Things get so messy when you choose to lie.

Atwater learned that the hard way when his lies began to catch up with him on Chicago PD Season 9 Episode 11.

While lying to a CI is significantly less harmful than lying to your significant other, both outcomes resulted in a pretty terrible, no good, very bad day for Atwater. 

And that’s honestly what sucks. Atwater is such a good guy that wants to be the positive amid a corrupt system, so it’s unfair for him to have such terrible luck both professionally and personally. 

The thing about lying is that it’s so easy to get caught up or lose sight of what lie you’re telling. 

In Atwater’s case, it meant that he couldn’t do his job to the best of his ability, which also hindered the case of the week. 

Atwater was working a man named Jimmy in order to get close to Tovar, whose tainted product was killing people all around the CI. 

Since Jimmy had no idea Atwater was using him the whole time, it was heartbreaking to see the reality set it. 

He thought they were really friends, and the betrayal really devastated him.

While he agreed to be a CI, he definitely didn’t trust Atwater, and the whole thing kind of backfired for Intelligence. 

They lost sight of Jimmy, they couldn’t strike up a deal with Tovar, and more and more people began dying. 

CHICAGO P.D. — “Lies” Episode 911 — Pictured: LaRoyce Hawkins as Kevin Atwater — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)

Things took a turn for the worst when Voight used his CI, Anna (you have to love the continuity this season!), to locate Jimmy and found out that he stole 75k from Tovar and had a bounty on his head. 

When it comes to messy cases, this one definitely takes the cake. 

Tovar was jipped by one of his own, so naturally, he took it out on Jimmy’s brother, Nando, a kid trying to make a name for himself in the wrestling world. 

Nando may have been a D-list player, but I let out a huge sigh of relief when they got the call from Med that he pulled through. Nando was just an innocent kid with a dream that was swept up in this whole mess.

Of course, that set off Jimmy, who pursued Tovar. 

When Atwater finally found him, Jimmy had Tovar on his knees with a gun to his head. Despite Atwater’s pleas to turn his life around, Jimmy made the decision to shoot Tovar point-blank.

There’s no denying it — it was murder! 

He then had the audacity to ask Atwater to lie “one more time” and say that it was self-defense. 

While Atwater definitely felt bad about lying to Jimmy and betraying his trust, there was absolutely no logical reason why Atwater would put his career on the line for someone as unreliable as Jimmy. 

The kid couldn’t even deliver on being a CI — why would Atwater protect him after he did the very thing he warned him not to do?

There are so many things that you can bounce back from, but murder is not one of them. 

There’s no denying that Jimmy took a very bad man off the streets — a man who was indirectly killing people left and right — but it wasn’t his call to make. The justice system would’ve taken care of it, while Jimmy would’ve walked after a few years in prison. 

The situation could’ve ended so differently, but we’re all tied to the choices we make. 

And we all pay the consequences. 

Jimmy did, and now it was Atwater’s turn. 

He confided in Burgess that he had been seeing Celeste and lying to her about his profession. I truly hate that Atwater is so embarrassed to be a cop because, in a profession riddled with bad seeds and bad apples, he’s one of the good ones. 

That has to count for something. That’s something to be damn proud of. 

Lying to Celeste spiraled out of control, and Atwater knew that if he came clean, it would be the end of their relationship. 

In fact, that’s the reason why he lied in the first place.

However, upon hearing the truth, Celeste was more upset about the lie than the fact that he was a cop, which I don’t think Atwater anticipated. 

She assured Atwater that she hates the police system, not necessarily the cops in it, but for Atwater, it’s one and the same. 

It’s unfair that Celeste says with certainty that she would’ve accepted Atwater when that might not have been the case. She was very adamant about her distaste for cops, so Atwater’s fears were valid. 

But he should’ve trusted that their relationship was stronger than that. They were both wrong. 

Sadly, Celeste didn’t see a way to move forward. She told Atwater that he had to leave her apartment and seemingly ended things between them. 

