Patrick Flueger has become a recognizable actor who brings the character Adam Ruzek to life in " Chicago P.D. ". This new season provides great opportunity for him to expand his character into the series using current challenges and growth moments. His character journey often becomes an important focus with added layers that build each episode.
Adam Ruzek's Story Arc in "Chicago P.D." Season 12
Season 12 explores how Adam will navigate his relationship with his father in his current professional and personal life. His morals are also put to the test with situations both at home and at work in addition to an emotional episode with a missing young girl, Zoe. These new developments will continue to challenge him and will cause an additional layer of changes with his character through multiple episodes.
Ruzek's Relationship With His Father
The dynamics with Ruzek and his father have always been unpredictable. This includes Bob's less than savory behavior like gambling, drinking, and sharing police information for personal gain and is something the show will explore.
Shifting Family Roles
The viewers have already been teased by how Ruzek now is in a role where he has to parent his father. The dynamic they once had changes as a single parent which creates more challenges for them both with him finding a comfortable pace within their new positions of caretaking. Also he's now raising a daughter along with a strong wife figure, Kim Burgess that also has different views which impacts this newly blended dynamic.
New Challenges: The Case of Zoe and Bob's Diagnosis
Ruzek's sense of empathy will become prominent as he comes upon a crime scene with the death of a mother and child while also finding the young girl, Zoe, still in the home. During all that chaos is the newly revealed knowledge about his father having Alzheimer's which is adding immense pressure both from a career and personal standpoint.
A Need To Protect and Empathize
The characters empathy will shine brightly with his actions being moved by what he felt when he learned that a young girl may never know who she really is. His new dedication is to making sure she has the opportunity to learn. He has had to watch this girl find an identity as a piece of his own struggles are coming into play by trying to accept his own father’s health issues.
Family Challenges
Ruzek’s desire to provide care for both Bob and also Makayla makes him get pulled in multiple directions which also brings Kim into play on her view on Bob’s behaviors. His desire to always have to fix things does get him in a bit of trouble as his emotional actions do have consequences while exploring his personality.
Patrick Flueger's Portrayal of Ruzek
Patrick has brought a character to life which resonates with those watching. He highlights the depth that lies behind this unique character in his interview discussing how Ruzek loves his father and can relate to that dynamic as someone that had to raise himself while trying to always be there for others. Through subtle gestures and expressions it will create the perfect mix of who is is as a man.
Performance Details and Emotion
Patrick shared information regarding direction for his scenes in the show, that Bob’s behaviors as a character are those of someone that needs attention as he attempts to live out some form of normal. Also his ability to step into a comforting parental position allows for him to take on a new persona that has elements of both vulnerability and care taking. He also added that his focus was that this character should always maintain being seen as a “real person.”.
One Chicago Crossover Event
The next One Chicago crossover was noted as a more grounded event that shifts from action sequences into delving into a character driven approach with focus on personal relationships of characters. He stated “That these people work in a city where they bump into each other quite often”. It has been described as less smashing and booming which indicates it will be a uniquely subtle experience with different forms of depth.
Teaming Up with Stella Kidd
Ruzek works very closely with Kidd through the crossover providing opportunities to witness the great friendship Patrick Flueger and Miranda Rae Mayo have as people as well. As they worked together they relied on each other as they did find key moments that went outside of just reading the script. He stated the performances were “incredible top to bottom from everybody”
Key Takeaways
- Season 12 of "Chicago P.D." will highlight the complexities in Adam Ruzek’s life with family and work changes.
- Ruzek will have a reversed dynamic with his father now acting as his caregiver through health struggles with the introduction of a serious medical condition.
- His past experiences with needing to rely on his own capabilities is used to connect his new position of his family's dynamic along with taking control and trying to solve all.
- His interactions with both Kim and his father will highlight a blend of personalities that will impact character dynamics this season.
- The One Chicago crossover event allows his character an opportunity to interact more closely with Stella Kidd in an emotional approach.