NBC has a good thing going with its Chicago franchise, even despite the setback that was the recent cancellation of Chicago Justice. As it happens, however, Justice getting the axe isn't the only shakeup on a Chicago show that could result in a great many changes. Sophia Bush will be leaving behind her role as Erin Lindsay on Chicago P.D. behind after four years. She will not be back for Season 5.
While the news will undoubtedly be disappointing to fans who were counting on Lindsay having an arc in Season 5, we can at least take comfort in the fact that her departure was set up in the Season 4 finale. The episode's cliffhanger featured Lindsay alone on a bridge, ignoring a call from Jay and contemplating accepting an FBI job that would take her to New York. Deadline reports that Sophia Bush may return for a guest arc in Season 5 to bring Lindsay's story to a natural end on Chicago P.D. The show almost certainly won't kill Lindsay off just because Bush won't be back.
Sophia Bush is evidently leaving Chicago P.D. because she was ready to move on, not because she was fired or written off due to a lack of material for her character. If she and the folks behind the scenes at Chicago P.D. part on good terms, there's always the chance that she could return to P.D. or one of the other shows in the same universe.
If Lindsay ever returns to Chicago for a visit, she could drop by P.D., Fire, or Med. Who knows? If she does relocate to New York as the finale indicated, maybe she could turn up on Law & Order: SVU. The Chicago shows share a universe with SVU, and Bush has appeared on SVU in the past. In fact, she has appeared in a total of 22 episodes of the other three Chicago shows and SVU.
A big question now is how Chicago P.D. will go about compensating for the departure of Erin Lindsay. The show could bring in another leading lady to step into Lindsay's shoes, or it could simply increase the focus on the remaining characters of its existing cast. Given that the majority of the cast is male, I wouldn't be surprised if another woman is introduced in Season 5, even if she doesn't become quite as major a player as Lindsay.
We don't yet know why Sophia Bush made the decision to leave Chicago P.D., and she doesn't seem to have another TV gig lined up just yet. She has been active with various charities, so perhaps she's simply taking a break to focus on other pursuits. We'll have to wait and see.
Chicago P.D. will return to NBC on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET this fall. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest in TV news, and don't forget to check out our summer TV premiere schedule to discover all your viewing options now and in the coming weeks. Be sure to drop by our rundowns for cable/streaming and broadcast TV renewals and cancellations as well.
