Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 3 Review: Safe Harbor

The ending of this hour was seasons within the making.

Somehow, Chicago PD Season 11 Episode 3 was nothing like one would’ve envisioned from the promos, and there is a lot to parse by way of relating to the case and combined emotions about it.

But they threw such a momentous event at us in these remaining moments that it is probably all anybody will probably be speaking about for the remainder of the season.

It appears Chicago PD is not fully darkish and loveless in any case.

Upstead has crumbled earlier than our eyes after driving a excessive, and now Burzek has reached new heights in probably the most deceptively understated, quietly steady method.

The hour was a bit deceptive, however persevering with with the sample of offering us with character-centric installments, this one foisted Kim Burgess into the highlight.

And she took the lead brilliantly and fantastically your complete time.

Gabriela, I’ll by no means settle for that there is such a factor as an unlawful human being.

Kim

It goes with out saying that Marina Squerciati is among the collection’ most underrated actors — and he or she delivers such a splendidly all-encompassing efficiency throughout the hour.

In some ways, the hour showcases her skills effectively.

Burgess’ fluency in Spanish is a type of issues that the collection would not make the most of that usually, and it is no surprise they hadn’t taken full benefit of her linguistic abilities in a case of this caliber earlier than.

I like listening to Squericiati converse Spanish; it sounds so pure and melodic for her, and now we have had a full dialogue greater than as soon as. It nearly felt harking back to the effortlessly informal exchanges between Torres and his mom that have been so true to type.

But as a lot as we knew that Burgess was fluent within the language, we by no means acquired a lot of a backstory about how she acquired the ability till now.

It was exhausting to not chomp on the bits when she shared with Gabriela that her dad and mom weren’t round as a lot whereas she was rising up.

We’re 11 seasons into this collection, and there are nonetheless so many issues we do not find out about many characters. So a lot of Kim’s background has been a thriller.

But we discovered a lot with so little when she shared that she and her sister spent weekends with their nanny as a result of her dad and mom weren’t at all times round.

Related: Chicago PD Review: Retread

She’d go your complete weekend not talking English till she returned to highschool.

There’s a lot to unpack relating to her dwelling life, why she appeared so near her sister however not her dad and mom, why it is so essential for her to spend as a lot time with Mack as potential, and be the attentive guardian she probably did not have.

It even provides us some perception into why she could have spent years behaving as she did with Adam Ruzek.

But amid that, Kim’s innate compassion and talent to know individuals, significantly victims, shone by way of.

For Kim, it is her best superpower and what has made her nice at her job. It’s the place she shines greatest as a regulation enforcement officer and the way we all know she’s been on this job for the best causes.

So far, Chicago PD Season 11 has peeled again extra layers in regards to the characters and has this private really feel that we do not usually have inside the collection.

We’re getting extra profound perception into these characters we have spent years with however nonetheless do not absolutely know. And there are some nice issues about this and what we study.

Kim would not see a lot distinction between herself and the individuals she’s attempting to guard and save.

Something just isn’t proper. I had Marshall

Kim

It’s gratifying to appreciate that as a lot as she’s skilled, all of the trauma that she’s endured and the way she’s hardened since her early days within the collection, she nonetheless hasn’t misplaced that innate high quality — the flexibility to see the nice in individuals, or herself within the individuals she tries to guard and save.

The hour went out of its method to contact on the migrant state of affairs. Chicago is a sanctuary metropolis. As a outcome, there is a migrant disaster as influxes of those souls hit sanctuary cities and overwhelm the techniques put into place to accommodate them.

I, too, am from a sanctuary metropolis, and the heartbreaking circumstances, the informal microaggressions, the passionate emotions about their very presence, and the crippling of sources are all very actual.

The depiction of all of that was sensible, even disagreeable.

The drive-by showing as a hate crime at first look was completely affordable due to the sheer stage of hate and violence lobbed at migrants by many who’re offended about their very existence.

It would not have shocked anybody if that is the place the case was headed, however the truth that it was merely a purple herring is the place issues began to get dicey.

Alvarado’s introduction appeared easy sufficient. He did not come throughout as a foul man at first look. His eagerness to work on the case may’ve gotten chalked as much as a Brown man who witnessed this taking pictures and needed to expertise Raquel dying in his arms, looking for justice.

But he rapidly grew suspicious, with the incident on the junkyard serving as the last word purple flag.

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No one is naive sufficient to not imagine that there aren’t many people who make the most of migrants who haven’t any say, rights, or the rest getting taken benefit of whereas right here.

They’re the proper victims for simply that motive. It’s not remarkable that law enforcement officials may take full benefit, abuse their energy, and actively harm individuals as a result of nobody will care in regards to the “illegal aliens.”

The despicable issues that Alvarado did weren’t stunning or fall inside some actual of implausible as a result of, sadly, most of us understand how the world works.

But there is not any getting round how troubling the optics have been throughout this investigation.

Kim, cease speaking. You perceive you can’t be improper about this.

Voight

We began with an assault in opposition to migrants and the Intelligence Unit parading bigots into the combination, subjecting different characters and viewers to xenophobia and racism.

And then, as if the collection wished to rapidly draw back from getting “too political” and most well-liked to toe the road on this hot-button and controversial problem, they shifted their focus.

Somehow, what resulted was a Latin police officer exploiting different members of the Latin neighborhood and inflicting violence and dying on them.

The “Boogeyman” of the hour wasn’t the variety of doubtlessly violent bigots or the plight of being in a rustic with just about no rights.

Instead, the unhealthy man was a Latin man who raped and killed Venezuelan ladies and unironically referred to as Kim a “White Savior” for caring extra in regards to the “poor Brown people” than he does.

