Spoilers ahead for Episode 14 of Chicago P.D. Season 12, called "Marie" and available streaming next day with a Peacock subscription.

Chicago P.D. revisited the troubling case of young Zoe in the latest episode of the 2025 TV schedule, and any episode involving that little girl is bound to be intense after what Patrick John Flueger said about working with the young actress. Zoe was abducted by the man she believed was her father, and the Intelligence Unit went all-out to try and find him... all while Ruzek was trying to take care of his father, whose memory has quickly deteriorated. The officer understandably shed some tears when his dad forgot his name, but finally cracked a big smile when he could introduce Zoe to her grandmother.

So the episode did come to a happy ending with Zoe meeting a loving family member and learning her real name – Marie, as we might have guessed based on the episode title – but it was a heavy hour of television. Even the good ship Burzek was sailing some choppy waters, although they handled it well. With how draining "Marie" was by the end for Ruzek, I'm just glad that Marina Squerciati posted some very fun behind-the-scenes photos of her trying on wedding gowns for Burgess and Ruzek's upcoming nuptials. Who wouldn't need a little lightness after how "Marie" unfolded?

Let's take a break from all the heaviness for a few minutes and celebrate some pretty dresses and fun comments from Squerciati's fellow One Chicago actors! First, though, be sure to read her caption below:

Personally, I have to vote for dress #2 with the long sleeves and deep V-neck. It looks great on Squerciati – who had a baby just last year! – and seems like something that Burgess might pick out. Plenty of people chimed in her comment section, including a current Chicago P.D. star, former Chicago P.D. star, and Chicago Med alum, and there seems to be a consensus among the One Chicago actors:

• Tracy Spiridakos (Chicago P.D.): "😍😍😍 I love 1 and 2! You look gorgeous. I’m so excited 🥹"
• LaRoyce Hawkins (Chicago P.D.): "i’m torn between option 2 and 3
  i’m also torn between who’s best man i should be..🤔"
• Yaya DaCosta (Chicago Med): "I vote for number two!"

Fortunately, Patrick John Flueger was not among the commenters, so he may be going along with Marina Squerciati's caption of "I KNOW IT'S FOR TV, BUT PADDY DO NOT LOOK AT THIS POST." As for LaRoyce Hawkins' comments, I'm leaning towards him as Ruzek's best man just because of the very sweet option of Makayla as Burgess' maid of honor, the very funny option of Platt as Burgess' matron of honor, or a wild card. Kiana has been a great addition to the Intelligence Unit, but not really around long enough to be a bridal party candidate.

And I'd be lying if Tracy Spiridakos' comment of "I'm so excited" didn't make me cross my fingers for Upton to turn up at the Burzek wedding, even if just for a quick cameo. I wouldn't mind Jesse Lee Soffer turning up as Halstead as well, but Halstead's divisive exit was less open ended than Upton's was. At this point, though, and in all seriousness, it'd just be great if Burzek get to celebrate a nice wedding where nothing goes wrong... and ideally not at a fish store, like what happened with Brettsey over on Chicago Fire.

On the whole, Chicago P.D. can be dark enough at times that it's just fun to focus on what could lead to happiness for the characters who go through so much. For now, Marina Squerciati trying on wedding dresses is the closest we have to confirmation that a wedding ceremony is in the works for Burzek before the end of the season. At least they won't be eloping a la Upstead?

See what's next with new episodes of One Chicago on NBC Wednesdays, starting with Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET, and then finishing with Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. It really is P.D.'s turn for a proper wedding with all the fixings; Med's April and Ethan tied the knot in a church ceremony while Fire's Brett and Casey made the most of their fish store. Here's hoping Burzek get a win!

Marina Squerciati makes plenty of news during a TV season due to the ups and downs of playing Kim Burgess on NBC's Chicago P.D., but the actress had a big announcement from her personal life as she celebrated the end of 2024. She took to social media to reveal a pregnancy that she'd managed to hide all year, with one photo celebrating "bikini life" with her baby bump and another showcasing a pretty hilarious look at her older daughter's artistic take. Plus, her caption answers a question from her show's current twelfth season.

The actress certainly had more to celebrate than her One Chicago character often does to prepare for 2025! Take a look at her announcement on Instagram below, and be sure to click through to see both photos:

Kudos to Marina Squerciati and those around her for successfully hiding her pregnancy, because there was absolutely no sign during the end of Chicago P.D. Season 11 or start of Season 12, other than that – as noted in her caption – she missed the first two episodes of the fall season. NBC's hit show had found a great way to explain the character's absence, and Squerciati missing a couple installments had me assuming that it was due to One Chicago budget cutbacks! Who knew?

The pregnancy announcement not only showed off Squerciati's baby bump, complete with #BikiniLife, #MiamiVibes, and #motherofdragons, but also her daughter's take. Perhaps that last dragon-related hashtag is a sign of what her daughter represented in her artwork – the challenges Squerciati faced as a working mom successfully keeping some very big news private from the public!

This was the second time during the run of Chicago P.D. that Squerciati has kept a baby bump off camera, as she was pregnant during the seventh season back in 2017. She stepped away from the show for her maternity leave, which P.D. explained by Burgess needing a furlough to take care of her sister. Due to timing in 2024, the actress evidently didn't need to take a break from filming part of the way into a season. We can just all be glad that she was able to take time with her family instead of rushing back to work for the first two episodes of Season 12.

And her One Chicago friends wasted no time in celebrating the news after she made the announcement on Instagram. Within an hour, former P.D. star Tracy Spiridakos had posted three hearts in Squerciati's comment section, with executive producer Brian Luce commenting "Priceless!" LaRoyce Hawkins, who has worked alongside Squerciati from the very beginning of P.D. as Kevin Atwater, wrote:

Messages of congratulations are also pouring in from fans, along with wishes for a Happy New Year. All in all, Squerciati's post was very sweet to see during the winter break of her longtime show, and not just because Burgess could be going through the wringer again in the upcoming One Chicago crossover in late January.

I have to echo all the other One Chicago fans (as well as her P.D. pals) in congratulating Marina Squerciati on the new arrival, and hopefully the new year only brings good things for her and her family.

Crossover events between NBC's hit One Chicago shows used to happen fairly regularly, but fans have been waiting more than five years to see the heroes of Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med joining forces on an epic crisis threatening the Windy City. Now, half a decade after the three-part "Infection" crossover from October 2019, another event is on the way for the 2025 TV schedule that will be particularly dangerous for two characters. And after that news broke, I was reminded of something P.D.'s Marina Squerciati told me earlier this fall and had an idea.

First things first, though!

One Chicago's 2025 Crossover Event

With Fire, P.D., and Med all ending in the 2024 TV schedule after airing their fall finales back in November and with rewatching via a Peacock subscription the only solid option for a fix until the winter premieres, fans can certainly celebrate getting some big news! Wolf Entertainment has announced that the crossover will air on Wednesday, January 29 on NBC, but the lineup won't be the same as usual.

For the three-parter, Chicago Fire will air first at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Chicago Med at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. The cop drama, currently in its twelfth season, is the only one of the three to keep its usual time slot. The series are expected to revert to their usual times following the crossover.

So, what can One Chicago do to top the cinematic "Infection" event? This time around, a gas explosion will rock one of the Windy City's high rises, prompting the familiar first responders to rush in to rescue hundreds of civilians. That's nor enough for a full three-parter, though, and the plot will certainly thicken when a crisis develops beneath the ground. The result will be a race to save the forty people who are trapped underground, including two of their own.

Naturally, the description of the crossover didn't reveal the identities of the two characters whose lives will be in particular danger in the event, nor did the statement from One Chicago co-executive producer and Wolf Entertainment EVP Anastasia Puglisi, who said:

Historically, I've felt that One Chicago was best at making the Fire and Med hours of a three-parter feel more seamless than the Chicago P.D. hour, with the crime procedural usually keeping its 10 p.m. ET slot. That doesn't mean that the crossovers have fallen short, and recalling how I felt about the P.D. episode of "Infection" in 2019 also reminded me of what Marina Squerciati told me much more recently about another star she'd like to work with more, and I'd be on board with seeing their characters in peril together.

Marina Squerciati's Season 12 Comments

Now, when I say that I'd like to see these two characters in peril together, I'm working on the assumption that no One Chicago series regulars will actually die or face lasting damage from the crossover. Whichever two characters are trapped with the civilians in the crossover seem likely to bond and work together through whatever they endure, and I'd like to nominate Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess and Toya Turner as Kiana Cook for the underground disaster.

I spoke with Marina Squerciati earlier this year about Burgess' push for promotion and then successfully making detective. (Patrick John Flueger has his own take on it from Ruzek's point of view.) As somebody who was always hoping to see Burgess and Upton sharing a storyline (with both Squerciati and Tracy Spiridakos all for it), I had to revisit the idea of P.D. women actually sharing the screen.

With Kiana Cook on board in Season 12, I asked what kind of relationship she'd like to see between the two characters, and the Burgess actress shared:

Did Marina Squerciati mean "Burgess and Cook trapped underground in peril together" when she said "any relationship" between the two of them? Considering that this interview happened back in early November, almost certainly not. But dang it, the crossover pairing them up would be fun... for me, at least! The longtime P.D. cast member went on to compliment New Amsterdam alum Toya Turner as the newest series regular, saying:

Squerciati's ringing endorsement of Toya Turner as a new co-star definitely tracks with what Turner told me about how welcoming the Chicago P.D. cast was to her, up to LaRoyce Hawkins helping her pick out a couch. I spoke with her just one day after getting Squerciati's thoughts on Burgess and Cook, and she shared her own thoughts on the subject:

Are the One Chicago crossover installments any of the "future eps" that Toya Turner hinted at for Team Kiki? We won't find out for sure until the event airs in late January, and I'm excited either way. And even if we don't get Burgess and Cook together in the three-parter, I think it's encouraging that both actresses are so on board to work together more in the future.

For now, you can look forward to One Chicago's first crossover since 2019 on Wednesday, January 29 on NBC. Another option is to revisit past crossovers over winter break, as Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med are all available streaming on Peacock. The winter premieres will all air on January 8.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 6 of NBC's Chicago P.D. Season 12, called "Pawns."

Chicago P.D. delivered a twist that was a long time coming in the fall 2024 TV schedule with "Pawns," which finally elevated one of the longtime officers to detective status. Kim Burgess aced the written and interview portions of the exam, before things got complicated during the ridealong with Detective Suarez. By the end of the hour, she did get the promotion to detective, but she got a favor she wasn't looking for in the process. Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about what went down and reassured me about what happens next for Burzek.

Before she even had to deal with the politics of promotion, Burgess struggled to separate running a crime scene like a detective and doing the work usually assigned to officers. She paid the price, when racing off to chase down a suspect resulted in losing track of key evidence. (You can rewatch the episode streaming with a Peacock subscription.) Suarez pointed out that being a detective means not having to go on the chases as much anymore. When I spoke with Marina Squerciati, she weighed in on Burgess having to try and shed those instincts:

It's no surprise that the actress might need to remind herself about playing a detective now, as she had been portraying an CPD officer for twelve seasons and well over 200 episodes. So, for all these years as an officer and Atwater originally seeming next in line to make detective, is it about time for Burgess to finally be promoted? Squerciati weighed in:

Unfortunately, her well-earned promotion came with some strings attached, despite her best efforts to keep everything 100% above board. She was willing to turn down a favor from Suarez and even leave Intelligence to work at Area Central, and stuck to her guns even when Ruzek tried to talk her out of it. The possibly sketchy Deputy Chief Reid stepped in and insisted that she get to return to her longtime unit, leading Voight to ominously tell Burgess that "Nothing's ever free."

So, is the promotion to detective in the Intelligence Unit tainted for Burgess since it was arguably the result of a favor that she didn't even want? I asked Marina Squerciati that very question, and she responded:

Despite showrunner Gwen Sigan's assurance that Burgess and Ruzek's relationship will be solid in Season 12, I couldn't help but recall that most of Chicago P.D.'s romances within the Intelligence Unit have been between cops of the same rank. Roman and Burgess were both officers, Halstead and Upton were both detectives, and Burgess and Ruzek were both officers for the entire run of the series up until "Pawns." (Technically Upzek was between Detective Upton and Officer Ruzek, but the less said about the short Upzek era of Season 6 is for the better.)

So, just as Chicago P.D. is exploring the storyline of an Intelligence officer making detective for the first time, would Season 12 be the first time the show truly explores the CPD complications of two cops of unequal rank being romantically involved? I was concerned about that as a problem for Burzek, but Marina Squerciati allayed those fears when I asked, saying:

Whatever Chicago P.D. has in store for Burzek as Season 12 continues, it evidently won't involve any conflict between them about a detective being engaged to an officer, which gives me a sigh of relief. Burgess is on the verge of dealing with relationship complications within the Intelligence Unit soon, though, if the promo is any indication; the relationship just won't be her own. Take a look at what's ahead for Torres:

Becoming a detective hasn't just wiped Burgess' slate clean, and it should be interesting to see what the dynamic is like between her and Torres with Gloria coming back into the picture. Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, November 13 at 10 p.m. ET for this next episode of Chicago P.D., following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET.

Chicago P.D. is returning in the fall 2024 TV schedule after taking a week off, and the new episode on November 6 will be a big one for Burgess. After more than a decade of One Chicago's cop drama as CPD officer, she's on her way to becoming a detective... if all goes well despite the politics on the way, that is, and that's never a guarantee. Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about what's to expect, including why the storyline was a long time coming and what still needs to shift for Burgess.

The next episode of Chicago P.D. is called "Pawns," and the promo reveals that Burgess will be just one last step away from making detective. Burgess, Ruzek, and Atwater have all been officers from the very beginning and the Intelligence Unit lost its two main detectives when Halstead left the CPD and Upton moved on, so I asked Marina Squerciati if she had any idea before Season 12 that Burgess could be next in line to try for the promotion. The actress said:

Even though it initially seemed that Chicago P.D. had brought in a new detective for Season 12 rather than promoted anybody, Martel was killed off quickly and newcomer Kiana Cook (Toya Turner) is another officer. While previously Atwater seemed like a contender for the next detective, it was anybody's game. Whether or not Burgess gets what she's hoping for in "Pawns" remains to be seen, but what held her back from pursuing a promotion for all these years? Squerciati explained:

Stability can be in short supply on Chicago P.D. even in the best circumstances, and Burgess had to put in a lot of love, time, and effort to build a home for Makayla. Fortunately, once she and Ruzek got back together and made commitment after commitment to each other, they seem to have a stable family unit with their daughter. Squerciati previewed how Ruzek will react to Burgess making this big professional effort to become detective, saying:

Luckily for fans of the good ship Burzek, showrunner Gwen Sigan's comments about smoothing sailing in Season 12 seem to be holding true this fall! She also confirmed ahead of the premiere (which you can stream with a Peacock subscription) that a promotion definitely "is in store" and they tried to make it happen for "so many years."

That doesn't mean the journey will be easy, however. I asked Marina Squerciati how the title of the November 6 episode – "Pawns" – applies to Burgess and the case as she's put to the test, and the actress previewed how her character needs to change:

Only time will tell how long it will take Burgess to come to understand the political side of the game a bit better, but it should be an interesting ride. The promo for the episode also gives a tease of the politics that Burgess is facing in her attempt to be promoted to detective:

Be sure to tune in to NBC on Wednesday, November 6 at 10 p.m. ET for the "Pawns" episode of Chicago P.D. As always, the Intelligence Unit's exploits follow Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET, all on NBC. You can also revisit earlier episodes of all three shows streaming on Peacock now, and don't forget to check back with CinemaBlend for more from Marina Squerciati.

Chicago P.D. arrived in the 2024 TV schedule with a Season 12 premiere that did a whole lot more than just show what the Intelligence Unit is like without Upton. Burgess was also absent from the episode, and Ruzek was partnered with an old friend from his academy days... for most of the episode, anyway, until the shocking twist ending in which she was killed right in front of him. While it's a safe bet that Ruzek is in for a rough ride in the next episode, Marina Squerciati's new BTS photos are worth a smile.

Burgess wasn't missing from the Season 12 premiere (which is available streaming with a Peacock subscription) for any nefarious reasons. The in-universe reason was that she was at the NAWLEE – National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives – conference, where she was "learning a lot" but "thinking about coming back early" because she's "disturbed by her caseload," according to Ruzek. (The out-of-universe reason is likely tied to budget.)

It remains to be seen when Burgess will be back for some of the Burzek developments that showrunner Gwen Sigan previewed, but the actress was active on Instagram:

Marina Squerciati recruited Benjamin Levy Aguilar to help her recreate a picture that she took with Jesse Lee Soffer when he was still a series regular. The caption is where the post gets truly goofy in the best way, as she more or less told a story about Jake and Kate – a.k.a. Jay Halstead and Kim Burgess – via hashtags. The comment section did indeed provide some context for any fans who didn't already know the origin of "Jake and Kate."

Apparently, Soffer and Squerciati so rarely shared scenes together as Jay and Kim that they took to calling each other's characters Jake and Kate. Does the recruitment of Aguilar for the photo mean that Burgess and Torres are going to have limited screen time together as well? She did name him "Benji" in the post, after all!

In all seriousness, it's nice to see some humor out of the Chicago P.D. cast after the Season 12 finale ended on bloodshed and a shellshocked Ruzek. It seems safe to say that the cast of P.D. could celebrate the premiere like Tracy Spiridakos did, but the characters certainly had nothing to celebrate.

It's hard to say just how far along the cast is into filming the season at this point, although both actors are wearing coats. Showrunner Gwen Sigan also shared back in mid-September that the writers were working on Episodes 7 and 8 at the time.

Find out how Chicago P.D. brings back Burgess and moves Ruzek on after the Season 12 premiere with new episodes, airing on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. As always, P.D. airs after Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET. All three shows can be found streaming on Peacock.

