S05.E11: Confidential

[Guest]

Quote

While trying to find the pimp, Intelligence stumbles on the women's shelter where he's scouting out girls. And Burgess moves the case forward with a series of confidential tips, but risks putting her informant in harm's way.

[Jaded]

A little over 15 min in and Burgess's behavior is making me sick. The way she's treating that CI is disgusting.

Edited to add: Now the CI is dead.

Edited January 11, 2018 by Jaded

[doLLish]

Kim was insufferable tonight. On the other hand I gained a lot of respect for Upton for how adamant she was in protecting her CI.

I enjoyed the episode overall though. It felt very old school CPD.

Edited January 11, 2018 by doLLish

[UNOSEZ]

So upton and Atwater.. Just not gonna talk to each other huh?.. Come on show.. Lets switch some of these folks up

[mehtotheworld]

Wow, do they want people to hate Burgess or what? She 100% got that poor CI killed. Upton warned her about it, and was right, so maybe Upton's instincts about her own CI should be trusted? I never actively disliked Burgess, but I'm pretty much over her now now (along with Jay and pretty much everyone except Upton and Voight, whom I can't hate even after all the shit he's pulled). 

I really like Upton. Episode after episode, she does her job and doesn't accept too much of the rest of the team's bullshit. Maybe it's because as the new person she's done a lot of observing? Just waiting for an Upton-centric episode to see how they eff up her character.

[NJRadioGuy]

Burgess has been dumbed down tremendously from her patrol days, and even then, she wasn't always the best police. I get what they were doing with her tonight and I didn't like it, but I see why they had to go there. In a network police procedural sometimes you have to beat the audience over the head with a story line before it sinks in. Tonight it served two purposes. One, it got to show Burgess was too smart by half (plus it now gives her some emo-baggage to carry around, and an excuse to bang her ex), and two, it got to paint Upton in a less-horrible light. Too bad Spiradakos can't act to grow into the role. She still has one and only one facial expression. So does Beghe, for that matter, but at least Voight is interesting. Upton...not so much.

The funny thing is, I think Upton could have been an excellent patrol replacement for Burgess. She just doesn't seem a good fit for Intelligence—and sadly, neither does Burgess, at least as far as Burgess is being written this season. For that matter, the interchangeable prettyboys don't work well for me either. I could watch Voight and Olinsky TV-torturing dirtbags and solving crimes all night long. They're good characters, and Elias is the best actor in the bunch by a long shot. I've known my share of real world undercovers and he pulls it off well.

As @doLLish said, it definitely felt a bit like old-school CPD tonight, but with that said, I sorely miss patrol antics as a change of pace.

[Chas411]

If the plan was to make Upton more likeable by dumbing down nearly every other character then I think it's working.

[preeya]

They have turned Burgess into a complete asshole and they end the episode with her just "wanting to have some fun." I'm wondering if "Bubba Gump" will find out she's sleeping with Ruzech. That surely will stoke the fire.

[Guildford]

I really wanted to like this episode but...both the Burgess and Upton were just ugghhh. 

I actually like Burgess and I am not sure if it was just the acting that put me off but she was very abrupt/short and I think it was meant to make her look tough but it fell flat for me. And the whole 'having fun' with Ruzek. I mean he's a big boy and can look after himself but he's obviously in love with her and I would hate to think she's using him to get her rocks off.

As for Upton...they have done nothing to make her even slightly likeable. She is more experienced officer to Burgess she could have just said 'No you need to follow up on the CI's tip off, at least take a look but instead she went behind her back, undermined and got someone to 'check it out'. That's not good mentoring or leadership that's being a smug know it all. I just cannot warm up to her.

What I did love about the episode was there was a much better balance between all the characters this week. Even if Halstead was benched at least he wasn't completely ignored. I hope it continues.

[FnkyChkn34]

3 hours ago, Guildford said:

I really wanted to like this episode but...both the Burgess and Upton were just ugghhh. 

I actually like Burgess and I am not sure if it was just the acting that put me off but she was very abrupt/short and I think it was meant to make her look tough but it fell flat for me. And the whole 'having fun' with Ruzek. I mean he's a big boy and can look after himself but he's obviously in love with her and I would hate to think she's using him to get her rocks off.