It’s a huge bummer because Atwater, of all people, deserves to be happy. And he deserves to be proud of the real change he’s invoking in the city. 

Maybe Celeste will come around, but it definitely feels like the end of a chapter for Atwater. 

CHICAGO P.D. — “Lies” Episode 911 — Pictured: (l-r) Patrick John Flueger as Adam Ruzek, Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)

My hope is that one day, he’ll find the person that loves every single part of him. 

I mentioned that the continuity this season has been very impressive, and that extends to the Ruzek, Burgess, and Makayla storyline. 

The midseason premiere episode ended on a bit of a jaw-dropping reveal that a relative of Makayla’s wanted to adopt her. 

That’s a soul-crushing situation to find yourself in, so I’m glad the series touched on it if ever so briefly to remind audiences that yes, Burgess and Ruzek are very much affected by this development even if it isn’t the priority for this week’s episode. 

What did you think of the episode? Does Atwater deserve better? Did he do right by Celeste? Was he right in telling the truth when Voight asked about what happened with Jimmy?

Also, I can’t wait to see him start working on that tenant property in Burnside so that he can make a real difference in the community! It’s such a great storyline for Atwater! 

That almost seemed too easy, didn’t it? 

On Chicago PD Season 9 Episode 9, the conflict between Halstead, Upton, and Voight surrounding the murder of Roy Walton was resolved, and they may as well have slapped on a big, red holiday bow on top. 

I’m not upset with the fact that Halstead, Upton, and Voight found a solution that basically absolved them of any wrongdoing because I was rooting for them. I love them, so I always cheer them on, even when they’re covering up a murder that was a well-deserved conclusion for the likes of Walton.

I am, however, annoyed with how easily they got there.

I wanted to see Halstead sweat a little bit. I wanted Voight to sincerely think he was going down for this. I wanted Upton to think her career was over. 

I wanted something more. 

Instead, Halstead and Voight immediately found an out of the situation by figuring out Agent North’s weak spot — his drug addict brother Joey. 

But while it allowed them to get off scot-free, it didn’t come without consequences that weighed terribly on Halstead’s conscience. 

They’ll forever have to live with what they did, but at least they can avoid jail time and continue on with their careers!

Halstead wasn’t comfortable using Joey as bait, but he also wasn’t comfortable having Upton go to jail. 

And he wasn’t comfortable with Voight taking the fall because — as he so beautifully admitted in one of the most honest scenes this season — Voight is good for the city. 

For a moment, I thought Halstead lost his edge and was merely just a pretty face, but he proved that he has the brains to back it up! 

Halstead knows that while Voight plays a dangerous game, the city benefits from his ruthlessness. He goes where no cop dares to, which definitely comes in handy. 

And Halstead could never accept that the only person getting justice in this mess was Walton. Because while Voight broke the law, crossed a line, and dragged a willing Upton with him, the fact is that he put a really bad dude where he belonged. No one can argue that. 

So, while he had to do something that wasn’t entirely moral, he chose the lesser of two evils. Their only option was leveraging the dirt they dug up on North for their own gain. 

And it was convenient that North just so happened to have a brother that they could leverage for information that was willing to tell them everything. 

For once, it would be nice for an Agent trying to restore order and bring back justice to be clean himself. 

North may have had an iron-clad case against them, but if he went through with it, he would’ve gone down for bribing all those officials to get his brother out of jail. 

I hope that after accepting the evidence that Halstead gave him, North focused his efforts on bettering himself and helping his brother. 

Because honestly, he’s not one to wave the morality flag at Halstead either. 

Halstead accepted that he was going to have to pull some kind of trigger to make this go away; he still knows exactly who he is, even if he has to clean up some messes. 

The situation also lent itself to another pivotal moment in Halstead and Voight’s relationship. 

Halstead and Voight have never seen eye-to-eye, and while there have been times that Halstead was riding his high horse instead of doing what needed to be done, the truth is that they counter each other quite well. 

