Spoilers Ahead
“The Cases That Need to Be Solved” was undoubtedly one of the most powerful episodes in Chicago P.D. history.
Case Summary: When a six-year-old boy is found brutally murdered in a park, the Intelligence goes through his father’s past life in a gang in order to find out if it’s one of the reasons. Antonio’s son is staying with him for a while. And we get a tiny glimpse into Jay’s past.
Review | Analysis: There’s never been a title in Chicago P.D. history that’s illustrated the significance of an entire cause so powerfully. The cases that need to be solved are the ones that deal with innocent lives lost due to the color of their skin. Although the series didn’t tackle the horrifying police brutality people of color are losing their lives to, the way it showcased how officers should behave was great. I would’ve loved this episode a lot more if it weren’t based on gang violence, or an accident, but I was still resorted to tears because of the kindness that was shown.
I would advise everyone who’s a fan of this series to also watch the latest episode of ABC’s Black-ish, for it deals with the movement remarkably.
It’s never easy when an innocent child loses their life for whatever reason, but it’s even worse when you know that when the child isn’t white, an automatic assumption is made that they were somehow deserving of it. Perhaps because of their parents or because their involvement in something started from an early age. We can’t deny the fact that there are police officers and regular civilians who’ll assume such things and police officers who are the ones to blame for the murders. But the fact that the Intelligence made sure they’d get justice is what beautifully reminds the audience that there’s hope. The world may be a tremendously disgusting and heartless place sometimes, but not everyone feels that way. And that reminder, no matter how small it may be, can do its part in evoking hope because, in the most desperate times, hope is all we can cling to.
One thing I’ve always loved about Erin Lindsay is the kindness she exudes — especially towards younger females making them feel comfortable enough to confide in her. I’ll say this every week because there just aren’t many characters like this. And once again it was that same kindness that gave them a story with all the evidence they needed.
However, the most effective part of this week’s episode was Antonio Dawson’s passion for the case. Jon Seda is so great at conveying raw emotions, and his breakdown in the interrogation room was perhaps one of his finest moments in the series yet. Antonio’s deep heartache is often laid bare when children are involved, but in this case, his frustration gave Seda the opportunity to deliver a great deal of responsiveness. You felt his heart break at the lack of humanity. You felt him question the world. You felt him question everything. And you understood his inability to control how much he was breaking. And with a scene like this came the gorgeous display of friendship as Jay came into the room in order to take him out. Calling him brother and trying to calm him down was everything I could’ve asked for in what was already an extremely emotional episode.
We are not born with racism in our hearts. We are not born with violence running through our veins. We are born innocent. And when we’re not nurtured properly, we can be raised to believe all sorts of terrible things. And that’s what I’ve gathered is the profound theme in this week’s episode. It’s 2016 and racism still exists. And it exists because from a young age some people are told to believe that superiority is based on skin color. If I’m being completely honest, I cannot exactly come up with the right words. I could never with such a sensitive topic. It always seems as though anything I say just isn’t enough to showcase how horrible and heartbreaking it is knowing Black lives don’t matter as much as white. Even though the case in this week’s episode dealt with gang violence, it made an attempt to showcase the very worst and the very best. The world today fails to understand that a person cannot and should not be judged by the color of their skin. There are just as many unimaginably horrible white people as there are good ones. As a world, we fail to look into a man’s heart as opposed to his outer appearance. Thereby, what stood out most beautifully in this week’s episode was Antonio’s choice to take Diego to the memorial service that was held for Bryan. The choice to show his son the importance of support not only showcases his heart, but it exhibits the kind of parenting that’s right. If we don’t stand side by side and help our friends get justice, we are just as awful as those committing the crimes. Black lives matter — they always have and they always will, and even if the only thing we’re capable of doing is showing our love and support, it’s one step in the right direction. And I’m so proud to see these officers set an example for how it should be. The police are supposed to protect, they are not supposed to be the problem. They’re supposed to teach their kids how to behave when they grow up. They’re supposed to teach them to always lend a hand — to be a friend. They are supposed to do everything in their power to make sure their voice is at least heard.
Worth Mentioning: Thank heavens writers have finally chosen to address a part of Jay’s past revealing just how difficult it is for him to talk about the time he served. This is legitimately all I’ve ever wanted. I don’t mind not knowing the entire story; it layers his character, even more, when he admits that he’s still wounded by what he’s experienced and seen. This is how you effortlessly include the backstory. Keep it up, Chicago P.D.