How Did ‘Law & Order’ Write Out Camryn Manheim’s Dixon & Introduce Maura Tierney’s Brady?

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[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for the Law & Order Season 24 premiere “Catch and Kill.”]

Since last spring, fans have wondered how Lieutenant Kate Dixon would be written out of Law & Order with Camryn Manheim‘s exit. The Season 23 finale didn’t even hint at a possible way. The Season 24 premiere finds Detectives Jalen Shaw (Mehcad Brooks) and Vincent Riley (Reid Scott) wanting that answer as well after being surprised when a new lieutenant, Jessica Brady (Maura Tierney) shows up at a crime scene.

When Shaw asks her what happened to Dixon, she doesn’t know and turns the focus to the case. Riley tells her she needs to give them more than that, but, “No, because I don’t know,” she says and again turns to the case. And while the detectives may have the crime scene covered, since she’s already there, she’s not leaving.

Brady continues to remain hands-on throughout the investigation, wanting updates and interrogating a suspect. That’s not surprising. After all, Tierney did tell TV Insider ahead of the premiere, “She likes to be part of the action. Also, she’s very good at interrogating people. I don’t know if she trusts the detectives yet to do it on their own. She’s out in the field and more active with the suspects.” We also learn that there’s a “long story” behind her not gambling after she demonstrates how good she is at picking up tells from a suspect.

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Riley butts head with Brady when she says the DA, Brooklyn DA, and mayor all want updates since a Brooklyn prosecutor was murdered, and she pulls him aside. There’s no tension, he insists, “just feels like you don’t trust us very much.” She doesn’t deny it: “I don’t. I don’t know you. I’ve never worked with you before. I can’t afford to take anything for granted with everybody breathing down my neck. Look, I know you were close to Dixon, I know it’s hard to start all over again with someone new and all that stuff, but really, that’s your problem, not mine. I don’t need you to like me. I don’t need you to agree with me. I need you to listen to me,” she says.

After no word from Dixon for a while, which Riley notes is weird, she finally sends him a text: “Patrick got a great job at a school in Miami. Mom is tagging along. Didn’t want to make a big to-do about it, tears and all that. Come visit.” Riley plans to “take that up with her later,” but he’s glad she’s okay.

What did you think of how Law & Order wrote out Dixon? What do you think of Brady so far? Let us know in the comments section below.

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