What are we even doing here, One Chicago?
It was hard enough to swallow the news that NBC sacrificed several quality series for an NBA deal this fall. But now, after enduring an endless carousel of cast changes across the franchise, we’re losing Toya Turner. Frankly, I’m angry and tired.
According to Deadline, Turner has exited Chicago PD ahead of its upcoming (and already unlucky) Season 13. We don’t know the reason — whether it was her decision, another opportunity, or more cost-cutting measures. Whatever the case, it’s a loss that stings more than most.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Dick Wolf’s procedurals are infamous for treating cast members like revolving doors — come in, shake things up, leave just as we’re getting attached.
The cast turnover for many of these coveted procedurals is so common it’s enough to give a person whiplash.
It’s freaking exhausting. And this one hurts.
Turner made her debut during Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 2 as Kiana Cook, and it was one of the strongest episodes of a mostly stellar season.
If you’ve been following our content, you’d know how often we lauded the character for being a genuine breath of fresh air and adding something special to the unit.
In many ways, Kiana, despite being the newest addition to Intelligence, brought the unit together, making the squad feel more united and cohesive than it had in many years.
She had layered relationships with nearly every team member.
Her rapport with Ruzek was compelling, forged in mutual respect after solving Martel’s murder together.
Her connection with Kim was one of the few authentic portrayals of female camaraderie the show has dared to explore in recent years.
And her vulnerable, emotionally nuanced bond with Torres? We were ready for more.
But now she’s gone. And we’re left wondering: What’s the point of getting invested anymore?
We’ve already had to cope with the abrupt exits of Ritter and Carver on Chicago Fire.
Those exits have been incredibly controversial and poorly received by irritated viewers who are growing sick and tired of shows doing away with their most interesting characters or sidelining them in favor of more of the same.
And now this?
It’s doubtful that Chicago PD fans will be any less irate about this exit as well — especially when the series felt like it had turned a new page and was entering a stronger era in large part because of Turner’s addition.
Worse yet, the show is already casting another female character to replace her — an ATF Task Force officer with a military background, who they describe as a “loose cannon.”
Sound familiar? It’s like they’re putting traits from Hailey, Halstead, and Kiana into a blender and hoping to spit out a new character cocktail we’ll like. This only pisses me off further.
It’s not promising. If anything, it sounds like more of the same and is a reflection of the redundant storytelling that the entire franchise keeps falling into in the first place.
And frankly, it’s tough to keep losing diversity onscreen when we crave it the most.
I haven’t shied away from expressing how exciting it was to have a Black woman like Kiana Cook onscreen and with the unit. The series did a great job of not reducing her to a collection of tropes while organically capturing culture.
We don’t just feel her loss in the story; we’ll feel it in the representation she brought to the screen.
So, yeah, I’m pissed off.
Intelligence is down a member, and my patience is wearing thin.
But enough about me. How do you feel about this casting news, Chicago PD Fanatics?
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Love Kiana Cook? We do too — and we want to keep writing about her. But apparently we can’t have nice things.
Your comment or share can help us feel like we’re not alone as we process losing another great character. That’s the magic of supporting indie media.
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