'Chicago PD' Season 8 Episode 11: Upton and Jay steal the show, fans 'can finally go to sleep happy'

Jay wants to know what's wrong with Upton, she points out that he really wants to know when he should cut his losses and leave her
UPDATED APR 8, 2021
Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton and Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead (NBC)
Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton and Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead (NBC)

Spoilers for 'Chicago PD' Season 8 Episode 11 'Signs of Violence'

NBC's 'Chicago PD' killed it with this week's episode 'Signs of Violence'. The case will absolutely break your heart — a wellness check on a family brings some upsetting news as detective Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) races to find the parents and their daughter. We then get a glimpse of the trauma she suffered as a child, which all in all, makes this an episode you might need some tissues for.

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The case triggers Upton

The missing family — parents and daughter — have a very eerie home. Upton finds a pink flashlight in the daughter's Becca's room, only to realize through her best friend that it was used so she could escape. The child's mother, Helen's body, is found later, and the scene broke the hearts of many fans as Upton rapidly dug through snow shocked at what she found. The BTS of the body —which was a dummy, not an actor — was also tweeted. Her mouth was slit, and she had no teeth — it was gruesome, and very well done.

Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey Upton (NBC)

"#ChicagoPD SPFX Make-Up artist, Crystal Portillo, and her team built a dummy from scratch. The decision to make a dummy or cast an actor to play a dead body depends on the content of the scene. Since the body needed to be completely buried in snow an actor would be far too cold!," tweeted Wolf Entertainment. 



 

While Upton was interviewing Becca's best friend, we find out that when she was young, she had a house like Becca. She said that she had a best friend who would leave her window open for her, just in case Upton had to escape her home. This was an introspection episode where we saw the case unfold, as the hunt for Becca continued, and also learned more about Upton's childhood.

While they find Hermanez, the man they think kidnapped the family, Upton acts too fast and doesn't wait for backup. She then runs into the shed that they found the criminal in to search for Becca but to no avail. Upton wasn't clear-headed to handle a case as such — it hit too close to home. She also went against Hank Voight's orders (Jason Beghe), so there's that.

'You need to be smart'

Fans urged that Upton think before she acts. "Hailey don’t do this. You need to be smart. #ChicagoPd," wrote one user. "Hailey isn't going to let this go if she can't find Becca #Upstead #ChicagoPD #UPSTEADY," tweeted a user.

Upton's ultimate goal is to protect Becca, and while Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer) is so desperately worried about her, she's too stubborn to listen.



 



 

Jesse Lee Soffer as Jay Halstead (NBC)

After Upton starts to spin out, and Jay confronts her, their argument was once again, heartbreaking. While Jay wants to know what's wrong with Upton, she points out that he really wants to know when he should cut his losses and leave her. Fans were NOT okay with Upton's decision to do that,  the man loves her!

"OMG, Hailey, you have literally broken my heart...you KNOW you have a really good thing with Jay but now you're so freaked out that he doesn't want to deal with any of your past and your brokenness.....THAT BOY LOVES YOU SO MUCH, ALL OF YOU! #Upstead #ChicagoPD." wrote one user. Anothera dded, ""Shut me out? go and jeopardize your job some more? talk to me ... tell me what you’re feeling so I can help you.” jay is so desperate to reach her before she falls so far down that she has no way of getting back up. he loves her so damn much #chicagopd"



 



 

So will they last?

Fans are doubtful. "I love #Upstead, but her shutting out Jay about her own problems has my concerns this relationship might not last. Hailey you helped Jay open up of his PTSD by talking and seeing a therapist. Why can’t you let Jay help you if you helped him? #ChicagoPD #OneChicago," wrote one fan. 



 

Some haven't given up, as one fan wrote, "Hailey sees herself as so damaged and unworthy of love and the fact that Jay is so obviously going to prove her wrong by refusing to leave her, by following her over the edge if that's what it takes... Honestly what did we do to deserve this relationship?? #Upstead #ChicagoPD."



 

Also, without further breaking your heart, Jay and Upton are perfectly fine because he's "really" not going anywhere. They finally exchanged "I love you's".

"It’s 4am and I can finally go to sleep happy because hailey upton said it back, she loves jay halstead. goodnight  #chicagopd," wrote one fan. Another added, "Damn Voight's scene with Hailey made her realize she could lose Jay! I loved her breaking down those walls and letting Jay in. What I love the most is Jay was ready to be there with her and take those baby steps, he wasn't expecting her to confess her love. #Upstead #ChicagoPD"



 



 

If you're wondering about Becca, they find her. We all cried when Upton told the child said, "No one else is gonna hurt you okay? I got you." She tells Voight, "Every hurt little kid is me," taking us inside her mind. Upton will be just fine because Voight was right when he told her "You're good at this for the same reasons you're bad at it."

'Chicago PD' airs on Wednesday at 10/9c on NBC.

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