Chicago PD season 7 character preview: Kevin Atwater
By Kari Highman
What should happen
Kevin Atwater’s role in Chicago PD season 7 could be considerably larger than that of season 6. One way that could happen would be in the investigation of Brian Kelton’s (John McGinley) murder. Atwater, along with Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) and Jay Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer), were the first to find Kelton’s body after he’d been shot to death in his home.
With Voight in the wind, and Halstead looking like Voight’s possible fill-in, maybe Atwater will help round up the rest of Intelligence to solve the case. They could certainly use all hands on deck, since Ruzek’s in jail and Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda) is nowhere to be found. With his many years in Intelligence, Kevin could very well take control of the dire situation at hand and keep this high-profile case on track.
Another thing that should happen for Atwater is a more personal story. In seasons past, Chicago PD showcased Atwater’s compassionate and protective side with his siblings, but since they’ve been gone from the show for a while now, maybe Kevin could build a bond with someone else. It doesn’t have to be someone new either. There’s a lot of flexibility with Kevin’s easygoing personality and the variety of relationships he’s built over Chicago PD’s six seasons.
Take his original patrol partner Burgess, for example. She and Kevin were thick as thieves during season 1, and still are in season 6. If not Burgess, then maybe some bromance with Ruzek could provide a bit of comic relief. Patrick John Flueger and LaRoyce Hawkins off-screen friendship comes through on-screen with Ruzek and Atwater, so it’s not a huge ask. Some scenes like that could really add a layer of lightness to season 7, and with the drama anticipated in the premiere, perhaps that’s also what Chicago PD needs.