SPOILER ALERT: The following contains spoilers for Chicago PD Season 14, Episode 2.
Kevin Atwater’s last Chicago PD episode is a pretty solid farewell. Season 14, Episode 2, “Don’t Blink” plays out what fans of the NBC series saw coming at the end of Season 13. And while it gives actor LaRoyce Hawkins some good scenes on his way out, there’s one big thing that misses the mark.
Chicago PD showrunner Gwen Sigan and co-writer Matthew Browne tell a story about fathers and sons, as an obvious parallel to Atwater becoming a new parent to baby Malcolm. “Don’t Blink” isn’t subtle in its themes, but that’s not necessarily a problem, because Atwater fans just want him to get to the clear ending that he’s after. In investigating a series of robberies—which turn out to be perpetrated in part by a father trying to help his desperate, estranged son—Atwater decides to prioritize his family. He conveniently gets a new job offer in Atlanta. It’s not randomly going off to Bolivia, but it comes a little close.
It was a huge disappointment when LaRoyce Hawkins’ departure was announced during the offseason, but “Don’t Blink” makes clear that there’s not much left for his character. Atwater reminds Voight (and the audience) early on that he can’t get promoted, despite having deserved that for years now. He has a steady love interest and now a baby. Where else, plot-wise, can he actually go? And teaching is perfect for a character whom everyone should be learning from. To play devil’s advocate, Chicago PD basically wrote Atwater into this corner when it had Tasha Fox suddenly show up on his doorstep and reveal that she was pregnant from their night together. That plot felt rushed then, and Atwater equally quickly deciding to go to Atlanta feels rushed now. But in terms of priorities, “Don’t Blink” is in line with what Atwater wants and deserves.
There’s a catch, though: the Atlanta bit. Atwater prioritizing family doesn’t just mean the one he’s starting with Tasha. That’s also included the rest of his family, and the Chicago community that he’s treated like family. Episode 2 short-changes both of those things. There’s no real discussion of his connection to the community other than that he wanted to “be home.” None of Atwater’s family appears in the episode; they get mentioned, but just for him to say they’re not around. Yet one of the reasons he gives for liking Atlanta is because Tasha has some family “down south.” So if he sees being near her family is a plus, what about his family? It would have been nice to see any of them, both for Kevin and because this episode is essentially goodbye to them, too.
Chicago PD also undermines itself when Hank Voight tells Atwater that he’s in line to be promoted within the month. Why not let him take the promotion, or say that his new teaching gig is in Chicago? It feels like the script feels obligated to move him out of state so it’s clear the character isn’t coming back. But being from Chicago is also part of Atwater’s identity, and his community service is one of the best things about him. It would be even more on brand if Atwater just decided to contribute to the community of Chicago in a different way. Having him working elsewhere in the department or the city doesn’t mean the writers are obligated to bring him back; it would just be a nice touch for his character. That said, if anyone is an easy character to bring back someday, it’s Atwater. He can easily slot into all kinds of stories.
In terms of the actual procedural plot, Chicago PD Season 14, Episode 2 is a pretty solid case. The casting of Third Watch alum Jason Wiles as the father really works, although folks who remember that NBC show might be slightly confused seeing him on the other side of a police story. But Wiles’ character coming back to a robbery scene to help Atwater is a genuinely interesting twist, and Hawkins is particularly good opposite Wiles in his interrogation scene. Atwater and Burgess get a few scenes together, though not one that feels like a proper goodbye between the two former partners. At least Adam Ruzek gets to make a speech.
And it is appreciated that Sigan and Browne minimize Chicago PD‘s subplots in order to keep this episode focused on Atwater as much as possible. (Shoutout to actor Kyle Selig, who’s credited for this episode just so FBI agent Charlie can get one scene in which he breaks a chair. Otherwise, he’s just seen briefly in the background.) They do try to startle fans by having Atwater be shot before one act break, but it’s fairly clear that the bullet hit his vest, and also it’d be particularly cruel for them to kill Atwater right after he’d just welcomed a baby. So that scene is not as shocking as it appears, but Marina Squerciati’s performance as Burgess begs Atwater to be okay is fantastic.
Chicago PD Season 14, Episode 2 is not a perfect sendoff for Kevin Atwater, but it’s a very strong effort that fans can feel happy about. Some elements being added or changed would’ve made this one of Atwater’s best episodes. But as it is, “Don’t Blink” is in line with what matters to the character and it doesn’t unnecessarily torment him on his way out. And ultimately, viewers can be content in the knowledge that Atwater is getting everything that they kept watching be taken away from him, whether it was that long-overdue promotion or all the short-lived love interests that frustrated fans. He has everything he wants, and like Voight tells him, he deserves this.
Chicago PD airs Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on NBC. Photo Credit: Courtesy of NBC.
Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.
