Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 6 ‘Pawns’ is an episode about Kim Burgess, about how good she is at her job, and about how much she deserves to make Detective. It’s also an episode about doubts, about pushing past them, and about the people who have your back, no matter what. Well, it’s that and it’s an episode about letting go of your comfort blanket and stepping out on your own, or at least trying to.
MORE: Here’s our review of Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 3! Here’s Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 4. And here’s our review of Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 5!
Detective Burgess

For Kim, making detective has been a long time coming. She’s more than earned this. Not just that, Kim is good at what she does. She aces the written exam. She knows what she’s doing on the field. She’s got good instincts, and she’s going to make a hell of a detective. It’s just that, deep down, Detective Suarez is right. She would be better off somewhere else, somewhere where Voight can’t protect her from the day-to-day things other detectives have to deal with.
Considering this is a TV show that possibility is only considered for a while. The new Deputy Chief overrules Detective Suarez and, despite Kim saying she doesn’t want any favors, assigns her back to Intelligence. The question is, of course, why? What is Reid playing at? Why does he always seem to have two eyes on Intelligence, no matter what’s going on?
Is it about Voight or is it about the unit at large? Voight tells Kim he didn’t ask for her to be assigned back to Intelligence, and he’s got no reason to lie. He also tells her that favors don’t come for free, and he is right about that too. The question is, who is this favor for, Kim or Voight? We shall find out.
MORE: Here’s our review of Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 1! And here’s our review of Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 2!
The Right Support

Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 6 ‘Pawns’ is a Kim episode, of course, but in the midst of a Kim hour, there’s always time for a little Burzek. And it comes in the best way, with Adam being there to remind Kim that she’s got this, that she’s good at her job, and that she should get out of her head and trust her instincts.
Let us be clear, Kim doesn’t need Adam to be good at her job or to ace this particular test. But that’s not what a partnership is about. You don’t have to need someone to appreciate that they’re there for you, to rely on them, to have their words be the comfort and sometimes the encouragement you need. And that applies to Kim and Adam on the job and outside of it. That’s part of why he can’t even conceive of the idea of her being away from Intelligence, not even for six months.
In the end, it doesn’t happen. The unit isn’t breaking up any further. Kim is staying put, with Adam, with Intelligence. She’s now a detective. And she did that all on her own, but it was good that someone had her back. It’s good that someone will always, always have her back.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think about Chicago P.D. Season 12, Episode 6 ‘Pawns’? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago P.D. airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.