Chicago PD: Season 1 - Episode Two - "Wrong Side Of The Bars"

"Wrong Side Of The Bars"
Written By: Michael Brandt & Derek Haas
Directed By: Dave Chapelle
Episode #: 02

Plot:

Follows on from the pilot episode. Not surprisingly, Pulpo's cronies have abducted Dawson's son, Diego, and the hunt is on. The squad are going through old case files and Halstead opens one featuring a young-looking Lindsay. It seems she was in trouble with the law at one stage - and now she's a cop. A sympathetic one, too: she goes to Willhite's house to break the news to her family. It's heart-breaking.

Also not surprisingly, Pulpo's people demand the release of their boss in exchange for Diego's life. Dawson considers making that deal, but manages to use an old informant to happens to know where Diego was held. He's not there when the Intelligence unit raid the house, but he'd certainly been there, and they capture one of Pulpo's henchmen, who claims to know nothing.

Dawson's wife gives her permission for her husband to do whatever it takes to get their son back, and there's some pretty uncomfortable scenes where Voight and Dawson step over the line to extract the information they need. Diego's on the way out of town, via a bus from Union Station - the first famous Chicago location the show visits.

Lindsay gets on the bus with Diego and a Danny Trejo-esque kidnapper - straight out of central casting! - whilst Voight and the others put a plan into motion. The driver fakes engine trouble to get everyone off the bus, but the Pulpo henchman is suspicious and soon there's a face-off between Lindsay and the thug, with Diego in the middle, with a gun to his head. Not for long, though. Ruzek drives the second bus into the back of the first, after radioing his intention to Lindsay, who holds on at impact, and Antonio storms the bus to kill the man who held his son. Pulpo's plan fails. 

Late in the episode, the squad, in full uniform, attend Willhite's funeral, and afterward, Voight means an internal affairs handler, and they talk about arresting Maurice Owens, the gangster who is paying Voight for protection and information.

My Thoughts: Okay, never saw Lindsay being an ex-crook coming. Kinda puts into perspective her relationship with Voight, although the exact nature is still pretty much unclear. I've got a feeling that Halstead is going to try his hardest to find out. We're no closer to finding out whether Voight is really dirty - or if he's working for Internal Affairs, which was possibly referenced in the first episode, and maybe confirmed in this one, with his late-night meeting. Or maybe he's playing both sides. 

Interesting that we see Dawson get involved in beating a witness, albeit under extenuating circumstances. Voight's obviously got no qualms about going down that particular path. Chicago PD has a real edge to it, completely unlike, say, Blue Bloods. It's refreshing to see such a gritty portrayal.

Sophia Bush really nails the scene with Willhite's family. She's a great actress. Lindsay is obviously very tough, but vulnerable underneath that hard exterior.