Critic’s Rating: 4 / 5.0
4
Chicago PD Season 12 consistently and successfully delves deeper into its characters in new ways.
For the most part, the series has found a nice rhythm in executing the character-centric installments without disrupting what we enjoy about the series most.
It was time for another peek into what makes Dante Torres the person he is, and Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 12 was a slow-burning, dark hour that left him in a crisis.
In many ways, Chicago PD has done a better job of attempting to flesh out its newer characters than they’ve done over the years with some of the established ones.
I feel like we’re in tune with Torres in ways that we may not have been with past characters, at least not as quickly.
A continuing theme for the character is that he’s a man of strong faith, and it rules a large part of his life. In nearly every centric they’ve delivered focusing on the character, his faith had a strong presence and is integral to who he is.
The hour began with him lying in bed, pulling out his Bible to read his verse of the day, which coincided with the title of the hour, “The Good Shepherd.”
We also saw him in mass, listening to the priest speak about God’s grace and how crucial it is to love oneself and know one’s worth. It’s a message that resonates with Torres, as we know he struggles in that regard.
And it rolls overly nicely into what motivates him to volunteer to go undercover at the juvenile facility that has haunted him as a teenager. Finding Kai’s body rattled Torres; you could see it all over his face.
But while we haven’t had the chance to properly check in with Torres since Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 9, the subtle things we’ve seen since have shown that he’s trying to make things right and prove his worth.
He feels as if he has something to prove to the unit to make up for the Gloria incident, and at the root of his taking this case head-on, despite the traumas it evokes in him, is because it’s an area of expertise for him, and he’s struggling to feel worthy of Intelligence, even though, they’ve forgiven and moved on.
Again, the hour was a slow burn. We didn’t get a proper feel for what transpired until midway. For a show with a knack for its high-adrenaline action at all times, it may have been an adjustment period for some or even “boring” to others.
I’d like to think of it as a quiet hour, one that was introspective in regards to Torres and a character study for him. My favorite thing about Torres-centric installments is Benjamin Levy Aguilar’s performances.
As time passes, he’s deeply in tune with this character, and it comes out in his every move and line. He gets lost in the craft of his work, which is enjoyable to watch and experience as a viewer.
Perhaps that’s why Torres continues to resonate, especially as we peel back all these layers to him, even if it means wading into dark and painful territory.
One of the most striking moments was Torres’ panic when those doors closed behind him. It was an immersive moment, as I almost felt his anxiety, too, watching him.
He braved the concrete walls and metal fences of a place that severely traumatized him, and he didn’t realize how much he was still carrying. You can walk away from trauma, but it never leaves you, and it’s particularly challenging when it’s unresolved.
Torres’ PTSD rears its head multiple times throughout the hour, but what was compelling about how the series executed it was that it was subtle. He panicked when the cell closed on him, but he had to forge on for the rest of the job.
He pushed past everything, but we could still hear how out of breath he was his frantic energy, and all these signs.
He was the same when he had to figure out where Tommy disappeared, and other guards gave him the runaround.
While there’s some issue in Chicago PD’s past regarding how other characters ignore when one of their own is struggling, here, I could appreciate that the others sensed something but still trusted that Torres was okay to do the job.
They knew when to intervene and step in, and out of everyone, Kiana was the most in tune with Torres. It makes sense that after what they shared during Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 5, she was more aware of where his headspace may be.
Kiana is such a great supporting character to others. I’ve mentioned how there isn’t a single person she pairs with where it isn’t solid gold, and that’s true.
Of course, I have a soft spot for her and Torres as the newest additions to the team and some seemingly unorthodox backgrounds compared to the others.
It’s easy to joke about the pair serving as the new era of Chicago PD, but it’s the truth. Their partnership feels special, and the series is taking its time building it.
We haven’t seen any direct amends between them after the incident with Gloria, but even if Kiana still feels like they have broken trust, it’s unmistakable that she has his back.
She also knows that a lot brews beneath the surface with him, and Kiana feels like a grounding force for Torres if he’ll allow it. It was unsurprising that she was by his side when he took out Collins, and she was the person who could talk him down in the heat of the moment.
It was no different when she checked in with him about the detention facility, aware of his connection to the place. Again, these are subtle moments, but they piqued my interest in their dynamic.
If Torres heads down a path in which he has a crisis of faith, I can’t help but wonder how characters like Kim, who has been a strong mentor to him as of late, and Kiana, for whom he has a compelling connection, will play in potentially pulling him from the edge.
For Torres, if there was ever a case that would cause him to feel alone and distant from God, it makes sense that it would be this one.
The sex trafficking of boys in a juvenile facility is something so heinous it felt as if it should’ve been a Law & Order: SVU installment. The actor who played Collins even starred in one of those.
Yet, we know that juvenile facilities, not unlike adult penitentiaries, aren’t dark places that often involve for-profit buying and selling of people in some capacity or another.
Too many people don’t view those who land in these places as human. Collins’ argued that these boys were already “broken,” implying that their lives no longer mattered. It was sickening how easy it was for him to dehumanize these children.
It was heartbreaking to learn that Kai’s death was a result of fleeing the horrific events of that basement, and poor Tommy appeared traumatized beyond repair.
But the compelling angle was that Art played a big role in the trafficking. Torres saw himself in Art as a teen who did unspeakable things under duress and couldn’t reconcile with it.
Art groomed other boys and handed them over to stop his own abuse. He’s as much a victim as everyone else, but as someone who struggles with his faith, he couldn’t figure out how God could forgive him for what he did.
Their faith is how Torres was able to reach Art. He could show this young man that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and second chances exist.
What was unexpected about this was that Torres thought he was instilling hope about God’s love and forgiveness into Art, but he walked away struggling himself.
All it took was the reminder that Torres can’t shut the door on his own trauma. The hour didn’t confirm if he experienced the same level of sexual abuse, but we know enough to sense that Torres has some serious demons he can’t shake.
He thought he found peace and solace in his faith, but sitting in that church, listening to the pastor, Torres never felt more alone. Torres didn’t feel God’s cloak of protection was around him and likely didn’t feel he deserved it.
An hour that started with a lesson about worthiness ended with Torres not feeling worthy of God’s forgiveness and whatever else he grappled with after that case.
Rarely do shows explore characters of faith, and they don’t always do it authentically or positively. In some ways, it’s refreshing to see via Torres. I’m also curious who he can be outside of his faith, and given how the hour concludes, we may find out sooner rather than later.
Additional Notes:
- I’ll assume Ruzek was still worn out from the crossover and chilling with Mak and Disco Bob.
- LOVED seeing Cookwater paired up. More of those two, please!
- On a shallow note, I appreciated the shirtless Torres scene.
- Just once, I’d love the pedophile to get tossed in prison instead of suicide by a cop.
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Over to you, Chicago PD Fanatics.
What did you think of the Torres-centric? Do you have theories about his background? Were you intrigued by how he and Kiana connected?