Summary
- Hailey Upton’s departure in
Chicago PD
Season 11 will impact Hank Voight, but Jason Beghe hopes it’s not due to death. - Speculation on how Upton will leave includes resolution of her marital issues with Jay Halstead.
- The focus is on writing out Upton in a way that justly fits her character, without simply bringing back her husband.
Chicago PD star Jason Beghe previews how Hank Voight will react to Hailey Upton’s departure. Not long after Jesse Lee Soffer’s Jay Halstead exit in Chicago PD season 10, the NBC police procedural is once again on the cusp of losing another veteran member. As previously reported, Tracy Spiridakos is set to leave One Chicago this year, and while there hasn’t been as much fanfare for her impending resignation from Intelligence compared to Sylvie Brett’s departure from Firehouse 51, it’s expected to have a massive impact on Chicago PD.
In a new interview with TVInsider, Beghe opens up about Spiridakos’ nearing departure. While he doesn’t share any specifics about how she will be written out, he has his hopes about how Upton will exit Intelligence in Chicago PD season 11. Read his full quote below:
“My favorite quote personally, and I kind of probably apply it to Voight, is somebody asked Picasso, ‘How do you plan a painting like Guernica?’ And he said, ‘I paint the picture to find out what it looks like.’ So I want to find out how it affects Voight. I don’t want to plan that, and it’ll depend on what the circumstances are, which are, as yet, certainly not written in stone. I assume that she’s going to leave on good terms. I don’t think she’s going to die or anything like that. I hope not. I certainly have hope that she’ll be back.”
How Chicago PD Season 10 Will Write Out Upton
Spiridakos has been mum about her upcoming exit from Chicago PD. That being said, her arc as Upton has set up a way for her eventual departure. The easiest way to write her out is to resolve her ongoing marital issue with Halstead. For context, when her husband abruptly left Chicago for Bolivia, he promised that he would eventually return in eight weeks. So much more time has passed since then, and he still hasn’t come back. The pair is supposedly in the process of divorcing, but Halstead popping up to court Upton could be the reason for her resignation.
In Halstead’s absence, Upton has developed an odd relationship with Voight. Aside from becoming her unofficial partner, considering the departure of her professional and personal tandem, Voight has also been assisting her throughout this difficult period. Upton has gone through so much since Halstead essentially abandoned her. She almost died dealing with his old CI, but she continues to work with Intelligence. While seeing her reunite with her husband would be great, it would be unfair for her to walk away from a job that she likes just so Halstead can have another chance at repairing their marriage.
However Chicago PD decides to write out Upton, it hopefully doesn’t contradict the essence of the character. That was exactly what happened when Spiridakos left the show, which effectively ruined Halstead. There needs to be a justified reason for her departure, and it shouldn’t just be because her husband is back. The decision should be for her.
Chicago PD
season 11 airs every Wednesday, 10pm ET on NBC.
Source: TVInsider
Chicago P.D.
A spinoff of Chicago Fire, this police procedural drama follows the detectives and the uniformed patrol officers of the Chicago Police Department as they work to crack cases and put criminals behind bars.
- Cast
- Jason Beghe , Sophia Bush , Jesse Lee Soffer , Marina Squerciati , Archie Kao , Elias Koteas , Amy Morton , Brian Geraghty , Lisseth Chavez , Tracy Spiridakos
- Release Date
- January 8, 2014
- Seasons
- 10