Chicago P.D. 3×08 “Forget My Name” Recap

Spoilers Ahead

Stakeouts are fun?

Episode Summary: When a friend of Antonio’s who now works for the NSA gives him a number that leads to a huge narcotics transport, Halstead and Lindsay go undercover in patrol only to find a dead body. The body then leads to a bigger case dealing with government products which the NSA agent wants no part of until he finally gives in. Mouch asks Burgess to figure out Platt’s ring size in order to propose to her. Atwater does Captain Whitaker a favor.

Review | Analysis: “Forget My Name” was a solid episode, but generally, cases that don’t heavily involve one of our own don’t leave a lot of room for discussion. The episode was the perfect opportunity to involve Antonio in a bit more, but essentially, it felt as though he was a bit more sidelined when it should’ve been the exact opposite. In other words, let’s talk about the dynamics.

“Forget My Name” missed an opportunity to give Antonio some backstory, but I’m still holding on to the hope that we’ll see more in upcoming episodes. I did, however, appreciate Erin reaching out to him and reminding him of the fact that even though this is his CI, they’re all here for him. He doesn’t have to go through it on his on. It’s smart of writers to make the conscious effort to have her be the one who comforts everyone because even though we didn’t get to see each member fight for her return, we can assume they welcomed her back really well. Perhaps this is what’s most disappointing about the fact that so little of her recovery was up to us viewers to essentially imagine for ourselves. She does such a great job of carrying people so it would’ve been incredible to see that reciprocated. I hated the drug storyline so I’m not disappointed it was taken care of quickly, but I would love to see someone other than Jay just randomly ask her how she’s doing. And I would love it if it were Antonio because their friendship is something that’s so easily appreciated here. He did ask her in 3×01, but a heartfelt moment specifically mirroring this would be nice as well. That said, this isn’t about Lindsay, it’s about Antonio, and it was a great reminder of the kind of man he is. He cares deeply and to think this is all on him takes a great toll on him.

Atwater’s ties with Captain Whitaker aren’t going well since Whitaker has him convince Burgess and Roman to drop charges on his son which essentially will back fire in face drastically. These poker nights aren’t going to be a walk in the park and I doubt for a second that he’s eventually going to regret joining.

If there’s one thing that bugs me beyond words it’s teenagers making comments that are out of line. I did not appreciate the way Michelle spoke to Kim — it was uncalled for and frankly, none of her business. As I said last week, I didn’t have a problem with her character up until this moment, and while I completely understand how teenagers operate (I live with one!), there’s a fine line that needs to be drawn especially around those you don’t know too well. You just don’t talk to someone who’s pretty much given you a place to stay, like they’re a toy. And yes, technically, Kim’s doing something about it too since this is taking up time with her and Adam. At any rate, I hope this story picks up because, at the moment, it’s becoming more and more of an unnecessary plot device that’s bound to end badly.

I’m such a fan of Ruzek’s bluntness, thereby, naturally, the scene of him eating and asking Alvin how long he’ll be staying is probably my favorite thing that happened this week. Plus, I could really appreciate casual intimacy thus, his discussion with Kim about getting a new place was adorable. I’m constantly on the edge of my seat with these two waiting for something to go wrong because of the fact that we presumably can’t have two happy couples on a series.

If there’s anything I love more than Ruzek’s loud mouth, it’s Platt’s dialogue. The writers often have slip-ups every now and then as it’s pretty normal too, but when it comes to Platt, everything’s always on point. I have no idea how Kim could possibly figure out someone’s ring size the way she did with the whole lotion-sharing thing, but props? I don’t even think I know my own ring size let alone the ability to figure out someone else’s. That said, the way she delivered the news to Mouch was pretty creative as well. But here’s to hoping Platt actually makes a mixtape for Burgess because that’s something I’d definitely want to hear too. And something tells me since their wedding will undoubtedly come quicker, and thus Burgess will play a huge role in it.

Kim’s had a lot on her plate this week, but mostly it seems what’s weighed heaviest is the genuine concern she has for Roman’s ties with Callie. (I actually thought her name was Kelly? Oops, thanks for the correction though, IMDB.) That said, the way Callie specified the location she wants to go walking to was a bit frightening, and it’s what makes me wonder if Kim’s concerns are something we should take in as well. I don’t know if her ex-husband will be waiting there, but considering it’s where the episode left off, I’m thinking something’s going down next week.

Stakeouts are fun in the sense that the entire group’s all together in a van eating and waiting around, but it would’ve been even more fun if we actually got more time with them bonding over ridiculous things. It’s not to say I’m not happy with what we were given, but these are primal opportunities to give us something riveting with our core cast. Sometimes, I have to remember that Chicago P.D. isn’t exactly Chuck or Brooklyn Nine-Nine which means there will be a lot more focus on cases than on our characters, but a girl can dream can’t she? However, there were some great moments during the stakeout and I especially appreciated seeing how protective Jay is over Mouse. It’s what makes me so anxious to learn about the thing that happened in Jay’s past which Mouse helped him through. The two are extremely loyal to one another and I’d love to see the origin of their friendship.

Best for last, let’s talk about the fact that when it comes to their partner, Halstead and Lindsay won’t ever hesitate to kill and while it’s not something I condone, the fact that fear of losing them is enough to strike as quickly as they do is everything. If there’s one thing they can both be certain of, it’s that they’re always safe with each other. I never imagined Erin Lindsay as the jealous type, but it was both lovely and entertaining to watch her jokingly say “she’ll kill her” thereby, revealing that she’s not okay with another woman giving her man their number. And it was adorable of Jay to rip it up right in front of her showcasing that there’s no one else who could potentially captivate his heart the way she does. Jay and Erin have done such a great job of communicating without words, and it was once again nice to see those feelings in a more playful setting with Mouse’s company.

I do need to address that much like a lot of you, I too want some more scenes of their relationship blossoming. I’d love to see them learn something completely new about each other, but for the time being, we also need to remember that with such an ensemble cast, we can’t always do that. Here’s to hoping there’s something great next week, though.

Apologies for the short length and lack of analysis in this review.

What are your thoughts on this week’s episode?