Chicago P.D. returned in the 2025 TV schedule to explore the aftermath of Chief Reid's thinly-veiled threat to Voight from the fall finale, so there's plenty for the Intelligence Unit to deal with ahead of the upcoming One Chicago crossover event. In the cop drama's first episode of 2025, called "Friends and Family" and streaming with a Peacock subscription now, Officer Kiana Cook finally got the spotlight again, unaware of Reid's meddling.
I've been waiting for P.D. to showcase Toya Turner as the newest series regular, and her work in the winter premiere reminded me of how she described her very first big episode. She proved earlier in Season 12 why Cook would be a worthy addition to the unit; "Friends and Family" delved into her backstory a bit more, and I'm ready for more.
First, let's look back at what the New Amsterdam alum said regarding the first episode that focused on her One Chicago character!
Why Toya Turner's First Big Episode Was So Tough
While Toya Turner's first episode of Chicago P.D. was technically the second of Season 12, Kiana Cook's role was mostly just to have Ruzek's back after the death of his friend. It wasn't until Episode 5, "Water and Honey," aired a few weeks later that fans got a closer look at Cook in action... and it was some very, very wet action that involved the actress as well as co-star Benjamin Levi Aguilar spending a lot of time drenched while filming.
To put it mildly, it was a rainy day in the Windy City when that episode went down! I spoke with Toya Turner earlier in Season 12 about Cook's bond with Aguilar's Officer Torres and some sweet behind-the-scenes stories about joining the cast, she also looked back at filming most of her first big episode drenched, including an underwater fight sequence. Turner shared:
It was really hard. It was really, really tough. I'm down for whatever for the most part, but baby, when I tell you – one of my toenails broke off! Because it was just soaking in a boot of water. [laughs] It was hard, but it was a lot of fun. And I think of how much support I had, especially from Ben, we were just bonding through their moments. So that made it a lot easier, but it was hard.
The experience of filming "Water and Honey" was rough on the Chicago P.D. newcomer, but it set Cook up to join the Intelligence Unit and really won me over to wanting to see more of and learn more about the character. Fortunately for Toya Turner, she hasn't had to spend hours in the water since that episode! She continued:
It was hard. It was cold. I remember the first night... We started at 7 p.m., the sprinklers came on, and we were cool. You know what I mean? All of a sudden it got to 1-2 a.m., and we were like, 'Okay, now it's getting cold!' [laughs]. We were just shivering, wrapped up in a foil blanket. It was hard, but it looked so good, so it was totally worth it.
Cook and Torres looked like they could have used some help from the Chicago Fire paramedics and/or Chicago Med doctors before the end of that episode! Turner went on to compliment how "cinematic" director Chad Saxton was so that it ultimately "just looked like a mini movie." All in all, Chicago P.D. went big to introduce Kiana Cook back in the fall; the winter premiere finally picked up on her story and filled in some blanks.
The Latest On Kiana Cook
As usual on Chicago P.D., a character getting the spotlight generally means a very difficult episode for them, and "Friends and Family" was no exception for Cook to start out 2025. After she witnessed a car crash and learned firsthand from a dying man that his wife and kids had been kidnapped, it became a personal quest for her to save them... and that meant the introduction of Cook's parents.
Technically, her dad appeared before all of the mayhem began, in a scene at the family convenience store that established that the business isn't exactly booming. Later, when the Intelligence Unit needed $200,000 for a ransom that the CPD couldn't provide in time, Cook said that she could get the rest in "personal cash."
And that led to the introduction of her mother, who is a very wealthy woman living in a very different part of Chicago than Cook's father! The scene revealed that mother and daughter hadn't seen each other in a few years, making it a bit awkward that Cook was suddenly showing up with a request for $200,000.
It's a sign of just how rich her mom is that she barely batted an eye at the size of the sum, and agreed to hand it over on the condition that Cook change her hair and attend a fundraiser for the Museum of Contemporary Art. Cook agreed to the terms... but eventually thought better of it and bailed by the end of the episode.
It wasn't before she could explain the very different circumstances of each of her parents, though, telling Ruzek that she was the product of a one-night stand between her father and mother. The wealthy side of the family disapproved of her very existence until some ambitions meant attempting to rebuild bridges.
And while comments from showrunner Gwen Sigan guarantee more of Voight vs. Reid like fans saw in the winter premiere, more of Cook's backstory isn't quite a sure thing. I have high hopes, though, and there's still more than half a season of episodes left before the credits roll on Season 12.
Tune in to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET for new episodes of Chicago P.D. Season 12, following Chicago Fire Season 13 at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med Season 10 at 8 p.m. ET. If you want to revisit the cop drama's winter finale or "Water and Honey" as Toya Turner's tough first episode that set the stage for more of her character, you can find them streaming via Peacock now.
