We’re only two episodes into Chicago PD Season 8 and Atwater is not only carrying the show, but he’s taking it to new heights. 

The way he managed to turn the tables around on Kenny Nolan on Chicago PD Season 8 Episode 2 and push his back up against the wall, well, it was beautiful to watch. 

Ever since owning his truth and standing up against racism, Atwater has been bullied and intimidated at every turn. When it began to affect his family, both at home and in Intelligence, he realized he could no longer stand back and wait. 

Nolan was barking orders and hoping to break Atwater, and while he did look paranoid at times, I love that Atwater stood his ground. 

The only way Atwater could regain the upper hand was to play Nolan at his own game. 

I’ve never seen anything more satisfying than Atwater sitting at Nolan’s dining room table giving him a play-by-play of how he’d go out of his way to ruin his whole life if he didn’t back down. 

When I say it may be the best scene on television that I’ve ever seen, I truly mean it. 

The good guys don’t always win, but this time, the right guy did. No one messes with Atwater. 

Atwater channeled his inner-Voight, but he did so in a way without using his fists.

The look of defeat on Nolan’s face was priceless. 

Obviously, the back-and-forth between Atwater and Nolan couldn’t go on forever, but I was curious to see how the series would go about resolving it. 

For a moment, I was terrified that the only solution would be for Atwater to give up his badge or accept that his career would never advance, but all those options included Atwater giving up and throwing in the towel. 

And Voight was right — the moment Atwater stopped being a cop is the moment they would have won. 

With the roles reversed, Atwater has successfully proven that he will always stand up for what he believes in. 

He’s making a change, albeit small, but it’s a step in the right direction. 

And if any good is to come of this “new world,” then it better be karma hitting Nolan square in the forehead. 

Atwater won the battle against the racist cops, but unfortunately, he’s still losing the battle on the home front.

The scene with the kids refusing to take a basketball from him was heartbreaking, but hopefully, by doing the job differently, he’ll make an impact that will lead to further positive changes. 

The fight is far from over, but at least these kids have a good one looking out for them. 

The purest thing on Chicago PD is the bromance between Ruzek and Atwater. 

I know that they said everyone has Atwater’s back, and it’s true in theory, but Ruzek took an actual bullet for Atwater. 

And then his reaction was basically “no sweat, bro.” It was solid. 

Though, the whole situation with patrol not responding was disturbing. 

No one man should have enough power to bark such an order and endanger the lives of his blue brothers.

I wish more patrol stood up to Nolan, just as I wish there was more love given to Atwater from the rest of Intelligence. 

Read the full review at TV Fanatic! 

Intelligence is back in action, but things are looking a bit different on Chicago PD Season 8 Episode 1.

Despite ending prematurely due to COVID-19, Chicago PD Season 7 segued perfectly into the police reform storyline brought upon by the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement. 

On PD, Shawn Paige, the man gunned down by Doyle, is Chicago’s version of Floyd and allows the series to navigate the murky waters of Black cops versus the blue wall. 

The episode led to some very heavy yet important conversations that made it clear that doing the “right” thing was going to test everyone’s limits this season.

Atwater faces the biggest challenge, but per usual, Laroyce Hawkins bravely stepped up to the challenge and nailed every scene. 

I’ve likely said this before, but I really mean it this time — give this man all the awards! 

It’s clear that sticking to his original statement was the right thing to do because he’s telling the truth despite the pushback from Doyle’s crew, who view Atwater’s decision of painting Doyle as the aggressor in Paige’s death as being a “snitch.”

Apparently, there’s nothing worse than turning on your fellow brothers in blue. 

Except that they had no problem turning on him when they assumed he crossed the line and broke the code.

Ruzek wasn’t lying when he said Doyle’s crew played dirty. Not only did they jump Atwater to send a message, but they also planted heroin in his car. 

Thankfully, he found it before it landed him in hot water, but all these antics tell you everything you need to know about these good and respectable cops. 

It would have been nice if others stood united with Atwater and acknowledged that he wasn’t just doing what he “thought” was right, but rather, doing what was right. 

Atwater can’t be the only one who realizes that things need to change. 

He can’t be the only one to ever deal with racist cops and feel cornered because there’s corruption in every department. 

He can’t be the only one who hurts to see his own people suffer at the hands of injustice. 

The only person who seemed to have Atwater’s back was Ruzek, which was comforting to see, but it didn’t do much in terms of protecting Atwater. 

He’s tough, but he shouldn’t have to fight this battle alone. 

Even Voight tried to sway him into altering his statement, and while it seemed to come from a place of real concern, it’s not what Atwater needed or wanted from his Sergeant. 

Atwater is clearly ready to fight. He’ll do whatever it takes to bring about change and expose not only dirty cops but dirty tactics. 

I mean, did you see the way he stood up to Voight and put him in his place? 

In the heat of the moment, Voight would have thrown everything away. His anger got the best of him, but if he resorted to throwing Miguel in the cage, he wouldn’t have been any better than the bad guys that he’s trying to put away. 

Voight will have the hardest time with these new world adjustments. 

Read the entire review at TV Fanatic! 

Wednesday’s most watched dramas are planning their epic return. 

Ahead of the November 11 premiere for Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD, NBC revealed a teaser that shows the heroes tackling COVID-19 headfirst. 

“When this community hurts, when it reaches out its hand, we pull it to its feet, and we respond,” Battalion Chief Wallace Boden states in the promo.

Med’s doctors jump into action as April tells  ex Choi that she has to put her life on the line to help patients who are “sick, frightened, and alone.”

Fire’s paramedic’s Brett and Mackey respond to a house call and run into some trouble when a man points a gun at them. 

Meanwhile, PD’s Atwater deals with the fallout of “snitching” on the police. While he explains he was doing “the right thing,” the white cops don’t seem to agree as Ray threatens to take his badge. 

Check it out below: 

Related Reads: Everything We Know About ‘Chicago PD’ Season 8 – Police Reform, COVID, and More!