As a long-time fan of Dick Wolf shows, I can’t help but feel a sense of disappointment whenever a beloved character departs from the screen. The exit of Camryn Manheim’s Kate Dixon from Law & Order is just another example of how these shows struggle to give proper farewells to their characters.
Leaving “Law & Order” by Camryn Manheim underscores yet again the difficulties these Dick Wolf productions encounter when handling character departures gracefully!
Caution: This article contains SPOILERS for the Law & Order Season 24 premiere.
Fans accustomed to character departures on “Law & Order” were eager to see how the new season would address Kate Dixon’s exit, given that Camryn Manheim’s character had been a mainstay since the show’s 2022 revival. The way her character’s departure was handled could have made a significant impact on viewers.
The show began by showing Shaw and Riley examining the case of a slain prosecutor. They were taken aback when Lieutenant Jessica Brady (played by Maura Tierney) appeared, introducing herself as their new superior. When they inquired about Dixon’s whereabouts, she merely stated, “I’m not aware.
The situation felt unusual as the detectives delved into the case. It wasn’t until halfway through the investigation that Riley received a text from Dixon, informing her that her son Patrick had secured an excellent job at a school in Miami, and she was planning to move with him. She seemed reluctant to draw attention to this development by expressing regret about missing the usual farewell gathering for a retiring police officer.
It felt underwhelming to see Dixon’s departure portrayed like that, particularly when compared to the grand send-off Sam Waterston’s Jack McCoy received last season. Regrettably, this appears to be a recurring trend in both Law & Order and other Dick Wolf productions, as they often fail to provide departing characters with a fitting goodbye.
Why do so many Dick Wolf shows give characters weak exits?
In the previous season of “Law & Order,” it started by unexpectedly writing off Frank Cosgrove (Jeffrey Donovan), who was mentioned to have gotten into trouble somehow without providing much detail about whether he left voluntarily or was let go. Sometimes, characters from “Law & Order” and its spinoffs receive grand departures, but others are merely given a brief explanation before being written out of the show.
The FBI series, as illustrated by their shows, also encounter similar issues. Occasionally, characters like Jamie Kellett from FBI: International (played by Heida Reed) bid a heartfelt goodbye on screen. However, the issue of character departures is not exclusive to just one franchise. For instance, characters such as Ortiz, Crosby, and Gaines were written off in less than satisfactory ways in FBI: Most Wanted. Gaines’ exit was particularly questionable, implying an off-screen affair with team leader Remy, followed by her sudden departure.
The shows set in Chicago are generally strong with well-crafted character exits, but they occasionally falter. One instance where this was particularly noticeable was Lisseth Chavez’s departure from Chicago PD. Not only was her character Vanessa Rojas written out of the show, but it seemed as though the other characters had forgotten she ever existed afterwards.
Occasionally, the issue lies in the timing because the actor might not be available or willing for a farewell scene. This can sometimes appear as a flaw in Dick Wolf shows, particularly when they abruptly write off a character, even one who has been around for several seasons, in a manner that seems too casual.
Dixon appears more appealing among the characters since she’s begun anew in a different city with her son, but it would have been preferable for her to formally announce her departure, allowing for a proper goodbye gathering. It feels disrespectful, not only to the characters and actors, but also to the audience, to hastily overlook their departure and swiftly transition to new events.
It appears that there’s an unusual pattern in the way Dick Wolf’s series handle character departures. The latest example, Dixon, unfortunately joins a list of characters who have had less than satisfying exits.
Law & Order Season 24 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on NBC.
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2024-10-05 14:23