Chicago P.D. Season 11 has had plenty of curveballs for the characters, ranging from Upton confiding in Voight of all people in the premiere to Torres possibly making a huge mistake in the most recent episode. There have been some happy moments too, though, most notably including the reveal that Ruzek survived his gunshot wound cliffhanger and then proposing to Burgess. Ending a season with their life in jeopardy due to being shot is something that Burzek have in common with each other, and Marina Squerciati had a fun take on that when speaking with CinemaBlend.

One Chicago's police drama entered the 2024 TV schedule with one major question in particular: did Ruzek survive and fully recover from being shot in the Season 10 finale? It was a familiar question, as Burgess was in the exact same situation after being shot in the Season 8 finale. When I spoke with Marina Squerciati about what she called the "perfect" Burzek twist, I also noted that being shot in a finale is a tragic thing for the characters to have in common. The actress had a different (and very valid) spin on it, saying:

Hey, what better way for an actor to get an outpouring of fan love than their character being on the verge of death? Especially in a show like Chicago P.D., where characters aren't magically resurrected! P.D. doesn't often kill off major characters, but it has happened, so there's rarely absolute certainly that a character will pull through a potentially fatal injury. After hearing Squerciati's take, I commented that has to be a flattering response to get as a performer, and she responded:

I for one had never thought about it in those terms, but I definitely see her point! Plus, P.D. fans didn't have to spend months watching either character fight through their recovery, as Burgess and Ruzek were both back on their feet early in their respective seasons after being shot. Of course, those two bouncing back isn't a guarantee that every injury will be healed on Chicago P.D., and it was just last season that there were fears that Jay Halstead would be killed off to accommodate Jesse Lee Soffer's decision to leave.

With Tracy Spiridakos set to be the next series regular to leave Chicago P.D., fans can always start to worry as well as wonder about how Upton will be written out. I'm personally holding out for a happy ending for the character after everything she's been through, and Spiridakos is sticking around through the rest of the season, so we may not know any time soon.

For now, we can at least be optimistic about the future of Burzek, and not just because Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger could see fans hoping for their characters' survival after being shot! Showrunner Gwen Sigan previously said that Burzek would have a "nice ride" in Season 11, with Squerciati opening up about their "easier life" this time around.

Based on the promo for the next episode, airing on February 21, Atwater won't be having an easy time at all! Take a look:

Tune in to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago P.D., following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. You can also revisit earlier episodes (and seasons) of all three shows now with a Peacock Premium subscription.

The third episode of Chicago P.D. Season 11 in the 2024 TV schedule ended on a very happy twist, with Ruzek proposing to Burgess in what Marina Squerciati described as a "perfect" moment. Most of the episode wasn't quite so straightfoward, however, as what seemed to a hate crime turned out to be a cop committing murder to try and cover up a sexual assault on a migrant woman. It was the kind of case that usually belongs to Olivia Benson over on Law & Order: SVU. The dirty cop had a simple request of Burgess when she arrived to arrest him, and the actress spoke with CinemaBlend about the choice her character made.

Officer Danny Alvarez joined the Intelligence Unit for the case of the week, seemingly because he was dedicated to tracking down the shooter who committed a hate crime right outside his precinct. Burgess connected the dots to realize that not only did Alvarez arrange for the shooting to kill the woman he'd raped (and who was pregnant), but he shot and killed somebody else who could have exposed him.

He realized that the jig was up when Burgess arrived, and he asked to say goodbye to his family and then take the easy way out: shooting himself. Instead, she took him into custody in a move that would make Olivia Benson proud on SVU. When I spoke with Marina Squerciati about the episode and that Burzek scene that originally scared her, I also asked if she thought any part of Burgess considered letting Alvarez take the easy way out. The actress responded:

That blue wall has caused problems for the Chicago P.D. characters before, particularly Atwater. LaRoyce Hawkins' character made the brave decision in the Season 7 finale to expose a racist cop for who he was, which was the morally right thing to do but made Atwater the target of that cop's friends within CPD. At the same time, the members of the Intelligence Unit have each other's backs through thick and thin, and – as Marina Squerciati pointed out – not all of One Chicago's criminals are as despicable as Alvarez was.

Fortunately, the blue wall in One Chicago's CPD didn't extend to Burgess letting Alvarez take the easy way out. Instead, she got as much justice for his victims as was possible by taking him into custody. It wasn't exactly a happy ending to the case given that there was so much blood on his hands already, but great to see Burgess cut him no breaks. If only Olivia Benson could have seen it!

Olivia Benson is of course the lead character of Law & Order: SVU, with Mariska Hargitay currently in her 25th season as star of NBC's hit drama. As fans know well, SVU covers sexually-based offenses that "are considered especially heinous," to quote the opening narration.

Marina Squerciati actually played Burgess on SVU back in 2015, as part of the SVU/Chicago P.D. crossover that officially established One Chicago and the Law & Order shows existing in the same TV universe. (You can revisit the crossover streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.) That connection between shows ultimately helped create a nine-show shared Wolf Entertainment TV universe also including the FBIs over on CBS.

Tune in to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago P.D. Season 11, and Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET for new episodes of Law & Order: SVU Season 25. All seasons of both shows are also available streaming on Peacock.

The eleven seasons of Chicago P.D. so far have been short on lasting happy endings, but the latest episode delivered a twist that gave viewers reason to celebrate. After more than a decade of hurdle after hurdle, Ruzek proposed to Burgess at their home following a tough case, and she accepted. Burzek are officially engaged... and will hopefully tie the knot this time around! Marina Squerciati opened up about the proposal that she described as "perfect" to CinemaBlend, sharing why she was nervous originally. 

Marina Squerciati has been a proponent of the Burzek relationship for years, and she (along with co-star Patrick John Flueger) addressed the importance of their family unit with Makayla for the 200th episode in 2023. When I spoke with the actress about the characters in Season 11, I asked for her reaction when she originally found out that Burgess and Ruzek were getting engaged in the 2024 TV schedule. Squerciati shared:

Marina Squerciati isn't kidding when she mentions "tumult" between Burgess and Ruzek on Chicago P.D.! The last several seasons alone saw them going through a brutal miscarriage, Burgess nearly dying from a gunshot wound, their differing approaches to Makayla being kidnapped, and then Ruzek nearly dying from a gunshot wound. And those are just some of their struggles in recent years! Luckily, showrunner Gwen Sigan had the reassuring words that Burzek are "steady now."

Gwen Sigan also spoke with CinemaBlend about the Burzek family unit prior to the proposal, promising that it will be "a nice ride for the two of them this year." Burgess and Ruzek do indeed seem to finally be catching a break this season, as the work they put into making their family whole is paying off, and the proposal was lovely. Who knew that Chicago P.D. could find a way to top the sweetness of Makayla finally calling Adam "Dad" last season?  

Plus, Burgess and Ruzek getting engaged gives fans at least one Chicago P.D. romance that's going well! The season began with Upton mailing the divorce papers that would make her split from Halstead official, and confided in Voight of all people about her attempts to move forward. There seemingly isn't much up for Upstead for now, but at least we have Burzek as a source of lightness in a show that can get pretty dark. Even with other sources of drama that are surely on the way, Burzek seems to be a bright spot of Season 11. 

The next episode looks like it will deliver plenty of darkness with a high-stakes drug case, although it does bring back Benjamin Levy Aguilar as Dante Torres for the first time since the penultimate episode of Season 10! Check out the promo for the new episode on February 7:

Keep tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago P.D., and check out a Peacock Premium subscription if you want to revisit earlier seasons of the hit drama. As always, P.D. is preceded on Wednesday nights by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m., with plenty of first responder action and medical drama in store in 2024. 

Spoilers ahead for Episode 3 of Chicago P.D. Season 11, called "Safe Harbor."

Kim Burgess went through a tough (and sleep-deprived) few days in the latest episode of Chicago P.D. in the 2024 TV schedule, and despite the title, "Safe Harbor" was hardly safe for anybody involved. After the assault and murder of a Venezuelan woman that originally seemed like a hate crime, Burgess tied the crimes back to a fellow cop. The case ended with what little justice was possible, but the episode itself had a happy ending on the Burzek front. Burgess and Ruzek are engaged, and Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about why it was "perfect."

Season 11 may have gotten off to a pretty grim start with Upton confiding in Voight about her failure to move forward, and even Ruzek passing his tests to return to work was overshadowed a bit by a death. While the case of "Safe Harbor" was certainly dark, Ruzek proposing to Burgess proved that showrunner Gwen Sigan wasn't kidding about the "nice ride" for Burzek. 

Inspired by her talking about the home and life they've built together, Ruzek retrieved the ring he already had handy and said "Let's make it forever." When I spoke with Marina Squerciati about "Safe Harbor," I noted that was a great line from Ruzek in his proposal speech, and the actress responded: 

There was no elaborate proposal or lengthy speech from either of them, but I'd say that Adam popping the question and Kim's response just felt right after what they'd gone through in the episode. Squerciati previously opened up about how the two characters were already able to move through their home like a husband and wife; now, they can make it official! The actress went on to share why now was the right time for the Burzek engagement: 

It would certainly be understandable if Ruzek has some more recovery work to do after being shot for the Season 10 finale cliffhanger, but after how he supported her after her injury, can there be any doubt that she'd be there for him? The conversation before the proposal also showed how far they've come over the last ten seasons and counting. After I pointed out that we don't see communication as healthy as Burzek's in "Safe Harbor" very often across all of One Chicago, Squerciati said:

Was there some truth about how they'd tried before in Burgess' comment of "Third time's the charm" when Ruzek gave her the ring? Sure, but they've come an awfully long way. They already have a full life together, complete with Makayla. That certainly wasn't the case the last time they gave romance a try, and I would say that there's every reason to have faith that the waters will remain calm... or as calm as any waters stay on Chicago P.D., anyway!

Ruzek even said in the proposal that he'd planned on doing something bigger to make the proposal more of an event, so I asked the actress if it was more ideal for Burgess that he just seized a quiet moment after a tough day to suggest that they spend forever together. Marina Squerciati shared her idea for what Ruzek should do next to follow up on popping the question:

I'm confident that we won't see if Ruzek does take her out for dinner next – possibly with some champagne and caviar – but it's fun to imagine that this is indeed what happens next! Unless Chicago P.D. establishes something else, I'm going to just go ahead and believe this is exactly what happened next for Burzek. Why not make the most of a happy ending in One Chicago's heaviest show? 

See what's next for Burgess, Ruzek, and the rest with new episodes of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, and revisit earlier episodes of the Burzek journey streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. Benjamin Levy Aguilar will return as Dante Torres on February 7, for the first time since the penultimate episode of Season 10. Be sure to tune in!

Chicago P.D. didn't leave fans hanging for too long in Season 11 about the fate of Burgess and Ruzek, quickly establishing that Ruzek had survived his gunshot wound at the end of Season 10 and Burgess wasn't a single mom all over again. At the end of the latest episode, Ruzek even passed the necessary tests to return to the Intelligence Unit. Now, however, the focus is shifting over to Burgess for a high-stakes case, and Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about what's on deck for Burzek.

Called "Safe Harbor," the episode that airs on January 31 will see Burgess on the scene of a drive-by shooting. This will also be the first case of Burgess officially working with Ruzek after the six-month time jump. When I spoke with Squerciati, she shared how Ruzek coming back to the job affects Burgess: 

Ruzek was there for Burgess as much as she'd let him in the wake of her own shooting, starting from when she was still physically recovering and continuing through to her breakthroughs in the 200th episode. Who better to understand what he's going through than somebody who has already been on that journey? 

Showrunner Gwen Sigan previously told CinemaBlend that the two are on a "nice ride" in Season 11, which they've certainly earned. I asked Squerciati if she and Patrick John Flueger worked out that "dance" together or if it just came naturally to them after ten full seasons, and the actress shared:

After ten seasons and counting – not to mention how much fun the two actors are when paired for an interview – it's good to know that the co-stars have such a solid working relationship. Unless something drastically changes, Burgess and Ruzek are the most important people in the other's life... other than Makayla, of course!

Still, based on NBC's description of the next episode on January 31, it's hard not to speculate about whether the "easier" life for Burzek will stick. After all, domestic bliss doesn't tend to stick on Chicago P.D. (For reference: the Upstead journey.) Take a look at what's to come in "Safe Harbor":

While none of that necessarily spells disaster for Burgess or Burzek, is it really an episode of Chicago P.D. if at least one major character doesn't go through the wringer? Find out what's ahead with the "Safe Harbor" episode of Chicago P.D. on Wednesday, January 31 at 10 p.m. ET, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m., all on NBC.

The other two One Chicago shows have delivered complications for their characters as well, with the Fire showrunner addressing the exit of a series regular and the two Med bosses sharing the stories they were particularly excited to continue in Season 9. Earlier seasons of all three series are available streaming now with a Peacock Premium subscription. 

Chicago P.D. fans who have been waiting since the spring to witness the aftermath of the Season 10 finale only have a few weeks left without any new episodes, but the cast of One Chicago's police procedural had something different to celebrate recently. Patrick John Flueger, who has played Officer Adam Ruzek from the first season, turned 40 earlier this month, and his co-stars celebrated his birthday Ghostbusters-style in the Windy City. And honestly, seeing photos of the cast having fun together just makes me cross my fingers all the harder for some good news about Ruzek after the Season 10 finale cliffhanger.

Ruzek's fate after being shot in the Season 10 finale was still unknown when the final credits rolled, and the WGA writers strike followed by the SAG-AFTRA actors strike meant that the resolution didn't come with a fall premiere as per usual for Chicago P.D. Ahead of Season 11's premiere in the 2024 TV schedule, Patrick John Flueger, Marina Squerciati (Officer Kim Burgess), Tracy Spiridakos (Detective Hailey Upton), LaRoyce Hawkins (Officer Kevin Atwater), and former Chicago Med star Nick Gehlfuss (Dr. Will Halstead) had some fun for Flueger's birthday, which Squerciati arranged for her on-screen partner and real-life "bestie." Take a look: 

Nothing as lighthearted as a birthday trip to play arcade games and snap pics in the iconic Ghostbusters car – a.k.a. Ecto-1 – can really happen in One Chicago without disaster striking, but that wasn't the case for the actors. According to Marina Squerciati's caption, they all had different strengths, with hers involving cake. Patrick John Flueger is sporting a big smile in front of his birthday cake, and I get a kick out of seeing Nick Gehlfuss in combat gear. After all, Will was not the Halstead brother who regularly suited up for battle in the One Chicago world when Jay was around! 

LaRoyce Hawkins posted a comment on Squerciati's photos that is undoubtedly very relatable for Chicago P.D. fans: "#iLoveBurgess." For her part, Tracy Spiridakos also had a bunch of pics to post from Patrick John Flueger's birthday bash:

Spiridakos credited Marina Squerciati with organizing the celebration and Patrick John Flueger for being born, and fans now have a recommendation for the Windy City. Her first photo is especially fun for including all five of the One Chicago actors with big smiles, and I can't help but love the third with Spiridakos in the back of Ecto-1. Her expression is so serious that I could easily imagine this as a still photo from an episode of Chicago P.D., if not for the Ghostbusters logo directly behind her!

And with all of this fun to close out 2023, I have to hope that we get some good news about Ruzek sooner rather than later in the new year. Tracy Spiridakos is the only member of the cast confirmed to leave in Season 11, and Flueger's presence in Chicago obviously bodes well for Ruzek making a recovery. But Burgess' enduring trauma from being shot – which came to a head in the milestone 200th episode – is proof enough that surviving a bullet doesn't mean fully recovering right away.

Whatever happens, Chicago P.D. is by far the darkest of the three One Chicago shows, so I'm going to just enjoy seeing the stars (plus the bonus Chicago Med alum) having fun. P.D. will return for Season 11 on Wednesday, January 17 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following Chicago Fire's Season 12 premiere at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med's Season 9 premiere at 8 p.m.

The conclusions of the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike before the end of the year mean that television's biggest shows are able to finally begin production on new episodes for the 2024 TV schedule, and that includes NBC's three One Chicago series. Members of the Chicago P.D. cast are back together as Season 11 gets started, and they posed together to celebrate. Personally, I have to agree completely with what Tracy Spiridakos posted along with her photo! 

Tracy Spiridakos took to Instagram to share a picture that she took with co-star Marina Squerciati. Both actresses were supportive of the strikes over the summer and fall of 2023, with Spiridakos reuniting with former P.D. star Jesse Lee Soffer on the picket line and Squerciati posing with former Chicago Med stars (and kittens). The two women were sporting big smiles for their Season 11 return, and the caption immediately caught my eye: 

Call me crazy, but as somebody who has been wanting more of the two Chicago P.D. women interacting as far back as my very first interview with Tracy Spiridakos about a rare Upton/Burgess episode, I have to agree that some "bupton"/"upgess" action would be welcome in Season 11. After all, Spiridakos is leaving P.D. as Upton at some point in the new season, so time is running out. Marina Squerciati previously expressed a wish to see more of Burgess and Upton, and showrunner Gwen Sigan told CinemaBlend in 2022 that the goal was to have them together more. 

With only thirteen episodes expected for Season 11 and Upton's upcoming departure, sooner rather than later would be ideal for the two women to share some screentime! Sure, there's baggage between the characters since Burgess still doesn't that the man who shot her is actually long dead due to Upton and Voight, but I'm ready for some Bupton/Upgess in 2024. Spiridakos and Squerciati weren't the only cast members celebrating the start of Season 11, either. 

On her Instagram Story, the Burgess actress posted a fun pic with LaRoyce Hawkins, a.k.a. Atwater, with Spiridakos squeezed in the middle. Take a look: 

Personally, I'm hoping that Hawkins has something extra to smile about in 2024 and Atwater finally makes detective, particularly since Upton leaving means the Intelligence Unit won't have any detectives at all if nobody is promoted. At the very least, it's nice to see him back with two of his co-stars. 

