Chicago PD: Season 1 - Episode Seven - "The Price We Pay"

"The Price We Pay"
Written By: Michael Brandt & Derek Haas
Directed By: Mark Tinker

Plot: Justin, with blood staining his hands, tells a shocked Lindsay that he was in a bar fight, but Lindsay knows there is something else going on, and manages to coax out of Justin that he was an unwilling participant in a gangland revenge killing.

The next morning, Voight is seen meeting with his IA handler, Gradishar, who is plainly unhappy with the way their deal is progressing. Voight is supposed to be gift-wrapping big-time criminal types to Chicago PD, but it isn’t happening. She’s particularly keen to rid the streets of Maurice Owens, the guy we’ve seen paying Voight for protection. So is Voight, but he suggests to Gradishar that he doesn’t have anything big on Owens yet, so they have to wait. Needless to say, Gradishar isn’t impressed.

Voight realises that the murder was committed by the nephew of a guy he knows, but is warned off pursuing the case when it becomes clear that Justin’s involved. Enter Lindsay, who brings Justin in, and Voight’s son explains his part in the events of the night.  He was duped into being involved in the murder and Antonio decides to ignore Justin’s connection, as thanks for everything Voight did to save his own son, in the season-opening episodes. He also reveals that Gradishar came to him, wanting to make a deal for information against Voight.

The real target of the hit, Joe Catalano, turns up dead overnight, dumped into the Chicago River. Voight, despairing of his relationship with Justin – one that he admits has deteriorated since his wife died – and not wanting to become a burden to Justin, enrols his son into a military school.

Antonio goes to see Gradishar and reveals that she made an unfair example of his partner fifteen years ago, who killed himself a year later.

My Thoughts: It was always only ever going to be a matter of time before someone in IA decided to go through Voight’s squad for information, but Dawson probably wasn’t a good choice, seeing as how it was Voight’s tactics that helped save his son. Anyway, Gradishar tries and comes up short. In fact, she made a pretty big mistake.

Glad the Justin Voight storyline is over. To be honest, it was starting to get annoying, and although it was interesting to see the other side of Voight, Justin’s plots started to remind me of the ones involving Jack Bauer’s daughter in 24, as in that he’s there simply because of who is father is. Shipping Justin off to military school ties a neat bow in the story that began in Chicago Fire. 

Now, it’s onto other things.

Chicago PD: Season 1 - Episode Six - "Conventions"

"Conventions"
Written By: Maisha Closson
Directed By: Alik Sakharov

Plot: Obviously NBC is trying to promote Chicago PD as much as possible, and they’ve done so by making the sixth episode of the series the second half of a crossover with Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. SVU detectives Tutuola (a grizzled-looking Ice-T) and Rollins (Kelli Giddish) are in the Windy City because there’s been a rape/murder in which the offender sliced off the ear of their victim. It’s a match to a similar spate of killings in New York City.

The Unit arrests a pickpocket who runs from them for different reasons, but can at least point them in the direction of a businessman, Jeffrey Baker, in town for a convention. Soon after that, another victim survives and actually fights back, puncturing the eye of her attacker. Burgess goes against the orders of her superiors and gets a name of a man who visited a drug store in the aftermath. Jin finds that the same man, Neil Vance, had credit card charges at a hotel in New York City during the time the rapist was striking there.

It turns out that Baker is actually working with the other man, Vance, and is detained when he turns up to meet Vance. Voight uses his extreme tactics to get out of Baker that Vance is waiting at Navy Pier – another iconic Chicago location making it’s Chicago PD debut – and the team go there. Vance correctly guesses that Ruzek is a cop and takes a woman hostage, and whilst Ruzek stalls, the rest of the team get into position. Olinsky uses a sniper rifle to shoot Vance dead from long range.

More personally, Lindsay asks Halstead to go with her to a high school reunion and to pose as her husband. Although she decided at the last minute not to attend, she does reveal her life story – or some of it, anyway – to Halstead. It turns out she was a Criminal Informant (or CI) for Voight, who found her living on the streets. He got her into a private school, then the Academy and not the Intelligence Unit. He's looked out for her ever since. Later, it seems like Halstead and Lindsay are destined to kiss, but Lindsay puts a stop to it for the time being, but doesn’t exactly close the door on them being a couple at some stage.

When Lindsay gets home, she hears a knock at the door. It’s Justin Voight, who is frantic because he has blood all over his hands.

