Last week’s Chicago PD put an emphasis on empathy, and Kevin Atwater proved but once more he’s probably the greatest in relation to having coronary heart and understanding what to do with it.
But having coronary heart, being particular person, it’s not as reduce and dry accurately if you’re a cop in Chicago, and positively not on this present. And nearly as good of an episode as this one was for viewers, it nearly felt like an pointless one in some methods. One we’ve seen earlier than the place Kevin is put in the course of the great cop, dangerous cop narrative as a result of he’s the one Black cop within the unit. We know Kevin is an efficient man. He at all times has been. He does the fitting factor, even when it places himself in danger as a result of his title and integrity are simply as essential to him because the job itself. And on this hour, all of that’s questioned. Again.
The staff has his again although like they at all times do as a result of they know who he’s, however the theme of this episode is a heavy one. It is a narrative we regularly see in actual life that has been delivered to our screens many occasions now. These are the tales that must be advised, however as a rule, it’s Kevin who’s on the middle of those episodes, compelled to characterize the horribly flawed judicial system and its blatant racism. We know why, however Kevin is a personality who’s a lot greater than that and it feels…not okay. Not proper. Especially when you’ve got a present like PD with a personality like Voight on the helm. At one level Voight tells Kevin he didn’t do something mistaken, that everybody on the staff is aware of that, and Kevin is fast to remind him that simply because they know the reality, it doesn’t imply others will see it too – or perhaps it’s that others received’t permit themselves to.
Empathy. It’s phrase. One of many who come to thoughts if you consider Kevin Atwater. He leads together with his coronary heart, from a spot of understanding and true morality, and that’s what makes him cop. From his motivational speech originally of the episode to how he continues to mentor Torres, and his plea to Ruzek to cease the pursuit of their suspect…the best way he’s adamant to do the fitting factor and never lie even to save lots of himself, when his personal Sergeant and the brand new chief are suggesting he do exactly that.
Kevin doesn’t function that method. He by no means has and by no means will, and each side of this episode solidifies what we’ve at all times recognized to be true: he is an efficient man, cop, and he’ll at all times do the fitting factor.
Maybe this episode is one we did want in any case, even with its acquainted storyline. It was a reiteration of the reality, of what we already know, and what we all know is simply how good these characters are, how good they are often. We know what they’ve been by way of and the issues they’ve performed, however that’s what makes them human. It makes them relatable, and it’s why we root for them week after week when their morality is consistently questioned, when issues aren’t at all times black and white, and when issues go from dangerous to worse.
We’re solely six episodes into this season, however every of these six have been so emotionally gripping and complicated. Recycled storylines and familiarity apart, they’ve nonetheless managed to maintain us on the sting of our seats for the whole hour, and that’s the type of storytelling the characters and we, the viewers, deserve.
Chicago PD airs on Wednesdays on NBC.