AlthoughLaw & Order’s explanation for why Kate Dixon (Camryn Manheim) had left the homicide unit was disappointing, it’s possible that it’s setting up a dark twist. Dixon has been the head of the homicide division for the past three years, and some of thebest episodes ofLaw & Orderhave revolved around cases that have a personal stake for her. However,Manheim is not part of the team in season 24, and thus she had to be written out in the season premiere.
Manheim announced shewould not be returning toLaw & Orderafter the season 23 finale, and her final episode did not include an exit story. Thus, the other characters had to explain what had happened to her through dialogue. This meant that her exit would be unsatisfying to some degree since it would not play out on-screen. However, the explanation provided during the episode did not make sense unless there is more to this exit story than what the audience has been toldso far.
How Law & Order Explained Kate Dixon’s Absence
She Was MIA For Half Of The Episode
The detectives were unaware that Dixon had left the homicide unit at the beginning of the episode. When Jessica Brady (Maura Tierney) arrived at the crime scene they were investigating, she informed Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Riley (Reid Scott) that she was their new boss and claimed that she had no information about where Dixon was. Dixon’s phone went to voicemail when the detectives called her,and nobody seemed to know what had happened to her.
Law & Order Season 24 New Cast & Returning Character Guide
Law & Order Season 24 has several familiar faces, although there is also one significant new character joining the series for the first time.
Dixon’s disappearance meant the detectives had to spend time searching for her instead of focusing solely on the murder of a Brooklyn district attorney. However, Shaw eventually received a text from Dixon saying that her son had gotten a job at a school in Florida and that she had relocated to be with him. This revelation felt like a let-down after the build-up about where Dixon had disappeared to; however,it may not be the full story of why she is no longer part of the homicide unit.
Dixon’s Law & Order Season 24 Absence Creates A New Mystery
Nobody Has Spoken To Her, Throwing The Text’s Legitimacy Into Doubt
It didn’t fully make sense that DIxon would take off for Florida without telling anyone. When Stabler did the same thing after one ofChristopher Meloni’s best episodes ofLaw & Order: SVU,it was understandable because he’d just been through an extremely traumatic experience. However,Dixon hadn’t experienced anything out of the ordinary in her final episode that would trigger this type of response. Furthermore, it didn’t add up that she would leave for Florida with her son when they weren’t getting along.
Dixon and her son had argued inLaw & Orderseason 23, episode 12 after Dixon failed to look the other way when the father of a Deaf child killed someone.
It’s possible that Dixon moved because it was her only chance to repair things with her son, but that still doesn’t explain why she would take off without saying goodbye to her colleagues, especially Riley. Riley and Dixon were so close that he almost lost his career over punching a cop to protect her, so it’s unlikely she would run away without telling him. Furthermore, if Dixon really left to be with her son, there would be no reason forLaw & Orderto build up a mystery. Instead, the writers could have put that explanation into dialogue the first time Shaw asked where Dixon was.
It’s suspicious that no one has spoken with Dixon and the only communication Shaw and Riley received was a text message. Additionally, Shaw was the one who received the text when Riley was closer with Dixon. This could be a coincidence, but if foul play were involved,the perpetrator would contact Shaw rather than Riley to make it less likely that anyone picked up on discrepancies in the text suggesting it did not come from Dixon.
Law & Order Season 24’s MIA Story Could Redeem Dixon’s Disappointing Exit
Dixon’s Kidnapping Or Murder Would Make More Sense Than This Explanation
Dixon’s exit story was as disrespectful to the character as it was disappointing.The explanation didn’t make sense and felt anticlimactic after the build-up to the reveal of where Dixon had gone, and it disregarded her relationship with Riley. The explanation Shaw received in text was so ridiculous and out of character for Dixon that it felt as if the writers had painted themselves into a corner and had to quickly make up a reason for Dixon’s absence.
However,Law & Orderset up a perfect mystery by having Dixon remain MIA and only contact Shaw once through text. If it follows through with an investigation into whether Dixon really sent that text,it could be a compelling story that would justify the lackluster exit story.Even if Dixon were not to appear on screen again, it would be satisfying for the cops who cared about her to keep pushing for answers until they find out the truth about her disappearance.
Law & Order
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Law & Order is a procedural crime drama series that premiered in 1990, featuring New York City police detectives and prosecutors as they investigate and prosecute serious crimes. The show is known for its two-part approach, dividing between the crime-solving efforts of the detectives and the legal proceedings in court.
