the same question about how much Voight has changed and whether he will ever return to the character he once was.
Frankly, it only felt natural for Voight to evolve with the times and work within a specific framework. Because we always knew that the Dark Voight from yesteryear still lay beneath the surface.
Voight’s slow descent into his old ways was one of the season’s most compelling threads. Methodical and emotional, it showed how far he’s come — and how easily he could slip back.
The finale brought full circle the moral ambiguity that defined him in earlier seasons.
MVP of the Season – Adam Ruzek
It felt like Ruzek’s season.
From the first couple of episodes following Martel’s death, Ruzek hit the ground running with some action-packed episodes, striking an excellent balance between his work and home life.
Whether protecting the team, anchoring the Burzek family dynamic, or caring for his ailing father, Ruzek’s emotional range and quiet strength took center stage.
Patrick John Flueger delivered the best work of his PD career, notably opposite Jack Coleman.
It was a great season to truly appreciate just how far Ruzek has come as a character and his growth as he’s become a solid figure and family man.
Biggest Letdown – Burzek’s Wedding
We’re beating a dead horse at this point, but we have to make it official for the record.
The network teased this wedding all season long, and fans were excited that One Chicago’s longest-standing and most enduring romantic relationship would receive a glorious event commemorating their status and the occasion.
We got to see Kim walk down the aisle, and everyone looked beautiful. Still, the huge wedding event was anything but a failure to deliver on even the most basic aspects, such as exchanging meaningful vows or punctuating it with a kiss. The hour fades to black before we get to the good parts.
It’s disappointing, to put it mildly. And it’s something diehard shippers and casual fans alike can agree upon.
Criminally Underused Scene – Stealer – Trudy
The good news is we got a little more Trudy Platt. She especially had her chance to shine during the big One Chicago Crossover event, truly.
She has also been instrumental in assisting Intelligence with numerous cases, providing valuable intel and lending a hand whenever Intelligence requires it.
Amy Morton remains one of the show’s sharpest assets, and her no-nonsense wisdom and biting humor consistently elevate every scene in which she appears.
We’re greedy, though, so give us more. There’s no such thing as too much Trudy.
Best Platonic Dynamic – Ruzek and Cook
It makes sense that the season’s MVP and the series’ best new addition, who were both magic on their own, are even better when they’re together.
We’ve had numerous great partnerships this season, including Burgwater, Kiante, Cookwater, Burgess, and Torres. But there’s something about the easygoing dynamic between Kiana and Adam that takes the cake this season.
They solidified the type of bond that only emerges when you’ve been in the trenches with someone, as was the case with Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2. They’ve had an enjoyable, sibling-like partnership that they quickly built on mutual trust and understanding, as well as an ability to balance each other out in the field.
Plus, Ruzek’s general nosiness about her upbringing has led to some of the most amusing moments of the season.
Dynamic We Need More Of – Voight and Cook
Interestingly, the season managed to deliver a great deal in terms of dynamics to its benefit. If there’s one dynamic that we’d love to see more of, it’s Kiana and Voight.
We caught a glimpse of what they could be during Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 19 when she took issue with his approach to Ruby. Voight clearly colors outside the lines — something that he may lean into even more.
But while Kiana is a clear ride-or-die, she has her own set of morals that she doesn’t compromise on, and it’s something that you can see Voight respects.
He also likes that she isn’t afraid to challenge him when it matters most, without being disrespectful.
Best Romantic Dynamic – Ruzek and Burgess
Burzek offers something unique from Chicago PD pairings of the past because we get to see them in a domestic setting, raising a child together, balancing family and home life with their job, and it’s an element of police procedures that hits the more emotional and realistic notes.
We didn’t get the more “superficial” but traditional moments with this pair this season, but we certainly got so many delicious little peeks into the real, everyday stuff.
Burzek has been such a stable, affirming couple this season, even as they jumped a few hurdles, including Bob’s Alzheimer’s, Adam’s stress, and Burgess’ risky decision to cover for Torres. They stood solid throughout. They’ve grown into a rare, grounded TV couple — emotionally authentic, always in sync.
Storylines that Feel Incomplete – Torres’ Guilt, PTSD, and Crisis of Faith
Benjamin Levy Aguilar is such a capable actor who brings so many layers to Torres, and it has been great to see them unfold over the past couple of seasons.
Torres had a rough go of it this season, especially after Gloria’s death, and it was that relationship that catalyzed so many different plots, including the Reid saga.
We watched his mental health deteriorate before our eyes all season (but mainly in the background). By the end of the season, it’s evident that he’s been battling everything from depression, grief, PTSD, and a crisis of faith to Imposter Syndrome.
But we’re not much closer to knowing what’s going on inside his head and how he’s working through things, as often, Torres, when he wasn’t prominently featured, became a casualty of the cast budget formula.
Overall Thoughts:
Chicago Season 12 had some hiccups here and there, but we maintain that it has been the best season in years!
The writing was much tighter, and the series featured some impressive and notable aspects, including cinematography and unique concepts.
There were episodes, such as Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 5 or Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 16, that were truly creative, wonderfully crafted, and executed. They were bold and ambitious hours that proved the series could still have fun with its style and storytelling.
It was a season of deeper exploration of the characters, and it paid off. We gained greater insight and discovered new layers to characters we’ve known and loved for some time, and had the opportunity to get to know the newer additions better.
There were many strong cases and some amazing guest stars, most notably Vienna Weaver as Jess in “Water and Honey,” Annabelle Toomey as Zoe, and Natalia del Riego in “Name Image Likeness.”
Grade It!
The season had great balance, and the squad has felt its most united and familial in years. It was a great season.
If they had stuck the landing and kept up the momentum of the penultimate finale, I would’ve opted for a solid A- for the season.
But I’m bringing to a B+, which is still damn good!
So many aspects of this season will have me rewatching the episodes, and I’ve fallen more in love with these characters and a unit that finally feels like it has clicked into place for the first time in many seasons.
But those are our thoughts on the matter. Now, we want to hear yours!
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