Chicago PD season 8 character preview: Kevin Atwater

What should happen

Let’s first take a moment to appreciate that we have a significant Kevin Atwater storyline. As fans have pointed out numerous times over the years, he’s generally been one of the most underused characters not only on Chicago PD, but in the entire One Chicago franchise. But the end of season 7 seems poised to give him something massive.

The show absolutely has to follow through on this. If Atwater coming forward is really going to be this huge, agonizing step, it can’t get resolved in the season premiere or the next episode. In fact, it probably should be something that continues through most of Chicago PD season 8.

Even after the specific storyline wraps up, he’s crossed the blue line; he should still have tension with other officers who either don’t agree with his choice or don’t understand it. To do anything less than dig seriously into this story and its fallout would be a disservice to the subject, to Atwater, and to all that LaRoyce Hawkins can bring to the table.

Plus, Atwater is going to need a new partner with Rojas gone—and it needs to be a good one. He has never had anything that comes close to what he had with Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati) on patrol. Every other character has a dynamic with somebody that informs them as a character; he’s just kind of floated around. He deserves someone he can lean on…or just partner him up with Kim again and get back to that relationship which hasn’t gotten enough screen time.