Chicago PD takes a different approach to ensemble storytelling than its One Chicago peers. Instead of spreading the wealth, and weaving in two-three different stories an episode, PD prefers to narrow the focus to a single character and develop them over the course of an hour.
It's obviously proven effective. The show is in its 12th season, and doesn't show any signs of slowing down. It will, however, take a turn that we didn't see coming in the episode "Greater Good." Instead of revolving around one of the IU members, the episode will delve into the backstory of PD's antagonist, Chief Deputy Charlie Reid.
Deputy Reid's tragic past comes to light
Reid has posed one of the biggest threats to the IU in years. He remains an enigma, but "Greater Good" will provide some very welcome revelations regarding his past. Shawn Hatosy, the actor who plays Reid, told TV Insider that the character's actions stem from a place of trauma. He even told us what the trauma was!
"You kind of understand a little bit about Reid’s backstory," Hatosy noted, when describing the episode. "You find out that his mother was killed in a botched bank robbery and that’s kind of what made him become a cop." This loss has driven to be unending in his striving for justice. Even if it means doing things that are morally questionable.
"We’re going to get the warrant, we’re going to get the bad guy," Hatosy explained. "Who cares how we get it? So I think he comes from a very pure place. He just has a funny way of getting there." The funny way of getting there is not all that dissimilar from the way Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) has been getting there over the years.
The character sees Voight as like-minded
This similarity is something that Jason Beghe has pointed out, and Hatosy could not agree more. "He knows that Voight has a history similar to Reid’s, and I think it’s a good dynamic for the two," the actor remarked... I believe that that Reid expects Voight to do what he needs."
The kicker, at least according to Beghe, is that Voight is trying his best to avoid turning to violence and less than legal methods to get results. We literally saw the character stop Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) from doing so in the episode "Marie." The tension between two similar men, with one trying to do the right thing, is what will ultimately power the final episodes of the season. We can't wait.