Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6 Review: Survival

If you’re not a Hank Voight fan, Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” is not for you. However, for those of us who have been Voight fans for over a decade, it is the perfect episode.

It helps showcase exactly the kind of cop and person he is and why his, at times, unethical methods do work.

Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” proves he no longer is the Voight who would beat up perps to get answers, but he still follows his instincts (which usually turn out to be right) until he uncovers the truth. And that’s why he is still the boss.

Personal Matters

Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” starts with Hank being given a photo of his son when he was 21. It is the perfect setup to explain why Noah’s case hits so close to home.

One can think Voight takes it personally because he is the one who sees the abduction and discovers the kidnapping. Maybe even because Noah’s parents have disowned him for being gay.

Maybe even the fact that he’s moved to Chicago, has no place to live, and no friends. But the truth is that Noah reminds him of the dark road Justin went down.

If he couldn’t save his son, he will surely try to save Noah.

This becomes even more obvious when we see he is still carrying Justin’s photo in his pocket. It’s the perfect reminder not to give up on this kid.

When Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” ends, we see Voight has taken Noah into his home and is taking care of him to the point that he knows where he left his medication.

This reminds us of another kid Hank saved — one that ended up better than his son.

When Erin Lindsay was a teenager, Voight and his wife took her in. She lived with them, and he made sure she stayed safe.

Now, history is repeating itself with Noah. Hopefully, it repeats itself even more by giving Noah the happy life he gave Lindsay.

The Softer Side of Hank

Not too long ago, Voight would have beaten up Jones for not speaking sooner. Would have kept him in the cage way past the release time and would have let him go after a few several injuries.

This time around, Voight avoids violence. Yes, he does threaten to make Jones’s life and “business” hell, but he never steps over the line of what’s illegal.

And still, without being the Hank Voight from the past, he is more in charge than we have seen in a long time.

Lately, Chicago, P.D., has allowed other members of the Intelligence Unit to be in charge and lead investigations. But Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” proves Voight is still the man to go to as he leads Noah’s investigation.

He might not be everyone’s favorite character and might not always play by the rules, but one can’t deny he gets things done.

Even though violence used to be a huge part of Voight’s character, we must admit the way he treats the victims goes a long way, too.

His softer side shows up when a victim needs him. That is particularly obvious on Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival.”

Noah is distraught, cannot speak, and gives a fake ID. Hank realizes this but gives Noah a safe place to land instead of pushing him.

It’s that paternal instinct that may have failed him in the past, coming back to help a kid whose family has abandoned him.

To Be Continued…

Noah’s kidnapping is a tough case. With few leads to follow, the perp still hasn’t been caught. Looks like this will be another season-long episode, following in the steps of Torres’s case on Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 4, “Escape.”

However, we get to see how intense the case has been up to this point. Noah is badly injured, showing some of the most graphic injuries we have seen on Chicago, P.D.

Is that Voight running for a few seconds? Voight never runs after a perp, but he does slightly on Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” before Torres catches Jones.

The case has affected him because he remains in the same outfit for most of the episode, proving he never went to sleep after watching Noah get kidnapped.

The transitions between the computer screens, the coffee mug, and the paperwork show he stays at the precinct all night, only changing seats to figure out what he missed. Once again, Chicago, P.D. does the transitions between scenes smoothly and perfectly.

With Noah moving in with Voight, we wonder if we will see more of him and the sergeant’s living situation. Hopefully, Voight will catch the kidnapper.

A lot can be said about Hank Voight, but Chicago P.D. Season 11 Episode 6, “Survival,” proves he is one of a kind. The kind that has led the entire team for over a decade and made the show what it is.

Whether everyone likes him or not is a different question, but it’s undeniable that he knows what he’s doing. And so does Chicago P.D. by finally giving us another Voight-centric episode.

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

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