Chicago P.D. didn't leave fans hanging for too long in Season 11 about the fate of Burgess and Ruzek, quickly establishing that Ruzek had survived his gunshot wound at the end of Season 10 and Burgess wasn't a single mom all over again. At the end of the latest episode, Ruzek even passed the necessary tests to return to the Intelligence Unit. Now, however, the focus is shifting over to Burgess for a high-stakes case, and Marina Squerciati spoke with CinemaBlend about what's on deck for Burzek.
Called "Safe Harbor," the episode that airs on January 31 will see Burgess on the scene of a drive-by shooting. This will also be the first case of Burgess officially working with Ruzek after the six-month time jump. When I spoke with Squerciati, she shared how Ruzek coming back to the job affects Burgess:
I think an easier life. I mean, Adam's Achilles heel is he is not good without the job, and so now that he has the job, I think that allows them to even blossom as a couple. We've both been shot. That makes you reevaluate your life choices, and we're both healing. So I think we're both in a really good place. When you open on [Episode] 3, we did this dance. The director, Takashi, was great. He let us just sort of move and then didn't block it. Let us sort of do this dance, just the way a husband and wife or a couple that knows each other really well moves through the house. And it was just so fun and something we haven't done before on CPD.
Ruzek was there for Burgess as much as she'd let him in the wake of her own shooting, starting from when she was still physically recovering and continuing through to her breakthroughs in the 200th episode. Who better to understand what he's going through than somebody who has already been on that journey?
Showrunner Gwen Sigan previously told CinemaBlend that the two are on a "nice ride" in Season 11, which they've certainly earned. I asked Squerciati if she and Patrick John Flueger worked out that "dance" together or if it just came naturally to them after ten full seasons, and the actress shared:
Both, but Paddy and I work so well together. He could be like, 'No, no, no, don't don't take the keys yet. I need five more seconds.' And we're able to speak to each other and hear each other, which sometimes actors are like, 'Don't give me a note! You're not the director.' But Paddy and I are just fine doing that to each other.
After ten seasons and counting – not to mention how much fun the two actors are when paired for an interview – it's good to know that the co-stars have such a solid working relationship. Unless something drastically changes, Burgess and Ruzek are the most important people in the other's life... other than Makayla, of course!
Still, based on NBC's description of the next episode on January 31, it's hard not to speculate about whether the "easier" life for Burzek will stick. After all, domestic bliss doesn't tend to stick on Chicago P.D. (For reference: the Upstead journey.) Take a look at what's to come in "Safe Harbor":
Burgess works an extra shift at the 13th District and gets caught in the middle of a drive-by attack on refugees. The team works together to track down the shooter and uncover the true motive behind the attack.
While none of that necessarily spells disaster for Burgess or Burzek, is it really an episode of Chicago P.D. if at least one major character doesn't go through the wringer? Find out what's ahead with the "Safe Harbor" episode of Chicago P.D. on Wednesday, January 31 at 10 p.m. ET, following Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. and Chicago Med at 8 p.m., all on NBC.
The other two One Chicago shows have delivered complications for their characters as well, with the Fire showrunner addressing the exit of a series regular and the two Med bosses sharing the stories they were particularly excited to continue in Season 9. Earlier seasons of all three series are available streaming now with a Peacock Premium subscription.
