Chicago P.D. Season 13, Episode 8 ‘Born Screaming’ is another very good hour of this show that has delivered a very solid season so far. And, perhaps it is Eva Imani’s presence, maybe it’s the fact that the show has stopped trying to pretend Voight is anything but who he is, but I’ll admit I’m very much enjoying absolutely everything Chicago P.D. is doing right now, and yes, that includes Hank Voight.
Even the little moments with the characters not centered in this episode, Kim giving us a quick explanation about where Adam is, Dante talking to Bell’s victim, Kevin being there for the horrible parts (finding the bodies), and to get Bell (I cheered) were very good. But ‘Born Screaming’ truly belongs to Hank Voight, and especially, Eva Imani.
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Imani won’t let anything stop her
Generally speaking, even though I’ve had issues with how the characters have been developed at times, I’ve been a fan of all the female characters this show has given us. So, it’s not a shock that I’m enjoying Eva Imani. What I’ve found surprising isn’t even how much I’m enjoying her, but that I’m enjoying her dynamic with Voight as much as I am.
Because the thing about her is that she crossed the line this episode, and we understand that, but the show also makes it very clear why she did it and leaves it up to us to empathize with her or not. And it’s pretty easy to do so. Not just because we get some backstory on her sister going missing and why she reacted the way she did to Julie, but also because Raymond Bell is a pretty awful guy.
That is, of course, always the slippery slope of cop shows. Every time a cop crosses the line, it’s because it’s “necessary” and “the end justifies the means” because people are evil. That’s very much so in real life. We should always keep that in mind. But storytelling-wise, Imani works because even if we can’t, shouldn’t dismiss that reality; she’s not being presented as a hero. And that’s fine. TV cops don’t have to be our heroes in order for the show to work. They just have to be interesting.
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“I was born screaming.”
The Voight part of this episode is kinda hilarious and then very much not so. His interactions with Imani are because she’s, at almost all points in this episode, acting like Voight himself would, so to have him be like “you shouldn’t do that,” feels ironic, to say the least. To his credit, he seems to realize it. But he’s still very much trying to protect her from herself. That’s Voight for you. He’d rather be in the position where he has to make the kinds of decisions Imani made.
But he’s not. Imani isn’t the kind of officer who will wait, the kind who will consult first. She’s Voight’s mirror, and this episode showed, as close as he’s had to a partner he can trust in a while. And sure, she’s still younger and very much looks up to him, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a relationship worth keeping an eye on. Because Voight has been alone for a while. Even when he had Hailey and Jay before checking on him, he’s been lonely. Ever since Erin, since Olinksy, he hasn’t really had someone to be there for him. Can Imani become that? I’m being honest when I say I can’t wait to find out.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago P.D. Season 13, Episode 8 ‘Born Screaming’? Share with us in the comments below! And if you have your own opinion on the show, leave a review/rating on our Chicago P.D. hub!
Chicago P.D. airs on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.
