Chicago PD season 7 midseason report card: What worked, what didn’t

How has Chicago PD season 7 rated so far? Now that we’re through the first half, we grade it with our Chicago PD season 7 midseason report card.

With Chicago PD‘s latest season having reached its halfway point, we’re looking at how it’s gone so far. What’s gone well and what has been hard to watch?

Chicago PD season 7 has been different for sure. The absence of Antonio Dawson has left a void that the show has yet to fill, even as it introduced a new officer to literally take the empty seat in the squadroom. Meanwhile, people’s love lives have once again become a hot topic, too, and it’s up to you if that’s a good thing or not.

We’ve picked out our favorite parts of Chicago PD season 7 to date, as well as the parts that we think could get better when the second half of the season begins in January. And we want you to grade the season yourself in the comments.

Here’s our Chicago PD midseason report card:

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What Worked

The development of Ruzek: Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) has evolved as a character over the last two seasons. Earlier in the show’s history, it wasn’t quite clear who he was aside from being the short-tempered one. Now he seems like he has a major part to play in the future of the Intelligence Unit.

Introducing a new Superintendent: It’s a relief to not have a season where there’s some Big Bad out to get everyone in Intelligence. While we haven’t seen much of the new boss yet, at least he doesn’t have an all-consuming vendetta against our heroes that ends up taking over the season.

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What Didn’t

The marginalization of Kim Burgess: Chicago PD has pushed Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) to the side this season. We’ve seen a whole lot more of Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos), who seems to have taken over as the show’s female lead. And with the introduction of Vanessa Rojas (Lisseth Chavez), still more screen time has been spent on introducing her and making her look good. The biggest thing that’s happened for Burgess is that she’s pregnant. She deserves more screen time and more development beyond her relationship with Ruzek.

The simplification of the team: The season so far has proved that letting go of Jon Seda was a mistake. No other character has stepped up and pushed back the way that Antonio used to do; instead it all feels like everyone falls in line together. On top of that, the Intelligence Unit has all but phased out experienced, older characters. Seda was replaced by the much younger Chavez, while Amy Morton only gets a scene or two in many episodes as Trudy Platt. It feels like PD is trying to appeal to a younger audience and it doesn’t need to.

What’s Next?

Chicago PD is the lowest-rated One Chicago series this season, and that may be because it’s now showing its age. While it’s still delivering watchable TV and winning its time slot, this season has gotten rid of a fan favorite character and there are two original cast members who are completely underused. And that’s not counting the perennial argument for more of LaRoyce Hawkins.

These problems need to be addressed. And the show needs to decide what kind of audience it’s appealing to. It’s introduced another younger cast member in Lisseth Chavez, and seems to want to talk up its relationships, between Burzek and the rumored hookup between Rojas and Atwater that’s on the horizon. So does it want to focus on characters’ personal relationships? Does it want to skew younger? What is it going for?

It’s taken the big things that made the show special—like having conflict within Intelligence and the Halstead-Upton partnership—and changed them to focus on different characters and stories. It’s having a bit of an identity crisis, and the first thing it has to do is iron that out. Pick what it wants to do, and who it’s really going to focus on, and go confidently in those directions rather than leaving characters and storylines underserved.

For the latest Chicago PD season 7 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago PD category at One Chicago Center.