Summary
The search for Hailey Upton’s replacement inChicago PDseason 12 gets an honest update from showrunner Gwen Sigan. Not long after Jesse Lee Soffer’s exit as Jay Halstead inChicago PDseason 10, his on-screen partner followed suit, as Upton struggled to cope in light of their separation. Despite trying to move forward by focusing on her work, Spiridakos' character needed a change so she could have a fresh start after her husband abandoned her. TheChicago PDseason 11 finale officially wrote her out of One Chicago, leaving the status of Intelligence next year uncertain.
Chicago PDis used to cast members leaving the show. Typically, someone new comes in to fill the void, and there’s an expectation that the same will be the case for Upton. In a new interview withTVLine, however, Sigan revealed that they still haven’t decided who will replace her in Intelligence. DespiteJosephine Petrovic being the clear option, she maintained that nothing is set in stone just yet. Read her full quote below:
We don’t know yet. We get back in the [writers] room next week, and there’s a lot that we’re going to figure out. But I loved Petrovic on the show this season. I think that [Bojana Novakovic] was such a pro and she made [the role] her own. There’s so much depth to that character and it was acted wonderfully.
Who Intelligence’s Upton Replacement Should Be In Chicago PD Season 12
Hank Voight’s Team Needs Some New Members
Losing Upton is a big deal forChicago PD, considering the current state of Intelligence.Hank Voight has been running a slimmer teamcompared to the show’s earlier seasons. After Halstead abruptly left, Upton stepped up and became Voight’s right hand. There were rumblings that Voight’s abduction seemed like a way tobring back Antonio Dawsonin theChicago PDseason 11 finale, but that didn’t happen. That doesn’t mean, however, that it can’t come to fruition. There’s no stopping Jon Seda from coming back, and Intelligence needs someone already reliable like Dawson.
If that isn’t the case, however,Chicago PDseason 12can simply keep Petrovic. This is arguably the easiest way to replace Upton in Intelligence, considering that the character is already embedded in the show. Granted that she has her personal issues, but it does seem like Upton really helped her get sober. As long as she keeps herself on that straight path, then there’s no doubt that she will be helpful with Voight’s operations moving forward. There’s also something to be said about her having some kind of relationship with Upton that makes it easier to accept her.
Regardless of who they introduce as Upton’s replacement, what’s important isChicago PDbringing in more characters to join Intelligence. It’s worrying to seeVoight’s team getting smaller and smaller every year. The show previously leaned on its ensemble angle, but it is becoming more difficult to do that when it’s barely an ensemble now. While focusing on a character every week is a great way to develop them, it’s isolating, since there’s barely any interaction with the rest of the team. NBC and Wolf Entertainment should return the procedural to its roots, and the first step to that is to rebuild its core cast.
How Upton’s Departure Will Impact Voight Moving Forward
She served as Voight’s most trusted subordinate, and Upton proved to be worthy of the position when she went out of her way to bring him back home in theChicago PDseason 11 finale.
After his near-death experience in theChicago PDseason 11 finale, Voight seemed to suddenly realize how much he had relied on Upton and how much she had on him. The pair’s relationship wasn’t always like this, but there was a bond that was instituted when they had to buryUpton’s accidental killing of a perpetrator back in theChicago PDseason 8 finale. This was a secret that they both tried so hard to keep under the lid, with only Halstead eventually finding out about it. With the ex-spouses now gone, only Voight knows about it in Chicago.
When Halstead left, Upton turned into Voight in terms of coping with her tragedy. Somehow, this made them closer. However, spending time with him was also in tandem with her professional place in Intelligence. She served as Voight’s most trusted subordinate, and Upton proved to be worthy of the position when she went out of her way to bring him back home in theChicago PDseason 11 finale. Therefore, while Voight may have been supportive of her departure,it’s safe to say that it would be a difficult transition for him, regardless of how qualified Upton’s replacement will be.
Will Upton Ever Return To Chicago PD?
Chicago PD Season 11 Finale Left Upton’s Future Uncertain
One Chicago has seen its fair share of character departuresin its more than a decade on the air.Chicago PDitself has only four original characters left in its active roster. At the very least, Sigan and her team have an idea of how to move forward from Upton’s departure. That said, ifAl Olinsky’sChicago PDseason 11 finale cameois an indication, it’s safe to say that the door is always open for Spiridakos to return.
Who Did Voight See In The Chicago PD Season 11 Finale? That Big Cameo Explained
Chicago PD season 11 finale ended with Hank Voight’s near-death experience, but it also paved the way for the return of a beloved original character.
The show left her fate open-ended, butthere is nothing stopping her from coming back. Voight and the team will likely be happy to reunite with her. However, it may take a while before that can finally happen, unless she follows in Soffer’s footsteps and also returns to direct one of the upcomingChicago PDseason 12 episodes. While that won’t bring Upton back onscreen, it would keep Spiridakos in the One Chicago family in a sweet way.
Chicago PDseason 12 will premiere as part of NBC’s 2024-2025 fall TV schedule.
Chicago P.D.
Cast
Chicago P.D.: This police drama, set in Chicago’s District 21, follows the distinct units within the Chicago Police Department—uniformed officers addressing street crimes and an Intelligence Unit tackling major offenses such as organized crime and drug trafficking, capturing the dedication of those who serve and protect their community.