You can’t have a unit full of rogue, hot-headed detectives. Can you imagine if it was just a bunch of Ruzek’s and Voight’s?!

CHICAGO P.D. — “No Way Out” Episode 909 — Pictured: Tracy Spiridakos as Hailey — (Photo by: Lori Allen/NBC)

Halstead loves to challenge Voight, but now, he’s also demanding that he be taken seriously and to be seen as an equal. 

He’s no Antonio or Olinsky (RIP), but it sets up for a nice dynamic between the two of them. 

Halstead is finally finding his footing in the unit and is voicing his beliefs and concerns in a way that doesn’t make him seem like a hypocrite. He wants to do better while acknowledging that sometimes getting your hands dirty is necessary. 

Yet, he doesn’t want to completely give up on being the moral cop. 

If he’s going to be the one walking around with a mop while Voight “handles it,” he at least wants him to be upfront about the messes he’s going to be cleaning. 

I think moving forward, this transparent moment will allow for a more balanced unit.

Halstead wants to hold Voight accountable because, let’s be honest, he needs that sometimes.

I’m also hoping it leads to more blunt conversations. We’ve always known that Halstead didn’t agree with the way Voight runs things, but it was awesome to see him acknowledge that and explain that despite all of that, he sticks around because he knows in the end, it’s worth it. Intelligence isn’t just as good as the leader, it’s as good as the group the leader is leading. 

And Voight has a solid group. 

In the same vein, it was great to see Voight accept responsibility. He didn’t want Halstead to carry the weight of making the wrong decision, so he was ready to accept the fallout. 

Voight would have gone down for this if Halstead decided to tell the truth and cooperate with Agent North. 

And that says a lot about Voight. He does what’s necessary because he can take the heat if it all comes crashing down. He’s not just a man that talks, he talks and acts and accepts responsibility if he can’t find a way out — though, there’s always a way out. 

After almost losing Upton and himself, Halstead decided to re-propose, and then the duo just went to City Hall and tied the knot right then and there.

There’s nothing like a union bonded by shared trauma, right?

Then again, they both just proved to each other that they are willing to do anything for the other, so why not make it official?

While I would’ve loved to see an intimate wedding with all of their closest family and friends — especially since Halstead has a brother in the franchise! — the impromptu wedding felt right. It was very Jay and Hailey. 

And since they always give it their all — they’ve dedicated their whole life to this city — it was nice that they had something just for themselves. 

However, I think it’s important to note that the tone set for the scenes was very specific. It wasn’t cheery, happy, or bubbly; it was gloomy. The colors set the tone of a scene that indicated sadness and despair not typically associated with weddings, honeymoons, and typical “happily ever after” stories.

I’m interested to see how things pan out moving forward. Will Jay and Upton find a way to make their union work? Or will it always be bogged down by their careers?

So much was going on with the trio that it was hard to focus on the case-of-the-week, which involved a bus shooting and a drug trafficking situation. 

The young woman was caught with $50,000 worth of heroin in her stomach wrapped in PARTY BALLOONS. 

If that doesn’t tell you that this was a novice operation, I don’t know what will. 

Despite nearly dying, she wasn’t willing to give up her recruiter because he was a close family friend. 

That kind of loyalty is admirable, but it’s also stupid when it comes down to your very survival. The moment she was informed that she wasn’t the first — or the last — girl that this happened to (some have even died before), she immediately gave up her friend. 

And to be honest, she probably saved his life since Mateo, the ringleader, was definitely about to kill him. 

What did you think of the midseason finale? Are you happy the Walton storyline has been tied up?

Do you wish the other characters got a chance to shine? I kind of wish Burgess could’ve said her peace. She at the very least deserves to know the truth. 

And I’m hoping the next half of the season gives us Atwater some more good material. The show’s strength and the secret weapon is La Royce Hawkins! 

Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

What a stellar hour of Chicago PD!

The case-of-the-week was compelling in and of itself, but Agent North’s poking and prodding around what happened to Roy Walton took it to a whole new level. 

North pretended as though he didn’t have much of a case built up, but Voight knew better — he knew that North likely had a lot more information than he was letting on. 

And while he knew never to trust a fed, he was also way too confident in the fact that they didn’t have a case.

Voight assured Halstead and Upton that it would be okay when he had absolutely no authority to give out any assurances. 

In fact, it was the complete opposite of what he was saying. North not only lit the fire, but he also backed them into a corner. 

So, what happens next?

As of now, Halstead is the only one that knows that North — described as very ambitious — dug up Walton’s body.

In fact, he unintentionally led Walton right to it. 

Let’s be real — if Halstead was able to retrace Voight’s steps that night and figure out what he did, why wouldn’t an FBI agent dedicated solely to this case?

North made it his life’s work to find out what happened to Walton. 

However, it sounds like he also has a personal vendetta against Voight, which makes sense in light of the “he wants to run Chicago” comment that Trudy gave him. 

Is the beef more personal or simply North’s way of getting his foot in the door?

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Voight is a powerful man in the city, but everyone knows that he’s not a stickler for the rules. 

Does North believe he can get ahead if he brings down the all-powerful Voight?

Also, why did Voight think that he was being super slick by using his government-funded vehicle to bury Walton?

Even without a tracker, they can still pull GPS. 

Voight of all people should’ve known better, especially if he was going to dish out empty promises. 

After pulling Halstead over and bringing him to the scene of the crime, North gave Halstead two options: either he arrests him and Upton for being accomplices or he helps North nab Voight. 

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that Jay will undoubtedly choose to protect himself and his future bride. After all, this is the clean break they both wanted. 

But it’s also not that simple. Despite his disagreements with Voight, Halstead has a deep relationship with him. 

They’ve worked together for years and have been through it all. Could he really just turn his back on his Srgt?

Voight has many vices, but there’s also no denying that he’s a good cop. Halstead respects that about Voight, which is one of the main reasons he has stuck around this long.

So, I don’t think it’ll be as easy for him to turn on Voight as expected. 

And there’s no way Hailey will ever sell out Voight. She’ll go down swinging before she ever becomes a sell-out. 

It’s unclear what the play is. 

Of course, there’s always the possibility that they all just own up to it and accept the punishment. 

While warranted, as North pointed out, killing Walton and covering it up is still a crime. 

Will they practice what they preach?

There doesn’t seem to be an out here that protects everyone, so I guess it’s up to who is willing to walk away from the series. 

Much of the show hinges on how Voight polices and runs Intelligence, so I can’t see Chicago PD without him. 

However, I don’t think Halstead and Upton have the same protections. We all remember what happened with Antonio and Olinsky. 

Though, I wouldn’t be surprised if Voight had another ace up his sleeve. He’s a popular man in the city, which means that he has some powerful connections that he’s been saving for a rainy day.

And right now, it’s pouring. 

Typically, I’m able to crack the case-of-the-week early on, but this one threw me for a loop. 

A father was murdered in his own home, and while he definitely had some gang ties, the responsible culprits were his two daughters. 

Both Candace and Darlene fessed up to the crime with the latter explaining that she killed her father in cold blood to protect her sister. 

But Hailey, a self-proclaimed good cop who has dealt with her fair share of bad men, knew in her gut that something was off. 

Upon further inspection, it was revealed that Darlene took the fall because Candace was a sociopath who threatened to hurt her too. 

I think that little smirk Candace gave Upton right before pleading with her grandmother that she was innocent will haunt me forever. 

Did you see how easily she just turned it on?

Terrifying. 

What did you think of the episode? Are you impressed with Special Agent North? Who do you think will go down for Walton’s murder?

Or will North learn firsthand what happens when you mess with Voight and his team?

Sound off in the comments below!