Detective Kim Burgess is potentially on the way.
One of the biggest questions that has loomed over multiple seasons of this series is when one of the core three (Atwater, Burgess, or Ruzek) will get promoted to detective.
The Intelligence Unit is down all of its detectives after Halstead and Upton’s departures and Martel’s death.
It’s time for someone to step up to the plate, and while we eagerly wished Detective Kevin Atwater was on the horizon, we’re certainly not disappointed that Burgess is the person in question.
Frankly, Chicago PD Season 12 has been slaying the content, delivering great nonstop episodes since the season premiere.
In addition to a strong season for the series overall, it’s been a great season thus far for its female characters.
We’ve had more Trudy face time, which we’ve been longing for for quite some time.
Nina Chapman has had a strong presence, evolved as a character, and posed a fascinating arc for Voight with Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 4.
The season started with the introduction of Martel, whose death subsequently set the pace for this season and left a lasting impression despite our short time with her.
Chicago PD Season 12 Has Been a Strong One Thus Far for Female Characters
Kiana Cook’s addition to the series is a welcomed breath of fresh air. It has breathed life into the series and makes Intelligence feel as if it has finally clicked into place.
So, of course, after missing a couple of installments and sometimes falling into the background, it’s time for Kim Burgess to shine in the best way possible.
Burgess’ ascent from Patrol to potential Detective is a fantastic trajectory for one of the series’ strongest characters.
It seems that after some time away at conferences and other such events, Burgess has been diligently working toward advancing her career.
Everything else has clicked into place for her, as she’s worked through some of her trauma regarding her shooting, her family life is perfectly intact, and her engagement to Ruzek is a sign that she’s getting her happily ever after.
Now, professionally, she can have everything she desires, as she sailed through every aspect of her detective testing except one.
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 6 is titled “Pawns,” which already implies that Burgess will face a conundrum, whether she’s one of the pawns in question or forced to use someone as a pawn.
Burgess is one step away from becoming a detective, and she’s thrilled about it until she faces a challenge that tests her morality and everything she represents.
As an infrastructure, policing can come down to who you are and who you know.
Work and your work ethic aren’t the only deciding factors determining who advances and who doesn’t.
What you’re willing to do, who you’re willing to rub elbows with, and things of that nature are also strong factors in how far you get and how.
“Pawns” is already fascinating in its portrayal of what law enforcement is like for women trying to advance in the field.
We’ve already learned via Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 5 that a fantastic cop like Kiana Cook, who dared to challenge her partner on his shortcomings in the field that put many in jeopardy, got demoted from her esteemed position in the Tactical unit to a patrol cop.
Detective Suarez Challenges Burgess’ Moral Standing on a Case
And now, what stands between Burgess and her detective promotion is a ride along with a fellow detective who encourages her to do something Burgess deems unfit.
One of the season’s best features is its subtle exposure to what it’s like for female law enforcement in the field.
And it seems that this Kim Burgess-centric hour aims to explore that deeper from another angle.
In the promo, we hear Detective Suarez, played by Orange is the New Black and the late, great East New York‘s Elizabeth Rodriguez, telling Burgess that one ride along is what stands in the way of her becoming a “shiny, new detective.”
It sounds simple enough, right?
What could possibly go wrong with a ride-along?
Suarez isn’t going to make this easy on Burgess in the least.
Whatever case Suarez and Burgess are working, we see that Suarez will take the lead a bit and put pressure on Burgess.
From the promo, Suarez wants to pressure a woman who may know something valuable about the case they’re working on.
Suarez Wants Burgess to Use a Child as a Pawn
When the woman doesn’t seem immediately forthcoming with information, Suarez suggests that Burgess apply extreme pressure on the woman and use her child as leverage.
Here is where it seems the episode’s title may come into play: This woman’s child is a pawn to get her to cooperate with the police, and this woman herself is a pawn in a larger game to solve their case.
Burgess is a mother who is fiercely protective of her own child and is familiar with the risk of almost losing her twice over.
Asking someone like Burgess to use a child as leverage goes against everything that she’s against at this stage of her life and career.
While it’s not something that seems too far out of the realm of how they may have handled things in Intelligence in the past, it’s not something that Burgess is up for.
Worse yet, at no point would the fate of Burgess’ career have ever been hanging in the balance based on what she did or didn’t do here.
It seems she is facing that now with Suarez, but Burgess is willing to stand firm and wonder if they can do things another way.
The Rest of the Unit is Still Supporting Characters in Kim’s Case
It’ll be interesting to see how the others factor into this case and installment.
Some photos show Burgess speaking with Voight, which makes you wonder if she’s asking for his advice on handling things with Suarez.
We also see a couple of stills of Burgess and Ruzek in the locker room. She may confide in her fiance about what’s going on and how she feels about it, and he always supports her.
The photos suggest that they’ll be working a difficult murder case, as we see Voight crouched over a gruesome, bloody body.
We also see Burgess at the crime scene, and she’s been looking very detective-like lately.
For those of us who have already become diehard Kiana Cook lovers, this is our first glance at her as an official member of the unit, and it seems she, too, is joining the plaid club!
We see her rocking the flannel, sitting next to Ruzek.
It seems their desks are near each other, and the two are seemingly mirroring each other as they listen intently to something about the investigation.
It serves as a visual representation of how well she fits into the unit, don’t you think?
With Burgess working with Suarez and Atwater, possibly not in the hour since we don’t see him in the promos or stills, one has to wonder if Cook and Ruzek will partner up again like they did in Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2.
If that’s the case, bring it on! They’re a badass duo!
Chicago PD returns on November 6 with this all-new episode!
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Over to you, Chicago PD Fanatics.
Are you thrilled about someone finally making detective?!
Are you happy that it’s Kim?