Chicago P.D. 9×21 “House of Cards” is where we always end up, where this show likes us to be. Judging Voight and wondering if he’s really the person this unit should be looking towards for guidance, knowing the answer is no. Because yes, Voight always makes his “greater good” decisions, and the show always gives him the benefit of the doubt on that. But his greater good decisions get people hurt — a lot of people. And sometimes, it’s even the people closest to him.
Does he care? You could say yes, but how many people have gotten hurt around Voight? Because of him? The list keeps growing longer, and what does he do about it? He keeps being the exact same person — the one that, in this hour, seemed to truly consider if Hailey’s decision to save a woman from being raped was worth it. The one who made decisions about what Anna could know, presumably to protect her, but deep down, probably just because he cared more about the case than he cares about her.
Well, she’s an asset, one could say. But this is just Voight’s MO. Because Chicago P.D. is a police procedural, he is always right. His decisions are always framed like they are the right ones, like they’re for the greater good. But Hank Voight isn’t a good guy, he isn’t even an antagonist. He’s a full-on villain. And the best thing I can say about this hour is that, at times, it seems to remember that.
The same?
Anna puts the comparison out there, but it’s been obvious for a while. Escano and Voight are truly two sides of the same coin. And while Escano thinks he can use that to his advantage, Voight thinks he can use that to his advantage. We’re supposed to root for Voight in this scenario. And I guess we do? I mean, we only do because the alternative is so much worse. It’s certainly not because Voight is any good.
In the end, what these two are is two men who think they know better than everyone, and who think it’s up to them to decide what’s good, what’s evil and what’s acceptable. That’s not a good quality in anyone. And it’s especially not a good quality in a cop. Because, hey, just as Voight decided this hour that a woman’s pain — no, two women’s — wasn’t important, he could decide tomorrow that someone deserves to die for that “greater good,” and have that someone be innocent. Why not? In the end, the only rule Voight knows is that he knows best.
Chicago P.D. hasn’t gone there, though honestly, it doesn’t matter. Voight still has a trail of bodies, and bribes, that should make it clear he’s no good guy. He shouldn’t have to kill someone innocent for everyone to recognize him for what he is: a bad guy, with no possible redemption.
People get hurt
The episode ends on a horrible cliffhanger that proves the point I was trying to make here. People around Voight get hurt. And trusting Voight to be better is just a lost cause. For Jay. For Anna. Just as it was for Alvin before. For Justin. We always end up here because this is the only place we can be with Voight, the only storyline that makes sense for the villain of this story.
For a few weeks, I didn’t truly care about Anna, but now I really hope she isn’t another victim of Voight’s “greater good no matter the consequences” crusade. I hope she gets to take this guy down and live with her son in peace. And if she’s successful, if Intelligence is, it will be because of her, and the team, not because of Hank Voight. Just as everything good in this show is not because of Voight, but in spite of him. And if the show really and truly wants to end with a bang, they could allow him the sacrifice he doesn’t deserve, and let us move into Season 10 with a clean slate. I don’t think they will, and of all the ways I would like to see Voight go, that wouldn’t be my favorite one, but beggars can’t be choosers.
Ask Chicago Fire if your show can only work with an antagonist, and see what they say.
Things I think I think:
- Voight’s “you and me” hasn’t exactly worked out well for others.
- Don’t joke at the expense of the wife, Jay.
- Voight be out there looking like saving that woman wasn’t worth it. I HATE HIM.
- “If it were me, I’d want to know.” Go, Hailey.
- I appreciate it when the team tells it to Voight like it is, because the show doesn’t always lean into this.
- THE WAY ANNA COMPARED VOIGHT TO ESCANO, BURN.
- I’ll admit it, this episode made me feel for Anna.
- The scene where Voight literally tells Anna that it’s HIS choice, not HERS, when she’s the one putting herself in danger made me see red.
- Imagine if Anna trusted you. Imagine.
- Jay’s face at the end broke me.
- Seeing Hailey there, face down, unmoving, broke me too. EVEN if the promo had sort of warned us it was coming.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago P.D. 9×21 “House of Cards”? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC. The season finale will air May 25. The show is set to return for Season 10 in the Fall.
I loved this episode. I know I like the Anna storyline a lot more than you do. I have loved Carmela Zumbado’s performance as Anna throughout her arc and this may have been her best performance. She covered every emotion.
It is easy to criticize Voight, but I don’t think that is completely fair in this episode. Voight was the one who has dealt with Anna the most. He was concerned about her spiraling out of control. Had he told her that Escano was involved in the sexual assaults, she very well could have completely unraveled. As it turned out, it caused her to become angry and more focused. Human behavior and emotions can be unpredictable. As it turned out, Hank may have saved her life by doing that. She slipped up when she mentioned the arrests to Escano. That she said what was put out publicly by the police rather than the truth, may have saved her in that moment. It is also easy to say that Hank only cares about the case and on some level that is true. However, he never criticized Jay and Hailey for stopping the rape. As far as Anna is concerned, if he lets her walk away as they move in to arrest Escano, then Escano would have figured out that she was working for the police which would put her in greater danger. Whether her cooperation to that point would allow her to go into witness protection is questionable.
I also love Escano as a villain. He is a smart strategic thinker and worthy adversary. That he figured out what was going on, tried to bribe Voight and then attempted to wipe out Intelligence makes him the most formidable criminal adversary they have faced since Polpo. This now sets up what I have been waiting for since A Way Out, conflict between Jay and Hank. This will be where Jay attempts to protect Hank from himself. This is why it was necessary for Hailey to become injured. My guess is she will be in the hospital sidelined, but OK otherwise Jay could go crazy himself. I also think there is another possibility. Season 9 began with Kim in the hospital and Hailey by her bedside talking about Roy, maybe Season 9 ends with Hailey in the hospital and Kim by her bedside and Hailey tells her Roy is dead. That could be quite the cliff hanger and I like to think that Kim hasn’t been told of Roy’s death for a reason.