‘Chicago P.D.’: Why Halstead Joined the Army Instead of Being Killed Off the Series
As the second show in NBC’s Chicago franchise, Chicago P.D. was the initial test of whether the network’s attempt at creating an interconnected set of series would work. And more than a decade later, it’s safe to say the mission was accomplished. But Chicago P.D. fans now must contend with the exit of one of the show’s most beloved actors: Jesse Lee Soffer.
Jesse Lee Soffer played Jay Halstead on ‘Chicago P.D.’
Like many other long-running procedural shows, Chicago P.D. has seen its ensemble cast ebb and flow over the years. But several actors have remained in place from the very first season. With Soffer’s exit, only Jason Beghe, Patrick John Flueger, Marina Squerciati, and LaRoyce Hawkins are among the original cast members still remaining on the series since its 2014 launch.
Halstead has changed dramatically over the course of Soffer’s time on the show. The character has been the partner of Detective Lindsay (Sophia Bush). He married Detective Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) in season 9, and early on in season 10, Halstead made another dramatic life change that puts the future of his marriage into question. He quit the Intelligence Unit and returned to the U.S. Army.
‘Chicago P.D.’ purposefully chose not to kill Halstead off the show
Given the dangerous nature of the characters’ jobs, it would have been all too easy for Halstead to have been killed in action if the writers wanted to eject him from the show in a hurry. However, as showrunner Gwen Sigan told NBC Insider, there’s a very specific reason why Halstead returned to the Army instead of facing a much darker fate.
“We all really wanted to do justice for Halstead’s character as best we could … We really wanted to make that decision to leave his own decision. For it to come from him. It felt important to keep him alive and keep him out in the world trying to do good … The Army’s always been integral to who he is. I think that time with the rangers shaped him … and it was fitting that he’d want to get back to that; to some sort of simplicity and an idea of ‘right and wrong.’”
Of course, that approach also leaves the door open for Soffer to return to the show at some point if the writers chose to bring Halstead back. There’s no telling how long his exit will last or which route the character’s story will take from here.
What else has Jesse Lee Soffer worked on?
Although Soffer’s exit from Chicago P.D. might be rough for longtime fans, the actor has appeared in a variety of films and TV shows over his career. And his absence as Halstead could be the chance fans need to catch up with some of his other projects.
Of course, the most obvious place to start is with the other Chicago shows. Soffer has brought Halstead along to 18 episodes of Chicago Fire and 28 episodes of Chicago Med over the years. So Chicago P.D. fans who don’t follow all three can find more Halstead there. And then there’s Soffer’s role as Bobby Brady in 1995’s The Brady Bunch Movie and its 1996 sequel.
Chicago P.D. Season 9 airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on NBC.
