Brian Geraghty returns to Chicago PD: A Sean Roman primer

Brian Geraghty returns in Chicago PD season 7 tomorrow as Sean Roman, so here’s a refresher on Kim Burgess’s ex-partner and ex-boyfriend.

Tomorrow’s Chicago PD episode is focused on the return of Brian Geraghty as Sean Roman, but if you’re a more recent viewer of the series, you might not understand why this is such a big deal. To that end, we’ve got a catch-up guide so you’re informed before the crossover.

Officer Sean Roman was introduced in Chicago PD season 2, and was a regular for seasons 2 and 3. He was Kim Burgess’s (Marina Squerciati) second patrol partner, after Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins), and also ran his own security business on the side that briefly involved Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda).

Roman was introduced in the Chicago PD season 2 premiere “Call It Macaroni,” which was also the first episode to include Erin Lindsay’s mother Bunny Fletcher (Markie Post) and Assistant State’s Attorney Steve Kot (Chris Agos).

From the start, the new patrol officer came with baggage. It was revealed that he had transferred out of his previous district because of his romantic relationship with another officer—a pattern he would follow when he got involved with Burgess.

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Roman’s ex-girlfriend Jenn Cassidy appeared once, in the episode “Called in Dead,” and things were terrible between them. Roman and Jenn (Spencer Grammer, who’s now known as the voice of Summer Smith on Adult Swim’s Rick & Morty) got into a huge argument that left Burgess on her own, and Burgess wound up getting shot.

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That wasn’t the first time Roman had been involved in a shooting-related controversy. “Prison Ball” told Chicago PD fans that one of Roman and one of his former partners were both shot during an operation that also involved Alvin Olinsky (Elias Koteas).

When Olinsky decided to chase the suspect rather than get them medical attention, the end result was that Roman’s partner wound up paralyzed.

And Sean Roman’s final storyline also involved a shooting. In “Justice” (which was the backdoor pilot for Chicago Justice), Roman was shot again while sharing a personal moment in the patrol car with Burgess.

Assistant State’s Attorney Peter Stone (Philip Winchester) questioned Burgess about their relationship, as she was at the center of the subsequent trial, having shot the person who shot Roman.

But Chicago PD soon had both their romantic and professional entanglements come to an end, as Brian Geraghty opted to leave the series after season 3 to pursue other opportunities.

Roman discovered that he would not be able to continue as a Chicago police officer, due to nerve damage in his left arm that he’d incurred during the latest shooting. Faced with the prospect of a desk job, he decided to leave the department and head to San Diego, where he had a cousin. He asked Burgess to go with him, but she didn’t want to leave Chicago, so they amicably ended their relationship.

Since leaving the show, Brian Geraghty had a series regular role in TNT’s Emmy-winning drama The Alienist, and he’s now a main cast member on USA’s mystery series Briarpatch. He also had a supporting role as Ted Bundy’s public defender in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, that premiered on Netflix last May.

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.