Chicago PD season 5 finale: Breaking down the shocking exit
When the promos for this episode were first released, it seemed as though Al was heading to the hospital and could presumably be okay on the other side of the prison attack. Unfortunately, a few minutes into this episode it was clear that this was not going to be the case. Olinsky died and with that, Koteas is officially leaving the show after more than a hundred episodes.
Over the course of the series’ run, Koteas played this character with strength, contemplation, and grit in the way a veteran character actor of his capacity would. He embraced being a part of the ensemble and while he was never one to put himself out there and command attention away from the show, he never needed to. For the most part, the work that Elias brought to the show ultimately speaks for itself. He made Olinsky into the sort of character and loyal member of Intelligence you will remember for quite some time.
The saddest thing about Olinsky’s death by and large is simply the way in which it happened. Olinsky went out because of what he chose to do for Voight — he was willing to cover for him, at least so far, in the Bingham investigation. This is some of Hank’s own crimes coming home to roost. He may have been able to wipe his conscience clear over what he did to Bingham and other criminals over the years, but his actions have directly led now to the loss of someone he considered to be one of his best friends. This is going to be an extremely difficult pill for him to swallow and one that he may struggle with for quite some time.
We’re going to miss Olinsky and we would say that, as of right now, this is the biggest shocker to hit One Chicago as a franchise in many years.
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What do you think about losing Olinsky at this point, and are you going to miss Elias Koteas on Chicago PD? Be sure to share right now in the comments!
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