Chicago P.D. (TV Series) End of Watch (2021) User Reviews

Recalls Al and Lindsay-era CPD

[printsofdarkness · 8/10 · 31 October 2021]

I was struck by how action-heavy this episode was relative to others from season 5 forward, which are more deliberately paced. This was due in no small part to the departure at the end of season 4 of the writing team of Craig Gore and Tim Walsh, of which Gore went on to write for SWAT. The show was conceived as a platform for action-driven drama, though the slight retooling mid-series doesn't betray the show's roots. I personally like the occasional slow-burn pace of the show since the fifth season. The latter seasons don't hit the action beats as relentlessly, allowing more time for character development and the procedural aspects of a cop show. Having said that, what stands out to me most about the episode is it plays like a hybrid of the best of both halves of the series. In addition to the high bullet count of the earlier seasons, you get the higher emotional stakes of Ruzek grappling with the realization an old friend and respected fellow officer betrayed him and the job, and having to choose his duty over concern for his troubled friend. I also have to disagree about the episode's antagonist being unsympathetic. Based on Sal's actions in the first two acts, it's an easy call his character doesn't deserve a pass and needs to be held accountable, but the solid guest turn by Ricardo Chavira gives him an implied history with Ruzek and some shading of human weakness rather than paper-thin villainy.

Thank God - a cop show that hasn't gone WOKE

[cheryl-lenamon · 8/10 · 29 October 2021]

Thank you for telling both sides. Kevin's story deals with what black cops go through on the streets. While the white cops deal with what the WOkE politicians have done to good policing. The in-depth 3 dimensional character stories are appreciated. Thank you.

When you forget to put baking soda in your bread recipe

[icreatedthisaccountforchicagopd · 4/10 · 28 October 2021]

This episode makes the previous one look like The Godfather with how bland it was to watch. It felt like trying to force yourself to like your annoying co-worker because he brings donuts to the office everyday. And overall, the donuts are great, some are perfect, some less, and then there's that one soggy oily donut at the bottom of the box that you have to eat so you can finish the whole box. That donut is this episode.

In this episode we can experience the joys of having absolutely no emotional connection to the antagonist. Yes, we know we're supposed to feel bad for them. Did we actually feel bad for them? We did not. It's like the writers specifically wrote the character to suffer the most misfortune possible but then forgot to make us care. Like watching a comedy skit where someone makes a terrible joke so everyone is left awkwardly waiting for something funny to happen, except it never happens and it just keeps being awful until it's finally over and you can go on IMDB to complain about it.

On the brighter side: Brilliant performance from Patrick Flueger as always. He's the only reason I didn't turn this off mid-way. I also kinda liked the first chase scene, it felt more dynamic than usual but I wish they'd done a bit more with it to make it really great.

I feel like a criminal for rating a Chicago P. D. episode anything below 7/10, but that rating slowly lowered as I realized how much of a waste of time this episode was. This was about as interesting as watching a real-time bird-feeding livestream, and you only keep watching because there's a really cool bird called Patrick Flueger on the screen.