‘Alert: Missing Persons Unit’: Nikki’s Kidnapping Has Shocking, Tragic Ending
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The below contains MAJOR spoilers for Alert: Missing Persons Unit Season 3 Episode 2 “Badge #41870.”]
Alert: Missing Persons Unit just delivered its most shocking episode yet. Ahead of the season, the trailer revealed that Nikki (Dania Ramirez) would be kidnapped, and that moment comes at the beginning of the second episode, “Badge #41870.”
The episode also introduces Chief Inspector Bill Houston (recurring guest star Malcolm-Jamal Warner), who wasn’t a fan of the way Jason (Scott Caan) did things in the past; he says that they’re going to start over because he’s learned to take the good with the bad. There are more pressing concerns: He’s looking for Nikki because someone she arrested for felony assault, Raina (Sharon Taylor), is out on early parole. Nikki’s phone is going straight to voicemail, and then GPS of her car leads them to it … outside the city and completely burned. The only good news? It’s empty and there are no bodies inside. Houston orders an alert to be issued for Nikki.
After opening the episode with Raina initially attacking and taking Nikki, the next time she’s seen is in the criminal’s trunk; her attempt to alert an officer, however, gets him shot (but not killed) by Raina. When that call comes in, the team knows that Nikki broke the taillight to get someone’s attention.
“No detective should have to investigate the disappearance of his own wife,” Houston offers to Mike (Ryan Broussard). It’s too close to home, he says, but Mike insists on staying on: “It is home. Nikki is my home.” But as he admits to Jason, all he can think about is all the things that Raina could be doing to Nikki. At her last known location, camera footage shows Nikki’s abduction. Kemi (Adeola Role) assures Mike, “She’s not dead. … Some things you know, and some things you feel.” She encourages him to have faith.
Katie Yu / FOX
Jason and Mike track down Raina, but she’s not talking. Helen’s (Diana Bang) only lead doesn’t get them anywhere; only one of Nikki’s keys was in the car, suggesting she left it on purpose, but Mike’s never seen it before. He says if he goes back in with Raina, he’ll kill her, so Jason takes point — and gets her to talk by threatening to put her girlfriend back in prison on parole violations and other crimes. “It was just a job,” she admits. A lawyer got her paroled early (and cash and passports), in exchange for her kidnapping Nikki and dropping her off. When she describes a tattoo on the man responsible, Jason realizes it’s Irish mob boss Charlie McGannon (Ian Tracey). Kemi confirms that the lawyer who visited Raina defended Charlie in the past. But why would Charlie grab Nikki, Houston asks, and the team alerts him to their history.
The chief inspector then finds out where Charlie has lunch and confronts him. “Where is she?” Houston demands, and Charlie plays dumb. “You know what the most successful symbiotic relationship in the natural world is? It’s the relationship between ocean coral and saltwater algae,” the mob boss says. “You got a partnership so prosperous, it built the Great Barrier Reef.” Houston likens it to how both Nikki and Charlie benefited from each other over the years. Nikki set a meeting with an FBI agent next week, and Houston knows someone tipped Charlie off to that. If Nikki delivered what she said she would, an arrest warrant was going to be issued for Charlie, so he couldn’t let her make it. Houston reminds Charlie that Nikki saved his daughter.
Houston returns to Mike and Kemi and shares that he called a friend whose agency has an unwarranted tracking device on Charlie’s vehicle. He has the coordinates of where it’s been all day, including one spot for an hour. Jason and Mike head to that location, where the former finds a body. Emotional himself (Nikki is his ex-wife), Jason tries to keep Mike back, then hugs him and tells him to stay there. Jason holds him as he cries. Nikki’s dead?!
Nikki was shot in the head, and the coroner tells Jason and Houston, “For what it’s worth, it was quick.” Jason tries to get Mike to leave the scene, but Mike tells him he needs to be alone and walks off. “It’s a bad idea,” Jason tells him. Houston knows that Mike “is in for the longest, darkest night of his life.” He also checks if Jason’s okay. “Point me in the direction of okay,” Jason says.