Also expected to return are Jason Beghe, Patrick John Flueger, Amy Morton, and Benjamin Levy Aguilar, although none have posted about Chicago P.D.'s return on social media at the time of writing. Fans won't see them back in action with new episodes before the end of the 2023 TV schedule, but P.D. will return to NBC in 2024 on Wednesday, January 17 in its usual 10 p.m. ET time slot, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. 

In the meantime, you can revisit earlier episodes streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription, as well as what Jesse Lee Soffer told us about directing Tracy Spiridakos and Jason Beghe, and Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger's funny Burzek comments for the 200th episode. 

NBC's repeats of One Chicago this fall continued with the 200th episode of Chicago P.D., which originally aired on February 22, 2023 and centered the action on Marina Squerciati's Kim Burgess and Patrick John Flueger's Adam Ruzek. Called "Trapped," the episode wasn't much fun for the two characters as she continued to struggle with the trauma from the shooting that nearly killed her. I spoke with the two stars back in February before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and the repeat on November 1 inspired me to revisit that interview. Not only did they share insights on Burzek, but they also dropped some comments that still make me laugh today. 

The 200th episode milestone wasn't the first time that I was lucky enough to interview Squerciati and Flueger as a pair, and they were as much fun the second time as they were the first. When I revisited their comments about "Trapped," I realized that I just hadn't shared some of them on CinemaBlend just yet, including what they said when I thanked them for speaking with me:

• Patrick John Flueger: "Thank you for being with us."
• Marina Squerciati: "I'm eating chocolate, but I'm available."
• Patrick John Flueger: "She'll be all caffeinated up and ready to rock and roll when she's done with that piece."

The duo delivered plenty of insight before and after the episode, including a preview of Burzek "turning a corner" in Season 10 and the Easter egg that fans might have missed in the 200th episode. They were both enthusiastic about their characters and the relationship as Burzek raised their daughter, and said this when I asked them to describe what kind of team Burgess and Ruzek were: 

• Marina Squerciati: "Great! Like, the idea that I could put away my house life if I worked with my partner? Ha! [laughs] I'd be like, 'I'll get the back. Also, you did not do the freaking dishes!' There's no line! They're really good at it."
• Patrick John Flueger: [laughs] "‘Shut the toilet seat!’"
• Marina Squerciati: "‘I fell in last night!’"
• Patrick John Flueger: "‘Chicago P.D.!’"

Burzek may not have had that exact exchange in the 200th (or any) episode of Chicago P.D., but Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger pitching their characters having domestic squabbles while also on the verge of busting a bad guy was definitely funny. P.D. isn't the cop procedural that delivers a lot of laughs on a weekly basis, so it's fun to imagine Burzek bending the rules of the hit drama. 

Flueger also shared his insights Burzek as a team "going around in circles" in Season 10 and appreciating that "this year, the bumps in the road that we have are not relationship bumps in the road, or us like, 'Oh, we just don't understand each other anymore.'" He speculated about the idea of Burgess and Ruzek figuring out their relationship when there's a "quieter time to do so." 

Since there was no way of knowing at the time that Burzek would finally jump back into romance in just over a month, I commented that maybe we'd be waiting another 200 episodes. Flueger said:

Hey, if Law & Order: SVU can be at 538 episodes and counting, why couldn't P.D. hit 400? Fortunately, fans did not in fact have to wait another 200 episodes to see Burgess and Ruzek get back together, but that doesn't mean all is quiet on the Burzek front. Season 10 ended with Patrick John Flueger's character potentially on death's door after being shot. When the tenth season finale aired back in late May, the wait to find out Ruzek's fate seemed likely to only last until September or October, as per usual. 

Then not only did the WGA writers strike last for nearly 150 days without a deal with the AMPTP, but the SAG-AFTRA actors strike began in mid-July and still has not been resolved. Members of the Chicago P.D. cast donated to help crew members in need over the summer, and there's still no saying when the show could begin production on Season 11. It was announced recently that another series regular will be leaving: Tracy Spiridakos as Detective Hailey Upton.

For now, you can always keep watching NBC's One Chicago repeats on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET or revisit your favorite episodes streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. I recently did just that with Chicago P.D.'s first big Upton episode, and I'd recommend it!

Late August is the time of year when the three shows of One Chicago are usually about to return to NBC with new episodes, but the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike for a fair deal from the AMPTP mean that production hasn't even begun yet for the 2023-2024 TV schedule. In support of the strikes, Chicago P.D. star Marina Squerciati joined forces with Chicago Med veterans Torrey DeVitto and Nick Gehlfuss... as well as five adorable kittens who I would say have star power of their own. 

Marina Squerciati is still part of the Chicago P.D. cast, but Nick Gehlfuss departed Med at the end of Season 8, with Torrey DeVitto reprising her role as Natalie for Will's exit. DeVitto herself left the show as a series regular after Season 6. The One Chicago trio reunited to pose for a pic with some cats and some t-shirts that definitely make a statement. Take a look:

Although the kittens are partially blocking the text, the shirts on the three One Chicago stars read "SAG-AFTRA STRONG." There are worse reasons to cover up the message on a shirt than by cuddling some kittens, and kudos to Torrey DeVitto for holding three at once! I also have to appreciate Marina Squerciati's choices for the caption, including a "MEOW!" pun to go with #thisiswhyweneedwriters. I also get a kick out Squerciati using #torina and #torinick to combine their names. 

This isn't the first time that Marina Squerciati has used social media to advocate for the strike, as she posted an Instagram photo of fellow Chicago P.D. star Amy Morton on the picket line. The cop drama of One Chicago was also represented by Tracy Spiridakos and Jesse Lee Soffer, who reunited to picket (and to make me miss Upstead all over again). Plus, Squerciati is among the P.D. cast members who reportedly donated to support the P.D. production assistants as the strikes continue to keep them out of work. 

Torrey DeVitto also posted the photo with Marina Squerciati and Nick Gehlfuss on her Instagram account, with a fun caption of her own: 

DeVitto's post also got a little extra Chicago Med love, as former co-star and current cast member S. Epatha Merkerson commented to say "OMG...how I miss you guys!" Med was renewed for Season 9, so Merkerson will be back as Sharon Goodwin, but she sadly won't be sharing scenes with DeVitto or Nick Gehlfuss unless they return as guest stars. She could work with Marina Squerciati again, though! In fact, a BTS photo featuring both Merkerson and Squerciati last summer made me miss crossovers.

Unfortunately, the only One Chicago crossovers that I and any other fans may get for the foreseeable future are those that already aired and are available streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. At this point, there's no confirmation of when Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, and Chicago Fire will return to NBC with new episodes despite all three being renewed earlier this year. Until the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes conclude, One Chicago will remain off the air with new episodes. 

There are still some scripted and unscripted options coming to television this fall despite the strikes, however, and you can find what to watch with our 2023 TV schedule.

August is normally the time of year when the rumbling of the fall TV season would be starting from the major networks, but that's not the case in 2023 due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike. Production on many projects has been on a standstill since May, and the strikes are still ongoing as fall approaches. That means shows like Chicago P.D. aren't expected to return before the end of the 2023 TV schedule, and the stars and executive producers of NBC's cop drama have come together to help members of the crew during the wait for work to begin on Season 11. 

The vulnerable thirteen set and office production assistants who work on Chicago P.D. have each been given a donation of $1,500 from members of the cast and EPs, according to Deadline, with another payment coming. The stars who have donated to the pool of cash for the PAs so far include Patrick John Flueger (Adam Ruzek), Marina Squerciati (Kim Burgess), Tracy Spiridakos (Hailey Upton), and Amy Morton (Trudy Platt), with LaRoyce Hawkins' (Kevin Atwater) contributions as part of the upcoming second payment to the PAs. Executive producers Gwen Sigan (who is also the showrunner), Gavin Harris, and Scott Gold have donated as well, with first AD Richard White organizing the campaign. 

The first payment was reportedly distributed among the thirteen PAs more than a week ago, with a second donation from Flueger (whose character was left in a frustrating cliffhanger at the end of the 2022-2023 season) bringing the total of the the pool for the staffers to $25,000. Production assistants are generally tasked with jobs like opening sets, getting food orders, and distributing scripts, to name just a few. Organizer Richard White shared what he learned in conversations with the P.D. PAs during the strike, saying:

The donations for the production assistants will hopefully help those members of the crew as the strikes continue with no news of when Chicago P.D. production can begin. The show was renewed (along with Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and the three Law & Order series) back in April, with that news shortly followed by reports that series regulars will appear in fewer episodes of Season 11. 

Members of the cast have been active on the picket lines during the strikes, with Marina Squerciati sharing a photo on Instagram of Amy Morton marching for SAG-AFTRA. Tracy Spiridakos also reunited with Jesse Lee Soffer, who previously played her on-screen husband Jay Halstead, to strike. The donations from additional cast members and producers show that even if photos haven't been snapped of them on the picket lines, they're supporting those affected by the production shutdowns. 

Only time will tell how much longer the strikes will continue before a resolution can be found with the AMPTP. The writers of WGA have been striking since early May, with the actors of SAG-AFTRA hitting the picket lines as well in mid-July.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the 200th episode of Chicago P.D., called “Trapped.”

Chicago P.D. has officially hit a milestone that few network TV shows last long enough to reach, but that doesn’t mean that the Intelligence Unit was celebrating in the 200th episode. “Trapped” shifted the focus over to Burgess and Ruzek after she was triggered by what sounded like a gunshot outside of her home with him and Makayla. The case of the week was elevated beyond what fans usually see from P.D., and actors Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger opened up to CinemaBlend about the case, plus the Easter egg that fans might have missed. 

It was clear from very early in the episode that Burgess needed to take a break and open up to somebody more than she needed a case involving a gruesome death and a missing child. Despite Ruzek’s support, there were some close calls when her unresolved trauma from being shot affected her on the job to the point that she was nearly immobilized. The episode ended with Burgess realizing that she needs to actively work on her recovery to prevent any further issues on the job, if she wants to stay with CPD. 

While “Trapped” wasn’t a milestone episode that focused on the larger ensemble of cops in the Intelligence Unit, it did involve some truly cinematic scenes, including Burgess and Ruzek on an "L" subway train, Ruzek on a chase in a train tunnel, and Burgess trapped in a well with a freezing little boy. When the stars spoke with CinemaBlend about Episode 200, Marina Squerciati weighed in on whether the well sequence was as cramped as it looked:

Executive producer Chad Saxton directed “Trapped,” and evidently took a risk in whether or not Squerciati and the necessary crew members could all fit down into the well set. Plus, Burgess had to go through a whole emotional journey while stuck down in that well with no clear way out, so it wasn’t as simple as simply squishing them all down into a small space. Fortunately, the actress isn’t claustrophobic, and I think fans can agree that Squerciati delivered a standout performance as Burgess. 

Of course, the well scene wasn’t the only one in the 200th episode that meant Marina Squerciati acting in a very tight spot. When Patrick John Flueger asked his co-star if the well was as tight as the train, she set him straight and then went on to describe the challenges of filming on the L:

Frantically trying to save the victim’s life in a small area of a real L train meant that Squerciati didn’t have a lot of room to do much movement, and the end result was some bruising and some ripped pants! Filming on a train also meant that the P.D. team couldn’t just remove walls or make changes to give the star more room, as might have been possible on a more traditional set. 

One of the results of the tight quarters with a bleeding young man in Burgess’ arms was that she was covered in blood by the time he died. The blood stood out on Burgess' clothes, and when I noted that the character may have chosen a bad day to wear a white sweater, Squerciati explained that the white shirt was an Easter egg for fans:

Given that Burgess’ kidnapping and then near-death experience from being shot were some of the biggest personal blows to the Intelligence Unit in recent seasons, fans may have made the connection with the white sweaters, even though the director didn’t have the room to get the shot he wanted for a callback. Fortunately, Burgess seems to be on the emotional mend as of the end of “Trapped,” but the 200th episode was harrowing for Ruzek as well. 

On top of his concern for Burgess that started when she cut her hand at home and didn’t stop all through the rest of the hour, Ruzek had a high-stakes sequence of his own on the train and then out in the tunnel. Although he said that Squerciati “had it a lot tougher on the train,” Patrick John Flueger shared what his experience was like playing Ruzek for that sequence, saying: 

Even though Ruzek was far from safe when searching for a suspect through the L subway tunnels, the Chicago P.D. team made sure that filming was safe for the cast and crew who made the sequence happen. And it’s good to know that Patrick John Flueger no longer felt sick out in those tunnels! The actor continued:

Apparently, being a series regular on a TV show can mean bathroom privileges even under conditions that are more intense than usual! Now that “Trapped” has aired, fans can see just how “beautiful and dramatic” the finished product is. I know that I can appreciate that the Chicago P.D. team worked out all the logistical issues to film the train sequence both in tight quarters and in the tunnels. 

The finished product was certainly a standout episode, so was it what fans expected of the 200th? That’s up to each of us to decide for ourselves, and it should be interesting to see if Burgess really does pursue therapy moving forward and we see the effects on her character, but at least it’s safe to say that Burzek are going strong as a unit.

Keep tuning in to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago P.D., starting with #201 on March 1. The 10 p.m. slot on network TV is about to get even more competitive with the upcoming premiere of True Lies over on CBS, but it’s no coincidence that Chicago P.D. has been dominating the last hour of primetime on Wednesdays for years. You can also revisit past episodes of the series streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription.

Chicago P.D. will hit the 200-episode milestone on February 22, and not many primetime shows are able to produce that many episodes. Actors Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger, who have been part of the cast from the first season, not only previewed how the 200th episode would be “elevated” above usual cases, but also discussed the development for Burzek that changed everything: taking in Makayla. The stars spoke with CinemaBlend about what it has meant for their characters after the first 199 episodes, leading into 200 in Season 10!

It wasn’t all that long ago that Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) seemed like they would never be on the same page at the same time for very long, but the introduction of Makayla in Season 8 followed by Burgess’ decision to take her in meant that something had to change. In the episodes since, Burgess has officially become the little girl’s mom, and Ruzek has stepped up as a father figure after Burgess asked him to be Makayla's guardian. They co-parent, cohabitate, and even work well together on the job. 

So, would they have ever gotten to this solid place in their relationship if not for Makayla? When the stars spoke with CinemaBlend in a joint interview, Patrick John Flueger shared his thoughts:

Ruzek had some choices to make when Makayla came into Burgess’ life and became her daughter, since there was no room for them to go back to a will they/won’t they status quo. The little girl was a new priority, so he could either have less of a presence in Burgess’ life or step up and become a father in just about every way other than being called “Dad.” Plus, as Flueger said, Burgess needed some help. 

Even if she was coping as well as could be expected early on, being an active mom in Makayla’s life in the wake of her shooting was basically impossible. Later, Ruzek was nearly as frantic as she was when Makayla was kidnapped. Luckily, they moved past that brutal fight when they butted heads while trying to rescue her, and Squerciati responded to Flueger’s comments about Ruzek reassessing for Makayla: 

As of the first 199 episodes, Burgess and Ruzek are on excellent terms as friends, partners, and co-parents, but their future (or lack thereof) as a couple is murky. The love is there, but will they ever try a romantic relationship again? Is it even possible for either of them to be in a relationship with somebody else at this point? Would either of them even want that when Makayla is their top priority? 

Only time will tell, and all signs point toward some big Burzek moments in the 200th episode on February 22. Take a look at the promo: 

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, February 22 at 10 p.m. ET for the 200th episode of Chicago P.D., and check back with CinemaBlend afterward for what the P.D. stars had to say about what happens. You can also revisit previous seasons of the hit series streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription, and find more upcoming viewing options on our 2023 TV premiere schedule.

Chicago P.D. is on the verge of reaching a major milestone that few primetime shows are lucky enough to hit, with the 200th episode airing on February 22. Called “Trapped,” the dangerous case of the week will take Burgess and Ruzek onto a busy L subway train, all while dealing with some emotional triggers. Stars Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger spoke with CinemaBlend about the upcoming 200th episode, what will make it stand out from the previous 199, and the current state of Burzek. 

Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger have of course been part of Chicago P.D. going back to the first season, and the ten seasons so far have put Burgess and Ruzek through the wringer and then back again more than once. When I spoke to the actors who have been bringing Burzek to life on the small screen since 2014, I asked what sets “Trapped” apart from the normal cases of the week that fans are used to. Squerciati previewed what’s on the way, saying:

The actress shouted out showrunner Gwen Sigan for being a “magician” in crafting new stories, and Sigan certainly has the experience! She began her career with Wolf Entertainment as a writer’s assistant back in 2014, and has since risen to the role of showrunner of One Chicago’s second longest-running hit show. While fans will have to wait until the 200th episode on February 22 to find out exactly what’s in store, it’s apparently proof that the P.D. has not yet run out of ideas! 

One of the longest-running arcs by this point has been the relationship between Burgess and Ruzek, which has hit some very high highs and very low lows over the first 199 episodes. All signs point toward Episode 200 as a big one for both characters, when the case of a brutal shooting leads to a dark situation with a family, with Burgess triggered into memories of her shooting, for which she still hasn’t received closure.

