Chicago P.D. Season 10 Episode 3 Review: A Good Man

Let it out. Let all the tears out as Chicago P.D. Season 10 Episode 3, “A Good Man,” has us saying goodbye to one of the most important characters the show has had: Jay Halstead.

If we are honest with ourselves and with the writers, “A Good Man” is one of the best Jay episodes we have seen in ten seasons. It is sad to say, but at least he says goodbye in a manner that does his character, fans, and actor justice. Even though there won’t be anymore Halstead, he will always be remembered.

Jesse Lee Soffer definitely understands the assignment. He gives his everything to the episode, to Jay’s final storyline, and delivers an amazing performance. Soffer and Halstead will definitely be missed.

“A Good Man” is a sad, emotional episode for all of us watching from home, but it has some highlights we have to congratulate the writers and the cameramen for. The beginning of the episode already sets the tension from the very first second.

Hailey and Jay banging their rings against everything they touch, the sound replicating in the background, and the two of them never finding each other is the perfect way to let us know it is all coming to an end. That banging is the knocking that has been happening throughout the episodes, letting the characters know things need to change.

This time around, it seems like Halstead finally listens to the knocking — a sound probably coming from the depths of his heart, telling him he cannot keep going like this.

But that sound wasn’t the only thing that set the tension. Hailey waiting at home with two glasses of wine — one which never empties — and watching the door, perfectly showing she will soon have to get used to a life on her own.

An empty bed and a Halstead drinking at the bar Voight introduced him to show the separate paths Hailey and Jay will have to take. Special shoutout to Tracy Spiridakos for such an amazing performance. It is exciting to see where she will take Hailey from here on out.

The greatest thing that the writers have done to bid farewell to such a beloved character is make the episode entirely Jay-centric. Every tiny detail points back to him, his past, and the kind of man he wants to be. We see him connecting to the victim/accomplice, reminding us exactly where Halstead comes from.

But at the same time, they give us signs of Jay slowly becoming Voight. He is more violent, commits a crime, and has to be part of yet another coverup. Halstead is losing himself, which he never wanted to in the first place.

For ten seasons, we’ve seen him struggle to not become his boss, to stay away from those gray areas that he hates so much. However, his final words to Voight confirm the contrary. He has always wanted to be like his boss, but he isn’t and he shouldn’t be trying.

At times, the Chicago P.D. writers have forgotten to tie loose ends, but we can happily say they do not do that on “A Good Man.” Quite the opposite, they give closure to one of the most complicated relationships the show has ever seen: Voight and Halstead. Both men leave the other proud of who they are, having said everything that needed to be said.

That is at least one perfect goodbye.

What does Jay’s departure mean for the rest of the team? Sadly, we don’t know.

As much as we love to see Jay say goodbye to the two most important people in his personal and professional life, it is disappointing not to see him say goodbye to the rest of the Intelligence Unit. The team is basically MIA the entire case and their interactions with Halstead aren’t satisfying enough for a final episode.

Halstead’s character has always been defined by his women — Hailey and Erin — and his boss, but the rest of the team was important too. Kim, Adam, Kevin, and Trudy have always had his back. Do they not deserve a proper goodbye?

Hopefully, the writers will amend this by having some sort of Halstead mention in the following episodes that allow us to see he gave the rest of the unit the respect they deserved.

Saying goodbye to a character like Jay is extremely hard, but it gives us hope to see the other characters a bit more. The end of Chicago P.D. Season 9 and the beginning of Chicago P.D. Season 10 focus heavily on the coverup trio — Hailey, Jay, and Voight — and didn’t allow us to see more of the rest.

We are putting our trust in the writers and expecting them to give us more of Kevin and Torres. The hope is that one day Torres will be wearing something other than his white t-shirt and jeans. Is this his character’s way of keeping his distance?

Entering the Intelligence Unit can be extremely hard, we have seen it in the past, but it seems like Torres fits right in. Why is he having such a hard time adjusting? We will be keeping an eye on his outfits to see how his character progresses.

After such an emotional episode, all we can say is goodbye, Jay Halstead. Thank you Jesse Lee Soffer for having given Chicago P.D. fans 10 amazing seasons. Your character will be missed.

What did you think of this episode of Chicago P.D.? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10/9 on NBC.

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Chicago P.D. Stars Marina Squerciati and Jason Beghe on Jesse Lee Soffer’s Upcoming Exit [Video]