Chicago P.D. ended the 2024 TV schedule with an episode that uncovered Torres' secret to the rest of the Intelligence Unit, resulted in Gloria's death, and revealed Deputy Chief Reid's true colors with an offer of friendship to Voight that definitely has strings attached. There was also a moment from Ruzek that was easy to overlook in the aftermath of the fall finale, but now that the wait has begun for the winter premiere in the 2025 TV schedule, I'm looking back at his reaction and what Patrick John Flueger previously told CinemaBlend about Ruzek and Burgess' promotion.
So, with weeks ahead of the winter premiere (and the fall finale streaming with a Peacock subscription if you want to refresh your memory), let's look at what happened and what Flueger told us.
What Happened For Ruzek In Chicago P.D.'s Fall Finale
Torres' affair with Gloria had been a secret to the whole unit except for Burgess, and Ruzek took offense to the hot water that he'd put her in when the truth finally came out. And since this is Ruzek and his feelings for Burgess that we're talking about, "took offense" meant confronting Torres directly rather than letting it simmer. After Voight left the rest of the unit alone, Ruzek brushed off Torres' apology and immediately asked, "Did you ask her to lie for you?"
For her part, Burgess said "No, God" before Ruzek even finished asking the question. She told him that Torres didn't ask her to do anything and she "made a choice" – the same choice he would have made for any of them in her same position. Not to let it go right away, Ruzek responded:
That doesn't make it right. Kim, you could go to prison. She could go to prison, Dante!
Luckily, it didn't escalate further than Ruzek sending some impressive death glares Torres' way and reminding him that Burgess could have gone to prison just after getting her promotion to detective. It did, however, remind me of what Patrick John Flueger previewed about Burgess back when we spoke after the Season 12 premiere.
What Ruzek Wants After Burgess' Promotion
As fans undoubtedly remember, the Season 12 premiere ended with Detective Martel – Ruzek's partner for the day and an old friend – being shot and killed right in front of him, setting him up to go all-out to catch the culprits in real time in the next episode. When I'd asked how Ruzek would process Martel's death differently than other losses, Patrick John Flueger shared:
It's the first time in twelve seasons that I can remember, certainly for him, that he doesn't get a response. I just think that's this wild wake up call. Even though he's been shot and he's lost people over the years, I think that this feeling of invincibility has always stuck with him, and I think that that gets washed away in that moment. His invincibility and the people around him.
While we saw that in play throughout the "leveled up" second episode of the current twelfth season, Patrick John Flueger also dropped a spoiler for later in the season that I've been hanging onto ever since, and it made all the more sense after what Marina Squerciati said about Ruzek's level of support for Burgess' chasing a well-deserved promotion. All the way back in early October, Flueger said of what's to come:
Burgess is up for Detective, and they want to push her into a different unit. We just had a lovely scene where he freaks out about that, because he wants to have eyes on her. You know what I mean? He wants to know that he has some control over her safety, and I think just losing Martel made him realize that all of these people that he loves are constantly, constantly, constantly in danger.
The episode that finally gave Burgess her promotion was of course almost entirely from her point of view rather than Ruzek's to give an inside look at his feelings, like what Flueger described above. It also featured a mini argument between the pair, when Ruzek wanted her to take the favor she was offered and stay in Intelligence while she was willing to do things the right way even if that meant leaving the unit for a while.
Flueger's comments not only shed a different light on that conversation in Episode 6, but also his reaction to Torres' lie in the fall finale. He didn't say anything in his own defense, but took some shots at Torres over what his relationship with Gloria could have done to Burgess and her career.
All in all, I'm glad to finally share the insight that Patrick John Flueger revealed about how the first two episodes set up Ruzek for the first half of Season 12, since Burgess' detective arc wasn't promoted until well past the premiere. The wait is now on to see how the good ship Burzek keeps on sailing in the new year.
Speaking with CinemaBlend during NBC's One Chicago press junket in mid-November, Benjamin Levy Aguilar confirmed how far along they were in filming Chicago P.D. It remains to be seen if that big three-show One Chicago crossover will arrive earlier or later in the 2025 season; for now, check out the promo for P.D.'s winter premiere:
Chicago P.D. returns to NBC's Wednesday nights on January 8 at 10 p.m. ET, following Chicago Fire with the return of Severide at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago Med with a big problem for Archer to face at 8 p.m. ET. All three shows are also available streaming via Peacock now.
