Using information from Chicago Fire's Cruz, Intelligence chases down the robbery crew that's been using the lockbox key. Voight is under pressure to bring the crew to justice without tarnishing the reputation of a murdered firefighter who might have been involved.
In 2018, there were 495 scripted shows airing amongst the linear channels and streaming services. The way people are consuming content now is so different than it used to be. It happens according to one's own schedule. As such, there is less necessity to provide ample coverage of each specific episode in any given season from a show. Moreover, it is simply impossible to watch everything. As such, this site is making the move to shorter episodic reviews in order to cover as many shows as possible. With all of that being said, here are my thoughts on the next episode of NBC's Chicago P.D.
"Good Men" was written by Gwen Sigan and directed by Donald Petrie
This hour concludes a small crossover story between Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. It's these kinds of events that get me to tune into this show again just to see how everything is concluded. This hour mostly continues the story of the crossover if not the actual character drama. So yes, Cruz is still a big player in the investigation after previously going undercover for Voight. But after the firefighter is found dead, Cruz mostly just takes the backseat to the regular characters at Intelligence as they try to figure out how a seemingly good guy could go bad in this way. It doesn't seem like he has any motivation to do this. Over the course of the hour though, it becomes clear that he truly was the man everyone believed him to be. It doesn't matter that he freaked out and threatened Cruz's life. The fire department still wants to honor him with a full pension. They want to uplift his family. His story is one of ultimately trying to help two young boys escape a hard life on the streets working for a gang. He stole the key because he was trying to buy off their freedom. It's a cruel and torturous plan concocted by the leader of this gang. This show has dealt with many villains just like him. There is nothing all that unique to this side of the story. However, it's compelling to see the influence of politics when it comes to the investigation. Everyone is putting pressure on Voight and Intelligence to find a conclusion to the investigation in which the firefighter continues to be seen as a hero. They don't want to ruin his good name. They are drawing that conclusion before any of the facts start to come in. But again, it's completely new characters putting the pressure onto the situation. In Chicago Fire, it was Grissom who was making the regular characters feel the heat. Here, it's Ray Price continually reaching out to Voight to be kept up to date on the progress of the investigation because he wants an endorsement from the CFD to be the next Mayor of Chicago. That's his current political ambition. He still manages to come across as a good and deceit guy though. He gives Voight the ability to follow every lead that comes up. He accepts the final outcome even when it still isn't what he exactly asked for. Plus, he ensures that the two men who cooperated can actually survive the punishment they face for their role in the crimes. He wants to give them the best chance at redemption and moving forward with lives that are worth living. That's what Jay is aspiring to do as well. Over the course of the series, Jay has gone back-and-forth between being a noble hero and a stubborn, impulsive man who always believes he knows best. That was one of the most infuriating qualities of the series. It could never land on a strong identity for him despite him being propped up as a romantic lead. And now, it's clear that he is a hero because he understands the nuances of this situation and helps the people who are just trapped by forces outside of their control. He works to protect Aidan and Chris even though they were guilty of these robberies. He sees just how dangerous it is to wear a wire. But it's still the ultimate goal that leads to the best outcome. As such, it's ultimately an uplifting story. That's unexpected from a crossover event amongst the shows. But that also proves that the creative teams are changing and aspiring to shake up the formula after all of these years as well. That's very exciting.
