As Chicago P.D. enters its 13th season, the scars of last year’s chaos still run deep within the Intelligence Unit. The premiere found Sergeant Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) and his fractured team tentatively regrouping after being disbanded — brought back together through Voight’s familiar mix of manipulation, intimidation, and sheer willpower.
Thursday’s episode, titled “Open Wounds,” turned its
focus to Officer Dante Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar), who continues to
spiral after the devastating events of last season. Haunted by the death of his
drug-dealing girlfriend and memories of abuse he endured as a teen, Torres has
lost his faith and his emotional anchor. Now, the only way he feels alive is
through self-inflicted pain — breaking punching bags bare-handed or reopening
stitched wounds to feel something again. The intense, character-driven hour was
directed by Chicago P.D. alum Jesse Lee Soffer, formerly known
for his role as Officer Jay Halstead.
In the season premiere, fans learned the Intelligence
Unit was still in disarray a month after the shocking murder of Deputy
Chief Charlie Reid (Shawn Hatosy). Although internal investigators couldn’t tie
Voight or his squad directly to Reid’s death — carried out by the son of a late
Chicago gang leader — their reputations left the department wary of reinstating
the team. Voight, Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins), and Adam Ruzek
(Patrick Flueger) were reassigned to uniformed patrol, while Kim Burgess
(Marina Squerciati) and Torres faced suspension amid misconduct
allegations. Meanwhile, new recruit Kiana Cook (Toya Turner) opted for a
transfer out of the unit entirely.
But Voight being Voight, he found a way to turn things
around. After saving ATF agent Eva Imani (Arienne Mandi) during a
dangerous gun-trafficking operation, he leveraged his newfound connection — and
a little blackmail — to strong-arm the brass into reuniting the team. Imani,
disillusioned with federal bureaucracy, soon joined the unit herself.
Showrunner Gwen Sigan tells The Hollywood Reporter
that this season will explore the lasting impact of Reid’s death and the team’s
uneasy efforts to rebuild.
“Some of the things we assumed would go away when Reid died
did not,” Sigan explains. “But we do end up with a new member and some new
dynamics within the relationships.”
One lingering thread from last season involves Voight’s
strained relationship with Assistant State’s Attorney Nina Chapman (Sara
Bues), who discovered his indirect role in Reid’s death.
“It’s definitely a turning point,” Sigan says. “Voight
finally told her how he felt, and she listened. But I think she’s moved on —
personally and professionally. We’ll see how Voight functions without her
support this season.”
Beghe, however, doubts Voight will be consumed by regret.
“He lives with what he is,” the actor says. “There’s even a
moment coming up where I need a warrant, and I realize Chapman could’ve helped
if she were still around. But Voight doesn’t dwell on ‘what-ifs.’ He just moves
forward.”
As for whether Reid’s final, biting words — “You’re worse
than me” — will haunt Voight, Beghe doesn’t think so.
“Reid knew he was doing wrong,” he explains. “Voight
believes he’s doing right. They may share similar methods, but at their core,
they’re very different men.”
New episodes of Chicago P.D. air Wednesdays at 10
p.m. on NBC, with next-day streaming available on Peacock.
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