‘Chicago PD’ season 2, episode 4 review: The missing link with missing persons

We’ve been watching both “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago PD” for some time now, but over the course of the past several weeks we’ve start to wonder the answer to one question: Why do we enjoy one of these shows so much more than the other?

After watching tonight’s “Chicago PD” episode, we’re starting to figure it out. It mostly comes out of what it means to be different on TV. With so many police dramas on TV, or even on NBC Wednesday night, this show has its work cut out for it trying to be different. Many times, it struggles, and it just feels tonally too much like “Law & Order: SVU.” It also feels like it lacks a little bit of lightness, in between the constant tension, violence, and police politics. With “Chicago Fire,” you have some humor that comes within the camaraderie of the firehouse, and also the Molly’s storyline that is a breath of fresh air from the fires and the dangerous situations.

Tonight’s main story here was about a supposed kidnapping / missing persons case that proved to be much more complicated than it first looked on the surface. Watching Burgess and others getting in trouble for breaking the rules? Also not the most exciting TV.

In the end, we just feel like “Chicago PD” isn’t bringing enough to the table right now to compete against the other shows in the NBC – Dick Wolf machine. There’s not a single breakout star; while NBC has promoted Sophia Bush hard for their “Women Crush Wednesdays” theme, there are huge parts of this story without her in it. We almost wish that the show would shift to be more about her constantly, given that Lindsay is the most interesting person on the story, and many of the other cop plots are a little more routine. Grade: C+.

What did you think about tonight’s “Chicago PD” episode? Share your thoughts with a comment.