Cast shakeups are nothing new for One Chicago fans, especially those who have been watching Chicago Med from the beginning. Over the course of the show’s 11 seasons, there have been many coming and goings with beloved characters checking in and out of Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. It seems that every season there is at one big and unexpected exit from the cast, and for season 11 that departure has come attached to original star Marlyne Barrett.
Since the very beginning, Maggie has been the heart of the ED as one of the show’s constants as others have come and gone. As the ED charge nurse, Maggie is the one who keeps things running smoothly in the Emergency Department as a strong advocate for her patients. Maggie has never been afraid to hold doctors accountable for their actions and push back when she worried a patient’s needs were being overlooked, which is one of the many qualities in the character that made fans fall in love with her from the start.
As such a central figure, Maggie also has formed some truly unique relationships with the show’s various characters which allows the show to explore storylines not possible without her. Take for example the role she played in season 10 with helping Frost come to terms with his past and the critical role she played in the nurse strike storyline.
Perhaps it’s for that reason why so many fans were shocked to tune into season 11 and learn that Maggie is no longer a part of the Chicago Med cast.
What happened to Maggie on Chicago Med?
Early in the Chicago Med season 11 premiere, we learn via a quick conversation between Goodwin and Charles that Maggie has left Gaffney Chicago Medical Center. During the conversation, Charles asks if Goodwin has heard from Maggie, to which she reveals that she hasn’t heard a peep from Maggie since she left.
The conversation fails to offer up much information on the circumstances behind why Maggie has left Chicago Med, nor does it offer up any details on how long she has been gone. All we know is that she’s left the hospital and it seems she’s not exactly keeping in touch with Goodwin which is interesting given the pair’s long history and friendship.
The good news is that it seems the door is being left open for her to return as her exit was not a part of a storyline in which the show will not bring her back into the mix.
There’s a reason why Chicago Med didn’t bring Maggie back for season 11
Maggie's departure in the Chicago Med season 11 premiere felt jarring and there is a good reason for this, the storyline was written in to accommodate the unexpected departure of Marlyne Barrett. That's right, the decision to write Maggie out of the show was not one due to budget cuts or creative differences on the writers' end. Maggie's exit was a result of Barrett needing to take a step back from the show.
In August, it was revealed that Barrett would be stepping back from the show and would not return for season 11 as planned due to personal reasons. Deadline, who first reported the news, noted that the leave was being viewed as a temporary one; however, no exact return date was announced, hinting that we could see Maggie missing for a significant part of the season.
It's unknown how many episodes Marlyne Barrett will miss of Chicago Med
When news broke that Marlyne Barrett would be taking a step back from Chicago Med, it was not revealed how long the step back would last. Chicago Fire fans saw a similar situation a few years back when Taylor Kinney took a leave of absence for personal reasons. His leave resulted in Severide being absent from several episodes, but the circumstances were more unique as it was billed as a leave of absence rather than a temporary departure from the show.
In an interview with People ahead of the season 11 premiere on October 1, Chicago Med showrunner Allen MacDonald revealed that it was unclear when Barrett would return to the show.
"It is currently unclear. Marlyne approached us and said that she needed to take some personal time, and we of course love her and support her in doing that. And from a storytelling standpoint, I would love to have her back."
Given there has not been an update on when Barrett might return, it's looking likely fans might not see the character at all in the first part of the season. This would be disappointing, but at the end of the day, Barrett needs to do what is best for her and One Chicago fans are hoping that the actress is well.