My Thoughts: I guess it was only going to be a matter of time before Chicago PD crossed over with another show from the Dick Wolf empire, and although it was a tense, often disturbing episode, the two SVU detectives didn't have all that much to do - they weren't even around for the final takedown, which was pretty awesome. 

With the rape/murder story following on from drug dealers and arms smugglers, Chicago PD is really delving into a darker side of the city than I would've expected, given which show it spun off from, the relatively lightweight Chicago Fire.

It was great to finally have some confirmation of what I'd been speculating was the deal with Lindsay's murky back story. It certainly explains the fatherly relationship she has with Voight, not to mention her loyalty towards him and his family. She's obviously trying to help Justin out, after Justin's father did so much to get her straight and get her into the. Lindsay's clearly a very loyal person.

You get the feeling they'll revisit the Lindsay/Halstead relationship at a later date. It might get a run purely because Voight would hate it. He seems to have a problem with inter-squad relationships. And, of course, there's him basically being Lindsay's father figure.

Opinion: College Football 2014 Week Four Villains

Another weekend of college football is in the books, so let’s go through who let themselves down on the gridiron with my Week Four Villains:

Jameis Winston: When, exactly, is the 2013 Heisman Trophy winner planning on growing up and acting like a guy who has been handed the most prestigious honour in all of college football? In a time where football and the sport’s poor treatment of women, and considering he’s been accused recently of sexual harassment, jumping onto a table at the Florida State student union and yelling an obscenity – popular internet meme or not – is simply unforgivable.

Florida State: Suspending Jameis Winston for half a game for his obscenity during the week wasn’t nearly enough in the current climate, and the Seminoles have been rightfully criticised for their not doing the right thing immediately, and suspending their star quarterback for a full game – and, to be honest, he deserves more.

The school comes off looking like having their star player on the field is more important than taking a stand for proper treatment of women. Their decision could not have come at a worse time. Had they come straight out and suspended Winston for the whole game, Florida State would’ve ended up on my ‘Winners’ list. Alas, they didn’t, and will likely not be let forget it for some time to come.

Michigan: The Wolverines were absolutely horrible in their rain-delayed 26-10 loss to Utah at the Big House. A pretty good offense with some nice weapons failed to reach the red zone once, and turned the football over four times. Alarm bells will be ringing in Ann Arbor now. New offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier was supposed to upgrade the offense this year, but they seem to have regressed.

QB Devin Gardner had another ugly game (14-27 for 148 yards and two interceptions) and was shown the pine in the fourth, with sophomore QB Shane Morris taking over. He wasn’t much better, throwing an interception and fumbling on the final Michigan possession. Ugly day at the Big House – and not just because of the weather.

Clemson: After a big Florida State turnover, the Tigers were driving into field goal range late on the road against the No. 1-ranked Seminoles, and fumbled the football away. That sent the game to overtime, where Clemson gambled on a fourth-and-one play, which went awry. A few plays later, FSU were in the end zone for an important 23-17 victory without their star QB Jameis Winston.

Once again, Clemson managed to snatch another defeat straight out of the jaws of victory. Ball protection – there’s a reason coaches spend so much time preaching it during practice. We saw today how it can kill a team.

Virginia Tech: After going into Columbus Stadium to beat Ohio State two weeks ago, the Hokies have fallen apart since, losing to East Carolina last week and Georgia Tech this week (for the first time in Blacksburg, VA since 2006), and suddenly Frank Beamer’s men don’t look all that good a football team.

QB Michael Brewer’s had some rough games since the Buckeye victory, and threw three costly interceptions this week as the Hokies fell 27-24.

Florida: The Gators failed to take advantage of four Alabama turnovers, committed three of their own and could manage a paltry two hundred yards of total offense against a Tide defense who had to do more than usual.

The Gators were sloppy when they had the football, with QB Jeff Driskel only completing 9 of 28 passes for 93 yards, a score and two picks. Their defense could not contain Alabama’s QB Blake Sims, who threw for 445 yards. It looks like being a long SEC season for Will Muschamp’s men. If he survives the season, I’ll be surprised.

Kansas State: The Wildcats lost this game more than Auburn won it in Manhattan on Thursday night. Why? Because K-State managed to cross the 50-yard line into Tiger territory, but missed three field goals, fumbled the ball away once and QB Jake Waters threw two crucial picks.

