INQUISITR.COM / Entertainment

Sophia Bush Leaving ‘Chicago P.D.’ After Four Seasons

By Alexandria Ingham
Published on: 10:31 PST, May 25, 2017

It is official. After four seasons, Sophia Bush is handing in her badge and gun and leaving the Chicago police force behind. Her role as Detective Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D. is coming to an end. Some fans haven’t found the news surprising, considering the way Season 4 ended. Now there are questions over what this means for other characters within the “One Chicago” franchise.

Bush’s exit is not the only one from the show. In March, showrunner Matt Olmstead confirmed that he would be leaving and he has signed a two-year deal with rival network ABC. It is unclear why Olmstead is moving to ABC studios, but some people suggest that it is to helm the upcoming Grey’s Anatomy spinoff that will be centered around the Seattle fire department to potentially take on NBC’s Chicago Fire.

The whole of the “One Chicago” franchise is seeing a major change. Chicago Fire‘s co-creator and executive producer, Michael Brandt and Joe Chappelle, are both leaving the show. Chicago P.D.‘s executive producer, Mark Tinker, is also leaving, according to Deadline. Could this cause chaos and a change of direction for the two highly rated shows?

Bush’s departure from Chicago P.D. is one of the hardest news for fans of the franchise. The shows are mostly male focused, especially Fire and P.D. Women need positive role models, which Detective Erin Lindsay was. However, the exit is going to be positive and leave things open for the character to return. It appears that she will decide to take the FBI job offer in New York that was made at the end of the fourth season.

The decision for Bush to walk away from the show has opened the discussion about the place in Intelligence. Will this open the door for another female character to take Detective Lindsay’s place? Right now it is possible that the show will choose to leave the gap unfilled, replacing it at a later date rather than rush the addition of a new character. One benefit of the “One Chicago” series is that most characters have had a chance to be slowly introduced to fans.

Another option is for the show to bring Antonio Dawson back to the fold. NBC confirmed on Monday that Chicago Justice was cancelled after just one season, after weeks of speculation. It turns out there wasn’t enough space in the schedule after all.

Jon Seda had moved to Justice to help secure the growth of the franchise. It is likely that he will be looking to move back into one of the parent shows. The showrunners may decide to bring him in as a recurring guest star, especially if Chicago P.D.‘s Intelligence Unit works with Chicago Justice‘s State’s Attorney Department.

Chicago P.D. was renewed for a fifth season at the start of May. NBC quickly announced that the show would keep its Wednesday night slot in the fall 2017 schedule. Fire would also keep its Tuesday night slot, but Chicago Med would be moved to a midseason lineup. There is no news that anyone else is leaving P.D. at this time.

The focus for the “One Chicago” franchise fans is on Fire. Three lives have been left uncertain, as Casey, Mouch, and Herrmann are currently trapped in a burning building. Casey delivered a heartbreaking speech to Gabi, as Firehouse 51 could only just stand outside and hope that the three could find a way out.

Chicago P.D. will return sometime in the fall, without Bush’s Detective Erin Lindsay. By the looks of things, she will take the current job offer made, keeping the door open for her return now and then. This also opens the door for Seda’s return to the show full time.

[Featured Image by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

Share this article: Sophia Bush Leaving ‘Chicago P.D.’ After Four Seasons
nbc sophia bush Chicago P.D.
More from Inquisitr