In light of what seems to be a lot of Burzek in the milestone episode, I asked the stars what kind of team their characters will be, and Patrick John Flueger shared:

Despite seasons of miscommunication, bad timing, and even the occasional ugly confrontation like with Makayla’s kidnapping back in Season 9, hope is far from lost. By this point in Season 10, they seem to be a solid coparenting and cohabitating unit to Makayla, and the same problems that formerly came between them are no longer there. That’s not to say that their life together is problem-free (or clearly defined), but they’ve grown, as Flueger continued:

Whether or not they ever reach a quiet enough time to define their relationship remains to be seen; if it does happen, hopefully it won’t involve waiting another 200 episodes! After all, just look at Law & Order: SVU at 500 episodes and counting with no resolution between Benson and Stabler. In all seriousness, fans can now look forward to what should be a standout episode of Chicago P.D. that’s “elevated” from the norm, based on what Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger had to say. The promo certainly is hyping the milestone:

Of course, the norm for P.D. has already changed a lot in Season 10. Like when Chicago Fire hit its 200th with Season 10 back in 2021, the big episode comes in the same season that said goodbye to a longtime series regular. Jesse Lee Soffer no longer portrays Jay Halstead on Chicago P.D. (although he returned behind-the-scenes to direct an upcoming episode). The rest of the series regulars did return full-time for Season 10, and it should be interesting to see how Intelligence functions in the milestone.

Watch the 200th episode of Chicago P.D. on Wednesday, February 22 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, and/or streaming the next day with a Peacock Premium subscription. The three shows of One Chicago have not yet been renewed for the 2023-2024 TV season, but hopefully some good news will be announced in the not-too-distant future.

Chicago P.D.’s longest-running on again/off again couple by this point is none other than Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek, who managed to create a little family unit with a daughter in Season 9 but haven’t gotten back together romantically. Ruzek wanted to buy his dad’s house for Burgess and Makayla so that their little girl could have a happy place to grow up, but the Season 10 premiere didn’t indicate that their relationship has changed. Now, Marina Squerciati has opened up about what has been hurting the relationship between her character and Ruzek, and it sounds like there’s still hope.

Marina Squerciati spoke with press for the return of Chicago P.D. to the 2022 TV schedule, including her thoughts on where Burgess fits with the Season 10 theme of “savior.” When asked what fans will see from her character in the tenth season, the actress shared: 

Burgess was shot and left for dead in the Season 8 finale, and her trauma was addressed early on in Season 9 before the Burgess-centric storylines shifted to center more on Makayla, with the custody fight and then desperate search after her kidnapping. While it’s been some time since P.D. touched on that twist (and the Season 10 premiere was more about what showrunner Gwen Sigan described as the “messy” dynamic between Upton, Halstead, and Voight), it will come up a bit more… and has been hurting the Burzek relationship. 

So, why is there hope from what Marina Squerciati said about her character still being haunted by what she went through? The actress revealed that Burgess will “make a decision either way” about Ruzek in Episode 2, which admittedly is hardly a guarantee that Burzek will get back together by the time the credits roll. What it does mean is that fans won’t be waiting months into Season 10 to get some answers about where they stand, and where Burgess wants them to stand moving forward. 

If previous seasons have shown anything, it’s that Burgess and Ruzek are good at picking each other up when they’re feeling broken… unless they’re brutally fighting over a shared trauma, like when Makayla was kidnapped. Things were said at that time that couldn’t really be unsaid, so even them getting back to good terms by the end of Season 9 was impressive. The time jump from the end of Season 9 to Season 10 premiere was also only two weeks, so it tracks that there weren’t any noticeable changes. 

Whether P.D. jumps ahead in time soon to catch up with the present could make a difference, but fans can only wait and see on that front. The next episode looks like it will be Burzek-centric, and pretty rough for both of them. Take a look at the promo for what’s on the way on September 28:

New episodes of Chicago P.D. air on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following Chicago Fire (which launched Season 11 with a mini P.D. crossover) at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. You can revisit past seasons of all three shows streaming now with a Peacock subscription.

Chicago P.D. is the darkest of the three One Chicago series, without any of the shenanigans that sometimes take place on Fire and Med. The more intense storytelling obviously works for the crime drama as it prepares to enter its tenth season, and it has a brand new theme this time around, as showrunner Gwen Sigan shared with CinemaBlend. She explained what the P.D. team is writing towards, and two stars weighed in on what it means for their characters who may be somewhat “broken” by this point.

The theme for Season 9 of P.D. was “home,” and episodes did track further into the lives of the characters when they weren’t on the job. Upton and Halstead got married, Ruzek wanted to buy a house for Burgess and Makayla, and Atwater even got a long-awaited love interest. For Season 10, showrunner Gwen Sigan revealed over the phone to CinemaBlend that the theme is “savior.” When I asked if that refers to multiple characters or centers on one in particular, she shared:

Honestly, most of the Chicago P.D. characters went through enough just last season that it wouldn’t be unreasonable for them to feel like they’re broken. Gwen Sigan already previewed the “messy” aftermath of Anna’s death for Upton, Halstead, and Voight, with Upton suspecting that the sergeant blames her for the tragedy. Unfortunately, Halstead presumably won’t be part of how P.D. embraces the “savior” theme for very long, as Jesse Lee Soffer is slated to depart in the first half of Season 10, which undoubtedly means major changes. 

While viewers will have to wait until Season 10 gets into gear to find out just who needs saving and which characters might be qualified to help, two stars shared their thoughts. Jason Beghe and Marina Squerciati, who respectively play Hank Voight and Kim Burgess, spoke with CinemaBlend and other outlets ahead of Season 10. When I asked what the theme means for their characters, Beghe said:

Voight has lost a lot of people over the years (including Olinsky under tragic circumstances at the end of Season 5), so it says a lot that Anna’s death has him the most broken that he’s been since his son Justin (played by Josh Segarra) died. None of the cops of the Intelligence Unit have time for much of a social life beyond each other, and Voight’s general isolation evidently will make losing Anna all the worse. But will this be something that takes Voight down? Beghe continued:

It’s not clear whether or not these “coping mechanisms” will actually be helpful in how Voight copes, but it’s safe to say that he won’t bounce back from Anna’s death by the end of the Season 10 premiere on September 21. P.D. telling more personal stories is an interesting prospect.

That said, Gwen Sigan also confirmed to CinemaBlend that the season will still largely consist of “great standalones and great cases” and “maybe six episodes” of serialization, like with the Anna storyline of Season 9. Of course, the theme of “savior” won’t just apply to Voight, and Jason Beghe also mentioned to press that Burgess has filled that role as well:

Burgess built a little family unit with Makayla, whose trauma might well have overwhelmed her if her adoptive mother hadn’t taken her in and cared for her. Ruzek also rose to the challenge of raising the little girl, even though Burgess was the only one with parental rights on paper. (Things got ugly between them when Makayla was kidnapped after Burgess pointed that out.) 

The unconventional family unit seemed to be going strong by the end of Season 9. According to Marina Squerciati, however, Burgess saving Makayla wasn’t a one-way street. The actress said: 

It sounds like the cops of the Intelligence Unit could use all the “lifeboats” they can get heading into Season 10. A big question is of what kind of support Upton will need after however Halstead is written out. There are no hard details at this point about how Jesse Lee Soffer’s character will depart, but short of Halstead simply being off-screen but still around, it seems safe to say that Upton could need a support system. 

Find out how the show will handle the theme of “saviors” when Season 10 of Chicago P.D. premieres on Wednesday, September 21 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. All three shows of One Chicago will be back, as Chicago Med has to deliver the aftermath of the fiery cliffhanger at 8 p.m. ET and prices will be paid on Chicago Fire after the Stellaride cliffhanger. 

Marina Squerciati has become a staple of one of the most successful franchises on television, as she approaches her tenth season on NBC's Chicago P.D. Her character has been through the wringer more than once over the past decade, and just the past few years alone have seen her recover from a deep loss, take in a young girl, and build an unconventional family unit (with some ups and downs) while still remaining in the Intelligence Unit. As it turns out, however, Squerciati might never have made it to One Chicago if a certain health crisis had kept her from the audition that changed her life.

The actress' time in the Chicago area actually started much earlier than when she won the part of Kim Burgess on Chicago P.D., as she attended Northwestern University for Theater, but it wasn't all fun and games, as she shared with Will & Grace's Sean Hayes and Dr. Priyanka Wali on an episode of their HypochondriActor podcast. When she was a student at Northwestern, she became so incredibly sick with such a high fever that she had to go to the hospital, and her mom was even called in.  

It turned out that she had pneumonia in both lungs... but that was only the beginning of the chain of events that could have changed the course of her entire career. Although she was diagnosed with pneumonia, the doctors thought she might have meningitis since she was a college student. The doctors wanted to rule out meningitis, and the process didn't go as smoothly as it might have with Dr. Will Halstead in action on Chicago Med. She explained:

It was a kind gesture of Marina Squerciati to not want the intern to get into any trouble for trying to pull off the spinal tap multiple times, but it's possible that she'd do things differently a second time around, knowing what she learned after her first experience went from bad to worse. She continued:

Apparently, you shouldn't tempt fate in a hospital by joking about what might go wrong when an intern is taking a "battering ram" to your spinal column! Marina Squerciati managed to avoid getting a headache from her pneumonia, only to be hit so hard with one when she tried to sit up that she passed out from the pain. "Famous last words" indeed!

Now, being in so much pain from simply trying to sit up would be bad enough under any circumstances, but the timing evidently couldn't have been worse for the then-Northwestern student. Her next problem was one that podcast co-host Sean Hayes could relate to. She explained:

Talk about a real-life plot twist, with her mom getting a hospital tray as a solution to the problem! Unfortunately for Squerciati, the timing of the all-important audition that could give her a leg up in the competitive world of acting meant that she'd either have to somehow pull it off while in serious pain, or just pass on it altogether. And somehow, a hospital tray was the solution. She explained:

Marina Squerciati had the co-hosts in stitches while telling her story, so she has clearly found the humor in it all these years later, but sashaying her way to such an important audition with her head on a tray held by her mom wasn't exactly ideal. With only four slots available as a female Theater student and the actress unable to even walk normally, the odds weren't in her favor. So, how did she hold herself together long enough to try? She shared:

Forget a trip to New York – I'd say that Marina Squerciati deserves a medal for remembering a monologue while in that state, let alone managing to deliver it! But how good of a job did she do, in light of all of her pain from the spinal tap and her mom waiting with a tray? Well, her long list of TV credits going back to 2009 should be answer enough, but she finished her story like this:

I would think that one of the hardest things about being an actor would be pushing through that much pain to chase your dream, so kudos to Marina Squerciati for not only making the audition, but evidently nailing it so well that she ultimately went on to appear in shows like The Good Wife, Blue Bloods, and Gossip Girl before landing the role of Kim Burgess that brought her to NBC full-time in 2014. 

Now, with Season 10 of Chicago P.D. just weeks away from premiering and a long list of guest appearances on Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and even the short-lived Chicago Justice, Squerciati has appeared in well over 200 episodes of One Chicago action. She was also one of the P.D. stars who appeared in the 2015 crossover with Law & Order: SVU. Making that Northwestern audition definitely paid off!

See Marina Squerciati back in action when Chicago P.D. returns for its tenth season on Wednesday, September 21 at 10 p.m. ET in the 2022 TV premiere schedule. The show is going through some big changes early on, as Jesse Lee Soffer is departing after nine full seasons as Detective Jay Halstead. If you want to revisit Season 9 before the new episodes begin airing, you can do so streaming with a Peacock subscription. You can also hear more about her experience with the full HypochondriActor episode.

The three shows of One Chicago are back in production for the 2022-2023 TV season, and fans only have a couple of months left to wait before seeing more of the Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med teams. Marina Squerciati has shared some photos to celebrate P.D. getting started on Season 10, and one features enough stars from one of the other shows to make me really miss the big crossovers. 

Marina Squerciati has been part of the Chicago P.D. team going all the way back to the series premiere in 2014, but the first behind-the-scenes photo that she shared on Instagram for the 2022-2023 season featured her with stars from another show: Chicago Med. Take a look at Squerciati snapping a selfie with S. Epatha Merkerson and Nick Gehlfuss!

The actress’ caption may have said that she “came to the wrong show,” but I feel like it’s the right way to let fans know that the action is gearing up in Chicago again for the NBC shows. Her #crossover hashtag doesn’t necessarily mean that Burgess will turn up at the hospital, and could just mean that the P.D. actress ran into the Med stars, but it still makes me miss the good old days of major crossovers. 

Sure, One Chicago has delivered mini crossovers over the past couple of seasons, with a character or two making a cameo on one of the other shows whenever somebody was in need of medical care, police assistance, or the fire department. But NBC hasn’t aired a big three-show event since all the way back in 2019, and the last two-parter between Fire and P.D. aired back in early 2020, just a couple of weeks before production shutdowns brought filming to a halt. (You can rewatch these crossovers streaming with a Peacock subscription.)

Of course, One Chicago has excellent reasons for not going all-out for another crossover event in the two seasons since the “Infection” three-parter involving Fire, P.D., and Med. The pandemic protocols created some major challenges for individual shows getting back into production, without all of the added variables of a crossover with the casts mingling. 

In fact, Chicago Fire had to suspend production due to positive COVID tests more than once, first in the fall of 2020 and then again early in 2022. P.D. also paused production back in January. Chicago Med had to suspend production on Season 6 for a couple of weeks in the fall of 2020, then required cast, staff, and crew vaccinations for Season 7. Crossover events have actually been limited across most of the nine Wolf Entertainment TV series since the initial shutdowns in March 2020, with the exception of Law & Order: SVU and Law & Order: Organized Crime joining forces and the FBIs coming together to launch FBI: International last year.

All of that said, I can’t help but hope that the Chicago shows will cross over a little bit more in the new season, safety permitting. It’s still a shame that we never got to see Will Halstead’s reaction on Med to finding out that Jay eloped on P.D. without inviting him to the wedding. We can always at least cross our fingers that One Chicago will reunite the Halstead brothers when the shows return in the fall! 

All three One Chicago shows will be back on NBC on Wednesday, September 21, starting with Med at 8 p.m. ET and followed by Fire at 9 p.m. and P.D. (with a new series regular) at 10 p.m. Those premieres come in a big week for the Dick Wolf TV universe, as all three FBIs and all three Law & Orders return as well. For some more viewing options to plan ahead for the next few months, be sure to check out our 2022 TV premiere schedule.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 17 of Chicago P.D. Season 9, called “Adrift.”

Chicago P.D. returned with an episode that proved that the little Burzek family unit’s troubles weren’t over just because Burgess and Ruzek rescued Makayla from her kidnappers. The “dire consequences” that the stars previewed were revealed in “Adrift” when they ultimately came to the conclusion that it would be best for Makayla if Ruzek moved out. It was a heartbreaking twist, and not helped by the fact that Ruzek had to go stay at his depressing undercover apartment. Marina Squerciati broke down why it was also a “selfless” move, and showrunner Gwen Sigan weighed in on what comes next. 

Burgess was trying to get Makayla back into a routine after her kidnapping, on the advice of a therapist, but she and Ruzek weren’t on the same page about the schedule. Her decision that it would be better for Makayla if Ruzek moved out – even if she didn’t exactly come out and say it – came across a bit harsh considering everything that he had been through during the episode, but Marina Squerciati shared with CinemaBlend and other outlets how it was actually a “selfless” move for both of them. She explained: 

They just can’t hash out their differences and work on their issues the way that they once could, with Makayla taking priority over their complicated relationship. I can’t imagine that Burgess would want Ruzek to leave after barely surviving an overdose of laced drugs if not for her daughter, and Ruzek surely would have put up a fight about it if Makayla wasn’t his first concern. It was – as Marina Squerciati said – extremely sad, but there really was no good option for how they would move forward. Still, I hope that Ruzek finds a place to live that’s a little less depressing than his UC apartment! 

With Ruzek moved out and Burgess setting a routine with Makayla, Chicago P.D. can’t just go back to a status quo with their characters, particularly since the theme of Season 9 is “home.” There are still several episodes left before the end of the season, and showrunner Gwen Sigan – who stepped into the top job at P.D. back in the fall –previewed what’s coming next for them after this big change:

Chicago P.D. Season 9 will run for 22 episodes in the 2021-2022 TV season, so there’s still plenty of time for more developments before the end of the finale. The show has already been renewed for Season 10 as well, so anything that’s not resolved by the finale can always be continued in the fall. Hopefully Burgess and Ruzek will catch a break and get back to some of the happiness that they had before Makayla’s kidnapping, even if it can’t be exactly the same as it once was. 

Tune in to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET to catch new episodes of Chicago P.D. to close out a full night of One Chicago action, following Fire at 9 p.m. and Med at 8 p.m. Season 9 has delivered a lot of changes, complete with Voight’s dynamic with his two detectives shifting in a big way, so be sure to keep watching for what happens next. 

Chicago P.D. has spent the better part of a decade digging into some of the most complex crimes that the Windy City has to offer, and most of the cast has been around from the very beginning. In Season 9, the show has started to spend more time with the characters at home and in their personal lives rather than almost entirely in the precinct. According to showrunner Gwen Sigan, embracing the theme of “home” was a goal for Season 9, and she along with stars Jason Beghe and Marina Squerciati opened up about the increased importance of family for the show. 

As of the second half of Season 9, Upton and Halstead are married, Burgess and Ruzek are co-parenting Makayla successfully (or at least they were before “dire consequences” were on the way), and even Atwater got a love interest after seasons without much romance. Tracy Spiridakos previously weighed in on her character finding a family within the Intelligence Unit. In honor of the upcoming One Chicago Day, Jason Beghe, Marina Squerciati, and showrunner Gwen Sigan spoke with CinemaBlend and other outlets, and Beghe – who plays Voight – shared:

Voight may not have much of a home life compared to some of the others, but P.D. has shown some ways that cases have affected him personally, such as with the C.I. Anna. He was also in a sort of triangle with Upton and Halstead in the first half of Season 9, although it certainly (and thankfully) wasn’t a love triangle with the aftermath of Roy’s death! The ratings have held up for Season 9, so it seems safe to say that viewers are also finding this approach with more home and family interesting as well. Marina Squerciati, who plays Burgess, shared her thoughts:

Honestly, it’s probably a good thing for the actors that their family dynamic on set is “not exactly the way it is on screen,” considering everything that their characters go through. Burgess alone has faced enough troubles and tragedies that it’s impressive that she can even keep going in the job, and the rest of the characters haven’t had easy rides either. Ruzek didn’t handle Makayla’s kidnapping well, and it wasn’t that long ago that Upton had to jump into the Chicago River in freezing temperatures. Throw in Atwater trying to live a double life and Halstead having to cross a line to blackmail an FBI agent, and the cops of Intelligence don’t exactly live uneventful lives at work or at home. 

