Chicago P.D. Season 10 Episode 12 Review: I Can Let You Go
The title of Chicago P.D. Season 10 Episode 12, “I Can Let You Go,” plays perfectly into two storylines that involve Hailey Upton.
On the one hand, her very open relationship with Jay Halstead. Since he’s been gone, Hailey seems to have fallen off the tracks, not knowing exactly what to do.
On the other hand, her very toxic and weird dynamic with Sean O’Neal. What is the grip he has on her?
Upton and O’Neal: Red Flags Everywhere
If you are a fan of Wolf Entertainment, you may remember the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit storyline between Greg Yates and Amanda Rollins. Just like Upton, Rollins kept going back to prison to see Yates because there was more there than she could pinpoint.
The two women felt the need to visit these men, excusing it behind the fact that they were giving them information to solve new cases. But is that all these visits mean to Upton?
Clearly, there is a connection to Sean O’Neal — a very dark, twisted, and toxic one. In her worst time, his case popped up and kept her distracted.
As we see her continue to struggle with her marriage, she dives deeper into O’Neal’s logic and everything he is saying to her. To the point that we feel everything he says about the girl he’s been with applies to Upton.
She has also been hurt, left behind, and betrayed. Could she feel seen by this terrible man? If so, that’s a red flag.
As much as we dislike him, O’Neal does bring valuable information to the table, and “I Can Let You Go” focuses on a new case that we may see come back in later episodes.
There are two things that need to be highlighted from this episode of Chicago P.D.
Firstly, the difference in character we see when Voight is dealing with children versus when he is dealing with grownups. His voice becomes calmer and smoother, making it easier for the little boy to connect with him.
The macho alfa, violent cop we are used to seeing takes a step back to let his father instincts shine. Even though Voight has done his fair share of questionable things in the past, he remains true to himself and always delivers the justice that’s needed.
This time around, it feels like the first time in a while that he is in charge. During the first episodes of Chicago P.D. Season 10, it felt like he was a backseat driver and the team was leading itself.
Secondly, anyone else notices how alike Upton and the kidnapped woman seem? Blonde women with light eyes and daddy issues.
Chicago P.D. does a great job at making us see how involved Hailey is in the case. But is there something else behind her dedication?
Once we see the woman who was taken, we put the pieces together. Hailey sees a lot of herself in this woman.
She too has struggled and been attacked. But above all, she too has had to deal with the crimes of a father. Her past is constantly pressuring her and guiding who she is as a cop.
There is more to this new case that “I Can Let You Go” shows us, so there are implications these characters will come back. What would this mean for Upton?
Missing Jay
Being completely honest, the last episodes of Chicago P.D. since Jay left haven’t been making us viewers miss him. The team has moved on and its dynamic has been great.
However, it is more than valid to see Upton continue to struggle with him being gone. As much as she likes to pretend she is okay, her behavior proves to us that she isn’t.
This time around, this is confirmed by her calling Jay time and time again only to be met by rejection. Why isn’t he answering the phone? What is he so afraid of?
The end of “I Can Let You Go” confirms he is avoiding telling Hailey that he isn’t coming home yet as he has signed up for an extension. For the fans, this was obvious because we know he is gone, but for Hailey it puts her world upside down.
If we follow the patter in One Chicago, this relationship will soon end in divorce. That is exactly what happened between Gabby Dawson and Matt Casey on Chicago Fire.
In the end, Hailey realizes how bad it is for her to continue seeing Sean O’Neal and puts an end to it. Is it really the end?
Hopefully, this truthfully will be the last we see of him as it has felt like the story was dragged out for so long. Yes, it has helped learn more about Upton, but it hasn’t given much else to the show.
Now, we have to keep an eye out for this new storyline that might develop into something more on Chicago P.D.
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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 10/9c on NBC.
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Lara Rosales
By day, Lara Rosales (she/her) is a solo mom by choice and a bilingual writer with a BA in Latin-American Literature known as a Media Relations Expert. By night, she is a TV enjoyer who used to host a podcast (Cats, Milfs & Lesbian Things). You can find her work published on Eulalie Magazine, Geek Girl Authority, W Spotlight, Collider, USA Wire, Mentors Collective, Instelite, Noodle, Dear Movies, Nicki Swift, and Flip Screened.