Let’s be honest. Atwater’s storylines have been severely lacking since, well, forever on Chicago PD. It’s time to give him something more to do!
My thoughts on Atwater in Chicago PD aren’t exactly new. Nor have they not been said a million times by others. But it’s a sad day when articles from years ago are still relevant. Atwater needs something more to do.
He’s the guy that’s there for the race-related storylines. And I’m not saying the show doesn’t need them. It does. Race issues are prevalent, especially around Chicago, and a TV show needs to make sure it shows that. However, that doesn’t mean the only black cop in the whole Intelligence Unit can only be used effectively for those storylines.
The One Chicago crossover last week was the biggest example of how Atwater needs to be used more. My husband doesn’t watch Chicago PD. Usually, even with crossovers, I’ll record the Med and PD episodes and watch them later, because he only just about sits through Fire with me. The shows just aren’t his thing.
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During the One Chicago crossover, “Infection,” he sat through all three episodes with me. In fact, he asked me to record SEAL Team to keep Med on and follow up with PD. That’s how good the crossover was. Yet, we got to the PD part and Atwater showed up, and my husband looked at me and said “who the hell is he? Where’s he been all this time?”
Yep, Atwater was barely in the whole crossover. From start to finish, Jay, Hayley, and Voight got the majority of the attention. And those who only tune in for PD during the crossovers feel like a character is simply added in for the sake of it. That’s the way my husband felt when Atwater showed up (and it was even worse with the way he held his gun up to the window compared to Hayley and Jay!).
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I’m certainly not taking any of this from either of them. Let me continue being honest here and say that I love Halstead and Hayley really grew on me during the crossover. In fact, she was growing on me throughout Chicago PD Season 6. But none of that helps when Atwater’s storylines are so severely lacking.
I’m not sure if it’s unconscious bias in the writer’s room or not, but it’s clear that certain other characters are favorites (and I see that in other Chicago shows, too). Sadly it means that other characters don’t get the development or the storylines that they deserve. It’s time that changes. There’s still time for Chicago PD to fix things during Season 7. Can we see some change, please?
What did you think of Atwater’s lack of appearance in the One Chicago crossover? Are you fed up of his lacking storylines? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Chicago PD airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.