It was actually an attention-grabbing alternative.

There was actually an avenue to delve into the shifting energy dynamics amongst males of coloration in terms of bigotry and misogyny — how being a relentless sufferer of 1 would not preclude them from being the perpetrators of one other, which in flip topics ladies of coloration to twice the violence when this hierarchy is evoked.

But Chicago PD is incapable of diving into that effectively. So primarily, this case with Alvarado felt extremely tone-deaf.

It was additionally a matter of this case excluding Dante Torres.

We may’ve had a terrific installment that featured a Burgess/Torres pair-up that would’ve been a much more poignant exploration of the migrant disaster and the way they’re simple targets.

Not solely may now we have gotten the 2 Spanish-speaking crew members taking over this case collectively, however they’re two of probably the most compassionate unit members who genuinely join with victims, and it will’ve been lovely to see that on show.

Torres’ absence throughout this case felt jarring.

Related: Chicago PD Review: Unpacking

If he have been current for it, it will’ve balanced issues out higher in order that we did not lean so closely into the Bad Brown Guy trope.

If the main focus have been extra on Kim and Torres advocating for Gabriela and Raquel and getting justice, we may’ve had a thought-provoking hour as a substitute of focusing extra completely on Kim, realizing that Alvarado was a shady, disgraceful cop.

By now, any time they introduce a brand new cop who works with Intelligence on a case, they’re both the unhealthy man or somebody too shady and suspicious.

On the plus, at the very least this wasn’t a Ruzek storyline; in any other case, the redundancy would rear its head once more.

Some of the questionable case selections apart, Burgess was a real power throughout this installment, and I beloved each second of her taking cost.

She’s come a good distance as a personality, and her confidence has dramatically improved.

She took cost throughout this case as if she have been operating the unit herself, and Ruzek and Kevin Atwater have been more than pleased to observe her lead.

Burzekwater would go to the ends of the earth for each other (they did not hesitate to remind us when Kevin was able to battle over that man calling Kim a “bitch), and so they at all times work effectively as a crew.

It was certainly Kim’s present, and he or she was incredible throughout this hour, competent, badass, compassionate, and sensible as a whip.

You could not even get upset with the girl when she bought immigration papers for Gabriela.

Her confrontation with Danny was an intense second. Did anybody discover how Danny went from completely superb and regular to this intimidating power within the blink of an eye fixed?

EJ Bonilla was enjoying two completely different characters. The switch-up in persona gave a lady whiplash.

Related: Can One Chicago Survive Its Own Changes?

Fortunately, Kim would not let Danny take the simple method out, and it is puzzling that he thought there would even be an opportunity of her permitting him to say goodbye to his household earlier than he killed himself.

Thankfully, Kim may depart that case on the door and solely take the extra reflective elements of it dwelling together with her.

Her remaining scenes with Ruzek as she spoke in regards to the case have been such robust moments as a result of they highlighted her breakthrough in remedy and her progress.

I beloved how she may talk her ideas and emotions with him and even draw connections between the case and her life and what she hoped to study from it.

As lengthy as Kim has Ruzek and Mack, she has one thing price combating for, and he or she is within the place to voice her must Ruzek, which she did not readily do earlier than.

She wished them, and he or she wanted to listen to that he would at all times battle for what they’ve, their household and happiness, despite the fact that she knew the reply already.

Initially, I discovered the proposal underwhelming. And one thing should be stated in regards to the season’s wonky modifying and the choice to tack this scene and plot improvement on the finish of this installment.

They did not make any sappy love declarations however extra so mature, significant guarantees that sounded informal however have been something however that.

We did not get any grand gestures or occasions like Ruzek taking her out to a flowery dinner or getting down on bended knee.

The proposal felt like an afterthought as if it have been a “by the way” sort of dialog.

And I need to be irritated by that, and part of me is, however I can also respect the proposal for what it is price and that it fits our seasoned, domesticated Burzek.

At this level, a wedding is only a formality for them. They’re already a dedicated household. They’ve settled into these roles so effectively, one thing Kim famous on the high of the hour, that they are past the flashiness of elaborate proposals.

Kim: Promise me we’ll hold combating for this. Because I would like this, Adam. I would like this household.
Adam: You know I’ll. Yeah, we’ll hold combating for this for the remainder of our lives.
Kim: Nice.
Adam: I used to be going to do a complete factor right here, however this appears higher. Let’s get married. Let’s make it endlessly.
Kim; Third occasions a attraction, huh?

They’re seasoned veterans of their relationship and the healthiest, most steady place ever. They really feel so actual, like a real, dedicated pairing.

Burzek has been by way of hell and again collectively and had a protracted highway to achieve this level. But they’re so stable after overcoming all that life has thrown at them as a unit that this understated proposal works for them in some ways.

It’s extra significant and particular; if something, it is extra.

It wasn’t a flashy, elaborate ordeal, however the understated nature of the scene makes this improvement particular.

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That stated, I might’ve been completely content material if the proposal had by no means occurred as a result of there is a sure magnificence in depicting a unique view of what a household appears like.

Burgess and Ruzek are already a household whether or not they’re engaged or married. An engagement or potential marriage ceremony seems like theatrics — it is the present. We do not really want it, however I will not knock them for giving it to us, both.

After the Upstead catastrophe, Chicago PD did not even have to try a proposal and marriage ceremony once more. But if anybody deserves this, Burzek and the legions of shippers who adore this pairing do.

Burzek lastly made it. They are the collection’ endgame. They’ve come such a good distance and earned this, so how will you not be ecstatic?

Over to you, Chicago PD Fanatics.

Are you thrilled in regards to the Burzek proposal and endgame? What did you concentrate on the case? Sound off under.

Chicago PD airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.

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