Chicago P.D. Season 10 Episode 21 Review: New Life

If as viewers we were upset when Jay Halstead was too hard on Torres as he first joined the team, Chicago P.D. Season 10 Episode 21, “New Life,” proves his suspicions were right.

Even though Torres has proven time and time again that the team can trust him and he will always have their backs, “New Life” allows us to see into his past and we discover that juvie isn’t the only thing on his record.

For a moment during the episode, the show has us wondering if Torres is actually a good guy or if his past is stronger than his present and his duty.

For seasoned Chicago P.D. viewers, a dirty cop isn’t anything new. We are used to the likes of Hank Voight and Alvin Olinsky, cops who have never been afraid to use force to get the answers they needed.

However, it comes as a shock that Torres may fall under the same category as them because he has always seemed like a sweet and sympathetic guy. His past has always been a mystery covered in burned tattoos to hide where he comes from.

He never shied away from the fact that he was in juvie, but this time around he seems to be doing everything in his power to cover his tracks. Torres goes as far as stealing a photo to make sure the team doesn’t know how well he knew the victim.

His actions make us believe that he is hiding something bigger than simply running with a drug dealer. It makes us question whether we really know who Torres is or if there is a big question mark over him.

But every time he lies to his team or hides something from them, we want to scream at him. This isn’t the right choice. Doesn’t he know who he is working for?

It speaks volumes that the two people who are catching up to Torres’s behavior are the two cops who could be considered the dirtiest in the unity right now: Voight and Upton.

They recognize the sneaking around, the lies, and the jumpy behavior. They have both been Torres in one way or another. We can all remember the way Hank used to treat suspects and the way in which Upton killed someone recently.

What can be considered a bit frustrating for viewers is the fact that Torres doesn’t realize he is able to talk to the unit about his past without fear. We know that what matters to Voight is that his team is honest with him.

As long as he knows the truth, he will be able to protect them. This is proven on the episode when Torres asks if he is fired and Voight smirks before telling him he will see him at the district.

After all, Torres doesn’t realize he isn’t too different from his sergeant. There is a past in both of them that makes them integral to the squad.

The best thing on this episode of Chicago P.D. is Benjamin Levy Aguilar’s acting. He delivers some of his best work and this is definitely Torres’s best episode.

“New Life” has a particular rhythm that is marked by Torres’s anxiety. He is in constant fear that his team will discover what happened in his past and they will turn their backs on him.

This fear leads every single one of his actions. Running into the basement, stealing the photograph, speeding to see Mia, and threatening Vega.

It is that particular scene with Vega in the abandoned school that rises the tension of the episode. Like Voight, we are spectators of what is going on between Torres and Vega.

Navarro has made us doubt Torres by saying he killed someone in his past and by threatening Vega with being waterboarded we wonder if the murder is true. But Torres never crosses the line, proving that he has left his past behind.

Voight watching in the window and not intervening until Torres gets the confession is proof that he has always trusted Dante. He simply wants him to be honest about who he is.

“New Life” is probably one of the best episodes of Chicago P.D. Season 10, delivering high-quality writing and acting.

It is one of those episodes that prove this season of the show has been a good one. Throughout the season, we have witnessed great character development and incredible storylines.

We can only hope the season finale meets these standards.

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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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