We just dropped a piece detailing a perceived shortcoming of Chicago PD's current season. The show has not done the best job of balancing the personal happenings of its characters with the cases they navigate on a weekly basis. Well, we're here to say that the upcoming episode looks as though it will address this.
"Transference" looks to be the most exciting Kevin Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) episode in ages. The character has had a few moments to shine in season 12, but the upcoming episode will ratchet up the tension courtesy of the character's burgeoning romance with Val Soto (Natalee Linez).
Atwater's girlfriend Soto is in danger
The promo for the episode reveals that Soto is the target of a stalker. Said stalker has even taken photos of her and Atwater together, which we see during the promo's opening moments. "He has photos of you," Atwater explained. "He's been talking you for a while." It's theorized the stalker in question is a therapy patient who has, true to the episode title, transferred romantic feelings onto Soto.
Things get tense, even in the fleeting moments we catch glimpses of. Atwater can be seen in a police unit, demanding that Soto get out of the house as soon as possible because the stalker is present. It takes an even more unnerving tone in the closer, when Atwater busts into Soto's room and looks on in shock. We don't know what he sees, but his expression suggests it's not positive.
Atwater has really been put through it when it comes to love interests on Chicago PD. He is the least lucky when it comes to romances, dating back to the show's inception. This is something that actor LaRoyce Hawkins addressed during a recent interview with TV Insider.
The couple bond over their professions
He noted that the character has not found the right fits in the past, but Soto represents someone who could help him grow. "It might work because [Kevin] Atwater needs skills that the rhythm in his relationship might teach him," he stated. "Thank God she’s a psychiatrist and she has the patience and understanding above average."
Hawkins also felt that Atwater and Soto clicked because they have a shared understanding of their respective professions. They deal with forensics and criminal activity on a daily basis, and therefore know what the other person has to contend with. "She sees Atwater differently and she understands exactly why he feels so heavy and where that weight is coming from," he explained. "Since she’s able to see that from a different perspective, Atwater is able to allow her in, which he doesn’t do often."
We sincerely hope that nothing bad happens to Soto, because we concur with the actor that there is something between her and Atwater that could blossom into a really strong relationship. We will find out Wednesday, April 2 on NBC.