SnarkySheep

I first got to know the actress from Ghost Whisperer, then went backward and watched The Practice because of her... I loved how Ellenor was a mix of tough and soft. She could do whatever it took to get through, either in the courtroom or life in general. But she was also loyal to her friends and definitely sympathetic.

I just realized we didn't have a thread for Severide yet! How is this possible? Overall, I love the character. I think he's one heck of a good firefighter, and although he does have his flaws - who doesn't? - he is basically a really good guy. He's there for his friends and co-workers, as well as his family. He's even there for those who doesn't really know but believes need his help, such as the Denver firefighter down on his luck. The main thing that I didn't like as far as his storylines was the early one last season, regarding his shoulder injury. As someone who also battles a serious physical disability and requires major painkillers just to get through the day, I really hated how this was dealt with. First, TPTB show us a Severide who is so impaired he can barely do his job. Then, he undergoes a magic treatment and is 100% cured, all within an episode?? Please. Although I'm sorry to have lost his relationship with his newfound sister Katie - although no one has specified one way or another, something tells me the actress won't be back, at least not anytime soon - I am enjoying his newly blossoming relationship with Det. Erin Lindsay on Chicago PD. I think they work well together, both as far as physical chemistry, intelligence and just plain goofing around - these are all important qualities to making a couple work.

Playing devil's advocate here...do you think that Jin is just a straightforward guy, doing a job? Or, like almost everyone else at the precinct, does he has a hidden agenda, possibly a hidden past?

Platt's name is Trudy! I was seriously laughing when Burgess was all nervous about Platt seeing her interact with Ruzek...and then Platt told her to have fun while she was young, that she herself had slept with half the academy! Too funny!

Or, they could've given the niece to Halstead - at this point, we've learned about family/past life background for everyone except him. The only things we continue to know are that he served in the military and that he had a serious girlfriend in high school. That said - that Halstead's girlfriend's family is still in the nearby area - tells us clearly that Halstead too is from there and would likely still have parents, siblings, someone, anyone. I kind of wish they'd throw us a bone on this guy, too, especially when practically every single person on this show has this whole Air O' Mystery thing going on. If they don't toss us a crumb every now and then, it gets a bit dull after a bit. Overall, though, it sounds like a GREAT episode! I can't wait!

Normally, I would agree that it would be too soon; but look at PD's sister show -- Casey and Dawson were mooning over each other for only the first season, getting together at the start of this one and even moving in together almost immediately. Typically that sort of thing doesn't happen with lead characters on just about ANY show, but apparently in this universe it is okay. So, with that in mind, that's why I'm thinking that there is at least a possibility of it happening.

I can also see it the other way - that Erin might have been frightened of going home with him, and what that would entail. Even if she had some sort of working relationship with him by that point - supposedly she'd been his CI for a year before going to live with him and his wife? - imagine the kind of life the poor kid had likely known up til that time. I have no doubt that as the daughter of a junkie, her mother would have sold or given her to men, probably many times before. So it would hardly be any shocker to a girl like that to expect more of the same from Voight, who was after all, a man like any other. Even if he had a wife and kid in the house, what difference would that make, truly? So, with that all in mind, it really makes me admire Erin more. Imagine what kind of horrific life you'd have to be living, in order to take such a leap of faith as to allow yourself to be taken in by virtual strangers! It's the kind of thing most adults would hesitate at, let alone a 15-year-old. No matter her fears or possible mistrust, she clearly felt that whatever she would face in the Voight home would be better than what she was currently facing. I'd love to know something about Hank's wife - what she was like during that time in general, toward Erin, toward her husband. Was he always some shade of the Hank we know today, or was he a bit more mellow around her? Also, aside from Erin and Justin, does Voight have anyone in his life? Parents, siblings? I would really be interested in some exploration of any and all these things, because all the seemingly unimportant details DO shed a lot of light upon characters like Voight that hold their cards so close to their chests.

