Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 2 Review: Retread
Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 2, “Retread,” is all about Adam Ruzek getting his job back, and we’re definitely here for it!
Chicago P.D.‘s strength lies in the team’s ability to work together and combine their best qualities to deliver the best results possible — meaning catching the right perp and bringing them to justice.
Even though this episode is mostly about Adam (and Kim), everyone in the Intelligence Unit works the case, proving why Voight’s team continues to work so well together.
Something that must always be highlighted on Chicago P.D. is the specific transitions the show uses to get the point across.
One great example from this episode is the way the show portrays Adam’s frustration at not being back on the job yet and how stir-crazy he is going at home.
This happens when he is grocery shopping and hears the police sirens going by. His instinct is telling him to rush to the scene, but he knows that is impossible at the moment.
Another time, he is at the table listening to Kim tell Makayla about her day. And he spends a lot of time watching the news.
These are all clues to help us understand why he chooses to be a part of a clandestine poker game every week. It is his way of picking up a case and feeling a bit closer to the job.
Another great example is the moment in which Kim kicks the door down to go after a suspect, and the scene transitions to Adam at the supermarket. Once again proof of how much Adam’s life has changed and how much he hates it.
Even though the case is quite important, what takes up most of the time is showing how desperately Adam needs to get back on the job and how that led the team to the case they are currently working on.
This is clearly shown when Trudy tells him to sit tight on the bench. This is a metaphor, but we see it represented throughout the episode on two occasions.
The first time, Adam’s “bench” is him showing up at the CI’s home to ask for his help and get more details regarding the shooting.
The second time, his “bench” is his car as he sits outside the suspect’s girlfriend’s house. His time on the bench doesn’t last long, as he immediately rushes in after the shooting.
Both these instances prove Adam isn’t good at waiting, and he is ready to get to work. However, he must listen to Voight and wait until his time comes.
Quite a few episodes on Chicago P.D. have focused on Hailey Upton and how she handled her job after having killed the man who shot Kim. This was kept a secret and still remains so that no one left on the team (besides Voight) knows what happened.
That is why it seems a bit hypocritical of her to say that the team doesn’t work when there are secrets. She is trying to push Voight to tell them what is truly going on, but he refuses to.
It doesn’t feel right that she is the one to push when she has kept so many secrets, has become obsessed with cases, and Voight has always come to her rescue.
She should be the first one to understand that no matter what happens, Voight will always do whatever it takes to protect his team. That is exactly what happens on this episode as he tries to protect Adam’s job.
One thing Chicago P.D. has always done is balance the personal life with the professional life, and this episode does exactly that by also showing an insight into Adam and Kim’s relationship.
The two of them now function perfectly as a couple, raising a daughter and working together. As Adam is struggling with staying at home, we are reminded Kim is the one who could understand his situation the best.
She had been dealing with her PTSD up until recently. That’s why it’s surprising that Adam kept the truth from her in the beginning. However, this is rectified and she is able to help the case.
We must also highlight that there’s been a great change in Kim. From being filled with panic to being the detective in charge of the case and getting sh*t done.
Hopefully, as we see more of Chicago P.D. Season 11, we will see the team working together.
This show is successful when it remembers there is more than one detective on the team.
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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.
One thought on “Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 2 Review: Retread”
Thank you for this review!!! Great episode!
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