As for Upton...they have done nothing to make her even slightly likeable. She is more experienced officer to Burgess she could have just said 'No you need to follow up on the CI's tip off, at least take a look but instead she went behind her back, undermined and got someone to 'check it out'. That's not good mentoring or leadership that's being a smug know it all. I just cannot warm up to her.

What I did love about the episode was there was a much better balance between all the characters this week. Even if Halstead was benched at least he wasn't completely ignored. I hope it continues.

I agree, and highlighted the two parts that I especially agree with.

Burgess was just a b**** this week.  There's really no other way to say it.  I don't necessarily blame the actress this time; I think it was just bad writing.

Upton was both hot and cold this week.  I actually liked how she was blunt with Jay and told him to get his act together, but I agree about how she dealt with Burgess.

[misstwpherecool]

Out of the blue is Burgess being groomed to be the next Hank.  Are we simply seeing some Burgess backstory?

Upton is the pleasant surprise of the season. She more than replaced Lindsay at this point.

[greyhorse]

On 1/10/2018 at 8:49 PM, mehtotheworld said:

I really like Upton. Episode after episode, she does her job and doesn't accept too much of the rest of the team's bullshit. Maybe it's because as the new person she's done a lot of observing? Just waiting for an Upton-centric episode to see how they eff up her character.

Agreed.  She seems very level headed and a good cop.

9 hours ago, Guildford said:

As for Upton...they have done nothing to make her even slightly likeable. She is more experienced officer to Burgess she could have just said 'No you need to follow up on the CI's tip off, at least take a look but instead she went behind her back, undermined and got someone to 'check it out'. That's not good mentoring or leadership that's being a smug know it all. I just cannot warm up to her.

I guess we'll have to disagree.  I loved Sophia Bush, but I like this Greek hottie as well.  I think she is very likable.  How many times have they shown her stepping up for her partner?  She saved Jay by going to the woman in jail and telling her to change her story.  She paid off some other witness several episodes ago to protect him as well.  I'm waiting for some Halsted and Upton horizontal time.  That comment about her being gay last week was just part of an undercover thing, right?  

[Lyanna19]

Before we do anything else here, is nobody going to comment on Voigt and Nicole? They just talk? I keep hoping for more on it but not this episode I guess.

I like Upton, I like the way she observes and thinks, I don't think she really is gay, gee I'm hoping not, but when she asked Burgess if she wanted to grab a bite sometime I was ok, I hope I'm just paranoid here. I'm still hoping for her and Halstead hookups, she seems to be a by the book person tho so maybe she wouldn't get involved with her partner.

I also think Rusek is in love with Burgess, so I hope she's not just using him...

[Jaelyn96]

On 1/10/2018 at 8:03 PM, NJRadioGuy said:

Burgess has been dumbed down tremendously from her patrol days, and even then, she wasn't always the best police. I get what they were doing with her tonight and I didn't like it, but I see why they had to go there. In a network police procedural sometimes you have to beat the audience over the head with a story line before it sinks in. Tonight it served two purposes. One, it got to show Burgess was too smart by half (plus it now gives her some emo-baggage to carry around, and an excuse to bang her ex), and two, it got to paint Upton in a less-horrible light. Too bad Spiradakos can't act to grow into the role. She still has one and only one facial expression. So does Beghe, for that matter, but at least Voight is interesting. Upton...not so much.

The funny thing is, I think Upton could have been an excellent patrol replacement for Burgess. She just doesn't seem a good fit for Intelligence—and sadly, neither does Burgess, at least as far as Burgess is being written this season. For that matter, the interchangeable prettyboys don't work well for me either. I could watch Voight and Olinsky TV-torturing dirtbags and solving crimes all night long. They're good characters, and Elias is the best actor in the bunch by a long shot. I've known my share of real world undercovers and he pulls it off well.

As @doLLish said, it definitely felt a bit like old-school CPD tonight, but with that said, I sorely miss patrol antics as a change of pace.

I have to agree with you about uptons acting. It isn’t good .

[Lyanna19]

I'm gonna disagree, I think Upton says more with a look than others say with words, she literally speaks volumes with her eyes and expression, to me that's true acting

[dreamcatcher]

All I'm going to say is that if they make Halstead fall in love with his next partner as well, i'm going to burn down their studio. I don't even care how many seasons it's going to take. I know they'll go there at some point and I will get my revenge.