Honestly? I have never had any clear idea as to why Ruzek was taken from the academy and put right into Intelligence. He may have been a super-terrific student, no arguments. But on the whole, there is a very specific process regarding ladder climbing in such institutions as the police. Everyone else seems to have put in their time doing routine patrol, then taken a detective exam. Was there seriously no one who'd put in some time, taken the exam and then was sitting around waiting for such a slot to open? It just doesn't make sense IMO. Agreed. For the most part, I would say that Erin often seems to have the LEAST to do -- the guys are usually the ones doing most of the physical fighting/running around with guns/etc. She seems to spend a lot of time just sitting at her desk, pinning some photos onto the board, or else having the random private moment with Voight or else the guys in the bar at the end of the hour. I still really can't, either, at least in terms of whether Voight is mostly good or dirty. At this point, I'd have to say he's a good mix of both - just like Olinsky, which is probably why they've been tight for so many years. Regarding Lindsay being "the center of all attention and goodness," I really don't know where you're getting that vibe from...? She isn't treated in any special way by Voight, except in rare moments when they are sure they are alone. Then he speaks to her about something more private, or maybe pats her a little, but is in no way crazy affectionate (I simply don't think that's his style, no matter how he feels about someone). She's formed something of a more special bond/friendship with Halstead, which they are trying their hardest to suppress; but IMO it's only natural that some people are closer than others. It's just human nature. (Look at how Burgess and Ruzek hit it off almost right away, simply by spending time together.) And in no way has Halstead indicated he's put Lindsay on a pedestal. She told him the ugly truth of her early life, though in abbreviated fashion, and he still looked into her eyes and valued her as a person, flawed though she was and is. And Lindsay, in turn, doesn't seem to believe in anything other than the truth about Halstead...that he's a mixed bag. The way he averts the subject of Afghanistan all but says he saw and probably committed acts of ugliness there. But she also knows that he's capable of risking his own life for the sake of helping others, of achieving the good (i.e. the Rodiger situation) and that he is quietly there for her whenever she needs him to be. In fact, I'd venture toward the other extreme, saying that aside from Voight and Olinsky, we have learned the most dirt on Lindsay's past. The others we can merely speculate upon at this point. Although the things that Lindsay did as a young teen may have been fairly serious, i.e. assault, theft, solicitation, drug possession, IMO it's different than anything the others might have done because she was still technically a child and likely pushed into doing certain things by mere default of her circumstances. Now she seems eager to do things like help Nadia in order to "alter karma," or whatever you might call it, but I don't get the vibe that she's some nutty do-gooder or anything..

Personally, I've enjoyed the bits - far and few between, granted - where Gabby interacts with her family. I think it shows a whole other side of her than when she's focused on whatever man is currently in her eyeview, and it's a proverbial breath of fresh air. Now that I'm watching both Chicago Fire and PD, I may be forgetting which bits happened where, so forgive me; but overall IMO it's all the same universe, building the same character, etc. Last season on this show, we saw her intensely close relationship with her older brother Antonio; this season, on PD, we got to see her interacting with Antonio's children and wife, showing how strong her family ties can be, and that - gasp! - she can indeed focus on the basic things that matter most in life. I hope that Chicago Fire picks up on that some more too.

I think you hit it on the head with this! Isobel is just one person, but she tries to do whatever she can, wherever and whenever she can...and she does make a difference. She even makes a difference in inspiring people like the Dowager Countess, who will mock and give her a hard time about it, but in the end she does show that she's listening to Isobel's suggestions. Personally I would've liked to know more about Isobel's life prior to DA. What was she like as a wife and mother of a growing child?

Oh yes, sorry, of course he was...I was trying to comment quickly, so my poor brain got a bit addled...I meant that on that show, it was Dr. House/Hugh Laurie that had to pretend he was American.

I was finally able to see the promo for the upcoming crossover episode this weekend on YouTube... Overall, I hate those kinds of trailers, simply because it's so hard to make out much of anything in the first place, let alone get enough context to figure out what it might really be about. But one thing that I saw - the guy holding a knife to Erin's throat in front of Voight and Antonio - was most interesting to me. Although it wasn't clear from the promo, it's highly possible the other guys are standing nearby; and if they're not, they're all connected technologically as usual. Although of course I don't think for a second that Erin will be killed, I think that this might be the catalyst for TPTB allowing Erin and Jay to finally give in to their feelings for one another. Of course they know that every day on their kind of job could be their last, but knowing and then actually experiencing it like that might make them decide to cut out the games, to be together for whatever time they are granted, consequences be damned. I could then see Voight would initially be furious - or try to maintain his usual act of being so - but that he won't deny them what is clearly a genuine thing, not some one-night stand. If he truly loves Erin, he will let her be with a man she loves, and who loves HER. Right now, Voight isn't exactly living the safest life. He knows that one day soon, at any time really, he can either go back to prison or be outright killed himself, and then what happens to Erin? She'll be all alone. This might cause her to backslide; and even if it doesn't, no one who loves another person wants that person to be lonely and have no one to share their life with.

