Chicago PD season 6 character preview: Adam Ruzek

What should happen

When looking toward Chicago PD season 6, what Adam Ruzek needs most is just more character development. Compared to the other main characters, his character development has been very lacking over the last two seasons. It feels like we even know more about newcomer Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) than him!

Part of that may not be the show’s fault; having Ruzek missing for part of the fourth season was not ideal, and if Patrick John Flueger had another commitment, so be it. That’s what happens on TV shows; it happened later in the same season when Marina Squerciati went on maternity leave.

But the explanation for Ruzek’s absence was pretty ridiculous and so were the consequences. He’s so emotionally fragile that he has to run away rather than work with his ex-fiancee? And then he’s supposed to be punished by being demoted, yet he’s back upstairs with Intelligence by the end of the episode? Ruzek’s more professional than that, and if he was going to get in trouble, he should really get in trouble.

Chicago PD at least gave him more screen time in the fifth season, and Patrick John Flueger made the absolute most of it. But there’s still a lot to be done. Will Ruzek win Burgess back? What’s with his even more short fuse recently; is the show trying to tell us something? Maybe his dad could come back to ask what’s going on with his son.