Chicago P.D. hit the ground running in Season 7 with the Intelligence Unit investigating the death of Mayor Kelton, dealing with the unexpected (to them, anyway) absence of Antonio, losing Ruzek as a contributing officer, and building tension between Halstead and Voight, so there wasn't a whole lot of time for a silver lining... or a new romance. Now, with Season 7 getting into gear, it's time to consider whether the connection between Halstead and Upton could turn romantic moving forward.
We do know that a different inter-team romance is in the works, so why not Jay and Hailey? Chicago P.D. showrunner Rick Eid weighed in on the possibility, saying this:
There’s definitely a pretty powerful connection there. It’s just whether they choose to act on it, and when, and what that looks like. It’s definitely in play. They have a great partnership, a great friendship, and I think there’s definitely a mutual attraction and connection there. It’s just, I think, they both take their jobs very seriously. So that’s the elephant in the room.
Well, fans of a potential Halstead/Upton romance have reason to be encouraged after these comments from Rick Eid to TVLine! He didn't confirm that their bond will definitely take a turn for the romantic in Season 7, but describing them as having "a mutual attraction" and the potential behind it as "the elephant in the room" definitely suggests that Chicago P.D. won't be just proceeding with a totally platonic partnership.
That said, Chicago P.D. has made it clear that they take their jobs very seriously, with Upton breaking up with Ruzek in Season 6 because she didn't see him as "the one" enough to be willing to ever leave Intelligence for him, and to nip any drama intruding on the job in the bud. There are larger concerns at the moment as well.
Chicago P.D. Spoilers: Can Halstead Fill The ‘Power Void’ Left By Antonio?
Halstead didn't exactly have an easy time in the aftermath of the end of his relationship with his previous partner, although at least we can probably rule out any melodrama that would come from Lindsay returning. Sophia Bush has made it pretty clear that she's done with P.D.
Still, Upton isn't Lindsay and Halstead definitely isn't Ruzek, so maybe they could work! Or maybe they'll just stay friends and partners who just so happen to have a very close bond. They have a "thing" that works between them, and if that doesn't change, P.D. surely wouldn't be any the worse! Besides, if Atwater's romance does happen, P.D. would already have a love story going within Intelligence.
Based on what Rick Eid had to say about Halstead/Upton, I think we can at least rule out an Atwater/Upton romance. The "gritty" new cop seems like the more obvious candidate for good old Kevin.
What is known at this point about Chicago P.D. Season 7 is when the show will finally reveal what happened to Jon Seda's Antonio Dawson beyond the teases in the Season 7 premiere, and the gigantic P.D./Fire/Med crossover that is on the way later this month has been compared to two classic action movies. Romance or no romance, there's a lot to look forward to!
Find out what happens next on Chicago P.D. when new episodes air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC in the fall TV lineup.
