Crime Dynamic Duos: Chicago PD (Upton / Halstead) vs. Take Two (Sam / Eddie)

Welcome to CarterMatt’s Crime Dynamic Duos 2018! This is the third year in which we’re doing this tournament, which is a way to honor some of the best crime-solvers in all of TV. This tournament runs throughout the month of August, and over the course of it we describe what makes certain pairs the perfect crime-fighting duo while also allowing you to share some of your thoughts on the competition! Each article is accompanied with a description and a poll; the winning duo will advance to the next round leading up to the winner being announced on September 1!

What are the rules of the tournament? Basically, all eligible shows have to still be in the midst of their run on TV as of August 1, and at least one character involved needs to be involved in solving crimes in some capacity. They can be a cop, a private investigator, a federal agent, a lawyer or a high-ranking officer. What matters is that they put plenty of bad people away.

Voting Rules – Vote however often you like! Voting for Round 2 is open until Sunday, August 19 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific time; round 3 will kick off the following day. The image at the top of the article should explain everything.

Today, the second round continues with a pair of characters whose partnerships are still somewhat knew, but they have already built some devoted followings thanks to their chemistry and the shows themselves.

Halstead and Upton, Chicago PD (#3 seed) – The first round for Upstead ended up being a close victory, with 56% of readers choosing to support them over Gordon / Bullock of Gotham. This victory speaks to the emotion connection that these two characters have — we know that there are ‘shippers out there for the two  but even if nothing romantic happens, the partnership and their difficult pasts make them compelling entertainment. While there isn’t much in the way of spoilers out there for their relationship entering season 6, we do anticipate things deepening between the two of them — even if the label doesn’t change.

Sam and Eddie, Take Two (#7 seed) – We have our first major upset of Dynamic Duos this season! Rachel Bilson and Eddie Cibrian’s characters ended up upsetting Sam and Callen of NCIS: Los Angeles, scoring an impressive 57% of the vote. We think that a big part of their appeal stems from the lightness that exists on the show itself, and also the echoes that Take Two has to some other great comedic procedurals like Castle and Bones. There’s a personal and professional connection between Sam and Eddie already, but we wouldn’t be shocked if this connection now becomes increasingly romantic as we get closer to the end of season 1.

Your take

Let us know which duo you want to see advance in the comments below! Meanwhile, be sure to like CarterMatt on Facebook for more news all about Chicago PD and Take Two moving forward.

I can’t see the poll; what do I do? – If you are on mobile, scroll to the bottom of the page and click to view the non-AMP version. If that does not work, give the poll a moment to load! On some mobile browsers, it may take a moment.

How can I vote more than once? – If you are having trouble casting multiple votes, try switching your browser, your device, or visiting the page under private browsing or incognito mode. There should be many handy guides online explaining how to do so if interested.