Drama
Carrie
‘Carrie’ is and will continue to be a story that, while about teens, shouldn’t be shown to teens, no matter how cautionary a tale it may present.
Sergeant Henry “Hank” Voight is a no-nonsense kinda guy, but don’t let that fool you.
Hank’s tough on the outside, but he loves his fictional 21st District, and he’d do anything for the people he works for—which includes the victims of the crimes his district takes on. You see, Hank loves justice, and Chicago’s sorely lacking in it. Crime runs rampant, gangs walk the streets and victims are left undefended. He’s going to make sure justice is served, even if it means breaking a few pesky laws along the way.
Many in the 21st District act the same, for good reasons and bad. Some of his coworkers have their own crimes they’ve hidden away, and others face repercussions when their secrets come to light. By the start of Season 9, Hank and Detective Hailey Upton have tortured and killed a rampant criminal, and due to the illegal nature of their actions, they’ve opted to bury the body and hide the evidence, hoping no one will start asking questions.
The 21st District certainly doesn’t do things by the book in the Windy City.
Chicago P.D. is one of the trifecta of NBC dramas regarding emergency services based in Chicago—the other two being Chicago Fire and Chicago Med. And just like these other two shows, Chicago P.D.’s 21st District would lead you to believe that there’s no place more action-packed and exciting than within its doors.
To be fair, no one sits down to watch a police show because they’re riveted by hours of processing and paperwork. No, people watch because there’s a feel-good sense of justice we get as the bad guy gets taken down by the good guy.
But there aren’t really any good guys in this show. They’re instead more … those who side with the general public. Yeah, Hank is a “good guy” in the sense that he solves crimes and stops criminals, but he’s got quite a few asterisks on his permanent record, as do many in the 21st. Let’s put it another way: If this were another sort of show about police officers, Hank’s character could easily show up as the bad guy of that one.
And, well, he does, actually. Except it’s not about cops. Hank’s first appearance was in Chicago Fire, where he attempts to prevent his son Justin from being charged after Justin causes a car accident while under the influence. And in that show, Hank threatens violence when things start going badly for Justin. He’s eventually arrested, but he’s later released and reinstated. And though he’s generally stayed out of trouble since, Hank has never really quenched those violent tendencies. In all respects, Hank may wear the title of police sergeant, but he’s more akin to a vigilante dishing out his own form of gray-area justice. So, Batman but without the butler.
And so, in this dark cousin to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, be on the lookout for violence, because the gritty reality of crime will be quite evident in this show. Bloody bodies, bullet holes and severed limbs will grace your screen. Characters kiss, and we hear references to sexual activity. Drugs are also a prominent recurring issue.
(Editor’s Note: Plugged In is rarely able to watch every episode of a given series for review. As such, there’s always a chance that you might see a problem that we didn’t. If you notice content that you feel should be included in our review, send us an email at letters@pluggedin.com, or contact us via Facebook or Instagram, and be sure to let us know the episode number, title and season so that we can check it out.)
As a new addition to the police force Eva Imani deals with the aftermath of her sister’s crime. Hank provides her with a tempting, although morally questionable, way out for her wayward sibling. In addition to a relocation, the Chicago P.D. deals with a shooting—but as it typically is in these series, the most likely suspect isn’t the culprit here.
Language contains a handful of uses of “d–n” and “h—,” as well as a single use of “b–ch.” A few misuses of God’s name are thrown into the mix as well.
Two characters drink socially. Multiple mentions of recovering drug addicts act as significant plot points. The camera gets full view of what initially looks to be heroin, but we later find out the substance is actually significant amounts of rat poison.
A character mistakes the poison for her normal drug of choice and suffers the consequences in the episode’s most graphic scene. Writhing and foaming at the mouth, she vomits what appears to be a mix of a recent meal and blood.
A few characters are shot, leaving bloody wounds. One suffers a fatal gunshot wound to the head—the aftermath of which is partially seen for a brief moment. Guns are pulled on officers and civilians constantly, and rough chase sequences unsurprisingly end in bodies slammed on the ground or cars crunched in accidents.
A crime scene investigation includes mention of a supposed domestic violence situation, complete with bedsheets stained by blood and semen. Further investigation reveals the woman involved in this relationship was being taken advantage of by a man in a position of power within law enforcement. The apparently consensual relationship turned into a case of rape after the woman attempted to end their ongoing arrangement.
A man points a gun under his jaw, intending to take his own life before he is stopped by law enforcement.
Sergeant Hank Voight and crew search for the leader of a violent gang called Los Temidos. In order to do that, they enlist the help of confidential informant Anna, who has tragic ties to the group.
Multiple dead bodies are seen throughout the episode. In one case, a man’s body is found in a junkyard with bullet holes and a stab wound from an ice pick in it. Another is found shot in the stomach, as well as a wound to the head from the same ice pick. The body of a woman is found in a car, dead from a bullet to the head, and blood is seen on the roof of the car.
A suspect named Paco shoves the barrel of a gun down a man’s throat offscreen, and he is later referenced to have done the same with a loaded M16 to his sergeant when he was in the military. Paco shoots at police, and he holds a gun up to Anna’s head. Anna tells Hank that, in an initiation for Los Temidos, gang members drugged, beat and raped her. Hank gets a text informing him that Paco has been killed.
A stolen car is tested positive for traces of heroin. Anna and Hank talk about cocaine, and we later see a man prepare to use cocaine. People drink at a house party. Anna claims to have had too much to drink at a party, and she later claims she was drunk.
A man runs from police while holding a kitchen knife. Another man jokingly concurs with Hank by saying, “Amen.”
We hear nine uses of “h—.” In addition, we hear multiple uses of “d–n,” “a–” and “b–ch.” We hear someone say “p-ssed,” and someone is called an idiot. God’s name is misused twice. Jesus’ name is inappropriately used twice.
Jonah Parker’s first interaction with Plugged In came when he was just five years old, after his parents read a review for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and deemed the content too intense for him. What started out as a contentious relationship between Jonah and a staff of reviewers who knew not of his existence would later turn into an appreciation for the site’s ability to present media content in a way that was accurate and fair. Jonah enjoys analyzing how our entertainment echoes the creativity of our Creator while finding glimpses of Biblical truths within every genre. He believes that Robert Pattinson’s Batmobile is the perfect mix of cool and practical.
Kennedy Unthank studied journalism at the University of Missouri. He knew he wanted to write for a living when he won a contest for “best fantasy story” while in the 4th grade. What he didn’t know at the time, however, was that he was the only person to submit a story. Regardless, the seed was planted. Kennedy collects and plays board games in his free time, and he loves to talk about biblical apologetics. He’s also an avid cook. He thinks the ending of Lost “wasn’t that bad.”
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