Chicago P.D. is returning for Season 11 on January 17th, and though there’s a lot of anticipation for the new season, there are also plenty of concerns. And considering we haven’t had new episodes of the show since May, the concerns have been simmering for quite a while, which makes them feel even bigger.
Season 11 is also set to be a season of big changes, with Tracy Spiridakos departing the show and presumably someone stepping in the fill the big hole Hailey Upton will leave behind. So, what do we hope to see in the next season of the show? We don’t know what’s coming, but we do have some pretty clear things we really, really want.
Call it our wish list for Season 11, if you will.
A proper exit storyline for Hailey, that focuses on her
To say Chicago P.D. has fumbled its exit storylines is to put it lightly. Which is why the most important thing they have to do with Hailey is make sure it is about her. Hailey Upton is leaving Intelligence, okay. But why? Let it be for Hailey Upton’s happiness first. Let the storyline about why she’s leaving be about the things she wants.
Not about Voight, not about the team, and not even about Jay. To honor the character, the storyline that takes her away from Chicago P.D. should be about her.
But also …some closure for Upstead (the good kind!)
That, however, doesn’t mean we don’t want some closure for Upstead. And by closure I mean we want a happily ever after, drive off into the sunset kinda thing. Though they can walk. Or fly. I’m not picky. As long as there’s a sunset and they’re going together, I don’t care about the details.
All jokes aside, the way Season 10 handled Upstead by basically not handling it cannot be the way the show handles Upstead as Tracy prepares to leave Chicago P.D. There would be no bigger disservice to fans of Upstead than for Jay and Hailey to leave the way they have without any kind of closure. And again, by closure, I mean …you know.
Burzek domestic happiness
We really just need Kim and Adam to enter their domestic happiness era. They haven’t really had a chance for that, even though they have been in each other’s orbits for the entirety of the show. So, it’s time for them to get no relationship drama — but to get relationship focus. That’s one of the things procedurals fail at the most. No relationship drama doesn’t mean hey, let’s forget these two are a couple. No, we want to see them be happy. We want to see them spending time together as a couple (and as parents too!). This is their time to be happy and at peace. Let them have that for a bit, please.
Storylines that demonstrate actual growth for these characters
Sometimes it feels like we’re going in circles and no character ever learns the lessons, because every time Chicago P.D. wants to throw some drama in the mix, the same issues come into play. And sure, people and the traumas and all, but come on. There is such a thing as growth. It’s a disservice to the character to make them fall into the same traps over and over again, instead of throwing new obstacles their way on their path towards being someone else — someone better.
This applies to everyone — including Torres, who the show seemingly brought in to fill a quota and then has pretty much forgotten about, but it especially applies to the characters who have been around the longest. We’ll even take some growth from Hank Voight, if that’s even possible.
Kevin Atwater getting the focus he deserves
There have been attempts, and that’s about all we can say about Kevin Atwater and Chicago P.D. Sure, he gets a couple of episodes of focus a year, and there are some continued storylines — but it feels like the show has done a much better job at focusing on every character but Kevin. And for someone who has been around since the beginning, by Season 11, we should not just know a lot more about Kevin Atwater, LaRoyce Hawkins should have had a chance to blow us away with his acting much more than he has.
So, all we’re asking is for the storyline that Kevin deserves. That LaRoyce deserves. And that we, his fans, deserve.
It’s not a long list. And we’re not even asking for much, really. This should all be doable, and all of these things can be achieved while still creating a compelling show that people want to watch. It shouldn’t all be drama. No one’s life is like that.
Are you excited for Chicago P.D. to return? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago P.D. returns on January 17th at 10/9c on NBC.
