Chicago PD - A Night Owl - Review

After the amazing previous episode featuring the return of Gregory Yates, I fully expected this episode to be a bit of a letdown. It wasn’t a bad episode, but it did feel a bit like a filler. The case this week was interesting, but it moved too quickly. Everything got to be convoluted and further proved a case like this would have been perfect spanning two episodes. And now for the episode…


During a routine checkpoint (on what is likely a weekend), Burgess stops a professor (Adam Ames) who ends up with drugs in his trunk. I couldn’t quite figure out this guy; he seemed completely innocent and at the same time, impossibly, like he was hiding something. I realize those two can’t exist together but somehow, they did. I went back and forth the first part of the episode, which is a sign of good writing and acting, I suppose. Adam’s family is just as flabbergasted by his arrest. As Antonio points out, Adam doesn’t have so much as an overdue library book (is that the stereotypical “good guy” go-to line or what?).

While searching a house, the unit finds a man burned alive and a child, shot execution style in the basement. He stopped by the house to sell candy bars for his sports team and just happened to see something he shouldn’t have. I can’t even imagine being that poor mother, sending her son out to sell candy only to have him killed. From here, everything spirals downward quickly.

Following a lead, Ruzek and Atwater chase a man who jumps off a roof, killing himself. Meanwhile, Mouse finds an apartment owned by Ames, something he kept from his wife. While investigating the apartment, Halstead finds a box of letters; Ames was “pen pals” with convicts in prison. In exchange for helping the convicts get back on their feet once out of prison, Ames wanted companionship. One stands out in particular, Peter Walker.

Adam confesses he and Peter are in love, and Adam agreed to help Peter with a debt he owed, hence the drugs. Oh but wait, it was all a scheme! Peter just wanted cash and knew he could get Adam to get him the cash. It’s all a con for Peter, and it’s only when Adam’s daughter Pearl is kidnapped that Adam believes it.

Using Peter’s brother Marco to get Peter to confess, the team finds Pearl and all ends well. Well, except for Adam, who will be going to prison.

Elsewhere…

Erin asks Voight if she can bring Burgess in on the case, as it was Burgess who stopped Adam at the checkpoint. I like that Erin is taking Burgess under her wing. While I still don’t want Burgess in Intelligence (I just can’t give up the Burgess/Roman partnership), it was entertaining seeing these two work together. I can’t tell if they are actually friends or just friendly, but hopefully they’ll spend more time together because it’s a great pairing.

Roman wants to be a Field Training Officer. Platt is hesitant to sign off on the paperwork, but agrees to do a ride along with Roman for his test. YES. While out driving, Roman and Platt come across a man wandering the streets, completely confused and unable to speak English. We’ve seen a lot of Platt outside the district lately and I hope that continues. She’s great in action! Roman and Platt are actually a lot alike, which makes watching their dominant personalities interact a sight to behold.

Mouse sets Halstead up with an off-duty guard job…with a medical marijuana business. Medical marijuana is barely legal in Chicago, so Halstead is naturally skeptical. He agrees to meet with the owner, Brianna Logan (Charisma Carpenter), who I immediately dislike. One, it’s clear she’s going to cause problems between Jay and Erin. I don’t know how yet, but she will (and could I get a relationship status update please?). Two, and this is in no way Brianna’s fault, but all I think about when I see Charisma Carpenter is the gold-digger who stood in the way of Logan and Veronica being together on Veronica Mars! Not cool. Also not related to this show, sorry.

Jay takes the job and meets Terry Egan, a former Marine. I know we only saw Egan for about a minute, but I like him! Meanwhile, Erin has drinks at Molly’s with Burgess, Sylvie, and Sarah. And FINALLY! After four months of nothing, we have validation of Jay and Erin’s relationship.

“Love makes us do crazy things. We know we can’t control it and we spend our whole lives chasing it, and…” But Erin is cut off by her phone, which she holds up as if to say, “speaking of…” It’s Jay! She says, “Hey, baby, you have the munchies yet?” I’m thrilled they are together and things seem to be going well. But why haven’t we seen any of it?!


I feel like a broken record at this point, but I think it would benefit the show immensely to not feature cases so heavily so they can 1) spread it out over two episodes, diving deeper into the story, and 2) focus more on the personal lives of the characters we’ve come to love so much.

What did you think of the episode? Will we continue to see more of Platt in the field? Will Burgess make another run at the Intelligence Unit? Will Brianna cause problems between Erin and Jay? Share your thoughts below!

About the Author - Meghan Reynolds

A Colorado native, Meghan was born a raised a Denver Broncos fan. Aside from football, she loves television and some might say watches too much of it. Some of her favorite shows of the past and present include Galavant, The Blacklist, The Office, Veronica Mars, The 100, and Gilmore Girls. She reviews Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med for SpoilerTV.