Back at HQ, Kemi, crying, shares memories of Nikki with Helen, who thought she’d have more time with her. “You would’ve had a friend for life. That’s Nikki,” Kemi says. Then she notices the key and, after checking the video footage, realizes it’s for a mailbox. There, Jason finds all the evidence she had on Charlie. Inside is a letter: “If you’re reading this, I’m already dead. You’ve found the contents of my secret mailbox. I’ve been adding to this mailbox for years. Call it my insurance policy. I’m going to give Kemi the key for safe keeping. Let me tell you what you have in your hands.” She’s had it for eight years. Jason calls the team, but no one knows where Mike is. When Kemi tracks his car, he’s heading for Charlie’s house. Houston warns Jason that he can cover for them, but only to a point, and not if Mike kills Charlie.
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Mike crashes his car into Charlie’s then drags him out of the car. He puts his badge in Charlie’s pocket then tosses him in his car. He brings him out into the woods and forces Charlie to get on his knees. “Did you say goodbye to her, Charlie?” Mike asks. “Did you say goodbye to my wife before she died? See, Nikki knew what you did to your accountant and the man who took your daughter. She told you a long time ago, no bodies. Murder was always her line, and you crossed it. See, some people, they’re just born broken, and you’re one of them. … Nikki knew it was a risk, taking that meeting with the FBI, after all these years, she knew she had to do the right thing, even if it cost her.”
“It cost her? It cost me!” Charlie protests. “Round and round we go in the circle game. I was just taking care of business, looking after my interests.” Mike aims his gun at Charlie: “If you see Nikki on the other side, tell her Mike sent you.” Then Jason pulls up and asks what he’s doing. “A bullet ain’t going to fix this,” he insists. “It’s not [a start]. He doesn’t deserve that. He’s a cop killer. He’s going to spend the rest of his life in prison. Let the law deal with him.” Mike refuses: “I’m done with the law. He’s just going to get away with it like he always does.” Jason promises he won’t get away with it this time and fills Mike in on everything Nikki kept over the years on Charlie. “He’s done. I promise you. Let Nikki have this win.” Mike lowers his gun and tells Charlie he’s going to tell his daughter what he did before walking away.
With Charlie in custody, Houston checks with Jason on how Mike’s doing. “He’s standing up. Nobody else died today. That’s the best I can do for you,” Jason says. Houston assures him he’ll get Nikki’s evidence in the right hand.
Back at HQ, Jason reads the rest of Nikki’s letter to Kemi and Helen (and Mike, sitting away from the others, crying): “To my MPU team, you were my family. Go out there every day, every single day, and save people, save as many as you can. To both my husbands, Mike and Jason, take care of each other, Sidney needs you, and you need each other. I’ll be watching over you somewhere close by. Con todo mi amor, goodbye.”
And then Nikki gets a heartfelt sendoff both for just her MPU family, as Kemi lights a candle and speaks about her faith (“growing up, we were told that death isn’t the end of a life, that it marks a passage from one realm of existence to the next”) and as an officer (with a plaque hanging at MPU).
Did you see that shocking death coming Let us know in the comments section below.
Alert: Missing Persons Unit, Tuesdays, 9/8c, Fox
Conversation124 Comments
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Comments are closed on this story.
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C
I don't think this should have happened. You didn't have to have her die.
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Agreed.
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O
I want to know why she died. Did she want out of her contract?
54
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Did not see that coming. She was the glue that held the show together.
41 1
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The show is obviously over.
28 2
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O
She was terrible and her lines were terrible. The show will be better now.
8 4
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I think the guys will be ok. We know Scott does well with the buddy cop scenario.
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April fools???? Never saw her face the entire episode...weird. cant be true
38 1
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Yes and looked like someone else with a wig but maybe her contract ran out and this is what they did to write her out.
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Also if you look up her works on IMDb it does not list this episode or any upcoming episodes
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It didnt look like her. Youre rite someone in a wig
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I can't imagine her contract would have her in the 1st episode of the new season. I'm guessing she wanted out, off the show.
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And guess what, I read carefully Nikki dead? They didn't take DNA for concrete proof. It doesn't say anywhere that she was leaving the show. They better act right.
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A husband, ex-husband, and coroner all looked at the body, so assuming her face was still intact (although she was shot in the head) they shouldn't have had trouble IDing her. I doubt they would feel the need for a DNA test.
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They never showed Mike or Jason looking at the body.
