New Details on the Upcoming Season of 'Chicago P.D.'

Sarah Halper

11/08/2017 03:19 pm EST

Chicago P.D.'s fall premiere is just weeks away.

The Dick Wolf series is coming back with some major changes. The most notable change is the loss of Sophia Bush. The actress played Det. Erin Lindsay for the first four seasons of P.D., but decided she was ready to move on. To make up for her departure, Det. Hailey Upton, played by Tracy Spiridakos, is replacing her.

There's also a big change happening behind the scenes heading into this new season. Rick Eid has stepped in as the new showrunner for Chicago P.D., replacing co-creator Matt Olmstead.

In more exciting news, former P.D. star Jon Seda is returning as a series regular in his role as Antonio Dawson. Seda originally left the series to join Chicago Justice, which was canceled after one season.

Despite the changes, Chicago P.D. fans can expect the same thrilling and mysterious cases, life-and-death situations that are common on the series.

During an interview with Yahoo, Eid spoke about the upcoming fifth season of his series.

What's Coming on This Season?

This season fans can expect the Chicago Police Department to face major reform. In the fifth season premiere, an "Independent Auditor," Lt. Denny Woods (Mykelti Williamson), will disrupt the Intelligence Unit.

Woods has been appointed the duty to make sure the unit complies with new rules and regulations. Additionally, Woods has a personal vendetta to settle with Voight (Jason Beghe). So with this power, Woods is determined to make Voight and the unit his biggest target.

The Intelligence Unit will also have to deal with the departure of Detective Erin Lindsay, who in the fourth season finale took a counterterrorism job in New York. However, the team welcomes back Dawson, who will help navigate the difficult new obstacles.

The show will also focus on real life issues taking place in Chicago, including police shootings, human trafficking and racial discord. The goal is to reflect on the complex racial, social and political issues occurring in the city.

Another Guest Star Announcement

The series is welcoming another guest star.

Wendell Pierce is set to guest star on season five as Alderman Ray Price, a sharp, charming politician. Pierce will go toe-to-toe with Voight, and is expected to bring an exciting twist.

The two will face off during the first episode of the season when a member of the Intelligence Unit comes under political fire. Pierce's character will return a few times throughout the season.

Eriq La Salle, who is best known for his iconic role as Dr. Peter Benton in ER, is coming on as an executive producer and director for season five.

Details on Jay Halstead's Background

Although fans do not know a lot about some of the detectives personal lives, Chicago P.D. will dig deeper into Jay Halstead's, played by Jesse Lee Soffer, background.

It appears some emotional baggage will be brought up from his time as an Army Ranger. In season five, he will finally confront his military past during a mission he goes undercover with a group of ex-servicemen.

An Interesting Case This Season

During one episode this season, a gay, Muslim police officer will be accused of orchestrating a major terrorist attack in Chicago.

Officer Burgess, played by Marina Squerciati, finds herself in a difficult spot because she trained the cop and wants to help prove his innocence.

However, these instincts go against her the orders of her superiors. Since she is one of the newest members to join the unit, she will be testing her limits.

Chicago P.D. premieres Wednesday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m. on NBC.

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