“Seen and Unseen,” which debuted on NBC on March 26, 2025, puts Kim Burgess at the center of a case that tests her memory—and asks viewers to keep up with the same clues. Marina Squerciati gives the episode a strong focal performance, but its final act and limited attention to Burgess’s personal relationships leave the story less satisfying than its premise promises.
Spoiler notice: The discussion below includes major plot details from “Seen and Unseen.”
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Chicago P.D.: Season Eleven | $28.45 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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Chicago P.D. Seasons 1-4 | $102.90 | Buy on Amazon |
What happens in “Seen and Unseen”
Season 12, Episode 16 begins with a mass murder at a diner near the home Kim Burgess shares with her fiancé, Adam Ruzek, and their daughter, Makayla. Burgess is determined to solve the case. The investigation places her memory under pressure, making the episode both a procedural puzzle and a character-focused test of how she processes what she has seen.
Does the memory-test premise work?
The episode’s central idea gives the investigation a personal stake: Burgess is not simply following evidence but confronting the reliability of her own recollection. CBR reviewer Brittany Frederick frames the setup as a pop quiz for viewers as well as a test for Burgess. That parallel can make watching more involving, because the audience is asked to track the case alongside her.
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#1 Best Overall
The weakness is the payoff. Frederick praises Squerciati’s performance but finds that the writing loses its footing in the final act. The premise gives the episode a clear route toward a tense resolution; when that last stretch falters, it undercuts the coherence the memory test needs to feel earned.
Marina Squerciati anchors the episode
With Burgess carrying the investigation, Squerciati has room to make the character’s determination and uncertainty the episode’s emotional center. Her work is the clearest strength identified in Frederick’s review: even where the script stumbles, the performance gives the story a compelling point of view.
Does the episode make room for Burgess and Ruzek?
Not enough, according to Danilo Castro’s One Chicago Center commentary. The diner case is watchable and showcases Squerciati, but Castro argues that it does not sufficiently develop Burgess and Ruzek’s relationship or other emotional connections viewers have been waiting to see. Because the crime scene is close to the couple’s home, the setup offers an opening to connect Burgess’s professional life with her family life; the episode does not make as much of that opportunity as it could.
Rank #2
- Chicago PD: The Complete Seasons 1-4 (DVD)
- Format: Box set, Color, Widescreen, NTSC
- Subtitles: English
- Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada)
- Number of discs: 21 / Run Time: 4078.00 minutes
That criticism is about the balance of this episode, not proof of a wider audience consensus. The procedural focus has a clear purpose, but viewers hoping for meaningful relationship development may find the personal side underfed.
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“Seen and Unseen” is most effective when it keeps Burgess’s memory and Squerciati’s performance at the center of the case. Its final act weakens the investigation’s payoff, while the limited attention to Burgess’s relationships leaves an emotional gap. The result is a watchable character-led procedural that does not fully deliver on either its puzzle or its personal stakes.
Episode details
- Series: Chicago P.D.
- Episode: Season 12, Episode 16, “Seen and Unseen”
- Original NBC debut: March 26, 2025
The episode’s original broadcast date is established, but current streaming or purchase availability is not.
Quick Recap
Sources
- CBR: Brittany Frederick, “Chicago Pd Season 12, Episode 16 Review: A Test for Burgess – And the Fans” (March 27, 2025)
- One Chicago Center: Danilo Castro, “Chicago PD continues to ignore its greatest strengths with latest episode” (March 27, 2025)
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