2 1
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B
I think it's assumed that they would have IDed the body. They just didn't show it, perhaps because of some sort of contract issue with the actress.
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G
You could be right. Didn’t think of that but that would stink! 😢
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Agreed!
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I've been trying to find out why she left. Nothing
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Never showed her clearly the entire episode
28
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Is she undercover somewhere? Was it really her body?😩
27 1
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T
Right because they gotta be kidding me.
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C
That’s what I’m thinking too. They never showed her face when she was getting into the car.
21 1
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O
She played the bad chick's girlfriend. Look closely when they have her in custody and use her to threaten the bad chick. I swear it's her.
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Hoping this is a twist and she really isn’t dead. 😢
24 1
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I have a feeling she may be in witness protection or something because I’m sure Charlie would have his mob friends after her. She is the main character. Kill her off and you kill the show.
29 1
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You may be right about witness protection, but one or both of the husbands would have had to be in on it and hardly anyone else at the precinct - maybe the coroner. They certainly all acted like she was dead.
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I have this weird feeling it’s possible Jason is in on it with her. He just didn’t seem emotional enough and even though they aren’t married anymore I think he still loves her and is fiercely protective of her still.Gonna give it a few more episodes and see what happens. Hope they don’t wait too long though if she’s coming back or ratings are gonna drop big time!
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I don't think she is, don't they DNA test everybody? They never gave us a last look. I sure hope she stays.
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I don't think she would fake her death because of the trauma it would cause her daughter, especially since the daughter already lost her brother. She wasn't in this show, the person tgat was abducted was a body double. She must have wanted out.
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T
Noooooo I didn’t see this coming and I am shocked and pissed.
23
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Disappointed 😞
12
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She's going to be missed can't believe they killed her off.
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Why did you kill off Nikki?
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Show must be ending.
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C
What in the actual fuck??
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the worst caracter of the show, terrible actress! the way she handle the victims, calling people baby all the time, so not a police posture! good ridance!
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Searched the Internet and couldn't find anything on why Nikki was killed off.
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I truly believe it’s because she’s not really dead. See my other responses. So hoping my guesses are right or at least close and she’s not dead. 😢
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Me neither. Cant be true. Something is up...i hope
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Bad decision to kill off Nikki. I liked her on Missing Victims…Don’t think Malcolm Jamal Warner will fill her shoes, Bad decision.
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Love him! But don’t think they are replacing Dania with MJW. This episode was odd…
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B
Honestly I think all the other actors are much better than her. I found her a bit off-putting. It was sad to see her get killed but I might like the show more. Wondering about the decision to kill off her character. Hard to believe she would want to leave the show.
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Well you just lost this viewer. The show was great til it wasn't. Deuces ✌🏻
5 1
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I hated that they killed her off
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I can’t believe they killed her off. In hindsight I can tell they didn’t even get her to film this episode. Was there some behind the scenes drama or new showrunners? There’s gotta be a reason for this soft reboot
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O
She is undercover to help the FBI with organized crime. Had to make it look good. Thus the husband couldn’t know.
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G
she's probably hiding out untill everything settles down,
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I probably won't watch anymore. I loved her in this role. Didn't see it coming at all.
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It’s literally the 2nd episode in the season!!!! I like her and hope this isn’t true… somehow! I don’t know where the show would go from here??? If she’s really off, they need to replace her main character…SO BUMMED!!
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I guess she left the show…I guess this is the last season…it’s not going to survive without the female main character!
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G
I don’t think she’s dead. I’m betting under cover to take rest of mob down. And she can’t tell her team. So they all believe she’s dead. I’m almost thinking Jason knows. He just didn’t seem upset enough.
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I would have thought that but if you look her up on IMDb it does not list this show nor any upcoming episodes under her works…only time will tell I suppose.
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This episode isn't listed on any of the actors episode lists for some reason. But you're right that she's not on next episode and others are. She could pop back up a few episodes from now though - who knows.
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This decision takes care of me continuing to watch it. It was a great show...til it wasn't anymore
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I’m hoping she’s not really dead. Undercover maybe and her Team doesn’t know and neither does her husband. Maybe she had to make a deal with the FBI since she was involved in something with Charlie in the past. Something’s not right! I don’t think they could get rid of her. It would tank the series. .