I think so too...much in the way that the kid D'Anthony that Voight saved from the gang had asked him, suspiciously, if he didn't have to do anything in return, like be a snitch. When Voight shook his head, D'Anthony seemed so grateful at not having to that he volunteered. IMO Erin's situation would have been like that. We already know that she volunteered to be his CI, so it seems reasonable enough to imagine she offered him sex (which, I hope to every deity above he had enough restraint and brains not to accept). It would also explain why Justin seems to have a "thing" for Erin, and how he also seems a bit jealous of Erin and his dad's closeness. It's true, that closeness may simply be largely through their long days working together, in a job that is highly dangerous and requires everything of everyone just to survive. But it's also quite possible that Justin knew Erin had offered herself to his dad (either at the actual time, or if he was too young back then, pieced together the memories when he grew up). Perhaps he figured Erin owed that to him instead. It's weird, to be sure, but an awful lot about Justin Voight that we've been given to date is pretty off, so it really wouldn't surprise me. That touches upon something that has interested me a while now...namely, how did Erin fare while Voight was in prison? Presumably, there was no imminent release in site, and Justin - her only other family member - was also incarcerated. So aside from friends and co-workers, Erin was essentially alone in the world. Was she able to keep strong, or did she relapse in any way during that time? More importantly, how will she act/react if it happens all over again?

Well, if nothing else, I would presume the higher-ups would be pushing Voight to have another woman in the unit aside from Lindsay. Presumably Sumner doesn't count, as she's essentially "on loan," so I'd think it would be Burgess at this point. Before, they had Jules, and she was replaced by Ruzek. I don't claim to know anything about police rules, but like anyplace else nowadays, I'd imagine that workplaces that are so male-dominated like the police would be keeping a close eye on making sure there are women balancing out the departments. One Lindsay would not be enough, especially if it were known (as it seems to be by many unofficially, a kind of "open secret") that she has a personal relationship with Voight and was essentially handpicked for that unit by him.

Or her brothers. Presumably, Jones didn't hate EVERYONE she was related to. Or, if she did, she had some actual friends outside of the approximate five minutes she'd been involved with the fire academy and 51.

I love the character, but I really wish they'd let him have more of a personal life! Initially they had set up a pretty promising relationship with his ex-stepson Jimmy. Then he all but forgot about the kid, and truly seemed surprised that a teenager would hold that against him. After that, he met a beautiful, kind, intelligent woman, with whom it seemed he might have a promising relationship...but TPTB broke them up so quickly, and with no real reason. Come on, give the man SOMETHING besides sitting behind the desk!

Ohh, how could I forget the surrogate kids?! That just happened, and it had to have been incredibly traumatic -- not just for Casey, but the kids too. Imagine, having just started getting used to living with a family friend after your mom was sent to jail, which in turn was just after your dad's death, and then randomly having her come back to get you again. The very least that Heather could have done for the benefit of all was stuck around Chicago a while, so that the boys could slowly readjust to having her again and separating a bit from Casey. But no, she took them clear across the country, away from the people, school, city, etc. that they had always known. As a tiny side nitpick, I've never understood why Jesse Spencer wasn't allowed to be an Australian, either on this show or on House before. For heaven's sake, it's the 21st century! People move easily all over the world, for various reasons. No one could have casually mentioned at some point that his character moved from Australia to the U.S. as a kid?

I didn't know until fairly recently that he is a British actor...what an incredibly talented American accent!

Rionadh, perhaps that is their game plan to getting Lindsay and Halstead together....presumably even Voight wouldn't be able to complain, if he saw his beloved Erin slipping between the cracks and he was unable to help her, but Halstead was.

