ONE CHICAGO Women: Chicago P.D. 4×01 & Chicago Med 2×01 recap

After four months, we’re back on the beat and scrubbing into the Windy City of Chicago with the return of NBC’s Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med this week. By the conclusion of each season premiere, it’s safe to say that the shows have been set up for the season, or at least the front half, and I for one can’t wait to see how all these changes and events pan out. So without further adieu, here’s what was happening with the leading ladies of the ONE CHICAGO shows this week…

CHICAGO P.D. — “The Silos” Episode 401 — Pictured: (l-r) Sophia Bush as Erin Lindsay, Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Erin Lindsay: The loyal detective is dealing with the aftermath of Voight’s actions after his son’s death and Commander Crawley knows that she knows something and is putting pressure on her, warning Lindsay that covering for Voight could be at the expense of her own career. Voight also knows that something is up and much of the episode involves stare-offs between the pair. At one point we see Lindsay return to the scene of the crime where we last saw Voight with his son’s killer and she contemplates the decision she has to make. Later in the episode, Crowley takes Voight there to watch teams digging up the area, but they don’t find anything. The episode ends with Voight turning up at Lindsay’s apartment, telling her she is all he has left and thanking her for saving him. She in turn reminds him that he saved her when she was 15 and it was time for her to return the favor – yep, it would appear that Lindsay dug up the body and moved it before Crowley’s team arrived or something. Throughout all this, Lindsay’s partner Halstead is worried about her and expresses his concern about Voight dragging her down with him. He gives a sweet and swoon-worthy speech (seriously! <3) about having to let things go in life but he doesn’t want her to be one of things, before asking her to move in with him. Like I said, swoon-worthy!

CHICAGO P.D. — “The Silos” Episode 401 — Pictured: Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Kim Burgess: Now that she’s partner-less, Burgess is wary of who she is going to be paired up with and tries to coax it out of Platt. Before Platt can reveal anything, Burgess’ new partner Julie Tay arrives. Before being assigned to District 21, Tay was writing parking tickets outside the court house – a job that Burgess declares one of the worst jobs you can have as a cop in the city of Chicago and worries that her new partner is a dud cop. It isn’t long before Tay is proving herself with her quick-thinking and bravery, leading Burgess to declare that she’s glad they’ve been made partners. (And so are we – it’s so nice to see females supporting each other on screen, plus female partners kicking butt!) Tay in turn reveals that she rebuffed a Captain’s advances and he retaliated by sabotaging her career.

Trudy Platt: District 21’s latest recruit is courtesy of the no-nonsense desk sergeant. The pair met at a Women’s Police Association lunch and Platt offered to help the young cop out by arranging for her to be transferred. As we see her quietly watching Burgess and Tay work together on a case at the District, it’s clear she’s pretty pleased with her decision to place the two together.

CHICAGO MED — “Soul Care” Episode 201 — Pictured: S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Sharon Goodwin: After struggling with her husband leaving her, the chief administrator is now moving on with her life and in this episode packs up her former husband’s home office. Work-wise, she proves that despite all the drama last season, she has a soft spot for Dr Halstead and tries to help him out as he struggles to come up with his own malpractice insurance (which is a pretty hefty fee for him in particular thanks to the lawsuit dramas of last season) now that he is an attending.

CHICAGO MED — “Soul Care” Episode 201 — Pictured: Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Lockwood — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Maggie Lockwood: Oh Dr Choi! When are you going to learn that Maggie knows best? The new Chief Resident is all wide-eyed and has a lot of ideas on how to improve efficiency in the ER, but those ideas are proved to be not so great by the episode’s end. There’s a reason why Maggie is head nurse – she knows what she’s doing and as Dr Halstead warns Dr Choi, it’s the nurses that make things run in the ER smoothly. Speaking of Dr Halstead, Maggie being perceptive as always, notices his cold attitude towards new med student Jeff Clarke. The doc may protest that his behavior has nothing to do with the med student’s history with Dr Manning, but Maggie knows better. Like we said, Maggie knows best.

CHICAGO MED — “Soul Care” Episode 201 — Pictured: Torrey DeVitto as Natalie Manning — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Dr Natalie Manning: After overhearing a nurse nickname her the Ice Princess, Nat’s feeling a little self conscious, but luckily she has Jeff Clarke around to remind her that the Natalie Manning he knows and the things they used to get up to in no way make her rigid or ice princess like. In this episode it is evident that the pair are enjoying reconnecting (much to Dr Halstead’s displeasure) and at the end of the episode, the med student asks her over for a night cap and she eagerly accepts. On the professional side of things, Manning is looking after a heavily pregnant woman that was involved in a collision and is fighting to keep the baby alive and to full term while Dr Rhodes is fighting to keep the mother alive.

CHICAGO MED — “Soul Care” Episode 201 — Pictured: Yaya DaCosta as April Sexton — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

April Sexton: Still struggling with her Tuberculosis diagnosis, April has been pushing boyfriend Tate away, despite the fact that he and his son were both tested and their results were clean. Nonetheless, April is still concerned that she could pass it onto them and even after Dr Halstead assures here that she is not contagious, she admits that she just “doesn’t feel clean”. It takes a patient admitted to the ER with HIV for the nurse to start letting her boyfriend back in and she accepts his invitation to dinner at the end of the episode.

CHICAGO MED — “Soul Care” Episode 201 — Pictured: Rachel DiPillo as Sarah Reese — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Sarah Reese: Having turned down her pathology placement last season, the newly minted doctor is now working as a barista nearby. (Something her pathologist boyfriend digs because he likes the way she smells of coffee after her shift.) Dr Charles drops by not just for coffee but also to take her under his wing and offers her a psychiatric residency with him. She’s taken aback because she’s never considered psychiatry, especially since she’s not very good at talking with people, but Dr Charles assures her that it’s more about listening and that she’s quite perceptive, which is the makings of a good psychiatrist. He proposes that she shadows him for a day to get a taste of it. He ends up letting her take the lead on a case with a teenage girl suspected of trying to kill herself, and for someone who is apparently not good with talking to other people, Sarah does a pretty good job at getting the patient to open up and figuring out what’s wrong with her. So of course she ends up accepting Dr Charles’ offer. We think that this is the right path for her and can’t wait to see more of Dr Charles mentoring her!

CHICAGO P.D. — “The Silos” Episode 401 — Pictured: Li Jun Li as Julie Tay — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Shout Out of the Week: Each week I’ll be spotlighting a female character from the ONE CHICAGO world based in whose storyline or performance intrigued me. She may not be a regular yet, but this week I’m giving the shout out to Chicago P.D.‘s Julie Tay. Week one and I’m already a fan of hers! Not only is she a quick and smart thinker, but the girl has guts! Have you seen anyone this week clinging to the side of a car while the offender is driving, only to be thrown off and landing on the road, yet getting back up?  I didn’t think so. Plus, kudos to her to standing up to her sleazy Captain and rejecting him even if it meant harming her career. As far as we know, Julie Tay will only be around for a couple of episodes, but we hope they bring her back and make her more permanent. I’m totally digging the Girl Power dynamic between her and Burgess!

Chicago P.D. air Wednesdays at 10/9c, Chicago Med airs Thursdays at 9/8c, and Chicago Fire airs Tuesdays at 10/9c, returning October 11. All three shows air on NBC. Chicago Justice will debut mid-season.

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