The network was less certain of Howard's character. She is promoted to Sergeant, but she becomes less prominent over the course of the show. "I know Tom went to NBC every year, fighting for Howard to stay in the unit," says Leo, but her character never returned after the fifth season. The way this was handled clearly still frustrates her. "They didn't know what to do with me. But I thank Tom Fontana for fighting to keep Kay on the show."