From time to time, I've been known to squeal, "Girls! GIRLS! GIIIIIIIRLSSSS!!!" And generally everyone in the room immediately know what I'm referring to, which is downright hysterical.

So far, Kevin Atwater and his partner Kim Burgess have provided much of the comedic moments in an otherwise often dark show, interacting with Platt or one another. Now, however, we are beginning to get glimpses of other sides of Atwater. For instance, the day he took Ruzek's place on a stakeout, which he himself dubbed "amazing," showed us just how capable he would be working for Intelligence. Also, we got a tiny peek at children in his life. Although we don't know the precise nature of the relationship between Atwater, the girl and her brothers, it doesn't seem he is their father, as the little girl addressed him as Kevin. Perhaps he is their uncle and serving as guardian, for a reason that may soon be explained. What do you like best or least about Atwater? What do you think will happen to him in upcoming episodes?

Amidst a large group of close-mouthed detectives who guard their privacy closely, Olinsky is no exception. He and Voight go back a long way, and when either man is at risk, it's clear they have one another's backs without question. We don't yet know what happened between Olinsky and his wife, but we do know he loves his teenage daughter enough to covert a garage into an apartment just to remain a daily part of Lexi's life. He's a man who isn't afraid to do whatever it takes to fight evil, as when he took out the suspect at Navy Pier; but he also reminds his daughter about what it takes to be a good man, as when she defended her choice to hold drugs for her boyfriend. Although they have their ups and downs, one thing is for certain - the relationship between Olinsky and his protegee Ruzek is never dull! In time, it seems, Ruzek may become a kind of surrogate son for the older man, much along the lines of Voight and Lindsay. What do you like best or least about Olinsky? What do you think will happen to him in upcoming episodes?

From the first moment we saw this character, Adam Ruzek was raring to go. His enthusiasm for police work - and life in general - made it impossible for him to go unnoticed. As Olinsky later told Voight, his instinct told him this was definitely the rookie for them. As we also learned from the pilot, Ruzek is the son of a cop - one who apparently worked with Olinsky and Voight, and wasn't too liked by either. What do you suppose happened? Now, Ruzek is having some doubts about his quickly approaching nuptials, dabbling in a relationship with Burgess. The situation is all the more complex, given that Wendy is no one-dimensional shrew, a nasty woman whom no one could blame might scare a man into the arms of another. But both Adam and Wendy are basically good people. The only real question is, are they good for one another? What do you like best or least about Ruzek? What do you imagine will happen to him in upcoming episodes?

One of the most intriguing aspects of this character to me is the drastic career change she made fairly recently. Of course, people change fields all the time, for a wide array of reasons. However, I don't think stewardess to cop is a move that too many people make. So it stands to question, what happened to make Burgess want to make the switch? Was she on a plane that was hijacked or otherwise saw trouble? Did something happen in her personal life? Either way, it seems to me that she witnessed something traumatic and decided that she would become pro-active in taking care of herself and those around her in the future. Platt has said the reason she harasses Burgess so much is because she "hasn't got any [balls]." And while it's true that Burgess' basic nature seems to be sweet and friendly, quick to trust, it's also become apparent that she can be incredibly brave and tough when necessary. Now TPTB are teasing the possibility of a relationship with Ruzek, which is fraught with its own troubles, given his upcoming wedding. What do you like best or least about Burgess? What do you think will happen to her in upcoming episodes?

Having started with Chicago Fire from the pilot, I initially met Antonio Dawson as paramedic Gabby Dawson's adored older brother. Through the lens of that shows, viewers saw Antonio as a good cop, handy in many a situation whenever the firefighters found themselves in trouble -- the guy threatening Molly's, and even Voight threatening Casey. Not much else was known about Antonio until his character was more fully expanded with the start of Chicago PD. We quickly learned that Antonio is a loving husband and father, and his easygoing nature has built him a wide network of friends -- Jay Halstead among them, as it was established in the show's start that it was Antonio's recommendation that led to Voight selecting Halstead for his unit. Even Antonio's CIs seem to be friendly with him, as demonstrated by Jasmine. Now, however, we've already seen a few scenarios where Antonio's good cop nature is already being tested and challenged. Do you think that Antonio will be able to remain a good cop the longer he stays with Voight? Will his marriage to Laura also remain strong?