Spoilers ahead for the Season 7 finale of Chicago P.D. on NBC, called “Silence of the Night.”
Another season of Chicago P.D. has come to an end, and while most of the hour was a disturbing yet thrilling case involving how far Atwater is willing to go for justice, there was one moment of lightness courtesy of Hailey Upton and Jay Halstead. Before everything went south for Atwater and Intelligence, the separated partners had a chat about pizza that was so gosh darn cute that I almost forgot what show I was watching. According to Chicago P.D. showrunner Rick Eid, the Upstead story is only beginning. So what’s next?
Well, Chicago P.D.’s boss didn’t beat around the bush about Upton and Halstead’s feelings for each other. Speaking with TVLine about their dynamic, Rick Eid said this:
These two have strong feelings for each other. There’s no question about it. Being apart from one another only served to reinforce what they both already knew: They’re falling in love with each other.
Absence has apparently made the heart(s) grow fonder in the case of Upton and Halstead! Well, if any fans were afraid that Upton’s chemistry with OA over on FBI would lead to some kind of cross-network love story, I would say that Rick Eid’s comments should lay those fears to rest.
Speaking with CinemaBlend, actress Tracy Spiridakos described Halstead as Upton’s “anchor” and her “everyday” when talking what’s up with Upstead. It sounds like Season 8 will finally see these two friends and partners make the jump into romance.
As for what’s next? Well, unfortunately, the literal thing that’s next is a hiatus. The early halt to production not only means Season 7 ending multiple episodes shy of its original order, but also that there’s no saying when it will be safe for production to begin again. This hiatus between Seasons 7 and 8 could be especially long, so fans may want to prepare for a long await for sparks to start flying in earnest (and Upton to return to Chicago so Upstead can have their pizza outing).
As for what’s a little bit less literal, we can at least have fun speculating. Neither character was in a mindset especially suited for a romantic relationship in Season 7, what with Halstead getting shot (and still not quite learning his lesson) and Upton going down a path so dark that Voight was concerned enough to send her to the FBI. Both kept some pretty big secrets from each other, and Upton also had a bond building with Rojas, who really needed a friend.
Still, those sparks have been flying. Halstead admitted to missing her in the penultimate episode of Season 7, and seemed pretty proud of himself when she said she missed him in the Season 7 finale.
All things considered, I’m on board for an Upstead romance, even though I see some dangers in Intelligence pairing off all the cops other than Voight, and a potential Rojas/Atwater coupling was teased before Season 7 even launched. Still, I think a show like Chicago P.D. needs some lightness, which Burgess and Ruzek don’t have so much anymore after all their history and then their Season 7 tragedy, and Atwater probably has more important things on his mind than romance after his arc in the finale.
Upton and Halstead work for me pretty much because P.D. didn’t start sparking them off each other and fanning the flames right off the bat, for good reason. They really and truly became partners and friends before anything else, so there’s a foundation for everything to go well and/or survive the complications in case it’s a disaster early on.
Sadly, Chicago P.D. fans may have a long wait before finding out what happens next. The good news is that between Rick Eid’s comments on Upton/Halstead and all the Atwater intrigue from the Season 7 finale, fans have a lot to think about throughout hiatus. Be sure to vote in our poll below about whether or not Upstead should happen romantically, and swing by our 2020 spring premiere schedule for some upcoming viewing options.
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