Warning: spoilers are forward for the Season 13 fall finale of Chicago P.D., referred to as “Impulse Management” and accessible streaming subsequent day with a Peacock subscription.
The primary portion of Chicago P.D.‘s thirteenth season has come to an finish within the fall 2025 TV schedule, and followers have weeks to attend earlier than discovering out what’s subsequent for the Intelligence Unit within the 2026 TV schedule. Whereas I am nonetheless undecided about how the prison who appears to be the Season 13 massive unhealthy compares to Shawn Hatosy‘s great despicable Chief Reid from final season, Raymond Bell‘s return in “Impulse Management” led to the type of cliffhanger I have been lacking this fall.
That mentioned, I am additionally lacking Adam Ruzek, and I’ve questions on how P.D. is dealing with Patrick John Flueger‘s absence.
Chicago P.D.’s Fall Finale Is “To Be Continued”
There was lots occurring in “Impulse Management.” Voight proved that he and Imani have not simply been baselessly paranoid about Bell since his debut in Episode 4. A violent break-in led them again to his doorstep, and Imani shaped a connection along with his granddaughter could possibly be key to no matter comes subsequent for the Intelligence Unit.
On the similar time, “Impulse Management” was arguably the very best showcase thus far of how showrunner Gwen Sigan described Imani as somebody who “thinks she is aware of the solutions” and “would not essentially play nicely with others.” I used to be keeping track of the clock as Imani saved getting shut down from chasing leads, ready for the climax in order that all the pieces would wrap up kind of neatly by 11 p.m. ET, as regular.
However that did not occur! The episode ended shortly after Imani broke into the Bell home, looking for Julie after getting a worrisome name from the little lady. (It did not finish fairly as badly for the CPD officer because it did for the character who did just a little breaking and getting into elsewhere in One Chicago earlier on fall finale evening.) Imani went as much as Julie’s room to search out it empty of any folks however a cellphone left behind, then heard the slamming of a door and a few footsteps that undoubtedly sound like they arrive from an grownup behind her. The episode then ended on a “TO BE CONTINUED…” card, which I did not notice I missed till I noticed it.
All three One Chicago reveals are usually procedural, other than some character storylines that resurface from week to week. Whereas P.D. is mostly the most procedural, I would additionally argue that it is simply the very best at persistently delivering two-parters with cliffhangers in between the halves. The autumn finales of Chicago Med and Chicago Fireplace each delivered cliffhangers, however an excellent old style “TO BE CONTINUED” is a enjoyable strategy to nudge followers nearer to the perimeters of their seats over hiatus.
In fact, Ray Bell was solely one of many problems this week. Torres has Odell Morgan on his thoughts after the bloody conclusion of that case, Voight is clearly nonetheless on the outs with ASA Chapman after how Season 12 ended, the newest mysterious envelope that Voight acquired got here from Commander Devlin (launched within the Season 13 premiere), and Adam Ruzek continues to be MIA. We’ve got the behind-the-scenes cause for a type of problems, however I am searching for an in-universe cause.
The place’s Ruzek?
Ruzek’s absence in Season 13 was confirmed nicely earlier than the autumn finale aired on November 12. Information broke in late October that actor Patrick John Flueger was stepping away from Chicago P.D. for an undetermined (however not everlasting) period of time for private causes. Primarily based on him lacking the sixth and seventh episodes of Season 13, the Atwater-centric Episode 5 on October 29 may be the final that we see of him for some time.
Whereas I hope that the actor is getting all the pieces he wants from his depart of absence (as much as and together with privateness), I had hoped that Chicago P.D. would offer an in-universe cause for why Ruzek is nowhere to be seen. It is common for any One Chicago actor to overlook an episode right here and there after the renewal deal phrases earlier this 12 months, however two in a row for Ruzek and the expectation that he will not be again as quickly as that “TO BE CONTINUED” is… nicely, continued actually makes me want that the present would reply the questions of the place he’s and what he is doing.
The solutions actually could possibly be so simple as Ruzek off-screen deciding to take a while off to spend with Makayla after his discussions with Burgess about their daughter earlier this season. Or maybe Bob wants some face-to-face time along with his son, warranting the time away from the Intelligence Unit. Or perhaps Ruzek might simply be briefly working with one other unit or undercover? Any type of cause could be welcome, particularly since Burgess is carrying on as if all the pieces is regular.
If Chicago P.D. does reply any questions on Ruzek, it will not occur for some time. The One Chicago cop drama might be on winter hiatus till Wednesday, January 7, at which level it’ll return to its regular 10 p.m. ET time slot on NBC after Chicago Fireplace. Within the meantime, followers can at all times revisit earlier episodes streaming on Peacock.
