Chicago P.D. 10×19 “The Bleed Valve” is about fathers and sons — and about learning from the lessons of the past. For Kevin Atwater, that means letting go of his long and painful history with Lew and, perhaps, opening the door to a new relationship, not the one they could have built, but still, something better than they have both had all these years.
The episode, a Kevin-centric hour, does a really great job of building a relatable case, using the tenants to frame the story, letting the team around Kevin be supporting actors and also moving Kevin forward. The policing in it is about as suspect as it always is in Chicago P.D. and the motivations of some of the characters make very little sense in the context of who they have always been, but Kevin Atwater gets to shine in an episode about Kevin Atwater, and that is the most important thing.
Interestingly so, the episode doesn’t put him in a position that requires him to forgive and forget. The storyline with Lew has been handled with a tremendous amount of care, and though there are no easy answers to be found in this episode, or in general, there is a step forward. In the end, Lew admits he doesn’t know Kevin, not really. There is an acknowledgment of that from his son. Yes, blood bonds are important, but family is about more than that. Family is about showing up, day in and day out.
If Lew wants a relationship with his son, that’s what he’s going to have to do. Keep showing up. Keep proving that he will. And if he does, at some point, Kevin will get it. Kevin will trust it. And so will Kevin’s other family — the one he’s built for himself because he’s had to.
The lessons we learn from the past aren’t always good ones, and letting go of the hurt isn’t always easy. Yes, Lew has things to prove, but Kevin has to let him prove them. He has to give him a chance. And if Chicago P.D. 10×19 “The Bleed Valve” serves as a reminder of something, it’s that the sins of his father were never because of lack of love. Doesn’t make everything all right. Doesn’t heal the wounds from the past. But, perhaps, it makes it possible to try.
And the rest is just day by day, moment by moment.
Things I think I think:
- I like the idea for this episode — and the tenants, to be honest.
- My face at Lew was Kevin’s face at Lew.
- “You need me Kev?”/”I’m his father.”/”Yes, and this is my police station.”
- Pure gold.
- But how did Hailey find Oscar’s finsta?
- How does Hailey know what a finsta is but Adam doesn’t? Adam’s got a kid!
- We get Kev and Kim and Kev and Adam in this episode, so the best of both worlds!
- “I’m not gonna lie, I’ve been better.”
- Look, Lew, I feel like your son was right on this one. This was a bad plan, or at least, a bad plan since you didn’t communicate it.
- That little boy made me cry.
Agree? Disagree? What did you think of Chicago P.D. 10×19 “The Bleed Valve”? Share with us in the comments below!
Chicago P.D. airs Wednesdays on NBC.
