In a show known for tackling tough issues, one episode proved too real—even for Chicago P.D.
Fans of the series may have noticed something strange during Season 10. The trailer for Episode 13 teased a highly sensitive case involving police misconduct, bodycam footage, and a department-wide internal affairs investigation. But when the episode aired, everything had changed. The storyline was different. The tension was gone. So… what happened?
According to multiple insiders, Chicago P.D. originally planned to air a plot that mirrored a high-profile real-world case of police brutality. The story involved Officer Ruzek responding to a domestic disturbance call, where the suspect, a young Black man, was injured during the arrest. The fallout? A leaked bodycam video, mounting public pressure, and a split within the Intelligence Unit itself.
Early drafts of the script, which were leaked online months later, featured powerful scenes: Voight grappling with command decisions, Atwater caught between loyalty and community, and a rare moment of vulnerability from Ruzek as he questioned whether he crossed a line.
But just a week before the episode was scheduled to shoot, the entire plot was scrapped.
NBC executives allegedly grew nervous about airing a fictional version of a real-life crisis that was still unfolding in the headlines. Public protests were happening nationwide, and sources say producers feared backlash regardless of how the story was portrayed.
Instead, Episode 13 became a far more conventional robbery investigation.
However, parts of the original episode weren’t fully erased. If you look closely at the trailer still available on YouTube, you’ll see a flash of Atwater speaking at what appears to be a community hearing—footage never shown on air. One behind-the-scenes featurette also shows Marina Squerciati (Burgess) rehearsing a courtroom scene that doesn’t appear in any episode.
Fans have speculated about a so-called “lost episode” ever since.
Reddit threads have dissected script fragments, camera angles, and actor interviews to piece together what might have been the boldest episode in Chicago P.D. history. One theory even suggests the writers recycled elements of the unaired script in a toned-down Season 11 plot—but avoided any direct references to systemic misconduct.
So why does it matter?
Because Chicago P.D. has built its identity around hard questions. About justice. About loyalty. About the price of wearing a badge. And in this case, the question left behind isn’t just about what happened in the script—but why we weren’t allowed to see it.
Will the episode ever be released? Don’t count on it.
But its shadow still lingers—reminding fans that sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that never make it to air.
