‘Chicago P.D.’: 1 Minor Character’s Death Shook the Series For Good
Having a beloved — or even a hated — character die off in a television show can be jarring.
Many modern-day series have learned just how much leverage they can get out of unexpectedly offing one of the main characters. Some series (here’s looking at you Game of Thrones and The Walking Dead) even made something of a game out of teasing fans with who would or would not survive the next episode. It’s usually a little less shocking when minor characters meet their end on a series.
After all, plenty of dramas need the high stakes of real consequences but don’t want to lose their primary cast. It feels like a safe choice to remove a minor character instead.
Fans of Chicago P.D., however, have found one minor character’s death really difficult to get over.
The ‘One Chicago’ franchise is a fan favorite
Created by Dick Wolf — the renowned mastermind behind the Law & Order franchise — the “One Chicago” franchise of television shows taps into gritty and realistic drama across the spectrum of the Windy City’s first responders. Fans can watch the police deal with the ins and outs of keeping the streets safe in Chicago P.D. and then turn to Chicago Fire to follow the heart-stopping action of a fictional fire unit.
Meanwhile, many of the characters’ paths cross at the hospital where fans can see the drama play out for the nurses and doctors on Chicago Med.
The series has drawn critical acclaim from fans who appreciate its complex writing as well as the frequent crossovers that make the franchise unique. Instead of an occasional plot line shoehorned in to connect episodes across series, the interactions between the characters come across as believable and holistically designed.
‘Chicago P.D.’ is no stranger to heartbreak
Any fan of a Dick Wolf production knows that heartbreak is part of the equation. The drama of the police force often plays out on screen by creating sympathetic victims so that viewers are invested in the outcomes.
In addition, the officers themselves often encounter deadly situations as they face off with dangerous perpetrators including serial killers. Put simply, fans know going in that they’re going to lose some of their favorite characters.
This doesn’t mean that fans give the show a pass on all that heartache. When long-time force member Alvin Olinsky was stabbed to death by a prison inmate, for example, fans reeled. It’s been years since the incident, and fans are still talking about it.
They express a real loss of balance that Olinsky brought to the force and a sense of mourning over not only Olinsky’s on-screen portrayal but social media presence as well.
Fans cannot get over Nadia’s death
There’s another death on Chicago P.D. that’s haunting fans. Nadia had a troubled past but was working hard to overcome her demons. She was formerly a prostitute but had worked hard to restart her life and was working as an administrative assistant on the force.
When she was kidnapped, raped, and then murdered by serial killer Dr. Greg Yates, fans were shocked, reported Screen Rant. Nadia’s story seemed to be one of redemption and hope, and seeing it dashed in such a violent and painful way was a wake-up call to viewers.
Chicago P.D. is not an after school special designed to provide feel-good moments. The grittiness of the plot lines extends all the way to their conclusions, and fans aren’t always going to get the outcomes they want.
Even though Nadia’s death was avenged — with the help of Olivia Benson from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — the sting of losing a character who held so much promise lingers.
