NBC's repeats of One Chicago this fall continued with the 200th episode of Chicago P.D., which originally aired on February 22, 2023 and centered the action on Marina Squerciati's Kim Burgess and Patrick John Flueger's Adam Ruzek. Called "Trapped," the episode wasn't much fun for the two characters as she continued to struggle with the trauma from the shooting that nearly killed her. I spoke with the two stars back in February before the SAG-AFTRA strike began, and the repeat on November 1 inspired me to revisit that interview. Not only did they share insights on Burzek, but they also dropped some comments that still make me laugh today.
The 200th episode milestone wasn't the first time that I was lucky enough to interview Squerciati and Flueger as a pair, and they were as much fun the second time as they were the first. When I revisited their comments about "Trapped," I realized that I just hadn't shared some of them on CinemaBlend just yet, including what they said when I thanked them for speaking with me:
- Patrick John Flueger: "Thank you for being with us."
- Marina Squerciati: "I'm eating chocolate, but I'm available."
- Patrick John Flueger: "She'll be all caffeinated up and ready to rock and roll when she's done with that piece."
The duo delivered plenty of insight before and after the episode, including a preview of Burzek "turning a corner" in Season 10 and the Easter egg that fans might have missed in the 200th episode. They were both enthusiastic about their characters and the relationship as Burzek raised their daughter, and said this when I asked them to describe what kind of team Burgess and Ruzek were:
- Marina Squerciati: "Great! Like, the idea that I could put away my house life if I worked with my partner? Ha! [laughs] I'd be like, 'I'll get the back. Also, you did not do the freaking dishes!' There's no line! They're really good at it."
- Patrick John Flueger: [laughs] "‘Shut the toilet seat!’"
- Marina Squerciati: "‘I fell in last night!’"
- Patrick John Flueger: "‘Chicago P.D.!’"
Burzek may not have had that exact exchange in the 200th (or any) episode of Chicago P.D., but Marina Squerciati and Patrick John Flueger pitching their characters having domestic squabbles while also on the verge of busting a bad guy was definitely funny. P.D. isn't the cop procedural that delivers a lot of laughs on a weekly basis, so it's fun to imagine Burzek bending the rules of the hit drama.
Flueger also shared his insights Burzek as a team "going around in circles" in Season 10 and appreciating that "this year, the bumps in the road that we have are not relationship bumps in the road, or us like, 'Oh, we just don't understand each other anymore.'" He speculated about the idea of Burgess and Ruzek figuring out their relationship when there's a "quieter time to do so."
Since there was no way of knowing at the time that Burzek would finally jump back into romance in just over a month, I commented that maybe we'd be waiting another 200 episodes. Flueger said:
200 more episodes! We'll see you on 400. They'll be happy and ready to settle down on a farm in Minnesota.
Hey, if Law & Order: SVU can be at 538 episodes and counting, why couldn't P.D. hit 400? Fortunately, fans did not in fact have to wait another 200 episodes to see Burgess and Ruzek get back together, but that doesn't mean all is quiet on the Burzek front. Season 10 ended with Patrick John Flueger's character potentially on death's door after being shot. When the tenth season finale aired back in late May, the wait to find out Ruzek's fate seemed likely to only last until September or October, as per usual.
Then not only did the WGA writers strike last for nearly 150 days without a deal with the AMPTP, but the SAG-AFTRA actors strike began in mid-July and still has not been resolved. Members of the Chicago P.D. cast donated to help crew members in need over the summer, and there's still no saying when the show could begin production on Season 11. It was announced recently that another series regular will be leaving: Tracy Spiridakos as Detective Hailey Upton.
For now, you can always keep watching NBC's One Chicago repeats on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET or revisit your favorite episodes streaming with a Peacock Premium subscription. I recently did just that with Chicago P.D.'s first big Upton episode, and I'd recommend it!
