Chicago P.D. is a spin-off of the equally popular series Chicago Fire, with the NBC police procedural being one of the biggest shows on television for over eight years. The show's popularity is undoubtedly owed in some part to the character of Hank Voight and his flirtation with the dark side of the justice system. Despite being the leader of the unit, Voight is notorious for his merciless and cutthroat approach to criminals, often blurring the lines between the sides of the law -- a facet of the show that keeps viewers watching.

When the show first introduced viewers to Voight, he was a dirty cop. His redemption coming swiftly after the initial revelation in the form of his confession that he'd only pretended to be corrupt because of a deal with Internal Affairs. This fluctuation between his character being ultimately good or bad has been the blueprint for the handling of Voight since the beginning. The show goes from portraying him as an antagonist to painting him as the real hero of the show, whilst he toes the line of being a borderline villain and anti-hero every step of the way. However, the show really excels in its storytelling when his morality comes under scrutiny and shows the side of him that is willing to "do whatever it takes" regardless of the side of the law it falls under than it does with him as the moral center of the team. As such, Chicago P.D. thrives when Voight works outside the realms of the law.

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Why Hank Voight Thrives as Chicago P.D.'s Villain

Chicago PD Season 10 Voight 2

As Season 10 progresses, so does Voight's character growth, which may seem like a good thing, but ultimately hurts the show. There is no denying that his character has lost some of his ruthlessness, which is influencing the intelligence unit as a whole. As Voight loses his tough attitude, so does the unit's approach to crime across the city. Voight was never a character to dwell on emotions, instead favoring an approach fueled by his anger when it comes to most situations he deals with. The Hank Voight of previous seasons would have stopped at nothing to get Sean -- the son of the police chief who has been caught trafficking underage girls -- imprisoned. Season 10 of the show has already seen an uncharacteristic ending for Jay Halstead and its rendition of Voight is inconsistent with the version of him seen in previous seasons.

The watchability of Voight comes from his internal conflicts which offer viewers the chance to play judge and jury to his character; this is why he is compelling and an integral part of the show. Human beings are flawed and situations are never as simple as right or wrong, which Hank proves time and time again. His character has been the victim of emotional turmoil through the seasons, including the unexpected death of his son, followed by the murder of his closest friend Al Olinsky. These moments allowed for Voight's sins to catch up to him and for viewers to see a vulnerable side to the character whose propensity for bending rules so rarely offers room for emotion. However, the grief-stricken Hank was always quick to channel these emotions into rage and resentment.

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How Hank Voight as an Anti-Hero Disservices Chicago P.D.

Chicago PD Season 10 Voight Halstead

Voight has always epitomized moral ambiguity, doing questionable things to reach the end and justifying his means in whatever way he sees fit along the way. His controversy makes for interesting television and his dedication to the victims of his cases ensure his status as anti-hero within the dynamic of the show. Trying to redeem him by having him lessen his aggression and stance on crime at this point in the series does not make sense, nor does it work in favor of the show.

Since Voight's introduction in Chicago Fire, he has been peeled back layer by layer as more than just simply a dirty cop. He does what he needs to do to fight for justice and protect the city of Chicago and, despite his ruthlessness and intimidation tactics, he is extremely dedicated to his job. He is resilient and fearless in his fight to shield victims and fortify Chicago. Operating under his own moral code only serves to keep things interesting, not only for the interactions of the characters and Intelligence Unit, but also for the viewers at home.

Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. on NBC and streams on Peacock.