THE CHICAGO CODE
FEBRUARY 7, 2011-MAY 23, 2011
Jennifer Beals (Teresa Colvin) is not known for playing a cop in all but maybe one movie or television show. What a time to choose to portray a character not only with so much depth but with an abundance of avenues to follow.
Teresa Colvin has worked her way up through the ranks of the Chicago Police Department. Her rapid succession from beat cop to the first female superintendent in Chicago overseeing the more than 10,000 member police force was never overshadowed by her need to clean up the corruption. No matter how small the crime by a police officer/detective or a larger, more widespread atrocity by a very powerful city official, Teresa lets no one off the hook by backing down, even if her own life is on the line.
Jason Clarke (Jarek Wysocki) scores big with his portrayal of an officer who chooses to fight crime on the streets of Chicago his own way. Clarke disguises his Australian accent with a low-key, off-the-mark mid-western Chicago cadence. In the first episode, there was only one point where he revealed his true voice, but this will easily be overlooked through his commanding performance.
Jarek Wysocki drops partners like Charlie Sheen exchanges prostitutes. Then along comes an eager-to-please young detective, Caleb Evers (Matt Lauria), who initially gets sent on wild searches for Wysocki’s police cruiser. Near the end of episode one, after Teresa is shot and her driver is killed, Jarek turns to Caleb and gives him an opportunity to roll on a mission to clean up the city of Chicago. Evers has the potential to give growth with extended reach to Jarek that he will not see coming until Caleb is fully embedded as his partner.
Vonda Wysocki (Devin Kelley), whose father was killed in the line of duty when she was just a child, is a rookie officer. Her uncle jarek has been with her since the killing and has encouraged and Overseen her transformation from police cadet to rookie street cop. Now, she is out in the real world of crime and corruption with a partner, Isaac Joiner (Todd Williams), who she looks up to not only as an officer but with her heart. Uncle Jarek sees through the mirage these two try to throw his way and keeps the pressure on Joiner to never let anything happen to his niece.
The corrupt politician, Alderman Ronin Gibbons (Delroy Lindo), will have his work cut out for him keeping Colvin in line after promoting her to superintendent in hopes that she will be his puppet. Liam Hennessey (Billy Lush) is moving up the corrupt ladder of Gibbons’s league of mobster ranks. Little does Gibbons know that he is promoting a man who could eventually take him down. Hennessey is an undercover officer who has worked his way into a position to witness the secretive crooked activities that Colvin is trying to expose.
Shawn Ryan (of The Shield) has created the new hit with a strong first script and a champion cast that exude the characters they depict. The 9pm hour of television on Monday nights just became overcrowded with formidable competition. Can The Cape, Being Human, and The Chicago Code all survive this time slot? Let us not forget the 9:30-10pm slot for Mike And Molly, which gives us the best new comedy of the season.
RUSTY
2/7/2011