[Xeliou66]

Apparently this show is so concerned with making Upton popular that they make everyone else unlikable. Not surprised what I’ve seen of this season has been so weak because Eid is an awful showrunner, he was a disaster on L&O and SVU. 

At least Antonio got good screen time in this episode, he seems to have been forgotten about lately. 

Did find it funny that they mentioned Voight using escorts, I’m not surprised at all but I’m surprised they mentioned it since they want to portray Voight as so upstanding when he’s a sleazy, self serving scumbag.

[spunky]

Kim's behavior towards her CI was disgusting. She's some how such a great cop who got into Intelligence, but she gets her CI  killed by being a bully. I liked Upon this episode, she protected her CI  because she used compassion and common sense and even tried to protect Kim's CI. Kim can go back to patrol now. I'm with Upton, if Jay refuses to seek the help he needs then she needs a new partner. 

I pegged the shelter director as the pimp the minute I saw him. It's sad that there are people like him out there trafficking young girls. He's one perp I would have been okay with Voight taking to the Silos. 

The highlight for me was Kevin and Adam being in awe of how easily Antonio made that guy his CI, gotta move faster fellas.

[sweetandsour]

First time commenting on this show, but I simply had to after observing whatever the hell Kim was doing this episode.  She pushed her own CI way too hard and too fast, despite being cautioned by her interim partner, and then felt bad about it when it was too late - her CI has already paid the ultimate price.  You think maybe she learned something, but then she doubled-down later in her anger about how Upton didn't put her own CI in a dangerous position by getting the address they needed.  Even after Upton fucking explained it to her very directly.  Like, I get that they were going for Kim feeling so bad about Sierra's murder and needing to find those other girls before anyone else died, but Kim clearly had no problem putting someone else in potentially mortal danger just to clear her conscience and solve her case.  Kim, do you really want two dead CIs on your hands?  I guess she is okay with that because they aren't people to her.  At least when it's not convenient for her.

I feel like Upton purposely floats on the fringes, which incidentally gives her the ability to slide in there sideways at the end and take care of a situation, but there will come a time where she's at the center of a shitstorm and I'd like to see that play out.

Edited January 14, 2018 by sweetandsour
typo!

[watcher1006]

They are trying to expand Upton's role, it remains to be seen if Tracy Spiridakos is up to it as an actor. I for one got tired of her all-knowing smirk in this one.

[Chas411]

I don't mind Upton and think she's as good a replacement for Bush as we probably could have hoped for. I do think they've had to severely dumb down all the characters in order to show how great a partner, friends, one of the gang that Upton is though.

[Kel Varnsen]

The only thing that would have drove home what a fuck up Burgess was more, would have been if her CI had died by an overdose with the needle still in her arm. Seriously, who gives a former heroin user $500 and tells them to go talk to a bunch of dealers. Of course the woman she put at risk died, and not too surprising she doesn't really get called on her mistake, again.

[Dvldj]

They are definitely making Burgess an unlikable character. She has been slowly but surely heading down that road and tonight's episode really did it for me. I don't know what they have planned for her but her interactions with Voight a few episodes ago and now this one really messed up her character for me.

Also, who is Nicole? Hank find himself someone to keep him warm at night?

[SnarkySheep]

On 1/13/2018 at 0:08 AM, Lyanna19 said:

I like Upton, I like the way she observes and thinks, I don't think she really is gay, gee I'm hoping not, but when she asked Burgess if she wanted to grab a bite sometime I was ok, I hope I'm just paranoid here. I'm still hoping for her and Halstead hookups, she seems to be a by the book person tho so maybe she wouldn't get involved with her partner.

I never thought that line about her being gay was anything but a quick way to sever the drug dealer's interest in her; and as for asking Burgess to hang out, it was a peace offering, after an episode full of them butting heads.

I know people have speculated about Upton and Halstead hooking up since practically the minute she arrived. I really hope it doesn't come to that, simply because it would totally cheapen the strong relationship he and Lindsay had...it would essentially make their bond nothing but convenience, like Halstead would have felt the same about any woman he was partnered with.