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Exactly what I’m thinking too.
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She would never fake her death and put her daughter through that. I'm guessing something happened and now she is gone.
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I checked the credits for the last episode and she was not on it so I think she must’ve left contract or something else. I am really sad to see her go. I really liked her a lot and I like the program.
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Can’t believe they kill her off. I am wondering why did she not want to do the show anymore. Anyway it’s still sad
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I don't like her dieing I like her bring her back
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Apparently, the ratings from the premiere in Season 1 which were very high, have been trending downwards since then. It’s not good since this is a very good and entertaining show. Doing this sort of main character death this early in a season isn’t that uncommon anymore, it is a surprise when it happens. They’ll usually do it when an actor or actress requests to leave a show early or they want to a big shakeup though they didn’t really wrap up Nikki’s arc fully. The first 2 episodes were being hyped up as big happening, so maybe it isn’t so surprising. I hope a Season 4 happens, though if the ratings don’t rise upwards significantly, I doubt it happens. This main character death might turn some viewers away
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I sure hope she's not dead! But I didn't see this coming so close to saving his daughter!
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They never showed her face.
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G
No, I did NOT see this coming. I thought maybe they would save her. I’m shocked. I need to understand why this happened. I had tears in my eyes. I even looked back at the credits at the beginning and saw that her name was not shown. It was the second name after Scott Caan. I really liked her character.
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G
ugh, that’s not a good sign if her name isn’t in the credits. Well, crap.
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no, I absolutely did not see it coming and I was really shocked and saddened
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G
I really believe she’s not dead. Never showed her face. Mike never went over to see her body. Jason stopped him. They didn’t show us her body/face. My thought is that she had to either go under cover to take down the rest of the mob or in witness protection. Charlie thinks she is dead because he had someone else kill her, or maybe he is actually helping her take down the mob and made a deal with the FBI. Maybe he wants out of the mob. She can’t tell her Team because they have to truly believe she is dead. So many directions this could go. The series would tank without her.
1
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O
I would love for this to be a fake out but I think we didn’t see her face because they likely didn’t have Dania there to film the episode
8
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So everyone at the crime scene was pretending it was her while her cop husband was grieving?
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They didn't show her face because Dania Ramirez, Nikki's portrayer, had already left the show (note the absence of her name in the credits).
23 1
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It's a cliffhanger and Nikki is alive
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They did an autopsy, bullet back of head, it was a fast death! Do you really think in real life they wouldn’t know whose body it was?
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I thought the same until I read she did no pre-publicity for the new season nor did she mention the show on social media like she used to. I guess time will tell.
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Charlie did say he wanted out after his daughter being kidnapped.
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If you look at season 3 promo picture she’s not in it anymore. Guess we could have figured it out.
1
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They didn't need to kill her off. I do watch for "the husbands". I love their squabbling relationship
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O
I would like to know why she left the show
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I'm not watching this anymore, Nikki was the reason I watched in the first place, what a disappointment 😔
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C
I am so traumatized 😫 I did not see this coming at all. I thought they would find her alive and well. This was such a tragic episode. I cried through the rest of the show. This was such a sad episode 😢 I will miss seeing her on the show
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So upset didn’t expect that, why did they do this is the show cancelled?
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Why she was kill out of the show
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Agree
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I think that is possible
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I agree
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O
Like everyone else, I was sure they would rescue her....WOW, Nikki is going to be missed...this is going to be a real adjustment. I will continue watching Alert...it is sooo good 👍
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R
I didn't see this coming at all and I am upset. I really liked Nikki's character. TV executives, directors, writers, they all sux.
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P
I’m glad she’s out. She did her show and then she’s not getting up early like she owned the whole place. I didn’t like her attitude. She doesn’t need to be there because she she’s always acting like she’s up and better than anyone else so find someone else
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G
She was a main character and I liked her! I hate that you had her killed off
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G
In season 1, Nikki had children. In season 2, no sign of the children. In season 3, Nikki’s is killed …. What a load of rubbish… not watching this tv show again.. 😡
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I'm so extremely upset with this show and the direction they chose to go that the several members of my household will no longer be watching this program!! I believe the show frontrunner and boss, Carla Kettner, could have made a better choice for keeping the show "fresh"! Now you just have fewer people watching... 😞
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If you notice that he saw her hand with her wedding rings, which I guess Jason recognizes and knew it was her rings. Then the corner saw her and must have recognized her when they put her in the bag since she was a captain.
