Kate Dixon didn't get a satisfying exit in Law and Order season 24 premiere but we do know where she is!

Law and Order season 24's premiere, "Catch and Kill," introduced us to Lt. Jessica Brady who has taken over for Lt. Kate Dixon. However, at the top of the episode, when you expect to hear why there's been a change, it wasn't made immediately clear why Dixon was no longer lieutenant.

Brady arrived at the crime scene and was initially mistaken as a civilian by Riley and Shaw before she flashed her badge and introduced herself as their new boss. They asked what happened to Dixon, but she didn't have an answer for them because she didn't know and had no plans to speculate.

About halfway through the episode, we finally got an answer about Dixon's whereabouts. She texted Riley to let him know that she's in Miami. Her son Patrick got a great job at a school in the city. Dixon said she didn't want to make a big deal about her departure so she didn't say anything to avoid waterworks, but she did invited him and Shaw to come visit.

Riley wasn't feeling Dixon's Irish goodbye and definitely is going to bring it up to her, but he was happy to hear that nothing was wrong with her. As for the audience, well, we're pretty used to this type of write-off from Dick Wolf shows even though it is unsatisfying.

When an actor exits a series ahead of a new season, it's not a given that they'll appear in at least the premiere to wrap up their story. Often, the audience gets a few lines of dialogue explaining the character's absence and the show moves on.

Why did Camryn Manheim leave Law and Order?

While Manheim hasn't spoken publicly about the reason for her departure, our sister site One Chicago Center reports that the decision was likely due to the show's budget.

The Hollywood Reporter touched on this in their coverage of the actress' exit: "Manheim’s departure arrives as broadcast shows are under increasing pressure to lower budgets during an industry-wide era of contraction and amid declining linear viewership on broadcast."

We've seen this with so many network TV shows over the years. It's meant reduced casts and high cast turnover which has been unfortunate to watch as fans and viewers. For Dick Wolf shows this has resulted in a lot of upheaval. Manheim is the latest departure. We're in for another when FBI returns as Katherine Renee Kane is leaving the show. Her exit, however, will happen on-screen in the season 7 premiere, "Abandoned," on Tuesday, Oct. 15.

Read Camryn Manheim's farewell message below:

Stay tuned to Americans Undercover for more Law and Order franchise coverage. Follow us on X and Facebook for more content. Law and Order airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC. Next day streaming is available on Peacock.