Chicago P.D. 11×08 “On Paper” is more promise than execution, as the episode ends up focusing more on the case — and the guest star — than on Hailey Upton. That means that with five episodes to go on this shortened season that is meant to bid farewell to Tracy Spiridakos’ Hailey Upton we still don’t have any real clue of how or why Hailey is leaving.
Not only that, we don’t actually have any real insight into why she has made the decisions she made this year.
Sure, Jay hasn’t really been answering her calls, so divorce makes sense logically. But what is Hailey feeling? Why did she make the decisions she made when she made them? The show hasn’t shown us or told us. At this point, we know nothing about the thing that was such a big part of Hailey’s life for years. And though this episode touches upon her dad a little bit, we don’t really get deeper into that part of her backstory either.
Instead, it’s all very superficial. We learn more about Josephine than we learn about Hailey during Chicago P.D. 11×08 “On Paper,” and though that might just be the show setting up for the future, right now that’s very cold comfort considering we really need something more from Hailey Upton if we’re going to say goodbye to her in a satisfying manner.
My best guess is we won’t get it. Instead, next week we get a Torres episode, and probably another Voight episode to tie up the serial killer plot. And then we’re even closer to Hailey’s goodbye without anything resembling a storyline that makes sense for her to leave the unit, especially considering right now she’s all buddy-buddy with Voight and running to avoid her feelings.
They could, of course, still have her run towards Jay, but even that feels like a cop-out at this point, because Jay has also been written entirely out of character for a while. Both he and Hailey have been sacrificed at the altar of drama for the sake of drama on Chicago P.D., and now no matter how they choose to write Hailey out, fans lose either way.
The characters lose either way. And our desire to rewatch what they’d build with Upstead is also on shaky ground as well.
Chicago P.D. 11×08 “On Paper” was a good idea, it was just not good execution. That’s a familiar tune, isn’t it?
Things I think I think:
- “Wanna go through it all again?” How many times have you already done that?
- When did you last sleep, Hailey?
- Baby kidnappings make me uncomfortable.
- The entire team is here, though. That’s a good thing.
- After the third divorce?
- Hailey can never let a mystery go, and honestly, I wouldn’t have been able to in this case either.
- I like Josephine, but are they really selling her as a Hailey replacement here?
- That what this is?
- A soft launch?
- She’s gonna leave and Kim is never going to find out about the secret Hailey and Voight are keeping from her, right? Right?
- Also, we never really got Kim and Hailey being FRIENDS like they promised, because why would we?
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago P.D. 11×08 “On Paper”? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
I agree with a lot of what you have said. Although, I think you are wrong about one thing, Torres wasn’t in this episode, though we did get most of the team. If Josephine replaces Hailey, I could live with that.
As to Hailey, they completely botched Jay’s exit and may well be on their way to doing the same thing unless this is not the last we are seeing of Hailey Upton. When it was announced that Hailey was leaving the show, I wondered if they might put her on one of the FBI shows. If they did that it would explain why they have done what they have done. Her being divorced because Jay is completely MIA makes sense if she is going to a new show. Not unraveling her past and dealing with her many traumas makes sense if she is going to a new show in the same universe where they could delve into them over there. Of course this is purely speculation on my part, but if she appeared on one of the FBI shows I could understand what they are doing a lot more.
how much more hailey do you want? she is getting 3 or more episodes this season while the rest else get only 1 or 2. and we have alot on her backstory. more than any other character “we still have no idea why she is leaving” yes we do. intelligence for her now is full of memories of the man she love and thought she could trust but then he left and ghosted her. she left their apartment because of the haunted memories and now she is going to leave the job for same reason. what did we learn about jo in this? other than she is alcoholic and divorced 3 times?
She is getting written out. Last season. These are her last few episodes. I would like to understand *why* and as a viewer, I don’t want to infer that, or come to conclusions as you have that could be true, but could also be very far off, I would like it spelled out. You, of course, don’t have to agree with my opinion. If it’s enough for you, then good. You are likely to enjoy it mroe than I did! It isn’t for me and this review is *my* opinion.
They should really keep Tracy she’s such a great if and she’s better off without Jay