Tracy Spiridakos in “Chicago PD.”
James Washington/NBC
(This story contains spoilers from the May 22 finale Chicago Police“More.”)
Chicago PoliceThe season 11 finale of – titled “More” – gives its viewers more than just an emotional send-up of longtime fan-favorite character Detective Hailey Upton, played by Tracy Spiridakos, a lonely young police officer who has spent nearly eight seasons dealing with deep emotional trauma from her history (her father was an alcoholic and physically abused his mother). , Upton and his siblings when they were children). But the season’s 13th episode also brought closure to Jason Beghe’s Sergeant Hank Voight, who, like his protégé Upton, also traveled a lonely path of loneliness and despair. But were they alone?
“More” reveals that Upton and Voight may have been lonely, but they actually knew each other. Unconsciously and consciously, they supported each other in their broken lives of past failures, regrets, pain and heartbreak. But for them to truly see and feel this bond, it would take violence, blood and both would find themselves on the verge of death.
The season finale picks up where episode 12 left off, with the entire Chicago police intelligence unit converging on Voight’s house. Last week, Upton and the team confirmed that a civilian employee of the dungeon named Frank Matson was the main serial killer suspect who had contact with Noah (a teenager whom Voight took in after being tortured in the episode seven, then recaptured and murdered in episode eight). The team could now prove that Matson was the only contact with all the victims found tortured and murdered, their mutilated bodies putting them in barrels like Noah’s. But Matson had targeted Voight as his next victim and slipped a drug into his drink at a bar.
When we first see Voight in the finale, he’s in an undisclosed location, still dazed from being drugged, tied to a chair, and finally face to face with Matson, Noah’s killer. Matson knows he doesn’t have much time and tells Voight he will be his last sacrifice. But before he kills him, he needs the police sergeant to do what he asks of all his victims: call the person he loves most, so Voight can watch her die first. Voight, of course, says he’s not calling anyone. Voight also thinks there is no one to call. But Matson is studying Voight. He knew about her relationship with Noah and he saw her deeper connection with Upton. He wants the call to go to Upton. Matson begins the cutting and torturing process to get Voight to bend to his will.
Voight’s will is strong. He won’t call Upton. In one instance, he moves his body and tricks Matson into inflicting a more fatal chest wound than intended. The injury is the most surprising scene in the finale.
Yearning for death, Voight begins to hallucinate. In the shadows, he sees someone sitting and observing him. The camera then focuses on Voight’s best friend and former partner, Detective Alvin Olinsky played by Elias Koteas (in season five, Olinsky took the blame for killing the murderer of Voight’s son, although Voight actually killed the guy. He went to prison, and before Voight could get him out, an inmate stabbed him to death).
“What are you getting into this time, Hank?” Olinsky asks.
“Is that what you felt?” Voight asks his old friend. “I’m okay with going out like this…” Olinsky’s ghost tells Voight that Upton isn’t okay with this and it’s not his time to die. At this point, Voight and the viewers can hear that Matson has returned. He deceived Upton, who was looking for his surrogate father. And yes, she came!
Upton fights with Matson and manages to injure him. She escapes to find Voight in the basement of an empty house. Voight is not happy to see her, as she is also injured while running away from Matson. “What are you doing here? Do you ever think about your own safety? Voight groaned. “I’m not worthy of this! Do you think I want this? No father would want that! » Upton unties Voight and forces him to pull himself together. They both overpower Matson and Voight pounds his head into the concrete of the basement until he dies.
Spiridakos, who joined the Dick Wolf crime drama in its fourth season, had announced that this season would be his last. With the finale marking its planned release, The Hollywood Reporter recently caught up with Spiridakos and Chicago Police showrunner Gwendolyn Sigan to talk about the shocking finale, Upton and Voight’s relationship and if there’s more life for Upton in the Dick Wolf universe.
Tracy, what was the most difficult scene for you to shoot for the finale?
TRACY SPIRIDAKOS The scene that intimidated me the most was probably also my favorite. That was the scene with Jason (Beghe) and I when, after the hospital, he and I are sitting in his office. And that’s where he gives her permission to do what she needs to do for herself. I was nervous and intimidated. I just wanted to make sure we did it right. Jason and I always have so much fun working together; we were equally excited but nervous. It turned out to be my favorite scene.