A disaster for the Wildcats, whose defense played out of their skins to hold the dangerous Auburn running game in check – a performance that wasn’t capitalised on by the offense. Auburn won a tight contest, 20-14.

Opinion: College Football 2014 Week Four Heroes

Another weekend of college football is in the books, so let’s go through who was great on the gridiron with my Week Four Heroes:

Indiana: It’s fair to say that the Hoosiers aren’t exactly a football power, and they went into Columbia, Missouri on Saturday afternoon in a game that many thought would be an easy win for the SEC’s Tigers, but Big Red had other ideas. They shocked Missouri 31-27, thanks to a D’Angelo Roberts touchdown that came with just twenty-two seconds left. A week after the Hoosiers lost to Bowling Green of the Mid-American Conference, this was a win that came from absolutely nowhere. QB Nate Sudfeld was great, 18-33 for 252 yards and a score.

Georgia Tech: For the first time since 2006, the Yellow Jackets won the ACC battle of the Tech schools, going into Lane Stadium to beat the Virginia Tech Hokies 27-24 to open the season 4-0. Kicker Harrison Butker was the hero, kicking the game-winning field goal as time expired.

Arizona: The Wildcats escaped a wild Pac-12 battle with Call – but only by the very slimmest of margins. It took that great football roll of the dice, the Hail Mary, for Arizona to score a 49-45 win. Wildcats QB Anu Solomon connected receiver Austin Hill on an unlikely 47-yard scoring pass. Unlikely because it was thrown into triple coverage, yet none of the Cal defenders seemed to want to knock the football away. The Wildcats scored actually trailed 28-6 at the half, but outscored the Bears 43-17 in the second for a memorable win.

Washington State: No, they didn’t win, but Mike Leach’s embattled program hung tough with Oregon – something that not many teams can lay claim to – in a 38-31 Ducks victory. As far as good losses go, this might be one for the Cougars. There’s plenty they can take away from this game. Their defense, particularly, was great, repeatedly sacking Ducks QB Marcus Mariota. Coogs fans shouldn’t be too disappointed.

Mississippi State: The biggest win in recent program history. It isn’t easy to go into Death Valley and beat Louisiana State, but when you do it by rolling up 570 yards of offense, it’s even more impressive. This was a game where the score line – it ended 34-29 – didn’t accurately portray just what a dominant win Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs had.

A few late scores, including one from a bad Mississippi State snap that led to a turnover made it a more respectable loss for the Tigers, but they were well and truly out-played on their home field, which isn’t something you can often say about LSU. The Bulldogs might just be sneaky SEC West contenders.

Wisconsin: Yeah, sure, it was only against Bowling Green, but Wisconsin’s ground game was flat-out scary on Saturday, as the Badgers rolled up a whopping 644 rushing yards en route to a 68-17 win. Star RB Melvin Gordon ran for a career high 253 yards (and five touchdowns, with an average of 19.5 yards per carry), QB Tanner McEvoy for 158 (and two touchdowns). 

Second- and third-string running backs Corey Clement (111 yards and 2 touchdowns) and Dare Ogunbowale (94 yards) also starred. Nothing Bowling Green tried worked. It was an ominous display that likely sent tremors through the rest of the Big Ten.

Brigham Young: Down 16-13 to Virginia at the half, QB Taysom Hill stepped up, running and throwing for touchdowns in the second half and the Cougars, helped by a timely 99-yard kick-off return midway through the final quarter, ended up outlasting the Cavaliers in a wildly entertaining game, 41-3. Another crucial win against a pretty good ACC opponent, and with it, Hill’s Heisman stock keeps rising.

East Carolina: A week after beating Virginia Tech, the Pirates rolled through, around and over North Carolina, notching up 789 total yards of offense in a 70-41 smashing. Pirates QB Shane Carden went a 30-of-48 for 438 yards, four touchdowns, one pick, and now has 1,469 yards and 11 touchdowns in four games, including three against teams then ranked in the AP Top 25. Not bad.

Iowa: They lost to Iowa State last week, and I didn’t think they stood much chance against Pitt, whose running game has been on-song all season. Turns out, I was wrong. Iowa played a great game on the road, in stark contrast to their performance seven days ago. They turned up huge on defense, especially late, but the win probably belongs to back-up quarterback C.J. Beathard who replaced ineffective starter Jake Ruddock and went 7-8 for 178 yards in the 24-20 win. Huge momentum gainer for the Hawkeyes.