Gwen Sigan, who was promoted to showrunner after Rick Eid (who is now showrunner on the Law & Order revival and CBS’ FBI) stepped down in late 2021, explained why P.D. is exploring home and family more in Season 9: 

Since this is Chicago P.D., it’s not always the best news for the characters if their home lives are linked to the cases that they’re working on, but it certainly makes for some thrilling TV! Besides, good can come out of even some of the darker personal stories. Upstead’s marriage might not have happened when it did if not for Upton’s panicked initial proposal, and Makayla’s kidnapping doesn’t take away from Burgess coming to love her after taking her in as her own. I just hope that Atwater catches a break in his personal life – or is promoted to detective, as LaRoyce Hawkins has suggested – at some point.

New episodes of Chicago P.D. air on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, closing out a full night of action with Chicago Fire (which will soon deliver a big episode for Joe Minoso’s Cruz) at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med (which hasn’t held back with the Maggie storylines for Marlyne Barrett) at 8 p.m. April 6 is also One Chicago Day, and fans can look forward to some fun releases starting at 3 p.m. ET on the One Chicago YouTube page. If you want to revisit some earlier days of Chicago P.D., you can find the series streaming with a Peacock subscription.

Warning: spoilers ahead for Episode 15 of Chicago P.D. Season 9, called “Gone.”

Chicago P.D.’s case was intensely personal for Burgess and Ruzek in “Gone” with the kidnapping of young Makayla, and they were short on leads from the very beginning. Gabby died before help could arrive, the kidnappers escaped with their daughter, and their leads just weren’t panning out quickly enough. Burzek were very much a united front to start, but they began to fall apart as the odds grew worse and worse, culminating in a big fight that – based on comments from stars Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger – might not be forgotten even though they got Makayla back. 

Burgess and Ruzek shared the same goal, but had very different approaches to trying to get Makayla back. Ruzek was quite literally breaking down doors and itching for action, while Burgess was willing to entertain the option of paying the ransom if there was even a chance that it would work. The escalating tension came to a head when Ruzek chased down one of the kidnappers against the original plan to follow him, and he ultimately had to shoot him. The kidnapper’s death killed their one big lead, and the fight that resulted was possibly the ugliest in Burzek's long history together. 

Ruzek angrily yelled that the man was never going to lead them to Makayla, she was never going to be rescued from their sting operation, and Burgess never listened to him, and Burgess exploded in response that Ruzek never listens to her. When I spoke to the stars about the events of “Gone,” they weighed in on whether their characters meant what they said or were just lashing out in the heat of the moment, with Marina Squerciati saying:

Marina Squerciati previously shared that there would incredible anger from “the way you can only hate someone that you love,” and it’s clear that there’s very strong love between Burgess and Ruzek. They have gotten through some terrible ordeals in the past, including their own heartbreak over Burgess losing her pregnancy. They both exploded this time, however, and it’s not the best sign that even the actress isn’t sure that Burzek can come back from this! 

Patrick John Flueger shared his own perspective on the Burgess/Ruzek fight, and where both characters were coming from when they went at each other. It wasn’t too long after Burgess had put her foot down about Makayla because she is legally her daughter, and not Ruzek’s. Flueger said: 

It did look like Ruzek would have blown up at anybody who turned up on the scene of the dead kidnapper after he chased him down, but it got very personal between him and Burgess. Ruzek seemed to realize that he’d pushed too far when Burgess snapped and started shouting, but it was too late at that point. 

The fight did blow over when they managed to rescue their daughter, and were both supporting Makayla at the end, but Ruzek wasn’t exactly looking happy with the whole situation. I asked the actors if the conflict in “Gone” says something about their viability as co-parents or romantic partners, and Marina Squerciati didn't mince words:

Of course, sharing Makayla in common means that they can’t just break up the way they could have back when their romance was the only thing between them, and Burgess considers him Makayla’s father even though she made the point that she is the only parent on paper. According to Patrick John Flueger, the love is still there for Burgess, but that doesn’t mean a happily-ever-after together is in store. He said:

Whatever happens next between Burzek, hopefully Makayla is at least going to be safe for the foreseeable future. Chicago P.D. seemed to rule out the possibility that Theo is as sketchy as he appeared when he approached his niece secretly at her school, so maybe she’ll be able to go back to life as a normal 7-year-old girl with parents who love her. Even if it is a fairly unconventional arrangement! 

See what happens next for Burgess and Ruzek with new episodes of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. in the 2022 TV schedule. To go back to earlier days of Chicago P.D., you can find the full series streaming with a Peacock subscription now.

Chicago P.D. delivered a doozy of a twist for Burgess and Ruzek at the end of the latest episode, with the reveal that young Makayla had been kidnapped just when it seemed like their little family unit could stay happy and together. With the babysitter brutally attacked and Makayla nowhere to be seen, the two cops will have to do everything within their power to try and find her in the next episode, called “Gone.” Stars Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger spoke with CinemaBlend about the search for Burzek’s daughter, and they previewed some extreme reactions to the situation. 

The discovery that Gabby had been attacked and Makayla was missing came shortly after Burgess got the news that she would retain full custody rather than Theo Morris – who came onto the scene in a fairly dubious way – winning the case, and she and Ruzek were ready to celebrate with their daughter. When I spoke with Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger about what’s on the way with the new episode on March 9, they weighed in on the aftermath of everything going so bad so quickly, with Squerciati sharing:

Fans will get to see that “fierce love” that has kept Burgess and Ruzek as a dynamic duo throughout the nine years of the show, but also some anger due to the trauma of losing Makayla. That’s not to say that they won’t find her again and get back to their version of normal, but happy endings are never guaranteed on Chicago P.D. It certainly sounds like the giddy Burzek who were ready to celebrate the custody win with pizza and champagne will be very different in the next episode. Patrick John Flueger shared his perspective on everything suddenly going so badly for Burzek: 

Poor Burgess not only had her daughter kidnapped and her babysitter brutally attacked, but it all happened in her own home just when things were looking about as positive as they had in a while. The devastation was clear already; a question is whether or not they’ll be able to find their happiness again. A lot likely depends on what happens during the investigation, and of course what happens to Makayla by the end of the episode.

One thing that is a pretty safe bet is that neither Burgess nor Ruzek will rest while their daughter is missing, and they haven’t spent all these years in the Intelligence Unit without learning how to crack cases. The promo for “Gone” proves that Voight will be on their side, and the stars weighed in on whether Intelligence will be all-hands-on-deck or Burgess and Ruzek will have to go rogue for the search. Marina Squerciati said: 

The Intelligence Unit tends to pull out all the stops when cases get personal, and Tracy Spiridakos also spoke about the found family dynamic of the group in Season 9. Burgess and Ruzek will undoubtedly need all the support they can get over the course of the episode, and Patrick John Flueger previewed that there will be some tension as well:

Although Marina Squerciati chimed in to say that “not in the beginning” are they at odds, all signs point toward a pretty emotionally fraught episode of Chicago P.D. There are certainly a lot of questions going into the episode – namely, who is responsible for taking Makayla? P.D. took some steps to set up Theo as a threat to Burgess’ custody of Makayla earlier in Season 9, but attacking Gabby and kidnapping a young girl would be a very big escalation, so viewers can only speculate for now. 

Fortunately, the “Gone” episode of Chicago P.D. will deliver the answers when it airs on Wednesday, March 9 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC to close out a night of One Chicago action. Be sure to check back with CinemaBlend after the episode for more from Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger, and don’t forget to swing by our 2022 TV schedule for more viewing options now and in the coming weeks.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 2 of Chicago P.D. Season 9 on NBC, called "Rage."

Chicago P.D. moved on from the Season 8 cliffhangers to a new case in "Rage," but the aftermath of the Season 9 premiere was still very much affecting the Intelligence Unit, particularly Kim Burgess. The episode featured Burgess trying to recover from her gunshot wound while Ruzek and Voight were trying to get her back on the job. It turned out to be a case that only Burgess could crack, and Marina Squerciati chatted with CinemaBlend about what comes next with Burgess' unfinished business, the situation with Upton and Voight's big secret, and some good old-fashioned Burzek.

The episode ended with Burgess catching the rapist and getting to deliver some much-needed closure to his surviving victim, and Burgess herself seemed to get a bit of the closure she needs to go back to her work with Intelligence. But can she move on fully, with her shooter (as far as she knows) still in the wind? Marina Squerciati shared:

"Unfinished business" may not bode well for the cops of Intelligence, with Burgess needing closure on the man who shot her while Upton and Voight are hiding the secret that he's already dead and disposed of. Voight was firm to Upton in the premiere that they need to keep Roy's death a secret, and even Halstead is in the dark (for now, according to Jesse Lee Soffer). And the mention of "pretty soon" may mean that fans don't have to wait until the back half of Season 9 to see how Burgess continues trying to deal.

The Voight/Upton situation has of course divided some fans, some of whom are on Team Voight for him going above and beyond to protect Upton and their shared secret, with others on Team Upton for Voight arguably orchestrating the whole situation. With Voight pushing hard for Burgess to return to the CPD in "Rage," the subject came up with Marina Squerciati, who shared her thoughts on Team Upton vs. Team Voight. When I noted that some fans think he manipulated Upton, the actress said:

Marina Squerciati has said multiple times in the past that she'd like to see the dynamic between Burgess and Upton explored more, noting that in Season 9 they both have "partners they're not really opening up to," and "Rage" just made that all the clearer on Burgess' side. Squerciati and Tracy Spiridakos did share some scenes in this episode, so maybe that's a good sign! As for Voight's methods, Squerciati shared her thoughts on whether he pushed too hard for her to return to Intelligence:

As great as it was to see Burgess back in action and cracking a case that was stumping the others, the poor woman went from struggling to get the maple syrup down from the top shelf to being thrown around by a bad guy. When I mentioned that I was practically wincing every time Burgess was manhandled in "Rage," Marina Squerciati continued:

Burgess may not have wanted a desk job, but can anybody disagree that she deserved some more time on the couch before leaping back into action? Of course, it was because of Ruzek that she was pulled back in, when Ruzek went to Platt to inquire after a desk job for Burgess, which resulted in a bit of a spat with Ruzek. They recovered from it pretty quickly, and Ruzek has clearly been there for both her and Makayla. Marina Squerciati weighed in on whether Makayla has been a good influence on their relationship:

Considering how many Chicago P.D. fans also seem to be longtime Burzek fans, it's safe to say that Marina Squerciati isn't the only one who thinks that the Burgess/Ruzek relationship is pretty cool and interesting. There have been some bumps in the road for them due to the complications of their jobs and some tragedies they've suffered, but they've never given up on each other. And honestly, they might not be the Chicago P.D. couple heading toward the most drama, depending on what's up with Upstead next! As for the dynamic between Burgess and Upton within Intelligence (and CPD as a whole), Squerciati said:

Burgess becoming a mom to Makayla certainly opened up a new storyline for the character and the show to explore, but it seems only natural that Burgess and Upton would have some kind of bond, even if it's not necessarily best of friends. Besides, after Chicago Med and Chicago Fire deliver some strong dynamics between women earlier on Wednesday night, it would be fun to get some of that on P.D. as well. Whether or not Burgess and Upton get to share more scenes together, there is plenty of interesting storytelling on the way, including some new backstory.

See what happens next on Chicago P.D. with new episodes on One Chicago Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET as a major part of the Dick Wolf TV universe. That TV universe already spans two networks and eight different current shows, and the return of the original Law & Order for Season 21 will raise that number to nine! Whether or not a crossover between the One Chicago and Law & Order shows on NBC could ever cross over with the FBIs over on CBS for a nine-part crossover is best left to the imagination, but anything is possible.

Kim Burgess has had a rough couple of years on Chicago P.D., and Season 9 didn’t exactly get off to an easy start for her in the aftermath of her brutal attack and gunshot wound. Fortunately, she did survive her latest injuries, and now faces what could be a painful recovery. Actress Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about what’s up next for Burgess in her recovery and relationship with Ruzek, as well as the relationship she’d like to see explored further in Season 9.

The Season 9 premiere ended shortly after Burgess woke up and the rest of Intelligence could breathe a little easier about her fate, but that doesn’t mean her struggles are over. Marina Squerciati confirmed that the next episode picks up “total where we left off” rather than with a time jump to give Burgess some recovery time, then weighed in on Burgess’ emotional state as somebody who struggles with accepting help:

Ruzek really stepped up for Burgess and Makayla after Burgess was attacked at the end of Season 8, showing off a paternal side that he hasn’t had many chances to display over the years of P.D. And unlike the last time that she had to recover from an attack, there is the Makayla factor that she has to take into consideration when it comes to accepting help.

Viewers of course saw how much Ruzek rose to the occasion of caring for Makayla and wanting to do the best for her while Burgess was unconscious, but Chicago P.D. has yet to reveal what the little trio is like together when they’re all actually conscious and carrying on with their lives. When I asked what the little family dynamic looks like after Ruzek had to step up, Marina Squerciati shared:

The Burzek relationship is evidently going strong, but in a different way than ever before, and not just because it’s not sexual at the moment. Plus, now that Burgess has survived and seen Ruzek in dad mode for Makayla, maybe it will continue growing in a different way than ever before. The love is there, even if their timing hasn’t always been perfect.

Burgess’ relationship with Ruzek is undoubtedly the one of hers that has received the most development over the years of Chicago P.D., although her friendship with Atwater has delivered some great moments as well. But what about the dynamic between the two women of the Intelligence Unit after several years of working together?

Burgess and Upton had a small moment at the end of the premiere, when Burgess wanted to know if they’d caught the man who shot her, unaware that Upton had killed him and Voight disposed of the body. When I noted that I always love seeing when she and Tracy Spiridakos get to interact, Marina Squerciati was enthusiastic in her response:

Burgess may have Ruzek in her corner, and Upton may now be secretly engaged to Halstead (or at least secretly for now), but they’re both not being the most open with what’s going on with them. Upton’s secret isn’t necessarily one that she should spill to Burgess of all people, but their dynamic would certainly be interesting to explore more. P.D. gave a glimpse at the end of the Season 9 premiere, and Marina Squerciati shared whether or not it’s a goal for the show moving forward:

See what happens next for Burgess in her recovery, her relationship with Ruzek, and potentially the dynamic with Upton with new episodes of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. The next episode, airing on September 29, will be a big one for Marina Squerciati as Burgess continues to recover from the end of Season 8, so be sure to tune in!

Chicago P.D. closes out a full night of One Chicago action, starting at 8 p.m. ET with Chicago Med and continuing with Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET before wrapping with P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. Med is still dealing with Will’s return after some burned bridges at the end of Season 6, while Fire has its own cliffhanger aftermath to explore with changes on the way to Firehouse 51.

The 2020-2021 season of television was a good time to be a fan of any of the shows in the Dick Wolf universe. Not only did Law & Order: SVU, the three shows of One Chicago, FBI, and FBI: Most Wanted return with new episodes after the previous season was cut short, but Law & Order: Organized Crime debuted to bring back Christopher Meloni's Stabler, and more spinoffs are on the way to bring the total count of Dick Wolf shows up to nine next season. And with so many TV shows set in the same universe, that means the potential opportunities for many crossovers between them.

I was fortunate enough to speak with a number of the stars and the showrunners from NBC's One Chicago and both Law & Order shows, as well as both FBI shows over on CBS, over the past season of television. Many of them weighed in with their thoughts on future crossovers within the big shared TV universe. So, now that all of the shows have aired their finales for the 2020-2021 TV season, read on for what the stars and bosses have had to say about possible crossovers, starting with the CBS corner of the Dick Wolf universe.

David Hudgins - FBI: Most Wanted Showrunner

FBI: Most Wanted is arguably the most isolated of the current Dick Wolf shows, as its only crossovers to date have been with parent series FBI, and really only connected to the larger shared universe thanks to Chicago P.D.'s Tracy Spiridakos appearing on FBI once prior to production shutdowns in 2020. I spoke with David Hudgins, who joined Most Wanted as showrunner for the second season, about the finale cliffhanger and the future of the show. He shared his thoughts on a Dick Wolf crossover he'd like to see if the sky was the limit, saying:

FBI: Most Wanted, meet One Chicago? There's technically only one degree of separation between Most Wanted and Chicago P.D. at this point, and P.D. is just a hop and a skip away from Chicago Fire and Chicago Med. Besides, after everything that has gone down in One Chicago over the past ten years, it's almost surprising that most wanted criminals haven't descended on the heroes of Dick Wolf's Windy City on an annual basis by this point. David Hudgins also opened up about the success of Most Wanted in helping to expand the TV universe even further with the launch of another spinoff:

Whether or not Jess LaCroix and Co. turn up in One Chicago next season, FBI: Most Wanted is launching spinoff FBI: International along with FBI, so more crossovers are definitely coming.

Marina Squerciati - Chicago P.D.

