Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 4 ‘The After’ is about Voight, and about grief. Maybe it’s about Voight processing the grief of his spouse’s loss, eventually. However for Voight, there’s at all times grief over grief that he has not let himself course of. He’s misplaced an excessive amount of. In truth, at occasions, it appears like all Voight has performed is lose individuals, over and over. And certain, generally that’s on him. However loss nonetheless piles up.
That’s significantly true about loss you don’t cope with. And if there’s one factor Hank Voight has by no means been good at is introspection. This episode forces him to do a few of that, if solely as a result of ADA Chapman has turn into one of many few characters who not solely pushes again — Hastead and Upton did that to some extent — however who asks honest questions, who desires to know Voight higher.
MORE: Right here’s our evaluate of Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 1! And right here’s our evaluate of Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 2! And Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 3.
But it surely’s not simply that she asks, that she tries, it’s that Voight lets her. It’s that he solutions. That doesn’t essentially have to show romantic, although it wouldn’t actually shock me if the present had been to go that means at this level. She’s already put her emotions on the desk, and there’s little doubt that Voight feels one thing too or he wouldn’t have been so upset at what Chapman did. Both means, the connection feels extra essential than most of Voight’s relationships have. And, mockingly, for a personality that felt at first like she would simply be one other instrument in Voight’s arsenal, it’s additionally beginning to really feel actual.
Regardless of the present chooses to do with their relationship, this episode is a monumental step ahead for a personality that has been caught in the identical place for what appears like seasons now. The issue with Voight has by no means been that the’s a morally gray character, the issue has at all times been the present’s unwillingness to permit any form of development to the touch him.
Does a doable romantic relationship remedy issues? No. We’re removed from making a personality like Voight actually sympathetic, let that be clear. However the finish of Season 11 and what we’ve seen of Season 12 do showcase a willingness on the a part of the present to strive. That appears like nothing to write down house about, however contemplating it’s Voight, it’s truly a giant deal.
MORE: What did we would like from Chicago P.D. Season 12 and the way are we doing on the scoreboard?
And certain, the copaganda remains to be sturdy on this episode. That half, nicely …Chicago P.D. hasn’t actually reckoned with and it doesn’t really feel like they’re any near doing so. And sure, the Intelligence crew is at all times in the correct, so we’re speculated to look the opposite means once they’re somewhat tough with suspects, or once they break guidelines. The police are at all times proper! They at all times have our greatest pursuits at coronary heart. They at all times catch the unhealthy guys!
Besides we all know, we’ve been recognized, it isn’t so. It by no means has been, actually. However maybe asking the present to permit Voight to develop and reckon with that’s asking an excessive amount of. They’ve already performed greater than I anticipated with the Voight storyline, I’m not going to lie. And proper now, I can’t say I adore it, however I can say I don’t have it as a lot as I assumed I’d. Possibly I’m even kinda curious to see the place it’s going. Stunning, I do know.
Agree? Disagree? What did you consider Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 4 ‘The After’? Share with us within the feedback under!
Chicago P.D. airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.