Warning! Spoilers ahead for the Chicago PD season 12 finale.Chicago PD season 12 finale, it didn’t quite hit the mark, with Upton and Halstead’s secret courthouse wedding standing out much more.
It’s not always about the wedding day, though, and many brides and grooms in real life will often testify to that. The wedding is just a big party, and it’s all about the strength of the couple. While Chicago PD didn’t give Burgess and Ruzek the wedding that they deserved or keep the focus on them, the writers have already set the couple up for success in Chicago PD season 13.
How Halstead & Upton's Courthouse Wedding Is Better Than Ruzek & Burgess'
Upton & Halstead’s Wedding Was All About Them In Chicago PD
One of the biggest issues with Ruzek and Burgess’ wedding in the Chicago PD season 12 finale is the way the focus wasn’t even on them throughout it. It’s normal to have something happen to make it seem like the wedding isn’t going to take place. We’ve seen it in the rest of the Dick Wolf universe, where people need to be saved or there’s an incident that pulls the bride or groom away.
Chicago PD Season 12 Finale Review: I'm Dismayed With How NBC Utterly Fails Kim Burgess & Adam Ruzek
Chicago PD season 12 perfectly mixes the best aspects of the procedural's storytelling for one of its strongest episode of the TV cycle.
However, Chicago PD writers allowed the entire wedding to be focused on Voight and Chapman’s issues. As the wedding ceremony happened, Chapman shared her disappointment and disgust at Voight over the way he handled the Reid situation. She made it clear that she knew what Voight did and how he orchestrated Reid’s death, taking the entire focus away from Burgess and Ruzek saying their wedding vows.
Nobody else was around because Jay and Hailey decided to get married on a whim.
When it came to Halstead and Upton’s courthouse wedding, the entire focus was on them and their love for each other. Nobody else was around because Jay and Hailey decided to get married on a whim. This was perfect for their personalities, and it allowed us to hear their vows and just see them both commit to each other.
Halstead & Upton's Marriage Didn't Last, But Chicago PD Sets Up Ruzek & Burgess' Relationship For Long-Term Success
It’s All About The Marriage And Not The Wedding
While it was disappointing not to see the wedding in full, at least Chicago PD has set Burgess and Ruzek up for success. It’s not about the wedding at the end of the day. The main focus has to be on the relationship as a whole. Burgess and Ruzek spent time discussing the wedding, figuring out their guest list, and even planning the entire event. It was clear throughout all of this that they wanted to be together, and that after everything they had been through, they were committed to each other.
We even saw how Burgess realized that she was forgetting all about her relationship with Ruzek as Reid’s assignments for her took over, and she actively stopped herself and itted to that happening, showing the growth of her character.
Burgess and Ruzek have been through heartbreak in the past, and they have both made mistakes in their relationship. Before getting back together and before agreeing to marry, they worked through those issues and discussed them. Being willing to discuss those sorts of issues helps to set up for long-term success. We even saw how Burgess realized that she was forgetting all about her relationship with Ruzek as Reid’s assignments for her took over, and she actively stopped herself and itted to that happening, showing the growth of her character.

What Hailey Upton's Wedding Dress Would Have Looked Like Revealed By Chicago PD Costume Designer
The wedding between Upton and Halstead in Chicago PD season 9 could have been a much fancier event if the costume designer had her way.
Halstead and Upton got married mostly because they wanted stability and security and their entire courthouse event was decided on the heels of a crisis. To make things worse, the show immediately broke up the pair, granted that it was due to Jesse Lee Soffer's decision to leave the show. Still, it was such an ugly way to end a relationship, especially for a pair that just tied the knot. So, while Chicago PD succeeded at their wedding, it didn’t set them up for relationship success.
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Chicago P.D.
- Release Date
- January 8, 2014
- Network
- NBC
- Showrunner
- Dick Wolf
Cast
- Jason BegheHank Voight
- Marina SquerciatiKim Burgess
Chicago P.D.: This police drama, set in Chicago's District 21, follows the distinct units within the Chicago Police Department—uniformed officers addressing street crimes and an Intelligence Unit tackling major offenses such as organized crime and drug trafficking, capturing the dedication of those who serve and protect their community.
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