Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 17 Explores Voight’s Fascinating Dynamic with a C.I.

Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0

4

It’s always fascinating when Voight forms a connection with someone.

Rabbit proves to be the one CI who can survive in this universe, and Chicago PD Season 13 puts his dynamic with Voight under the microscope.

It also marks progress in Imani’s investigation into her sister and in her partnership with Voight.

The Voight episodes this season have been among the strongest, and this one was no exception.

But what I didn’t anticipate was Rabbit’s return. We first met him during Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 1, and he made quite an impression then with his general squirreliness.

There was always something about him that clicked for Voight, in a way we don’t always see. Brandon Gill commits to the bit, bringing full physicality to the role in a way that leaves a lasting impression.

It’s no surprise that he’s been able to return to this role so often, or that they succeeded in building something special with Voight and Rabbit.

We can guess that the two of them watching a man die together helped forge an indescribable bond between them. I also like to think that there’s something about Rabbit that makes Voight think about his own son.

He has this innate drive to protect Rabbit, to give him the benefit of the doubt, and to protect him as best he can. And his approach with him as his CI has always felt different than what we’ve typically seen from Voight.

It’s a bond that no one else can understand.

Imani certainly didn’t get it, and it required her to step into the role of an objective third party throughout this case because she felt that whatever the connection was between Voight and Rabbit clouded Voight’s judgment.

It’s not until we get that moment in the car, when Rabbit begs Voight to give Bruiser a deal, that we get a peek into what’s beneath this dynamic.

Rabbit SEES Voight. He pulled Voight’s card with a brief bit of dialogue, dressing him down and reading him like most haven’t been able to do in the years since they or we’ve known Voight.

He knows that Voight gives off a certain image, wants to be perceived as tough, and there’s no doubt about that.

But Rabbit saw Voight for who he is beneath the surface, knows that Voight is a good person who cares, and sees a softness in him that you don’t always see.

It’s part of why he trusts Voight, when it’s clear that Rabbit isn’t the sort to trust a lot of people.

Rabbit is a man with an instilled sense of hypervigilance. — his entire experience in this world almost requires him to be able to assess and read people well enough to know how to navigate around them for his own survival.

That he can see exactly who Voight is and sum him up so clearly and succinctly immediately helps us understand this dynamic that, from the outside looking in, seems bizarre.

Rabbit is one of the most frustrating and endearing characters the show has had. Somehow, he always lands himself in trouble. He’s practically a magnet for it and has a knack for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.

But he’s also hilarious. The guy always comes with some zingers and jokes, and there are a few people who can get under Voight’s skin the way that Rabbit does. It’s the kind of chiding that feels like a father-son dynamic, and that’s what makes their interactions so amusing.

Rabbit eventually comes through when it’s necessary, but it’s always the messy path of half-truths and games before he gets there that makes things frustrating and him a difficult person to work with.

He eventually caves in the end, so half the time he leaves you wondering why he won’t just take the shortcut to the part where he gives Voight everything he needs.

It was clear he was holding things back when they found him. He nearly blew his hand off trying to bust into that ATM, and you could tell there was more to his story.

Imani was right about him spending too much time in that house gathering everything up, and his humming ” The Saints Go Marching In” was as much a distraction as it was a nervous habit of his.

You could tell he knew more at the weed shop, too. But wow, was that whole situation insane to watch!

One minute, he and our perp were chatting, and the next, the guy threw his head onto the counter and fell out. Who does that? That’s such a risky distraction!

But the real twist was in learning that Bruiser was Rabbit’s boyfriend. He went through the trouble of tipping him off about the cops and taking off, all so he could protect this guy.

And he felt like it was a way to save Bruiser from his crazy cousin, who made them do all of these robberies in the first place.

The problem with Rabbit here is that if he knows Voight is everything that he said Voight was, and he could see him, really see him, then why didn’t he seek Voight out in the first place?

