Characters of the Week: Chicago PD, High Potential & Four Others That Left Us Reeling

It’s that time to celebrate some of the most interesting characters that left an impression on us.

Yes, it’s Characters of the Week time, and we have a stacked list spread all across broadcast.

From 9-1-1 to Chicago PD, the week produced some emotional arcs, endearing moments, and even those who would be the epitome of polarizing.

Yes, we know this Doc character still has people fuming, but you have to admit they had a strong hour that provided necessary context, right?

It’s time to dive into our Characters of the Week.

Did your favorites or those who left an impression on you make it to our list? Sound off below with your entires and thoughts!

Howard Han – 9-1-1

It’s hard for someone as close as the 118 family is to see the bigger picture.

While we all love the found family aspect of the show, it can’t compromise the fundamentals of the job – fundamentally, Hen is a danger to herself and her friends, who are also her coworkers.

Chimney’s decision to fire Hen is one of the hardest but most rational decisions a leader can make, and how he navigated that situation deserves applause.

While he admitted he could have handled it better, he didn’t compromise his principles, and for that, he deserves recognition.

What Chim does in 9-1-1 Season 9 Episode 8 is what separates a leader from a follower. Many “leaders” rarely admit when they’re wrong, especially when they feel disrespected. – Denis Kimanthi

Trudy Platt – Chicago PD

Every One Chicago Fan, especially Chicago PD fans, knows that Trudy Platt is an integral character of the universe and one of the most broadly adored.

She’s also a character who has become criminally underused over the years, so we could already anticipate that Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 9 would be a special hour for the mere fact that she finally got her own episode.

And the hour didn’t disappoint, with a powerful episode that explored the darker side of a job that chips away at someone’s soul. Trudy jumped right into helping a friend of hers — a former recruit — no questions asked, for a case.

But ultimately, the drug case wasn’t what would dominate the hour, but instead whether or not the cop she admired took his own life. It’s not often you see Trudy so vulnerable, and throughout the installment, she was this raw nerve.

So, moments, she was hardened; her “I bark before I bite” quip was one of the best lines of the night and the series.

And at other moments, she was relentless in her pursuit of the truth about her friend, determined to get to the bottom of what really happened to him, and that devotion and loyalty were palpable in every scene.

Trudy, getting away from behind the desk and heading into the field because this case was personal to her, gave us this insight into how formidable she likely was in her heyday out on the streets.

But when all these clues culminate in a brutal, painful, unflinching truth presented to her by Burgess, it almost felt like we were relating to that blow alongside her.

Because it was easy to follow along with Trudy’s theories that someone murdered McKay, the truth was far harsher. It resulted in Trudy expressing all the things many people who have experienced a similar loss have before: “How did I miss this?” Why didn’t I see it?

The way her voice cracks on this, and thus the tough exterior of one of the series’ strongest women, is gutwrenching. Amy Morton delivers a magnificent performance that only leaves us frustrated because we selfishly want more Trudy. – Jasmine Blu

Angie Polaski – Will Trent

Angie Polaski is my girl. She’s fierce, loyal, and relentless, and you could see those qualities on Will Trent Season 4 Episode 2 when she arrived at the accident scene.

She was the first person to search the crime scene and realize it was staged, and that Will was still out there. She needed to believe that because Angie needed Will in life.

Angie may have moved on, but Will will always be her family, and that’s a hard pill for Seth to swallow. While I enjoy them, I was relieved that Angie stood her ground and didn’t let any man dictate her life.

Many women have worked dangerous careers while pregnant, and Angie was determined that her baby would meet “Uncle Will. I loved that she remembered how many times Will had saved her, so she wanted to be the one to rescue him.

She’ll always be fearless and reckless, and no one can stop her. – Laura Nowak

Hannah Clark – Doc

Chances are, if you’ve been watching Doc, you aren’t a fan of Hannah, and that’s okay — it’s normal, even.

But what’s undeniable is that after Doc Season 2 Episode 11, it’s evident why she’s a standout character, even if it’s for all the wrong or frustrating reasons.

The hour reveals a woman who is not coping well at all. Whatever masking she’s pulled off for this long has completely crumbled under the stress and fear of being found out.

We see how a woman who experienced the horrific trauma of finding her father after he took his own life has become this damaged woman in dire need of genuine help and treatment now.

Hannah’s checking herself into a mental facility gave little glimpses into a person who is cognizant of her struggles — volatile outbursts, panic attacks, and potentially a similar depression.

But then we see how she lets them overrule her without continuing to get the help she deserves, expecting revenge to fill an endless void. However, Hannah’s most tragic moment yet was the ending, being doomed to find her brother after a suicide attempt, reliving the same trauma.

Dr. Martin Best – Best Medicine

I loved the Best Medicine series premiere, but I appreciated how Best Medicine Season 1 Episode 2 delved more into Martin’s character.

Martin cared more about his patients’ safety than getting along with them, so he grew frustrated that none of them listened to him, and they were infected with a mysterious condition.

However, if he wanted to be accepted, he needed to make an effort, and I loved how he displayed a witty side by inviting Louisa.

Martin finally showed he knew how to bare his soul when he trusted Louisa with the many secrets of his past. He finally realized he didn’t have to be perfect to be friends, and she appreciated the openness. – Laura Nowak

Morgan Guillory – High Potential

For two seasons now, we have a general idea of how Morgan is, how she functions, and how she carries herself. It’s not often that you see her deeply rattled by anyone or anything.

But High Potential Season 2 Episode 9 presents something different. When faced with the task of protecting and helping the many who embody so much of what she’s against, we see Morgan, filterless and brutally honest, about her opinions.

However, what we, nor Morgan, anticipated was how brutal Douglas could be back, and just what it stirred up in Morgan.

The key scene that shifted the tone of everything involved Douglas verbally eviscerating Douglas with such calm, ease that it’s easy to understand how his harsh, horrific words read as unvarnished truth rather than just the rantings of a man grasping at straws.

And we see how each indictment lands all across Morgan’s face and in her body language. Contrary to popular belief, words can be weapons, and Douglas knew precisely how to press until it hurt.

Through Morgan’s reactions and how his words still lingered in her head rent-free long after the case closed, we got a firsthand look at Morgan’s deepest insecurities and insight into her mostly mysterious past and how her own father regards her “wasting” her abilities.

Let’s keep the conversation going — it’s the only way the good stuff survives.
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