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Jesse Lee Soffer directs LaRoyce Hawkins' Chicago P.D. exit episode "Don't Blink"

Former Chicago P.D. star Jesse Lee Soffer directed "Don't Blink," the Season 14 episode in which LaRoyce Hawkins' Kevin Atwater leaves the series. Showrunner Gwen Sigan says the exit was written to be positive and organic to the character.

2 outlets · 0L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Collider
Image: Deadline

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The story, neutrally told

Centre · 2LaRoyce Hawkins made his final appearance as series regular Kevin Atwater on NBC's Chicago P.D. in the Season 14 episode "Don't Blink." Centre · 2The episode was directed by Jesse Lee Soffer, an original cast member who played Jay Halstead; Collider says it is his fourth time directing the series. Centre · 1Collider lists Soffer's earlier episodes as Season 10's "Deadlocked," Season 11's "Inventory" and Season 13's "Open Wounds."

Centre · 1The official synopsis reads: "A significant turning point in Atwater's life prompts him to make a decision about his future." Centre · 1According to Deadline's recap, Atwater learns that Tasha Fox (Karen Obilom) is in labor, and viewers meet their baby son, Malcolm. Atwater is shot on duty but saved by a bulletproof vest, and the case leads him to tell Voight (Jason Beghe) he is considering a career change. Centre · 1Atwater says goodbye to his colleagues with a toast and says he and Tasha will look for a new home. He and Voight discuss him becoming a teacher at the Academy, and Voight mentions openings in the Atlanta office. Deadline says the story is left open for a possible return.

Centre · 2Showrunner Gwen Sigan said the writers wanted the exit to feel like Atwater's own choice and "organic," and positive for the character. She praised Hawkins' performance, said "Jesse directed it and killed it," and said it was nice that Hawkins and Soffer got to work together. Centre · 1Collider ties the episode to Soffer's own departure, which it calls unpopular, and to his return as Halstead in the One Chicago crossover "Reckoning," where Halstead reunited with Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos). It says an onscreen Halstead return is unlikely, since Soffer has been cast as the lead in CBS's in-development Strike Force. Centre · 2The two outlets differ on some details. Collider dates the Halstead crossover to 2026, while Deadline calls it "last year's major crossover event." Deadline also refers to the episode as coming at the end of the "Season 14 premiere," which is how it is described in the text.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Both entertainment outlets treat the exit as a warm send-off. Collider leads on Soffer's return as director and the franchise history. Deadline leads on a spoiler recap of Atwater's exit.
Emphasis
Showrunner Gwen Sigan's quotes about a positive, organic send-off; Soffer's directing record and link to the crossover (Collider); plot details and a possible return (Deadline).
Leaves out or plays down
Collider does not describe how the episode plays out beyond the synopsis. Deadline does not give Soffer's directing history or his other projects.
Charged language
“end of an era”“ride off into the sunset”“graceful exits”
For example
“Atwater looks to be making one of its more graceful exits” — Collider
“It's the end of an era as LaRoyce Hawkins makes his final appearance” — Deadline

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

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