He could’ve asked Voight for help a long time ago. And Voight would’ve likely helped as best as he could because he genuinely does care about Rabbit.

Rabbit begging for Voight’s help after the fact was too little too late.

The crazy thing is that Voight likely would’ve considered a deal to help Bruiser if not for the fact that he mowed down an innocent mother at the top of the hour.

It was such a brutal scene to watch as she not only got hit by the car but also by the ATM trailing behind it.

Voight helped this woman while she died right in front of him. He had to watch the light leave her eyes, all while some catchy music was playing in her headphones. He had to notify her family!

The case was personal to him from that point forward, understandably so.

And maybe Voight could’ve still figured something out, but the moment Rabbit started freaking out and escalating things, there was no turning back, regardless.

It’s hard to get around Bruiser serving some time, especially for vehicular manslaughter at least. I don’t know what Rabbit expected from Voight on that.

I’m sad to see things turn out the way that they did, though. It’s a relief that Imani was able to take Rabbit down before he could shoot Voight, and she did it without having to hurt him.

It’s not what Voight would’ve wanted. That whole scenario reminded me so much of Voight and his special bond with his CI, Anna Avalos. Similar concept, too, “we’re partners,” he told Rabbit. “You and me,” he told Anna.

You know that affected him deeply because he couldn’t even book Rabbit and face him again. He probably didn’t want to cause Rabbit any further distress. I’m curious to see if we’ll get a glimpse of Rabbit down the road again.

Will he ever forgive Voight? Does he intend to hold Voight accountable for the man he loved, and the one who helped him get clean, going to prison?

Or will he eventually just be grateful or choose to see Voight as this cop who has a soft spot for him and who genuinely cares about him?

Voight may have told Rabbit they were partners, but the hour also explored the issues he sohe sometimes had with his actual partner.

Imani has a way of digging into Voight’s life a bit and defying orders for his best interest. She felt his judgment clouded the entire case when it came to Rabbit, and her only interest was in protecting Voight from Rabbit.

These moments and the way she goes about things make her feel like Hailey Upton in a different font.

Voight doesn’t like it when people look after him because he always assumes he can take care of himself. Imani overstepped a time or two, at least with the tracker thing with Rabbit, but she meant well.

They’re like two peas in a pod, though. She’s not much different from how she’s approached her sister’s disappearance.

But even though they clashed a few times throughout the hour, they had each other’s backs, and their conversation at the end was productive. The two having drinks together and saying things without saying things was nice.

My favorite moment was Voight flat-out asking her if she wanted help with her sister, and her quietly nodding because she couldn’t actually use words to ask for help. She’s not unlike Voight with that.

She came to Chicago to follow a lead because she heard that her sister may once have confided to someone that she went by her birth name and may have been a different person, but she can’t remember anything.

It sounds like her sister is working the streets, and she’s experienced so much and been lost for so long that she no longer knows who or what she is.

I’m curious to see if we’ll actually find Imani’s sister by the season finale.

It’s as good a time as any for her to pop up, and even though that doesn’t sound like a big enough lead, it’s something. With Voight’s help and connections, they can make headway together.

You know, it’s what partners do.

Grumbles and Grunts:

• I’m just glad that we’ve seen Rabbit three times now, and he’s still alive. Is he the only CI they’ve had like this who broke the curse?
• Burzek working together was nice, even if they were mostly in the background.
• I’m really enjoying this season of introspection for Voight as he reconciles with the two sides of himself in a way that feels well-earned and subtle.
• No Kevin. Boo! Why does he always miss the entire episode before he gets his centric? Maybe he was in Miami visiting his baby mother. Another episode, another missed opportunity to let us know if anyone knows he’s about to be a dad.
• Rabbit asking Voight if he was senile already had me laughing so hard.

Over to you, Chicago PD Fanatics. Did you love Rabbit’s return? Let’s dive into this one below!

Chicago PD will return with all-new episodes on April 22.

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