Chicago Med is no stranger to cast exits, and they’re losing yet another star in season 11 — Marlyne Barrett. Barrett has played Maggie Lockwood, Gaffney Chicago Medical Hospital’s charge nurse, since the premiere of the NBC medical drama TV series back in 2015. As such, she was one of three original Chicago Med cast members following the season 10 finale.
Sadly, that number has been reduced to two as Maggie is nowhere to be seen in the Chicago Med season 11 premiere. The good news is that S. Epatha Merkerson as Sharon Goodwin and Oliver Platt as Dr. Daniel Charles still remain in the main cast. As for Barrett, though, her Chicago Med character is missing and likely won’t return for a long time.
Where Is Maggie In Chicago Med Season 11, Episode 1
Doris Takes Over For Maggie In The ED
Unfortunately, the Chicago Med season 11 premiere, “We All Fall Down,” doesn’t truly explain Maggie’s absence. Instead, other characters, such as Goodwin and Doris, make offhand comments about how Maggie is gone. Goodwin tells Dr. Charles that she hasn’t talked to Maggie since she left. Meanwhile, Doris claims that she’s only keeping Maggie’s seat warm while she’s away in the Chicago Med episode.
It seems as though Barrett’s character left Gaffney of her own volition prior to the events of the Chicago Med season 11 premiere. As for why she chose to say goodbye, the NBC show never makes that reasoning clear during the hour. So, the audience is left to wonder why Maggie is gone, if she’s okay, and what the future holds for the nurse.
The ending of Chicago Med season 10 didn’t even tease Maggie’s departure from the show. Consequently, we can’t even go off of that last episode to theorize where the ED’s charge nurse disappeared to at the beginning of season 11. She could be taking an elongated vacation. Or she’s taking a leave of absence for personal reasons that we aren’t privy to.
For now, Doris is stepping up to the plate by assuming Maggie’s position as Gaffney’s charge nurse. Doris has also been around since the pilot, but she has been more of a background character than anything else. Maggie’s absence gives Doris the opportunity to step into the spotlight, though. That might not last for very long, though, if Maggie returns sooner than thought.
Is Marlyne Barrett Still Coming Back To Chicago Med?
The Original Chicago Med Cast Member Is Expected To Return
Similar to Maggie’s status in Chicago Med season 11, Barrett’s standing with the One Chicago universe is fuzzy. By all accounts, the actress is expected to reprise her role as Maggie at some point in the future. She should resume her duties as a series regular and return as if she was never gone. Perhaps this is why Maggie’s absence is so nonchalant.
No reports have come out about Barrett’s exit from Chicago Med in season 11 being permanent. As such, fans shouldn’t waste time worrying about if Maggie will return. As far as we know, she is coming back. However, the bigger and more pressing question is when Maggie will return. It’s wholly possible that Barrett is taking the entire season off.
Hopefully, viewers will learn more about why Maggie left as the episodes of Chicago Med season 11 continue. There has to be a better explanation rather than just that she’s gone and Goodwin hasn’t talked to her. Then, we might get a better idea of when to expect Barrett’s return to the series, including whether it’s this season or sometime further in the future.
What We Know About Maggie’s Chicago Med Future
Much Is Uncertain
Deadline was the first to report Barrett’s exit from Chicago Med ahead of season 11, as the information came from one of their sources. The source revealed that Barrett’s departure was “envisioned as a temporary leave,” and “the hope is for her to return at some point.” That statement is as nondescript as it could get, leaving many things unclear.
As mentioned above, almost everything surrounding Barrett’s exit from Chicago Med is unknown. Neither NBC nor the actress has revealed why she’s missing at the beginning of season 11 or when she’s expected to return. As a result, one can’t help but think that perhaps neither Barrett nor the network have definitive answers, which might account for the confusion stemming from the premiere.
Maybe the writers don’t want to provide a definitive reason behind Maggie’s departure in the One Chicago TV show because the timetable of her return is uncertain. They could be leaving the door open just in case Barrett resumes her role as Maggie sooner than initially thought. Still, the mystery behind Maggie’s absence in Chicago Med season 11 remains unnecessarily befuddling.
Only time will tell what the future holds for Maggie in the One Chicago universe. In a perfect world, Barrett’s character would return as soon as possible in season 11. As for the worst-case scenario, the actress might never reprise her role as Maggie (although this is unlikely). Fans will just have to tune in to Chicago Med season 11 to learn more.
