Change is coming to the Chicago P.D. Intelligence Unit—and it’s arriving in the form of The Night Agent star Gabriel Basso. The rising actor has been cast as Max Carter, a fearless new recruit whose unconventional methods and gritty past are set to shake up the fabric of Season 13 in a big way.
Known for his breakout role as FBI agent Peter Sutherland in The Night Agent, Basso brings an intensity and quiet complexity that makes him a perfect fit for Chicago P.D.’s morally grey world. But don’t expect Carter to play nice.
According to early reports, Max Carter is a former undercover narcotics officer with a history of operating on the edge of the law. His file is filled with commendations—and a few warning flags. He’s survived dangerous assignments by relying on instinct, brute force, and a willingness to do whatever it takes, even if it means breaking protocol.
Sound familiar? Fans of the series will immediately draw comparisons to Hank Voight, the grizzled leader of Intelligence who’s made a career out of coloring outside the lines. But Carter isn’t a Voight clone—he’s younger, brasher, and less bound by loyalty or history. That makes him unpredictable—and potentially dangerous.
Producers are already teasing major early-season clashes between Carter and unit veterans like Adam Ruzek and Kevin Atwater. Where Atwater sees lines that shouldn’t be crossed, and Ruzek struggles with his own moral code, Carter appears to bulldoze right through. His arrival injects new tension into a team that’s still reeling from recent exits and shifting leadership.
And make no mistake: this isn’t a temporary guest star. Gabriel Basso is joining Chicago P.D. as a series regular, making Max Carter a long-term investment in the show’s future. With Voight aging and Upton gone, the show seems poised to explore generational conflict—old-school justice vs. new-school recklessness.
Fans are already buzzing with theories. Is Carter a villain in disguise? Will he eventually soften, becoming a new kind of leader in the Intelligence Unit? Or is he being set up as the next great anti-hero, the kind of character who makes you question everything you thought was right?
Basso’s real-life acting chops suggest he’s more than ready for the challenge. His portrayal of layered, emotionally conflicted characters has already earned critical acclaim, and Chicago P.D. is a natural next step in his career arc.
Max Carter arrives at a critical time for the series. After 12 intense seasons, Chicago P.D. is embracing evolution. The old guard is beginning to step aside, and with fresh blood comes fresh drama, new relationships, and moral dilemmas that threaten to tear the team apart—or make them stronger than ever.