Although Chicago P.D. ended Season 8 without confirming whether or not Burgess would survive the terrible injuries she sustained in the finale, it's hard to imagine the show moving on without Marina Squerciati. The actress didn't give away details about what Season 9 does or doesn't hold for Burgess when we spoke ahead of the Season 8 finale and not too long after Law & Order: Organized Crime premiered, but she was definitely enthusiastic about the possibility of her future holding crossovers, saying:

All things considered, I think a lot of fans would be excited to see if what Christopher Meloni does over on Organized Crime means joining forces with some of the Chicago P.D. crew. P.D. has already crossed over with SVU, so the Chicago and New York branches of the shared universe have shared characters before. Why not Organized Crime?

Then again, P.D.'s most recent New York connection was to FBI rather than any Law & Order show, thanks to Upton's quick trip to partner up with OA for an episode. Marina Squerciati responded to my suggestion that Burgess and Upton go on an FBI field trip to finally share some scenes together:

Even if P.D. doesn't cross over with Organized Crime in the near future – and I'm guessing we won't be getting a Burgess/Upton field trip to FBI – we have a One Chicago star officially on board for appearances on other shows.

Ainsley Seiger - Law & Order: Organized Crime

Ainsley Seiger is one of the newest additions to the Dick Wolf universe thanks to her role as tech expert extraordinaire Jet Slootmaekers on Law & Order: Organized Crime. The SVU spinoff is actually Seiger's first TV role, and she was a fan of SVU coming in, so it was no small deal for her to be filming material with SVU's Mariska Hargitay during just the first season of OC. When we spoke ahead of the crossover that brought Jet in close proximity to Benson, Seiger explained the process of building a bridge between the two shows:

Crossovers between Organized Crime and SVU aren't going anywhere, with both shows renewed for the 2021-2022 TV season and Organized Crime ending on a cliffhanger involving both Stabler and SVU's Benson. Both OC and SVU will presumably tie to the upcoming For the Defense spinoff, so even if Jet isn't going to be hanging out with the characters from One Chicago or the FBI series, her world is still growing.

Kelli Giddish - Law & Order: SVU

The Season 22 finale of Law & Order: SVU was a big one for Kelli Giddish's Rollins, as the detective finally planted a kiss on Carisi to deliver something that Rollisi fans have been waiting a very long time for, and it may have taken them past a point of no return. They'll have to deal with it somehow in Season 23, right? Even if Benson and Stabler aren't setting the best example. Speaking with Giddish about the Rollisi dynamic and return of Rollins' dad earlier in Season 22, Giddish shared whether she's interested in crossing over with other Dick Wolf shows:

Several SVU stars have already appeared on Organized Crime, including Peter Scanavino as Carisi, Demore Barnes as Deputy Chief Garland, and of course Mariska Hargitay as Benson. Why not Rollins next? And she has also appeared on Chicago P.D. thanks to an earlier P.D./SVU shared case, so Kelli Giddish has some experience with Rollins taking her investigative talents outside of Manhattan Special Victims.

Dick Wolf And Ilene Chaiken - Law & Order: Organized Crime

The return of Christopher Meloni's Elliot Stabler to the Law & Order universe was hyped across NBC as the return of the "prodigal son," and Organized Crime received a lot of fanfare ahead of its premiere. The SVU backdoor pilot followed by the series premiere illustrated the differences and similarities between the newest and the oldest current Dick Wolf shows, while also showcasing crossover potential. Showrunner Ilene Chaiken and Dick Wolf himself spoke with press following the premiere to preview the future of Organized Crime, and they weighed in on the focus of crossovers. Wolf said:

When not dealing with production precautions that meant nixing any major events between Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med, the three One Chicago shows regularly share characters for mini crossovers, and occasionally come together for multi-episode arcs when a big enough story comes along and needs to be told with the heroes of more than one show. That doesn't mean crossovers every week, and that will evidently hold true with Organized Crime. Ilene Chaiken picked up Dick Wolf's thread, saying:

All of these shows may share a universe, but they're also all telling their own stories, so whatever crossovers that may or may not happen moving forward, there will presumably have to be some good reasons for them to happen on the Organized Crime front.

Steven Weber - Chicago Med

Steven Weber joined Chicago Med on a recurring basis in the second half of Season 6. With the departures of two series regulars in the Season 6 finale and the twist that set Weber's Dean Archer up to fill in as ED Chief for Ethan during his recuperation suggest that Weber will be back with more of a part to play in Season 7. Interestingly, Weber had already appeared in two other Dick Wolf TV shows before joining Med, with three episodes of Law & Order: SVU and one episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (playing different characters). When we chatted back in March in honor of his Med debut, Weber shared his impression of the Dick Wolf universe:

"This world" is quite expansive with seven shows already, and growing with the addition of two more next season! It naturally raised the question of other Dick Wolf shows that he'd be interested in dropping by as Dean Archer at some point, and Steven Weber explained:

All signs point toward Dean Archer sticking around the ED at least into the beginning of Season 7, and a lot could depend on what kind of time jump is in store for Med. The finale left several story threads dangling, even if the cliffhangers weren't quite as life-and-death as Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. When I noted to Steven Weber that the firefighters and cops of Fire and P.D. get hurt on a regular basis, he responded:

Considering Chicago P.D.'s Burgess did in fact require emergency medical help in the Season 8 finale, and the Chicago Fire Season 9 finale ended on a cliffhanger that could mean some or all of Squad will need more aid than what Brett and Violet can give out of the back of the ambo, One Chicago really can use all the doctors it can get.

Law & Order: SVU - Demore Barnes

The Season 22 finale of Law & Order: SVU ended on a more foreboding note for Demore Barnes' Deputy Chief Garland than for the rest of the key characters, as some of his comments under oath left him in hot water with the NYPD brass. Plus, he wasn't feeling great physically in the finale, and was planning to take some time off now that he's facing efforts to force him out of the department. That said, when I had the chance to speak with Barnes earlier in Season 22 with Organized Crime then on the way, he gave his thoughts on crossing over to another show as Garland:

Interestingly, like Steven Weber, Demore Barnes had appeared elsewhere in the Dick Wolf universe playing another character before landing the larger role. He appeared in the short-lived Chicago Justice spinoff that became the first One Chicago show to be cancelled. For now, fans may want to be more concerned as to whether the Deputy Chief will be able to hold onto his position in New York rather than be called on in Chicago, though!

Derek Haas - Chicago Fire Showrunner

Chicago Fire of course is the show that started the whole One Chicago corner of the Dick Wolf TV universe, and Fire has been the source of a lot of crossovers over the years. When showrunner Derek Haas dropped some preview details ahead of the Season 9 premiere last year, however, he was quick to set the record straight about what to expect due to production precautions, as well as hopes for the future. Haas said:

Chicago Fire did find ways to pull in a few other One Chicago characters for the Season 9 premiere, and off and on throughout the ninth season, but as Derek Haas predicted, a bigger crossover had to be held off on. If all goes well, the most extreme of the pandemic precautions may well lift in time for One Chicago to resume the annual multi-episode crossovers in the fall, and perhaps even share some scenes with the Law & Order and/or FBI crowds.

Andrew Schneider - Chicago Med Showrunner

As a medical drama, Chicago Med had some big challenges to face heading into Season 6, as One Chicago (as well as SVU and FBI and FBI: Most Wanted) was incorporating the real-life pandemic into the plot for the 2020-2021 TV season. I was able to check in with Med co-showrunners Andrew Schneider and Diane Frolov ahead of November's sixth season premiere, and Schneider's comments about crossovers echoed those of Fire's Derek Haas:

The new year isn't over yet, so a major crossover could well still happen in 2021. Fans will just have to wait until the fall to find out. The most recent event involving a full episode of all three One Chicago shows was back in fall of 2019, and aired pretty early in the seasons. So, if another big crossover is on the way, perhaps the timeline will be similar and viewers won't have to wait too long after Fire, P.D., and Med return with new episodes.

Rick Eid - FBI/Chicago P.D. Showrunner

Chicago P.D. boss Rick Eid pulls double duty in the Dick Wolf TV universe as showrunner of CBS' FBI as well as the NBC cop show, and it's actually thanks to P.D. sending Upton over to FBI at the end of Season 7 that there's even room to speculate about the NBC shows crossing over with FBI and Most Wanted at this point. There were no signs that the shows on two different networks existed in the same TV universe before Upton showed up and made speculation a whole lot more fun. Answering some questions for CinemaBlend last fall ahead of FBI Season 3 (and FBI: Most Wanted Season 2), Eid said:

As P.D. fans will remember, Upton's trip to FBI ultimately had a big impact on her arc in One Chicago. She did well enough working with the feds to earn a fancy job offer, and it was that offer – which was a huge opportunity but would have meant leaving CPD, Chicago, and her partner – that was the game-changer for her and Halstead to make a big step. As Rick Eid commented in early 2021 before P.D. returned from winter break:

Upton of course chose to stay in Chicago and start a relationship with Halstead, but that relationship has run into some obstacles thanks to Voight putting the wrong kinds of pressure on Upton, prompting her to ask Halstead to marry her in just about the most desperate and non-romantic way possible in the Season 8 finale. But hey, at least they love each other, and they have Voight's decision to send Upton to FBI to thank for that step forward.

The various stars and bosses of One Chicago, the two Law & Order shows, and the two FBI shows dropped plenty of comments worth considering during the months ahead without any new episodes. The seven current Dick Wolf shows are expected to return to NBC and CBS in the fall, with Law & Order: For the People and FBI: International premiering in the 2021-2022 TV season as well. As for what you can watch in the meantime, be sure to swing by our 2021 summer TV premiere guide for some options!

Spoilers ahead for Episode 13 of Chicago P.D. Season 8, called "Trouble Dolls."

Chicago P.D. delivered one of its darkest episodes of Season 8 that started with the murder of a pregnant woman and only got more grisly from there, but it also delivered some lighter and deeply layered moments courtesy of Burgess and her bond with Makayla. That's not to say that this was an easy episode for Burgess as she really faced her own mortality and what her death would mean for her daughter. Luckily, Marina Squerciati opened up about Burgess' decision about Ruzek, the coming Season 8 finale, and more.

Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend, and she shared whether Burgess would have had any misgivings about choosing Ruzek:

Ruzek agreed to be Makayla's guardian, but this doesn't immediately fix all of the issues that arose within the Burzek dynamic in Season 8. That said, it's also clear that the bond between them is still strong, even if it's buried at the moment, and it's permanent now that he's Makayla's guardian. When asked if this means that Chicago P.D. could feature some scenes involving Ruzek with Burgess and Makayla, Marina Squerciati previewed a "dirty" finale:

This being Chicago P.D., fans might not want to expect that Marina Squerciati is talking about a "dirty" finale that's going to be full of fun and games for Intelligence. Still, P.D. found a way to lighten up one of the darker episodes of the season by including scenes of Burgess and Makayla having some make-believe adventures at home and more. Marina Squerciati weighed in on Burgess and Makayla bringing some lightness to a dark episode, saying:

Once her role as a mom began to bleed into her dangerous life as a cop, Burgess began to see things differently, and even froze up in a deadly situation because she was afraid of leaving Makayla alone. At the same time, this episode proved that Burgess really is capable of doing it all as a mom, cracking the case while also helping Makayla in a difficult time. Marina Squerciati shared her thoughts on showing more sides of Burgess with this episode:

Those two sides bled together in "Trouble Dolls," but Burgess naming Ruzek as Makayla's guardian may enable her to separate them again as Chicago P.D. moves forward toward the "dirty" finale. The trailer for next week's episode reveals that Voight is finally going to find out what's up with Upstead, and he seemingly isn't going to take the news very well.

Burgess' adoption of Makayla was moving forward in "Trouble Dolls," but she had to choose an alternate guardian for Makayla in the event of her death. After she spent the hour with her worlds as Makayla's mom and Detective Kim Burgess colliding, she had to face what Makayla has known all along: her future would be uncertain if something happens to Burgess. Somewhat surprisingly, after a near-death experience and some hard truths, Burgess decided to name Ruzek as Makayla's guardian despite all of their struggles this season.

Find out what's next for Intelligence with the final few episodes of Chicago P.D. Season 8 on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. The finale of P.D. (as well as Chicago Fire and Chicago Med) is fast-approaching, so don't miss an episode as the shows prepare to head into another hiatus.

Chicago P.D. has thrown a lot of challenges at Kim Burgess throughout Season 8, and the ride certainly isn't over yet. In the next episode, Burgess will have another tough decision to make, and the recent big fight between Burgess and Ruzek raises the question of whether or not she'll have him in her corner for whatever comes next. Fortunately, Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about the Burzek relationship status in the aftermath of their fight, and whether their relationship can be salvaged to what it was before.

The confrontation between Burgess and Ruzek happened only a couple of episodes ago, when Burgess asked the wrong kind of question (at least in Ruzek's mind) about Ruzek after he shot and killed a man. The man's death did help Ruzek and nobody had witnessed it, so Burgess wondering if he crossed a line when his family was involved wasn't unreasonable, but Ruzek took it hard, and there have been no signs since that they reconciled. Marina Squerciati chatted with CinemaBlend (seen above) ahead of the next episode about where Burzek stand:

The last couple of episodes have been centered on Upton (with more than a dash of Upstead) and then Voight, so the new post-fight status quo between Burgess and Ruzek has been in the background. And, as Marina Squerciati shared, eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that they weren't exactly at their friendliest, and even the prospect of catching a serial killer wasn't enough for some eye contact from Ruzek. The fight hasn't affected the quality of their work, but I think it's safe to say that there haven't been any movie nights recently!

Of course, Burgess and Ruzek have run into plenty of bumps in the road before and still found ways to come back to each other, as friends and as more, so viewers should probably never fully count a reconciliation out. That said, Marina Squerciati weighed in on whether they can go back to what they were at the beginning of Season 8 before the fight, or even before Season 8, and it seems the good ship Burzek (whether romantic or otherwise) is unlikely to return to the exact same course. Asked if the relationship can be salvaged back to what it was before, the actress explained:

Let it not be said that Burgess and Ruzek reset back to where they started every time they hit a rough patch! Chicago P.D. had explored what Burgess' pregnancy and the aftermath of her miscarriage meant for both of their characters, and this latest fight hasn't been swept under the rug. As of this point in Season 8, Burgess has Makayla in her life, and her daughter has to be a priority. So, what will Burgess and Ruzek's relationship look like in the future after they move past this latest hurdle? Or will they not be able to move past the hurdle at all and viewers will have to wait until Season 9 to see more of the Burzek dynamic?

Find out with the next new episode of Chicago P.D., which will be a big Burgess episode and air on Wednesday, May 5 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. If you need to catch up on Season 8 so far, you can find all the episodes streaming on Peacock now, and be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for more on One Chicago.

Chicago P.D. is changing up the Intelligence Unit in Season 8, starting with the mysterious departure of Lisseth Chavez's Rojas and coming up on the introduction of a new character who will join Atwater, Ruzek, and Burgess as police officers. At this point, Halstead and Upton remain the only two detectives in Intelligence, so has the time come for another officer to make detective in the CPD's elite unit? Fortunately, I was able to speak with several Chicago P.D. stars recently, and they weighed in on which officer out of LaRoyce Hawkins' Atwater, Patrick John Flueger's Ruzek, and Marina Squerciati's Burgess should make detective next.

Atwater, Ruzek, and Burgess have been in the mix on Chicago P.D. from the very first season, with Ruzek as part of Intelligence from the start and Atwater and Burgess eventually making their way from patrol to working under Voight. All three of them have certainly put in the time, blood, sweat, and even tears to move up the ranks at CPD, but who will be the next one to make detective, if one of them does?

LaRoyce Hawkins, Patrick John Flueger, and Amy Morton spoke with CinemaBlend (seen in the video above) for the One Chicago Day celebrating Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med to share their thoughts on who should make detective next, with Marina Squerciati sharing her own thoughts as well. When I asked the stars at One Chicago Day for their thoughts on which officer should be the next to make detective and why, LaRoyce Hawkins made a pitch for why his character should be up for the promotion:

Atwater may not be the officer who has been in Intelligence the longest, but could anybody really argue with LaRoyce Hawkins' explanation of why his character should be the next to move up the ladder in Intelligence? Not only did Atwater keep his hands pretty clean in getting dirty cops off his back from the end of Season 7 to the early episodes of Season 8, but he has proven himself every time something has been asked of him.

That's not to say that Burgess and Ruzek don't rise to the occasion more often than not when the situation calls for it as well as Atwater, even if Ruzek is more likely to cross a line to do so. Amy Morton, who plays the unforgettable patrol sergeant Trudy Platt on Chicago P.D., shared her own perspective on which patrol officer should make detective:

There are worse things than to have Trudy Platt in your corner when it comes to Chicago P.D., and Amy Morton at least is on board with Atwater as the next one to join Halstead and Upton with a detective rank. Considering Atwater's time as a patrol officer before moving up to the Intelligence Unit, it would be fun to see Platt have a hand in Atwater advancing, if he is indeed the next one to advance over Ruzek and Burgess.

As for Ruzek, Patrick John Flueger weighed in on which Chicago P.D. officer should be moving up the ladder, and he didn't actually choose his own character. Instead, Flueger is on board with both LaRoyce Hawkins' and Amy Morton's arguments, saying:

Considering the events of the latest episode, it seems Ruzek may have a hard enough time adapting to the changes at the CPD as an officer without worrying about trying to advance, and he hasn't been without his fair share of personal drama as well thanks to the Burzek arc of Season 8 so far. Flueger was confident in supporting Atwater as the next detective, but what about the third longtime Chicago P.D. star playing a police officer in the Intelligence Unit?

I spoke with Marina Squerciati separately from One Chicago Day about Burgess' game-changing decision to take in young Makayla, and she took the time to share her own thoughts on the future of the three officers in Intelligence. Squerciati has a different reasoning than her co-stars behind her pick:

Marina Squerciati voted for Patrick John Flueger's Ruzek over her own Burgess and LaRoyce Hawkins' Atwater, suggesting that since Ruzek was the first officer in Intelligence, Ruzek should be the first officer to be promoted to detective in Intelligence. When I told her that Flueger, Hawkins, and Amy Morton all said Atwater should be next, Squerciati had the best response:

Even if Burgess doesn't make detective in the foreseeable future, she has plenty going on in her life to keep her busy. Taking in Makayla meant that she went from living as a single woman who spent most of her time hanging out with Ruzek to the mom of a little family unit overnight, so maybe she has enough on her plate for the time being.

