Ruzek needs out of this Beck case; it’s getting too stressful!
He finally made some headway with the investigation on Chicago PD Season 10 Episode 18, and it made for a nerve-wracking hour that put us one step closer to learning what Beck’s massive plan is.
And we got there because of a brutal, horrific hate crime that’s enough to have anyone with a heart stewing.
The closer Ruzek gets to this Beck case, the more intense things have gotten, and there’s always this touch of fear that this is a case that could jeopardize Ruzek and his family. The concern over what could happen if Richard found out about Mak is enough to leave a person on pins and needles.
Richard Beck is a sick, evil, hateful man. And he’s spawning that in those around him. It seems like Samantha is coming out as more of a victim to her father, who doesn’t want Callum to follow in Richard’s footsteps.
But in many ways, she’s on the verge of fighting a losing battle as Richard adeptly has been grooming the hell out of this kid. It’s eerie to see it happen, and you can see how much it’s killing Ruzek not to interfere with that.
Since Ruzek became a father, he has approached many aspects of the job differently. You can see it in instances like this, how he’s taken to Callum and wants to get that kid-free of his grandfather’s indoctrination sooner rather than later.
Richard’s hold on Dale is another example of how evil this man is. Sure, we know that Dale would be a racist prick all on his own, probably. He was an idiot who spouted off some of the most asinine things.
But he became a loose cannon, and somehow, you know it’s because of the hate Richard has stirred up in him. Dale was the reason that they made this headway in the case, and it came at a tragic cost.
Since the Becks have been on their radar, bodies have dropped gruesomely, but what Dale did to the Raes is one of the most horrific yet.
He had a field day stabbing them in some unprompted rage kill that aligned well with how topical Anti-Asian sentiment and violence rising has been recent.
They were just a sweet couple running a Chinese restaurant and minding their business. Their lives got taken by some unhinged bigot who accused them of taking over the neighborhood and stealing business opportunities from white people.
The moment we saw Dale burning all those bloody clothes, it was apparent that he did something horrendous and barbaric. It meant Ruzek and the others were under a lot of pressure to figure out what that was and then find enough evidence to pin it on him.
The Raes and the community deserved justice, and that poor busboy who will be battling trauma for the rest of his life at least deserved the relief of knowing that they got the man who killed his bosses, who were like parents to him.
It was a deliciously tight and packed hour with great pacing. Despite Ruzek’s position at the forefront because of the undercover work with the Becks, the other characters were utilized well enough, and we got some of the best dynamics.
Burgess and Hailey teaming up again when tracking down the busboy were as great as Kevin warning them to “be careful” in a classic big brother move as they went on their way.
Speaking of Atwater, he and Torres were just deliciously good together. The Oceanwater dynamic remains undefeated, both of them bringing a fun swagger that comes out most when they’re with one another.
Kevin had so many great lines and moments during the hour. In addition to his “big bro” moment with the ladies, his reaction to Torres hotwiring the car was absolutely hilarious.
And he and Torres fought back when Dale attempted to beat them up and escape, along with his commentary then was top-notch.
Dale: You’re gonna pay for this you goddamn–
Atwater: Goddamn, what? Huh? Say it so you can make it easy for me!
Torres: Say it!
Atwater: Thought so.
He also slayed that moment when he was brutally honest about what awaited Dale when he got to a particular prison. Kevin didn’t give a damn during this installment, which was entertaining to watch.
It was Ruzek’s hour, but Atwater solidified his place as the scene-stealer.
Even after Beck put a hit out on Dale and sent Samantha and Ruzek to do it, Dale still wouldn’t turn on him. He even claimed he understood why Beck did it. And knowing that, it was apparent they’d never get the information they needed from him.
It wasn’t even surprising when he aggravated his injury and opted to bleed out rather than snitch and ruin “the plan.” Ryan Dorsey did a great job guest-starring in this loathsome role.
We saw more of Samantha’s vulnerability when she got that order to kill Dale. She was so shaken up and rattled. She couldn’t even bear to do it.
It was concerning when she showed up at the restaurant, just as Ruzek was about to go inside to get Mack. Her excuse about following him for a couple of days to see if he was legit didn’t explain how she knew he was there at that moment.
It was one of many moments that put you on edge, and we need this case to wrap up before anything bad happens.
Ruzek is sensing that, too. He’s getting antsy. You can tell he wants out of this undercover gig. He’d break cover it if it was for the best. Everything about this case is getting under his skin.
Interestingly, he’s not being a hothead, impulsive, or quick to judgment and action. He’s far more subdued and calculated with how they’re handling things, and he’s trying to be as delicate and cautious as possible.
However, it’s definitely taking a lot out of him, making you sympathize with him immensely on that front.
Fortunately, if you want to call it that, he could leverage Dale’s death to his advantage to hurry along the process.
He was trying to gain Richard’s trust for months, and if there was ever a time to call him out on keeping him in the dark and relegating him to Sam’s babysitter, it was after he “killed” Dale at Richard’s demand.
While we still need to find out what Richard is planning because of how closely he’s keeping it to the vest, Ruzek is in his best position yet in this undercover mission.
Now, he’s positioned himself as Richard’s “second” in a way, and that’s their best shot of preventing whatever mass casualty attack Richard is putting into place.
Richard wants Ruzek to be the one to keep Samantha on the path of their idealogy because she’s wavering, but it’s starting to feel like Ruzek may have an opening to flip Sam.
I have mixed feelings about it because even though Samantha has been operating out of fear, she’s also done many things that require consequences.
Voight: Are you good, Adam?
Ruzek: Yeah. Yeah. Do I really have a choice?
The case has a serious sense of foreboding at every turn, and it’s at a time when Ruzek is at his most content in his life.
That opener carrying over from Chicago PD Season 10 Episode 17, as Burzek had their “morning after,” was such a relief.
Ruzek himself admitted that it feels different this time. He and Burgess are finally where they need to be.
It was genuinely lovely to see them so happy and in bliss in that steamy opening scene of them in bed, fun, flirty, genuinely in love, and at peace with each other before life got in the way.
And if that wasn’t endearing enough, we got the absolute best, most long-awaited moment yet.
Mack finally called Ruzek “dad.” He’s considered her his daughter pretty much from the beginning. She’s become his heart that skips outside his chest, his bright light at the end of a dark day that keeps him grounded and hopeful.
Mack is everything to Adam, and we’ve seen that for ages. Sometimes, arguably, their dynamic has had a stronger depiction than Mack and Kim.
And while one could’ve envisioned a grand moment when Mack would finally utter those words, there’s something better, more realistic, and heartwarming about her casually saying it during the morning minutiae — just matter-of-factly on any old day like the others.
Adam: See you later.
Makayla: OK, Dad.
That moment was everything to Adam and absolutely nothing out of the norm for Mack because she’s just thought of Adam as her father for a while and never had to think twice about it.
Adam’s utter delight, the way his face lit up, was easily the sweetest, cutest moment of the hour.
It’s all the reason why Ruzek needs to bring this case to an end. One can’t imagine what it’s like for him under Richard’s thumb, listening to him threaten and hate a world that includes his sweet baby girl.
Taking down Beck once and for all makes the world a little safer place for Mack and Callum too.
Over to you, Chicago PD Fanatics.
What did you think of this hour? Are you excited about the Burzek family developments? Do you think Samantha is on the cusp of breaking away from her father for good?
Hit the comments below with all of your thoughts, seriously, let’s discuss it! And you can always watch Chicago PD online here via TV Fanatic.
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You’ll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on Twitter.