For an actor, being a main character in a long -standing network television program is, if nothing else, an incredibly lucrative situation. These series tend to pay very well, which is a boon for serious actors who would like to have the freedom to play a role in independent films (or perhaps work in the theater) without having to worry about their finances. Those who are fortunate to be launched in such a spectacle can feel a huge feeling of security – although they are always aware that if the series will continue, it may not necessarily need to continue their character.
Advertisement
Writing in a successful show can be a difficult turn of events for an actor, especially if they are an arrival (as Eric Millegan was when his character Zack Addy was killed on “bones”). And this is a decision that producers and writers do not take lightly because they are well aware of how a sudden departure can be potentially devastating for an artist. Obviously, this is a different question if an actor asks out of the show or if it becomes so disruptive for the production that he simply needs to go (Like John Amos on “Good Times”), but when it comes to keeping the spectacle fresh and radically convincing, it is generally managed with care.
Let us take, for example, the death of the detective of Elias Koteas Alvin Olinsky on “Chicago PD” of NBC, Olinsky had been an important character in the program since the pilot of the series, but when the creatives of the show wrote Olinsky in a narrow place during season 5, a difficult decision had to be made. How did it go behind the scenes?
Advertisement
Chicago Pd wrote Alvin Olinsky in a dark corner from which he could not go out
In a 2018 interview with tvlineThe showrunner Rick Eid revealed that Killing Olinsky was a creative choice that “evolved organically”. While fans of “Chicago PD” know this, Olinsky died after being stabbed in prison, where he was waiting for his trial for murdering the guy who killed the son of the Jason Beghe Sergeant Hank Voight. However, Koteas was a member so appreciated by the distribution that the writers of the series tried to imagine scenarios where his character could possibly pass.
Advertisement
“I think everything was on the table,” The EID told Entertainment Weekly In an interview separated in 2018. “We went through almost all the iteration we could think of, and we all continued to come back to this idea as a really powerful idea. This is ultimately that everything happened.” Once the creators of the series are committed to this narrative direction, all they could hope for is that Koteas would agree that it is the absolute end of his time on “Chicago PD”
According to Eid, everything went well. As he said to TVLine:
“From the point of view of companies, however, it was an extremely difficult decision. Elias is a great actor and a good person. He was also an important part of the show from the very beginning. So, this part of the process was really difficult. But Elias managed the news as a real professional and remained engaged in the show and his character to the final.
Advertisement
The cast, the crew and the fans of “Chicago PD” may have missed Koteas at the start, but they clearly recover. The series is currently concluding its 12th season and should be renewed for season 13. As for Koteas, an exceptionally talented actor who has given unforgettable performances in films like “Exotica”, “The Aggrest” and The “crash” by David Cronenberg ,,,, To be started to appear in small original independent films. Olinsky’s death seems to have worked well for all those involved.