Of course, there is no guarantee at this point that any of the Intelligence officers will make detective in Season 8, and the show is already guaranteed to run through at least Season 10. And there is plenty going on within Intelligence, what with the coming arrival of a new character, the Upstead relationship that may not be able to remain secret for too long, and the individual plots established around Upton and Halstead independent of their relationship.

That said, the one member of Intelligence who hasn't really had an independent plot since the first couple episodes of Season 8 is Atwater, and while he definitely deserved a break after everything the dirty cops put him through, I say that it's time for another big Atwater story, and what better story than Atwater making detective? I'd also be on board with an Atwater love interest, and LaRoyce Hawkins spoke about a possible romance as well:

Vote in our poll below about who deserves to be the next detective, and find out what happens next for Intelligence when Chicago P.D. returns on Wednesday, March 10 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET. In the meantime, you can relive One Chicago days gone by with P.D., Fire, and Med streaming on Peacock.

This poll is no longer available.

Chicago P.D. delivered a life-changing twist for Kim Burgess in the latest episode when she decided to take in young Makayla rather than let the little girl go into a system that could well fail her. It was a bold choice, and one that she made without a whole lot of time to plan ahead. Her future looks very different, and Marina Squerciati, who has played Burgess through some serious emotional highs and lows over the past two seasons, has some fun ideas for the support system that Chicago P.D. could build for her moving forward.

Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about Burgess' arc over the recent episodes of Chicago P.D., with the two Makayla installments featuring some nice moments between Burgess and Ruzek, Atwater, and even Platt as she tried to navigate connecting with this traumatized child. (Sadly, no moments between Burgess and a certain other character.) The P.D. star opened up about the kinds of support she thinks Burgess could receive from Ruzek, Atwater, and Platt, and she definitely had some fun ideas, starting with Burgess' fellow Intelligence officers:

While Ruzek was excited at the prospect of becoming a father and co-parenting with Burgess in Season 7, he doesn't quite have the experience that could come in handy with a little girl, and he wasn't overflowing with support of Burgess' decision to take in Makayla anyway. To contrast, Atwater already proved to be a resource to her, as she tried to decide whether she could and should take Makayla in. And if the man who raised Vanessa and Jordan believes she can do it, that's a good sign.

One more person who showed support for Burgess during the Makayla episodes was Platt, which follows up on their scenes in Season 7 in the episode that came to a devastating end for Burgess. That said, the bond between Burgess and Platt doesn't mean that potentially helping with Makayla would make Amy Morton's character any less... well, Platt. Marina Squerciati had some thoughts on the hilarious role Platt could fill in a support system for Burgess:

I can't speak for any other Chicago P.D. fans out there, but I absolutely want to see any kind of situation that will involve Platt babysitting Makayla, whether or not Jaws is involved. It could definitely add some lightheartedness to the darkest show in One Chicago, and to a storyline that got off to such a tragic start with the fates of Makayla's family. Marina Squerciati has also shared her thoughts on whether or not Burgess being a mom and working in Intelligence is sustainable:

Of course, all three shows of One Chicago have some exciting content coming courtesy of the upcoming One Chicago Day fan event, delivering content from Chicago Fire and Chicago Med as well as Chicago P.D..The virtual event begins on Wednesday, February 10 at 5 p.m. ET on the NBC OneChicago YouTube Channel. The one-hour Chicago-filled event will include set tours guided by the actors, cast trivia games, social media giveaways, and more.

And the OneChicago YouTube Channel won't be the only source of new One Chicago content. Check back with CinemaBlend this week for more Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med content in celebration of One Chicago Day. New episodes of all three shows also air on February 10, starting with Med at 8 p.m. ET and closing out the night with P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.

The Chicago P.D. cast got a bit smaller to start its unconventional eighth season, and the first handful of episodes have seen some very big developments in more than one relationship. That said, there is one dynamic that remains pretty much unexplored, even after these two characters have spent years working in the same unit at CPD. Fortunately, Chicago P.D.'s Marina Squerciati recently spoke with CinemaBlend, and I had to get her thoughts on the dynamic between the two women of the Intelligence Unit.

By this point, Marina Squerciati's Burgess and Tracy Spiridakos' Upton have both been series regulars on Chicago P.D. since Season 5, and the only two women in Intelligence for that whole span of time with the exception of Season 7 and Lisseth Chavez's Rojas. That said, they haven't shared much one-on-one screentime or even meaningful scenes together, especially compared to other duos within Intelligence.

Burgess has shared some stellar scenes with Patrick Flueger as Ruzek in Season 8 so far, and even had some smaller but poignant moments with LaRoyce Hawkins' Atwater in the latest episode, but nothing notable for Burgess has been up with Upton, who has mostly been paired with Jesse Lee Soffer's Halstead. Speaking with Marina Squerciati about Chicago P.D. Season 8, I asked if the relationship dynamic between Burgess and Upton is something that viewers might see more of, and she shared:

As Marina Squerciati noted, Burgess isn't the only character by far who doesn't have much of a relationship with Upton, with partner-turned-friend-turned-love interest Halstead as the only character Upton has really opened up to. And if the latest couple of episodes are any indication, Upton's trauma definitely isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and Burgess now has to take young Makayla into account in the calculus of her life. At least there's one small scene on the way for Burgess and Upton!

All the same, Burgess and Upton have been part of the same unit for several seasons now, and arguably their biggest shared episode had a fair amount of their interactions complicated by their connections to Ruzek. And that was two seasons ago! A new character is on the way to join Intelligence to fill the gap left behind by Rojas, whose absence remains a mystery, so it's possible that the overall status quo within the unit is going to be shaken up even beyond the latest developments for both Upton and Burgess.

As much as Chicago P.D. isn't a show about relationships -- romantic or platonic -- the Upton/Burgess dynamic is one that could definitely be explored, especially in a season that has to be somehat smaller in scale with relation to the big crossovers that can't happen at this point. Why not feature the women of Intelligence at least talking to each other a little more often? As a female P.D. fan, I know that I would 100% be on board.

Do you want to see more of Burgess and Upton interacting on Chicago P.D.? Be sure to weigh in our poll below, and check out NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of P.D., following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET, and check back with CinemaBlend for more on the One Chicago front, including from Marina Squerciati.

This poll is no longer available.

Warning: spoilers ahead for the February 3 episode of Chicago P.D., called "In Your Care."

Chicago P.D. delivered a game-changing episode for none other than Marina Squerciati's Kim Burgess with "In Your Care," both when it comes to her personal life and decisions she made pursuing a case of carjackings committed by kids who had been failed by the system. An accidental reunion with young Makayla combined with Burgess' realization that she wants everything out of life ended with Burgess taking the little girl in to build a family for her... and complicating any future she might have with Ruzek.

I was able to speak with Marina Squerciati about Chicago P.D. and "In Your Care," including what Burgess' future in Intelligence looks like now that she has a child in her life and what Makayla means for the relationship with Ruzek. Plus, she shared her thoughts in the video above on the absolutely adorable moment with Makayla, Burgess, and the stuffed platypus. Not a whole lot happens on Chicago P.D. that can qualify as "cute," after all.

Working in Intelligence has complicated the personal lives of a lot of the cops over the years, and probably contributed to why these colleagues have a tendency to date each other rather than elsewhere in One Chicago and haven't built families... until now. Marina Squerciati weighed in on how taking in Makayla will affect Burgess relating to her job:

Burgess taking in a little girl isn't a plot that can just be wrapped up in an episode or two considering how determined Burgess is to do right by Makayla. She may have a lot of learning to do when it comes to becoming a mom -- including how to buckle a child into a car seat -- but she seems to be all-in on a future as a working mom. And Intelligence will soon get a little bigger.

Of course, working in Intelligence tends to result in the cops making a lot of sacrifices when it comes to personal relationships, and Burgess as a single woman who suddenly has a young girl in her care faces a slew of new challenges. Marina Squerciati shared her thoughts on whether working and caring for Makayla is sustainable in light of everything she told Ruzek she wanted in this episode:

If anybody in Intelligence can pull it off without sacrificing too much either personally or professionally, Burgess is probably the prime choice. She found ways of coping with her trauma from last season that were about as healthy as possible on Chicago P.D., and this episode alone showed that Burgess knows how to prioritize. Unfortunately for Ruzek, really, who was ready to hear her out about marriage and babies!

Ruzek being open to a full future with Burgess at the start of the episode definitely doesn't mean that their comfortable old married couple dynamic can continue with movie nights and evenings at O'Malley's. He wasn't fully on board with Burgess wanting to take in Makayla. I asked Marina Squerciati where the Burzek relationship stands now that they've hit this point of divergence, and she said:

Burgess making the bold choice to take in Makayla doesn't mean that there's no future on the Burzek front, but there are more factors that she needs to take into account now. Ruzek wasn't so much against Burgess taking Makayla in as he was against Burgess possibly trying to replace what they lost with the miscarriage, so it should be interesting to see how their relationship changes (or doesn't) as Season 8 continues.

Find out what happens next with new episodes of Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays to close out NBC's One Chicago nights at 10 p.m. ET, and be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for more of Marina Squerciati's thoughts on P.D., including the idea of Platt as babysitter and the relationship that should be explored more. Don't forget to check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule as well!

Chicago P.D. returned to NBC in 2021 to raise the emotional stakes in a big way for Kim Burgess, whose major arc last season took a tragic twist and she had to find a way to deal with the trauma of the miscarriage while still doing her job. Season 8 allowed Burgess to connect with a little girl who went through a terrible trauma of her own, which got the Intelligence officer reconsidering what kind of mother she would have been if she hadn't lost that future with Ruzek. Marina Squerciati opened up to CinemaBlend about Burgess in Season 8, including how she continues to deal with her trauma and her new dynamic with Ruzek.

Burgess' arc in Season 7 saw her go from a woman uncertain if she wanted to remain pregnant to an expectant mother happily looking forward to co-parenting with Ruzek to someone who survived a brutal attack but lost something anyway. It was an arc that packed an emotional punch, especially for a show that can be as action-packed as Chicago P.D.. I recently had the chance to speak with Marina Squerciati about Burgess, and she shared how it feels for Chicago P.D. to revisit this emotional arc in Season 8:

Considering how much Burgess shut herself down even from Ruzek in the aftermath of her attack in Season 7, a "bubble boy" stasis situation definitely seems like a step in the right direction, especially with Ruzek by her side. And hey, considering One Chicago is still in the midst of a pandemic, maybe regular movie nights with Ruzek are the best option even without the trauma of what she experienced last season. That said, Makayla definitely shook up her world earlier in Season 8, and Makayla will be back in the February 3 episode of P.D..

With Chicago P.D. showrunner Rick Eid previously saying that motherhood is on Burgess' mind even if she's not sure about how she'll "pursue this desire," Burgess may have to give up her bubble with Ruzek if Makayla's return shakes her out of her stasis somehow. Burgess has a knack for rising above her personal concerns to help others, as viewers saw with her rescue of the young woman that led to her miscarriage last season. Still, viewers also saw last season that trauma doesn't just go away out of sheer determination.

The good news is that the good 'ship Burzek seems to be sailing strong, even if that 'ship is currently friendship rather than what Ruzek seems to want out of their dynamic. Marina Squerciati explained where the relationship between Burgess and Ruzek stands after she had her maternal reawakening with Makayla's first episode:

Hey, better for Burzek to be stuck in a rut of an old married couple routine than not being able to connect at all, right? After everything they went together together and apart in Season 7, I think they deserve to just hang out and watch some movies if that's what Burgess wants, and Ruzek seems content to not push for anything more for the time being. Of course, that could all change in the next episode, called "In Your Care," which will see Burgess make a discovery about a previous case that will change her life forever. We can only hope that her life changes for the better!

See what the "In Your Care" episode of Chicago P.D. has in store for Burgess and the rest of Intelligence on Wednesday, February 3 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, and be sure to check back with CinemaBlend for more of what Marina Squerciati had to say about Chicago P.D. Season 8.

The wait for more of Chicago P.D. Season 8 is almost at an end, and the 2021 return promises to be a big episode for none other than Burgess. She'll be called upon to protect a young girl who winds up in very real danger, and an exclusive clip (seen above) proves that Burgess has her work cut out for her. Rescuing the girl here is one thing; can Burgess continue to keep her safe?

The new episode is called "Tender Age," and it will see Burgess along with Ruzek find a girl wandering alone. When they take her home, they'll discover that something terrible happened to her whole family. If the clip from the episode with broken glass, cut power, and gunshots is any indication, whoever attacked the girl's family isn't finished with the crime spree just yet.

Airing on NBC on January 6 at 10 p.m. ET, "Tender Age" should be an intense return for Chicago P.D. According to showrunner Rick Eid, there will also be "emotions" to go along with the danger as Burgess tries to protect this child. When asked how their tragic Season 7 miscarriage impacts Burgess and Ruzek as they approach this case of a child who lost her family, Eid shared with CinemaBlend:

Chicago P.D. Season 7 proved that both Burgess and Ruzek were able to return to their work in Intelligence despite their loss, with Burgess even overcoming extreme physical pain, and their tragedy evidently won't affect how they look at the case to start. That's not to say that this case won't recall for Burgess some of what she was feeling while she was pregnant.

Considering that the pregnancy in Season 7 was an accident, Burgess hasn't actually shown any major signs that she is still interested in becoming a mother any time in the foreseeable future, so it should be interesting to see how "Tender Age" builds the connection with Burgess and the girl to stir up her maternal instincts.

The episode clip definitely proves that she's not letting anything happen to the girl if there's anything she can do about it. Showrunner Rick Eid elaborated on Burgess' state of mind when it comes to starting a family after how prepared she was in Season 7 prior to the miscarriage:

There are still big questions about what Burgess does or doesn't see in her ideal future as a mother, but Burzek fans are undoubtedly going to be wondering if Ruzek could be part of her vision. He was there for her as much as she would let him throughout her pregnancy and the aftermath, and they do have the longest-running will they/won't they dynamic on Chicago P.D. at this point.

Of course, a different romance is brewing within the Intelligence Unit, so we'll have to wait and see what's on the way for Burgess and potential motherhood. The good news is that "Tender Age" promises to be a thrilling episode that showcases Burgess, who didn't have a huge part to play in the first two episodes of Season 8.

Tune in to NBC on Wednesday, January 6 at 10 p.m. ET to see the first new Chicago P.D. episode of 2021, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET. For some more viewing options now and in the coming weeks, be sure to check out our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule.

Chicago P.D.'s Sean Roman has been absent from Chicago since Season 3, but Brian Geraghty is returning for the big Chicago Fire/Chicago P.D. crossover on February 26. Unfortunately, Roman is back in the mix because his sister is in serious trouble, not because he wants to reunite with his former CPD friends... or his former flame Kim Burgess. Burgess has been on a rough ride herself in P.D. Season 7, and actress Marina Squerciati weighed in on her character's reunion with Roman and the "love" still between them:

Burgess and Roman didn't break up because they didn't love each other, but rather because Roman was injured and moved to San Diego after sustaining a career-ending injury while Burgess decided not to go with him. That happened back at the end of Season 3, and Burgess has gone on the Ruzek relationship roller coaster since then. She very recently suffered a miscarriage after a brutal attack, so it's no wonder she's in a dark place. Marina Squerciati's comments to TV Insider indicate Roman is as well. Although the love may be there, there are major complications.

Considering Roman is back for a two-parter between Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire, does that mean he'll only get darker as the crossover continues? Or will he start at his darkest point and slowly but surely lighten up as they get closer to solving the mystery of his sister's absence? A lot may depend on just how gruesome the drug overdoses that bring Fire and P.D. together really are, and how involved Roman's sister is in the whole mix. And, of course, whether or not Roman's sister survives.

I'm guessing Chicago Fire wouldn't go so dark as to kill off the sister of one of the good guys in the midst of a drug case despite Fire showrunner Derek Haas' comments about Fire/P.D. crossovers, but I wouldn't put it past Chicago P.D. Frankly, after how brutal of a beating Burgess took that resulted in her miscarriage, I can imagine P.D. going just about as dark as possible for a broadcast TV show. Roman will go on a Liam Neeson-esque revenge, according to one star!

Ruzek apparently won't be thrilled about how Roman enters the scene, and Roman will evidently be sketchy enough for Severide to get suspicious. Still, will Ruzek's motivation for disapproving of Roman's return actually be connected to any love left over between Burgess and Roman? He has seemingly been nothing but understanding and patient with her after her miscarriage, but Roman could press all the wrong buttons.

Fortunately, the wait for the Chicago P.D./Chicago Fire crossover that brings back Sean Roman is almost over, even if One Chicago took a week off. The two-parter kicks off on Wednesday, February 26 at 9 p.m. ET with a new episode of Chicago Fire, followed by Chicago P.D. at 10 p.m. ET. Med won't be part of the crossover, but its episode at 8 p.m. ET could be pretty intense as well. For more viewing options, check out our 2020 winter and spring premiere schedule.

Warning: spoilers for the February 5 episode of Chicago P.D. entitled “I Was Here.”

Chicago P.D. fans have been nervously watching ever since the police drama revealed that Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek were having a baby, and those nerves ended up being justified as the pregnancy ended in tragedy.

In Chicago P.D.’s February 5 episode (“I Was Here”), Burgess was attacked by a sex trafficker while trying to save a young woman she had received a 911 call from. She made this move despite the danger to her unborn child and her earlier decision to take on lighter duty. In trying to save the victim, Burgess was brutally attacked and ended up losing her baby.

