Chicago PD Needs to Write Out Kevin Atwater — And It Has the Perfect Story!

Among all the characters on Chicago PD, Kevin Atwater remains the most underused and often forgotten.

Most of the time, he’s used for gang or drug-related storylines, giving him a chance to go undercover.

Over time, his storylines have become predictable, but Chicago PD Season 13 has a chance to do something different by giving him an exit storyline that speaks volumes about who he needs to be.

( Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Chicago PD Dropped the Ball

I will always think back to Chicago PD Season 7, when Atwater went up against the blue line.

There was this scene of the cops gathering around his street, making it clear that they were willing to do what it took to silence him.

After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, Chicago PD Season 8 picked up the storyline, and the first two episodes were on point.

We saw the threat, and Atwater showcased the kind of man he wanted to be. It was time to stand up for what was right and the chance that needed to come within the police force.

(Lori Allen/NBC)

Then, after two episodes, it was virtually forgotten about. The whole storyline has been ignored since, and it just doesn’t make sense.

Atwater was making enemies within the police force for the right reasons, and suddenly, everyone just toed the line after threats of going public with the atrocities happening within the force.

None of it made sense.

Yet, we’ve seen other characters get longer storylines. Look at Torres and his crisis of faith over the last couple of seasons, and at Upton, who had a season-long exit arc as she figured out who she was and the kind of cop she could be.

(Lori Allen/NBC)

Burgess and Ruzek had a joint storyline that led to their marriage, but Burgess also had her own Makayla storyline — and we continue to see that family unit thrive.

The only other underused character on Chicago PD is Trudy Platt, but in a way, it makes sense as she’s not one of the plainclothes Intelligence Unit members.

Out of the team, it’s like everyone forgets about Atwater.

If the show is really going to forget about him, what’s the point in having him around? Either use him well, or cut him loose.

It can’t be great for LaRoyce Hawkins to have stagnant character development.

(Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Atwater Has Always Put Others First

One thing I do respect Atwater for is his conviction to put others before himself.

He will look out for his tenants, and he wants to remain close to his father. Then there are his team members, whom he doesn’t want to let down.

The problem is that it’s hard for him to do something that needs to be done.

You could see that he struggled to get past the blue line, and not just because of the risk to his career and personal safety.

(Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

He was worried about what it meant to the other team members, and there were even conversations about that.

In the end, Atwater had to stand by his convictions, and the team had to support him in this because it was the right thing to do.

Yet, he has gone straight back to being the one to put everyone else before him.

He even told Tasha he couldn’t leave Chicago because it would mean letting so many people down.

(Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

But what about his own happiness? Doesn’t he deserve something?

Chicago PD Season 13 has offered the perfect storyline for him to leave without feeling guilty for putting himself first.

After all, in a way, he’s not putting himself first. He’ll be putting his unborn child first.

While a pregnancy storyline can often be a jump-the-shark moment, I’m relieved it’s happening with Atwater’s character involved, and I loved the small smile on his face as he took in the news.

(Lori Allen/NBC)

Tasha isn’t likely to leave Miami, so Atwater will need to decide. Either he’s a parent in another state, or he leaves Chicago to raise his child.

He won’t want to be an absentee parent, so he’s likely to choose to leave, which gives the series a chance to make Atwater happy.

Maybe the series can decide not to fill that spot, allowing more time for the rest of the cast instead of forgetting that one of them exists most of the time.

Look, I’d love for Atwater to stick around, but Chicago PD needs to figure out how to utilize him better. If the writers can’t do that, then it’s time to let him go and live his best life!

You made it to the end — and that means a lot.
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• It’s time to let a character go on Chicago PD. Kevin Atwater is the most underused character going, and there’s a story to write him out.

• Another One Chicago crossover is on the horizon, but the real excitement is Hailey Upton and Jay Halstead’s return. This Upstead reunion should be epic.

• Chicago PD Season 13 Episode 12 dives into Imani’s past as she works a missing persons case that brings up old wounds.

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