TV REVIEW: Chicago PD’s “My Way” is Voight’s Way or the Highway

We now have double confirmation that the whole bombing thing last week never occurred, a figment of our crossover imaginations.  In tonight’s episode of Chicago PD, it’s all Antonio and Voight with a little calamari mixed in, served with a double-cross cocktail.  Okay, maybe not squid but octopus instead.  Yes, Pulpo (guest star Arturo Del Puerto) is back and better, I mean badder than ever.  Del Puerto’s turn as Pulpo is like watching Jack Black channel Hannibal Lecter, both hilarious and scary at the same time.

CPD’s latest installment opens with IA’s Edwin Stillwell (Ian Bohen) trying to out-Voight Voight.  He’s giving the sergeant hell saying, “I’m spending 75% of my time talking to your gravelly voiced ass.”  Wait, Voight’s ass has a gravel voice too.  Interesting.

Stillwell reminds Voight that he only has one arrest and accuses him of taking kickbacks.  He says he can make it up to him by targeting a dirty cop.  Voight (Jason Beghe) starts his rant by calling him “Edwin” and the way he says it sounds just like “asshole.”  He adds there is no way he’s going after a cop no matter what.  “You can shake your ass all you want.  It ain’t changing.”

Meanwhile, Burgess (Marina Squerciati) makes goo goo eyes at Ruzek (Patrick Flueger) in the hopes that he’ll ask her to prom.  Instead, he asks how her niece is doing.  What?  The bombing did happen!  I didn’t dream the whole thing.  He goes on to tell her he’s done sending her “mixed signals.”  He says, “I’m going to give my relationship with Wendy a real go.”  You think?  You’re going to give your relationship with your FIANCEE a legitimate shot?  Good man.  He adds that they can still be best friends and don’t change, girl.  She’s crestfallen and almost falls on a nearby chair.

Sergeant Platt (Amy Morton) has the best seat in the house, as usual.  She calls the young girl over and commands, “Go to the locker room.  Throw some cold water on your face and tell yourself three times he was never yours.”

Pictured: (l-r) Jon Seda as Antonio Dawson, America Olivio as Laura Dawson — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

In an interesting development that adds yet another layer to Detective Erin Lindsay (Sophia Bush), a sleazebag named Charlie rolls into CPD looking for Erin.  Platt lets him leave a note asking, “You got a last name or is this a Madonna type deal.”  He replies, “She’ll know who I am.”  Uh oh.

On to the big story of the night.  Our cops get called to a house.  As they enter, dead bodies are everywhere. They figure out it’s the work of some bad cartel guy named Munoz. Commander Perry (guest star Robert Ray Wisdom) rolls in screaming, doing his best Chief Boden imitation.  You’re going to have to do better than that, Boden wannabe.  I think he said something about getting Pulpo out of jail to help trap Munoz.

You know Antonio (Jon Seda) is not going for that.  Pulpo is the slippery SOB who kidnapped his son Diego at the beginning of the season.  Voight says too bad, it’s our job to deal with “scumbags.”  Pulpo is dragged out of a van dramatically, wearing a Silence of the Lambs mask.  When it’s ripped off, he takes a deep breath and you can see him smelling fava beans and chianti. The arrogant criminal has a long list of demands, one of which is conjugal visits.

Jay (Jesse Lee Soffer) and Erin are on that case.  They decide to track down who Pulpo would want to conjugal up with knowing it could lead to some leverage.  They discover a lady that he called many times, but when they question her, she says he’s just some crazy stalker.  That’s when a kid comes out from the back sporting that bushy Pulpo hair.  Jay says, “I spy with my little eye a little Pulpito!”  Leverage found.

Meanwhile, Pulpo is holding class back at CPD.  He’s got a big dry erase board set up with flow charts, pictures of all the major players, and he’s drawing out a scheme that looks as complicated as a Matt Damon math equation in Good Will Hunting.  One key is that Antonio will go undercover to set up Munoz.  Ruzek says, “Pick me, pick me” but Voight tells him to calm down, Antonio’s got this.  Boy, does he.

First, he meets a middle man in a diner.  The guy says, “Open your shirt” and points a gun at his chest.  Dawson deflects by going Voight on his ass, blowing a fuse with righteous indignation that this stranger could doubt him.  The next second they’re outside the diner in front of a big rig.  Gun wielding guy hands him a piece of paper with an address on it.  Apparently, they’re playing concentration because Antonio gets to glance at it then, poof, the bad guy burns it.

Pictured: Jason Beghe as Hank Voight — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

The treasure hunt leads Antonio to a pet shop where he passes off the truck.  No sign of Munoz though. The CPD busts the guys unloading the truck and discover a huge load of coke, the white powdery kind.

When Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) and Burgess find Ukrainian mobsters dead in a bath house, it becomes clear that Pulpo was playing them all to get his rivals eliminated.  He was never giving them Munoz.  All that changes when that little bit of leverage is brought in.

Pulpo’s baby mama is led to the cage in handcuffs.  Voight says, “It’s a real bitch getting into the foster care system at five years old.”  Antonio adds, “You took my son. I have no trouble taking yours.”  Pulpo finally gives up Munoz.

The cops gun up and get ready for a showdown … at a carnival.  There’s nothing like corn dogs and cornering bad guys.  Shots are fired back and forth.  Jay and Alvin go sniper mode but can’t get a shot at the bad guy.  Munoz is playing bullet/brain keep away, but finally Jay gets the shot and puts that bullet right through his skull.  Bad guy down. Commander Perry asks why shots had to be fired in the first place.  Ruzek, sporting that Muppets jacket from last week, can’t believe they didn’t get an “atta boy.”

Voight says the day they get that, he’s taking them all out for karaoke.  “What’re you going to sing boss?”  He answers, “My Way.”  Of course.

Pictured: (l-r) Jason Beghe as Hank Voight, Elias Koteas as Alvin Olinsky, Sydney Poitier as Detective Sumners — (Photo by: Matt Dinerstein/NBC)

Charlie gets his meet and greet with Erin.  The two have already met.  Intimately.  Everything about this guy says no good slime who needs a good Voight face slap.  Erin doesn’t look very badass around him and it makes our dislike for Mr. Cigarettes and Drakkar (Platt’s words) rise by the second.  Big things are going down the last two episodes with Erin and her maybe ex-boy.., I mean, man friend, maybe dealer, maybe worse. Can’t wait to see where this leads.  Who’s taking bets on Voight to permanently remove Charlie from Chicago and Erin’s life?

Pulpo wasn’t the only person working a double cross.  The unexpected twist of the night came to us late.  Et tu, Super Nerd?  Yes, Jin is the mole working for Stillwell.  No!  When Voight finds out, you are so on restriction, and you’re getting all your technology taken away.  In related news, Sumner (guest star Sydney Tamiia Poitier) is sleeping with Stillwell.  Yuck, don’t know which one of these two in bed with the enemy is worse.

In the final scene of the night, Voight’s confronting Erin about her Charlie encounter and we hear gunshots.  Pulpo’s escaped and shot a bunch of cops in the process.  Antonio is down with blood pouring out of his chest.  How many lives does this guy have?  Evidently, even more than Matt Casey.

Overall, “My Way” pointed a clear path on where the last two episodes of CPD are heading.  They’re on an octopus hunt and no matter how slippery the little critter is, my money’s on Voight to catch his prey.  He’s going to make Pulpo pray he’d never put a bullet in one of the sergeant’s guys.  I’m also betting on Antonio to recover.

Erin needs to be okay too because she’s got this whole Linseride thing to look forward to and I don’t think Charlie will fit in that bed.

It was an exciting episode with just the right amount of action, blood & guts, and emotional moments with a little cliffy thrown in for good measure. See you back here next week as this season winds down to what is promised to be an adrenaline pumping final two.

Random Notes

Atwater plays BFF with Burgess encouraging her to get over old puffy hair crush.  She agrees, saying, “I gotta get back on the horse.” Atwater threatens, I mean, offers to set her up. She says, “As long as they have a job.  Wait, I don’t care.  As long as I don’t have to buy dinner.  You know what, I’ll buy dinner.”  Burgess, don’t play the weepy girl.  He’s just a guy.

Ruzek gets dumped by Wendy who tells him, “You’re not the same.  Something about this unit has changed you.”  I think it was the Muppet jacket.  Or maybe the Burgess make out session.  Dramatic music.  Platt is watching and breaks out the popcorn.  He goes back to his locker, engagement ring in hand, tear in eye. Give it up buddy, do you think you’re Taylor Kinney doing sad face?  Nice try.

Half a second later, Ruzek is looking to get a little Burgess. Atwater lays down the law and says, “You leave her alone.  Or you and me will have to get into it.”  Get some, Atwater!

Stillwell meets up with Voight demanding 45% of everything the sergeant gets on the streets.  Voight agrees with a small smile on his face.  Edwin threatens, “If you try to screw me I have five bear traps set, and you will not make it out alive.”  I think a trap’s being set alright that has nothing to do with bears.

The best bromance has a new front runner … Dawlinsky!  Move over Ruzek, puffy hair is out and did I mention that jacket?  When Antonio apologizes to Olinsky for going ballistic, Alvin says, “I love you, man” and plants a big one on Dawson’s forehead. Silence. “You gotta say it back.”  C’mon macho man, you can do it.   Antonio says, “I love you too” and we love them both!