Chicago PD: Season 1 - Episode Five - "Thirty Balloons"

"Thirty Balloons"
Written By: Craig Gore & Tim Walsh
Directed By: Karen Gaviola

Riding in a new squad car, Atwater and Burgess are called to a residential address where a girl has cut herself across the stomach with a glass bottle and when the two cops try to intervene, she goes crazy, attacking Atwater. It takes Burgess and a Tazer to calm her down. As they quell that disturbance, their patrol car, which the District 21 commander was supposed to use as a show car in an upcoming parade, has been damaged. They take it to a mechanic friend of Atwater’s and wait for it to be repaired.

At the hospital, it’s revealed to the Unit that the girl went crazy because some of the drugs she’d smuggled into Chicago had burst in her stomach, getting into her blood stream, and causing a cocaine-induced psychotic break. Doctors pulled thirty condoms full of cocaine from her stomach, and it’s quickly determined that the girl was not alone, that she was part of a drug smuggling ring that’s used a group of young students to transport drugs.

Checking dorm rooms across the city, Voight’s squad realise that all the girls have been captured. Ensuing, is a desperate and disturbing chase to find the kidnapped girls before they are killed by the drug smuggling ring. Jin provides intel via phones that an EMT is in league with the smugglers, and Voight uses his now-patented interrogation techniques on the uncle of the smugglers – apparently the patriarch of a crime family, and well known to Voight – and finds a disembowelled body: one of the girls.

Olinsky and Ruzek stake out at the location – there’s some interesting lessons handed out to the still-inexperienced Ruzek from the wise Olinsky, and a funny scene in a supermarket, where they’re shopping for supplies – until the dealers arrive, with two more girls in tow. Instead of following protocol and letting the rest of the team know, Ruzek bursts into the building and, despite that, ends up saving the mules and arresting the drug dealers. Even so, Ruzek falls foul of Olinsky, who believes Ruzek went against his wishes.

Elsewhere, their patrol car is fixed and a local disturbance has been quelled, but before Atwater and Burgess can get it back to the District, a brick lands on it, falling from a construction site, and they must face Sergeant Platt’s wrath.

Voight’s struggles with his just-released son, Justin, continue. It turns out that the guy he’s been hanging around with since getting out of prison has a pretty serious record. Lindsay is at home when Voight comes around with this information, and she promises to sort things out, but when she goes back into her apartment, it’s revealed that she is drinking with Halstead, who is scared that Voight’s around, because Voight warned him previously that Lindsay was off limits, leading to a frank moment between Lindsay and the father-figure in her life.

Even so, Lindsay promises to look after Justin's friend, and there's a confrontation between the two at a bar at the end of the episode. At the same time, Dawson meets with Voight's IA contact, who offers Dawson her business card. Reluctantly, he takes it.

My Thoughts: A depressing episode where too many of the “good guys” don’t die, but well written and there’s probably a lot of truth to this fictional story. The scenes where the parents are told of what their daughters have done are heart-breaking, and incredibly well acted.

Lindsay and Halstead are developing some good chemistry, despite Voight declaring her off-limits to the ex-Marine. Not sure whether that spells doom for a possible Lindsay-Severide coupling.

We’re still no closer to seeing Lindsay open up to anyone about her shadowy past, despite obviously growing closer to her partner, and I have a feeling that Justin’s going to get her into a fair bit of trouble before it’s all said and done. The frustration that Voight shows when he realises he can’t control his son is completely – and interestingly – at odds with the cop side of Voight, who seems to be able to control everything going on around him.

The Atwater/ Burgess story was obviously in there for some comic relief during a bleak episode, and to show that not all Chicago cops are involved in gun battles and drug mule searches, but it felt like they jammed the squad car storyline in there because, well, they had to. Whereas, last week, their scenes at the hoarder’s house didn’t seem at all forced. 

Dawson meeting with the IA cop who's been at Voight for Maurice Owens is an interesting move. Obviously Dawson and Voight had friction between them during their introductory episodes on Chicago Fire, but surely, now that they're colleagues, Dawson wouldn't report on Voight? Or maybe he would...adding another intriguing layer to the show.

Platt’s scenes are still fantastic, her lines witty and sarcastic – and awesome. Amy Morton is a real find. Her interaction with everyone in the Unit is fantastic. You kinda hang on every word, waiting for her next incisive snipe. It's great!