As expected, Burgess is devastated and has been sent reeling. Burgess will apparently dive deep into work when she returns to active duty. Marina Squerciati, who earned a rave review from CinemaBlend’s Laura Hurley for her performance, explained how Burgess feels after the tragic episode. On Burgess’ emotional state moving forward on Chicago P.D., Squerciati told Us Weekly:

Burgess was trying to do the right thing in rushing off to rescue the girl. However, the consequences of that choice led to a brutal and horrifying face-off that claimed the life of Burgess’s baby. From the sound of things, Chicago P.D. fans should not expect Burgess to find comfort with her baby’s father, Ruzek.

Burgess and Ruzek’s relationship took an unexpected turn upon the shocking news of Burgess’s pregnancy. Now they are facing mourning this tragic loss, and it does not sound like they will be doing a lot of that together. This, despite Ruzek’s best attempts. Adding to matters are Burgess’ complicated feelings over what led to her losing their baby. Marina Squerciati said:

Burgess will have a lot to sift through as Chicago P.D.’s season continues. If she had not launched into action, she would have been forever haunted by what could have befallen the woman. However, if she had not acted, her baby would probably still be alive, unless an unrelated situation had led to the pregnancy being lost.

Promotional photos for Chicago P.D.’s next episode do not show either Burgess or Ruzek. Ruzek will be involved in the upcoming Chicago P.D./Chicago Fire crossover, so there is that.

Tthe Chicago P.D. crossover will also see the return of Burgess’ ex, Sean Roman, in a “seedy, backhanded way.” In light of Burgess’ loss, will she lean on Roman to help her through it, since she is distancing herself from Ruzek? Patrick John Flueger, who plays Ruzek, has said that his character has “always loved Burgess.”

Hopefully, he and Burgess can find a way to connect and help each other through this difficult time. New episodes of Chicago P.D. air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. The police drama is one of the many shows airing fresh throughout this winter and spring.

Spoilers ahead for Episode 13 of Chicago P.D. Season 7, called "I Was Here."

Chicago P.D. delivered a heartbreaker of an episode that may have gone too far with "I Was Here," but Marina Squerciati's performance was among the best of the series as Kim Burgess. The show confirmed my fears about Burgess' pregnancy, and she suffered a miscarriage. If the miscarriage had happened naturally, the twist would have been tragic but not brutal. How it happened... well, it would be hard to blame Burgess if she has trouble physically and emotionally recovering.

Burgess finally went on light duty due to her pregnancy in "I Was Here" and began working as a 911 operator, but she received a call from a terrified girl that prompted Burgess to dive back into investigation again. Thanks to Burgess, Intelligence uncovered a sex trafficking ring and saved the girl who called for help. Unfortunately, a violent encounter with the man behind the trafficking ring resulted in a miscarriage.

When I say "a violent encounter," I mean a bloody, brutal, close-quarters fight between a large man and a smaller, pregnant woman while a teenager drowned in a bathtub with backup arriving too late. The scene was intense and heartbreaking, largely thanks to Marina Squerciati as Burgess.

From the moment the bad guy landed the first blow, Burgess clearly knew her pregnancy was very much in danger, but she didn't stop fighting for young Emma. When she finally managed to take him down, Burgess curled up around her belly in pain, then climbed into the bathtub and used her last remaining strength to pull Emma's head above water long enough for Upton to arrive and perform CPR. It was only when Ruzek rushed in that Burgess broke down into hysterical sobs and repeated "I don't know," "help me," and "please" over and over again.

I watch and write about TV for a living. I've covered the likes of Game of Thrones and Outlander on premium cable that can get more graphic than anything on broadcast television. I've pretty much seen it all. But I audibly gasped when the bad guy threw Burgess into a sink, then proceeded to throw her around, punch, and literally pound on her abdomen. Credit to Marina Squerciati for making the scenes of Burgess fighting for her life and learning about the miscarriage emotionally impactful rather than just brutal and violent.

It was ugly and awful and more than I ever expected to happen on-screen to a pregnant main character on a broadcast TV show, to the point that I knew and Marina Squerciati's performance suggests Burgess knew that the pregnancy was lost before the doctor confirmed it. Chicago P.D. is always heavy, but not like this!

"I Was Here" started with Ruzek planning on moving in with Burgess so he could be there when the baby was born and they could co-parent. Ruzek happily said goodbye to their "little ice cream baby," and they both laughed when Burgess explained it was the size of a navel orange, and then went to her light duty work. This episode made the pregnancy real and allowed both Burgess and Ruzek to seem really and truly excited about it, only to deliver a brutal beating to Burgess.

No wonder Burgess was all but catatonic when the doctor said her pregnancy was lost, and she couldn't even look at Ruzek when he came in to check on her. Frankly, I might need somebody to check on me! I never imagined a miscarriage happening for Burgess this way, and this explicitly, even on Chicago P.D.

I also want to give credit to Patrick John Flueger and Tracy Spiridakos for their performances in "I Was Here," for all that it was Marina Squerciati's episode from start to finish. As Ruzek, Flueger was simultaneously desperate, hopeful, heartbroken, and just wanting to help.

As Upton, Tracy Spiridakos gave an understated performance that (to me) showed an understanding of Burgess' drive to save Emma as a female police officer as well as an understanding of what was happening to Burgess in the bathtub. Chicago P.D. needed women to be showcased in an episode that was going to do something awful to the pregnant Burgess, and I found Upton was a solid supporting character in this Burgess showcase.

So, what's next on Chicago P.D.? A big crossover with Chicago Fire is on the way this month that will bring back an old character from P.D. in a "seedy" way, and I think "I Was Here" helps answer the question of why Burgess and Ruzek aren't in the thick of the action in images from the next episode.

Find out for sure in the next episode of Chicago P.D. on Wednesday, February 12 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC in the winter TV lineup, following new episodes of Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET, and be sure to vote in our poll whether or not P.D. went too far with how it handled Burgess' miscarriage!

This poll is no longer available.

Chicago P.D. dropped some huge pregnancy news a couple of weeks ago and sent Burgess, who;s already a “little broken” in Season 7, into the land of difficult decision-making. After discovering she was pregnant, it didn’t take long for Burgess to tell Ruzek, and they the only ones who know for now. Who will be the next to learn about her pregnancy, however?

Chicago P.D. star Marina Squerciati says that Burgess, who’s not sure if she wants to be a mom, isn’t very prepared to tell anyone about her pregnancy yet, and for good reason. Here’s what she had to say about telling her boss:

It’s easy to understand why Burgess isn’t ready to reveal the big secret to anyone right now. She and Ruzek (Patrick Flueger), who hooked up post-crossover, are going through a lot and there are still decisions she needs to make about whether or not she wants to keep the baby. If she does decide to keep it, Burgess might have to stop working in Intelligence, and telling Voight would just make things all the more real.

However, there’s only so long this secret can stay under wraps. That means that Burgess’ coworkers and close friends will find out about the news eventually. In fact, Marina Squerciati told TVLine that LaRoyce Watkins' Atwater will find out very soon that Burgess is pregnant.

It sounds like Burgess is really dealing with a lot, and this pregnancy hasn’t made things any easier for her. Even her relationship with Ruzek could change down the line, though it seems like they’ll still be working through processing the news for a while longer. How they’ll both choose to handle it, as well as how that affects their already complicated relationship in the future, remains to be seen.

All these unresolved issues with Burgess will only make the winter hiatus feel that much longer, especially after Chicago P.D. left off with that potentially game-changing Halstead cliffhanger in the fall finale. If only CBS would suddenly announce that the Chicago shows were combining for a Christmas special.

Chicago P.D. returns with new Season 7 episodes on Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC. In the meantime, be sure to check out our complete TV guide for every new and returning show premiering through the end of the year.

Spoilers ahead for the "No Regrets" episode of Chicago P.D. Season 7 on NBC.

Chicago P.D. dropped a pregnancy bombshell on the Intelligence Unit in Season 7, with Burgess finding out that she has a bun in the oven courtesy of her post-crossover night with Ruzek. For most of the episode following her discovery, Burgess was seemingly learning toward keeping her "appointment," presumably for an abortion, but she ended the hour not planning on going through with it just yet. What does all of this mean for Burgess and Ruzek's relationship?

Marina Squerciati, who plays Burgess, weighed in on how the pregnancy bombshell will impact Ruzek (who is "a little broken" this season) and Burgess, saying this:

Although Burgess did cancel the appointment by the end of the episode, that doesn't mean she's going to choose to remain pregnant and become a mom. She just didn't make a decision that she couldn't unmake. She did tell Ruzek about her pregnancy and original plan to have an abortion, and she did tell him she ultimately cancelled the appointment, but he was never really part of the process, and Marina Squerciati's comments to TVLine suggest Ruzek might not feel so great about that.

Their reactions in this particular episode were pretty understandable, in my book, as they were both reeling from the news in different ways. How will they continue to process her pregnancy now that it's not going away just yet? And what does this mean for what seemed like a growing intimacy in the aftermath of their seemingly one-off hookup? Marina Squerciati shared her thoughts:

It's hard to put the brakes on a relationship when one person is literally pregnant with the other's child, so Burgess and Ruzek really might not be able to avoid looking at how their relationship has to change. Despite both giving other relationships a shot last season (with Ruzek going for the slightly awkward romance with Upton), they went back to each other after the crossover.

If Burgess decides to have the baby, they'll presumably be in each other's lives forever. And Ruzek may not have much say in that at the moment! I do wonder if he'll say something to her if she tries to remain in the field as a cop while keeping her pregnancy a secret, and the promo photos for the fall finale reveal that Burgess is on the streets where a raid is seemingly going to go down. Of course, given that they're on a mission to rescue Halstead, it may be all-hands-on-deck.

Marina Squerciati went on to sum up what may be the biggest hurdle to a renewed Burzek relationship:

Well, there's nothing to disrupt a pattern of will-they-won't-they like a bun in the oven! Fans may have to wait until 2020 to find out what happens next on the Burzek front, as the fall finale looks like it will be very Halstead-centric, with Upton as the one going all-out to rescue her partner. Whether or not she's in on his secret remains to be seen, but that could be a hurdle in their own potential relationship.

Catch the fall finale of Chicago P.D. on One Chicago Wednesday, November 20 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following the Chicago Fire fall finale at 9 p.m. ET and the Chicago Med finale at 8 p.m. ET.

Chicago P.D. is back in full swing after the reveal of who killed Mayor Kelton, the introduction of a new character who will face 'a hard transition,' and Voight pulling strings to get Ruzek's badge back. A big question now is whether his badge is all that Ruzek will get back this season. The off-and-on romance between Ruzek and Burgess was very much off in Season 6 while Ruzek secretly dated Upton and poor Burgess' new relationship ended when the unlucky guy was murdered; what about Season 7?

Ruzek and Upton seemed to pretty definitively break up in Season 6, and showrunner Rick Eid recently hinted that Upton may be headed for a romance with somebody else in Intelligence. Burgess hasn't jumped back into the dating pool since Blair's death. CinemaBlend was present at the recent One Chicago Day celebrating Chicago Fire, P.D., and Med, and the actors playing Ruzek and Burgess weighed in on whether they could get back together.

Let's start with the hopeful words of Patrick John Flueger, a.k.a. Adam Ruzek, regarding the relationship in Season 7:

Fans of Burzek, rejoice! Patrick John Flueger didn't drop any details about what to expect from the relationship between Ruzek and Burgess in Season 7, but promising that fans of the romance 'won't be disappointed' is certainly encouraging. Could Season 7 pick up where Season 5 left off?

In Season 5, Ruzek certainly still seemed fairly hung up on Burgess, and there was even a hookup at one point. The actor of course wasn't going to confirm any huge plot twists one way or the other, but knowing that Chicago P.D. will explore Ruzek/Burgess again certainly gives viewers rooting for those two crazy kids something to look forward to.

Chicago P.D. Spoilers: Did Voight Guarantee Ruzek's Loyalty For Division Within Intelligence?

That said, there are undoubtedly obstacles to a happy romance starting up all over again. A lot may depend on how Burgess feels about Ruzek/Upton from back in Season 6, and Burgess and Ruzek did break up for a reason in the first place. Will love conquer all, or are their lives and past relationships too complicated?

Marina Squerciati, who plays Kim Burgess on Chicago P.D., was a little less encouraging in her comments regarding a potential Ruzek/Burgess romantic reunion:

Hey, exploring "something" is better than not exploring at all, right? There are already hints that Atwater will find love with Intelligence newcomer Vanessa Rojas, and Upton/Halstead may become more than just platonic partners. Why not ramp up the romantic tension with Ruzek and Burgess as well?

It could arguably be the least sticky of any of those potential couplings. Upton doesn't seem like she's hung up on Ruzek in the slightest, and anything that may or may not happen with Halstead is bound to be complicated. As for Atwater, he's successfully stayed out of the Intelligence dating game to this point, so he's not as experienced in workplace romances in a very dangerous job as everybody else. Burgess and Ruzek would at least know what they're getting into with each other, right?

Find out when new episodes of Chicago P.D. air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med at 8 p.m. ET. The three shows are crossing over for a three-part "Infection" event that airs October 16, so be sure to clear your schedules and tune in for a crossover that sounds positively cinematic.

As anyone who watches any of NBC's Chicago shows will know, crossovers between the three shows are quite common. Now, it looks like another major crossover is coming, with Chicago P.D. celebrating its 100th episode by inviting characters from Chicago Fire into the fold once again.

CinemaBlend's own Jessica Rawden sat down with creator and executive producer Derek Haas at NBC's One Chicago Day (in Chicago, naturally), and he revealed that two of the big Chicago dramas would be crossing over in a major way to help celebrate the 100th episode of Chicago P.D. Here's what Haas had to say about the coming extravaganza:

So, as is quite common when TV franchises merge for mega-crossovers, fans will be treated to what will essentially be two hours of Chicago storytelling goodness, with whatever case sets off the crossover on Chicago P.D. on Wednesday night leading us right into the plot of Chicago Fire when it airs the next night. And, I can imagine the case will be pretty big to help honor not only the big crossover, but the importance of P.D.'s milestone episode.

While Derek Haas didn't announce the air dates of the crossover episodes, we do, at least, know that they will hit the small screen sometime in early 2018. We're also not exactly sure at this point what type of story will lead characters from Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire to mix it up together, but, knowing how hardcore some of these plots can be, fans can probably bet that at least one horrible murder or multi-tiered kidnapping will be involved, and that fans of all things Chicago will likely devour whatever the episodes have to offer.

When Chicago P.D. kicked off as the first spinoff from Chicago Fire in 2014, there was no guarantee that the series would catch on with viewers. While the idea of continuing to cover the city's first responders made sense, there was always a possibility that the (sometimes) emotionally draining nature of the cases the detectives and uniformed officers of District 21 dealt with would turn off fans used to the more upbeat flagship series. As P.D. star Marina Squerciati says of the show making it to 100 episodes:

We can all see how Chicago P.D. and Chicago Fire join forces during the crossover event in early 2018. Meanwhile, new episodes of Chicago P.D. air Wednesdays at 9 p.m. CST and Chicago Fire can be seen Thursdays at 9 p.m. CST.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched the latest episode of Chicago P.D.

It has been quite the eventful season for the characters of NBC's popular spinoff Chicago P.D., since there has been a fairly consistent level of shake-ups happening since Season 4 premiered last fall. The latest happened this week, with intelligence officer Kim Burgess taking an extended leave of absence following an investigation into her sister's rape, and it sounds like franchise star Marina Squerciati will be taking a legitimate break from the show. Thankfully, her reason is a happier one than Burgess', as the actress is pregnant. Here's how Squerciati responded when asked if she was done with Season 4.

Before everyone gets too bent out of shape, Marina Squerciati isn't leaving Chicago P.D. on a permanent basis, though it's not exactly clear when she'll be returning. An easy and non-specific guess would be "Season 5," and I'm sure the creative team will be in contact with the actress to make sure everything is going okay with the pregnancy/motherhood so that Burgess' return can be properly formulated.

On both sides of the coin, it seems like only positive things can come from Marina Squerciati putting Chicago P.D. on hold for a while. After all, it's nothing new for TV actresses to face problematic work situations during pregnancies, and while comedies allow for easier ways of hiding a growing belly, crime dramas can often be a tad too intense and kinetic to keep everything comfortable for the expecting actresses. Sure, Burgess could have just asked for a relocation to the basement where the darkness and a desk could provide some handy camouflage, but that wouldn't do much to help Squerciati's growing discomfort.

And on the flip side, viewers rarely get pumped when a character is clumsily written out of a show, even if it's not a permanent write-out. So while it was a heartbreaking bummer that the highly anticipated introduction of Burgess' sister involves a rape and attack, at least audiences know for sure that this is an event that would easily affect Burgess in a devastating way. So having her opt to get away from police work for a while is completely sensible.

As stated earlier, this is hardly the first time Season 4 of Chicago P.D. has seen a casting change. Actor Jon Ceda, who plays Antonio Dawson, left the series to move over to the spinoff Chicago Justice. As well, Samuel Hunt's Mouse also left earlier this season, as did Patrick John Fluger's Adam Ruzek, although he'd since returned. And in fact, Marina Squerciati told THR that this element is what makes Dick Wolf's crossover-friendly franchise so amazing.

Chicago P.D. fans can expect to see a new face coming into the show while Burgess is gone, and former Revenge star Nick Weschler will be introduced for a multi-episode arc. With Marina Squerciati out until presumably next season, Chicago P.D. airs Wednesday nights on NBC at 10:00 p.m. ET. To see all the other shows coming that may or may not be losing characters of their own, head to our midseason premiere schedule and our summer TV guide.