Gwen, we learned from this season that Voight and Hailey’s traumas were somehow interconnected. They were lonely but at the same time, perhaps unconsciously, relied on each other like a father-daughter relationship. Am I on the right track here?
GWENDOLYN FOLLOW Yeah absolutely! Over the seasons, they have really grown in this sense. And, as a writer, once you see it on screen, every time we see Tracy and Jason in scenes, you just want to write more. So that ends up becoming a big part of the show. They understood each other. I think they have a lot of the same fears, this inner turmoil that persists, and so there’s almost this kinship. And they are able to push themselves.
Over the seasons, we’ve already seen that Hailey has never been intimidated to tell him what she thinks and where he doesn’t meet an ideal. And the same with him. He sent her away once (in season seven, Voight fired Upton because she exhibited erratic behavior. His character appeared in season two, episode 19 of the CBS series FBI). He was always that person. I think the father-daughter thing has always been integrated, but it was something that we really wanted to delve into this season because it was also this hole in Hailey’s life that needed to be filled so that she could have some of clarity and healing. And for Jason too. So it was a nice, simple arc for us.
Tracy, that scene between you and Jason that you mentioned earlier, the goodbye scene, wasn’t shocking, but sweet, like Voight could sense what was going to happen before you said it. Can you tell us more?
SPIRIDAKOS At least from what I felt, it was like he knew. But there’s also a sadness that goes with it for him too, isn’t there? They’re so close, and it’s knowing that this is something she has to do for herself, but it also means you’re going to say goodbye to her, and that’s a hard thing to do. The moment was so wonderful, where they were coming from this crazy thing where they both almost died. They are both in very raw places. And Voight reads people so well, and he knows Hailey so well. So when the conversation starts going in that direction, he knows it before she knows it, which was a really beautiful thing.
He’s the one who gives her permission to delve deeper into things without feeling guilty, without feeling like she’s going to lose something and him. And saying, “You know we love you and we are always here, and the door is always open for you. “I think it allowed her to go in that direction in a very different way than we’ve seen Hailey before, in a very happy goodbye. And I don’t think she could have done it without everything that happened leading up to that moment.
Jason Beghe and Tracy Spiridakos in Chicago Police.
Lori Allen/NBC
Gwen, when did you think about bringing Elias Koteas back to the series so that audiences could find an equally heartbreaking scene of Voight near death and hallucinating about seeing his old partner, Detective Alvin Olinsky? When I spoke to Jason not long ago, he talked about a real near-death experience after a car accident about 20 years ago.
FOLLOW This is something Jason himself has really wanted to do for a few years: find a way to bring him back. And we had this great opportunity to do that with the story, with his vulnerability and his physical vulnerability, to make it make sense and feel really fulfilling and satisfying for the audience. So it was incredibly special because it was a group of people who missed him and really love seeing him on screen and working with him. It was so nice to bring him back! This scene was magnificent. They simply couldn’t have been better.
Tracy, is Upton going to FBI (CBS)? We see her looking at these different agencies… I saw you looking at that FBI request! And we know she made an appearance in season two.
SPIRIDAKOS (Laughs) No, not that I know of. No. You know, I think the idea was just for her to explore what her options are and see what else is out there. But for my part, I have not filled the void. Where I left is that she feels happy about this decision for herself and is taking her life in a different direction. And we don’t know what it is and what it’s going to look like for her, but I love that it comes from such a place of peace, and this is the first time we’ve really seen that with her.
And for you personally? What are some of your plans or hopes to do now that you’re leaving the show?
SPIRIDAKOS I don’t know, we only finished, what, three weeks ago? So probably, I’m definitely going to visit family, go to Greece and see my family. And then that’s all. That’s all I could do. (Laughs)
Will you come back to visit?
SPIRIDAKOS Absolutely! Absolutely! I’ve made some really good friendships and relationships in (Chicago) and on the show. I’m definitely going to be back in Chicago, and I’m going to run on set and hug everyone I see. I’m eager to !
Gwen, did the season accomplish everything you set out to tell?
FOLLOW Yeah, it really is! Everything went really well and I think this finale was so enjoyable because, creatively, it had a little bit of everyone in it. There are so many. And so you look at it and I’m very proud of that element, that there’s a part of everyone in this finale.
Chicago Police streams on Peacock.