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I won't be watching anymore.
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Omg 😭 I didn't see this coming 😭 why?.???
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I like the show just fine. I’ve watched it from the beginning. It’s not one that I would be upset about if cancelled but I do like it. And if the actress decided to leave that’s her choice of course. Although it makes no sense two episodes in to the new season and newly married. If she is actually dead however I will be done with the show. Especially if it was the creators choice in order to give some kind of motivation or character arc for the others on the show. Quite frankly I don’t think the show is strong enough to pull that off. I realize everything can’t always be sunshine and roses but it shouldn’t be ended this way. Sorry for the long post.
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G
I cannot believe they killed Nikki. I did NOT see that coming at ALL. I'm wondering why she left the show? I keep trying to find a reason and so far everything just says what happened in the episode.
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G
I don't think she's dead. The person getting into the van looked like she had a wig on. Since they never show her face, I say she went under cover to expose more corruption.
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C
They never showed her actual face. has anyone read if the actress was leaving the show?
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B
I am shocked!! Why did she have to die? I love this show! Keep it coming.
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R
I think it sucks. I loved her on this show.
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G
Why did they kill Nikki off? I certainly didn't see that coming at all.
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Just got a night to watch I’m very upset Nikki is dead I mean she was the show the head of the MPU!
I guess the actress got a new gig!
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C
Wow!! What a gut puncher!! She was a major character of this show. I would have kept this story line of her and the mobster going. I think it would have made it interesting. I'm thinking the show will go on but it worked better with her in it. What a miss step for the producers. Should have kept her. What a loss for the show and all staff.
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C
I am still cryingggg. I hope its all a lie! And that next episode they find her. This cannot be real.
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I figured she was leaving because on Hulu she was not pictured on the advertisement for the new season of the show. And the first episode they made too much of a deal about the Irish mobster.
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I knew she was leaving because on Hulu they did not picture her on the advertisement for the show.
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No and why
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G
To be honest , I had little respect for her character, screwing around on your husband while he is serving the country, then screwing the cop investigating his missing daughter, then divorcing him because he is upset over losing his daughter, sorry noone I want to be around!
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O
I was shocked after I saw the episode. I, too, want to know why the actress left the show. I'm so confused!
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The whole episode only showed a women with long hair. Never her face. I think Charlie helped her stage her death so she wouldn't get murdered.
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M
I hope Nikki is still alive but making it look like she died
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O
I’m upset. I hope Nikki is not dead!
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C
I to don't think she is dead either. And Jason is all so calm as well. So, I think she is still alive, and Jason knows that as well. But we'll see how things go later in the season.
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P
Well I think that maybe she needed to take time off for a while so they had to fake her death and that's probably the reason why they didn't show her face is because she wasn't there to be filmed she was already gone left the show but hopefully she will be back and maybe they could just pretend that they left her undercover so she could bring out all everything about the mob when it goes to court maybe she will show back up who knows I hate it when you get attached to someone on the show and then they just leave but life goes on
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G
I don't think she's dead,, otherwise the show is done!!
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O
Shocked that Nikki was killed in Episode 2. Nikki is/was great in her part. I hope it is not true. I will also miss her. Really like this show!
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R
I hated that they killed her off, she just got married , I just hated it.
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O
Maybe the show is ending (sort of same situation with 911 being cancelled at fox post merger/licensing etc)
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O
I didn't expect this! This is bs! Does Dana Ramirez not want to be on the show anymore? Do the showrunners not want her on the show anymore? Wth?
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G
I didn’t see it coming. I thought they would at least find her alive. I’m sad!! She was an intrical part of the show
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G
I am so disappointed, she was my favorite and a very big part of the show. BIG MISTAKE 😡
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C
Very disappointed. I loved seeing her on show. I really hope it's a farce to keep her safe for now.
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G
I didn't like this at all. I'm really upset. May not watch the rest of the show
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If She Was The Star Of The Show Why Is She Off! Is Warner Taking Her Place?
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