Chicago PD season 1, episode 2 rewatch: Wrong Side of the Bars
Look back at where Chicago PD began this summer. Read our retrospective on the second episode as we rewatch Chicago PD season 1, episode 2.
Over the One Chicago summer break, we’re looking back at where it all began by rewatching the first seasons of our shows—and today we’re revisiting Chicago PD season 1, episode 2.
If you want to rewatch this episode along with us, you can find Chicago PD season 1 on iTunes and DVD.
The second episode is called “Wrong Side of the Bars,” and it picks up where the cliffhanger in the series premiere “Stepping Stone” left off.
If the first episode was focused more on Hank Voight (Jason Beghe), then this episode is clearly a showpiece for Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda).
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As we mentioned in our rewatch of episode one, that makes a lot of sense from a business standpoint, as Voight and Antonio are the existing fan’s entry points into the new series.
They’re the characters we know, so putting them front and center in the first two episodes means there’s a better chance of hooking viewers into sticking around to learn about the rest of the Intelligence Unit.
It’s just too bad that Antonio’s story involves him trying to rescue his son Diego, who was taken hostage at the end of the previous episode. Poor Antonio. First his partner dies, then his son gets kidnapped!
Anyway, “Wrong Side of the Bars” is about as close as we’ll get—and really, have gotten since—to seeing a rampaging Antonio Dawson. Given that he usually keeps his cool in almost every circumstance, it’s a real change of pace to see him out of control, even though it’s totally understandable why he’s on tilt.
At least we get to see him and his soon-to-be-ex-wife Laura (America Olivo) during semi-happier times. You know, before she started to rage in his direction and broke up Brettonio. Before that, we had this:
“Wrong Side of the Bars” gives us all the scenes we’d expect from Chicago PD with this storyline. There’s Antonio and Voight roughing up a suspect, Antonio almost attacking the same guy earlier after a convenient set-up from Voight, and Antonio getting the kill shot on the man who actually did abduct his son.
Plus, the episode’s final act includes the funeral of his partner Detective Julia Willhite (Melissa Sagemiller). And Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) drives a bus into a bus, so bonus points for that, rookie.
It’s an action-packed resolution of the cliffhanger, but more than that, Chicago PD season 1’s second episode is really Jon Seda’s playground and if you come away with nothing else, you get another reminder of why he’s so beloved by One Chicago fans and creatives alike. He puts on a reliable performance in every possible circumstance.
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Here’s one fun tidbit you may not have caught when this Chicago PD episode first aired: the handler Voight meets with at the end of the episode is the same character who appeared in the show’s backdoor pilot “Let Her Go” on Chicago Fire.
The actress is Emmy nominee Robin Weigert, whose other credits include Deadwood and Jessica Jones. She also appeared in three of Dick Wolf‘s four Law & Order shows, and portrayed a much more straight-laced police captain in an NBC series called Life. If you haven’t seen that show, you should; it’s pretty much the exact opposite of Chicago PD.
Next: Watch Chicago PD's deleted Olinsky tribute
Join us every Wednesday this summer for our Chicago PD season 1 review. For more Chicago PD related news, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.