A recent FBI season 6 casting update offers good news to those fans who were worried about Maggie (Missy Peregrym)’s future with the series. Maggie has been the central character in the popular police procedural since it began in 2018. Peregrym has left FBI twice before because the actress was on maternity leave. However, her recent absences from FBI season 6 did not have a behind-the-scenes explanation until recently, leading to widespread speculation that Maggie was being written out permanently.
Maggie has been through a lot during season 6. An FBI story involving a reunion with Peregrym’s Rookie Blue co-star, Charlotte Sullivan, ended tragically when Sullivan’s character died during surgery, leaving behind a young daughter who Maggie is taking care of while trying to cope with her own grief. Maggie threw herself into work to escape her pain and went off-screen to recuperate after getting shot during a risky mission. Although FBI has scored a three-season renewal, it was not immediately clear after these events whether Maggie would return for season 7.
Maggie’s FBI Future Is Great News For Season 6 & Beyond
The Character’s Disappearance Left Several Story Threads Hanging
Maggie has been a central character for a long time, and FBI would not feel like the same show without her. Fortunately, Maggie is returning, so there is no need to wonder how the series will replace her or whether it will continue to have the same spark it did before. Furthermore, Maggie’s continued presence in FBI means that her character will be taken in intriguing new directions over the next several seasons rather than her storylines evaporating because of her absence.
Tiffany is an interesting character and a more-than-competent field agent, but she and O.A. don’t have the same spark that he and Maggie have, so their partnership was not as interesting.
Maggie recently started an exciting new storyline involving having to take care of her late friend’s daughter. This story requires Maggie to think more carefully about the risks she was taking and find the right balance between being a parent and being a top FBI agent who often takes dangerous assignments. There is a possibility that Maggie’s challenges in this area will bring her closer with O.A., so those fans who enjoy their relationship will have a lot to look forward to now that Maggie has been confirmed for season 7 and beyond.
Maggie took Ella out of town with her during this leave of absence, which will help build this storyline upon her return.
Maggie’s Previous Absence Proved FBI Season 7 Needs Her
Nobody Can Successfully Replace Her
Maggie’s leave of absence during FBI season 6, episode 11 underscored how vital she is to the show’s success. During this episode, O.A. dealt with some heavy emotions as he had to rescue a kidnapped Taliban leader without Maggie’s help. The mission triggered OA’s traumatic memories of being a prisoner of war and his feelings of guilt at letting down the people he served with when he was captured. Maggie’s absence significantly changed the way O.A.’s big story played out during this episode.
O.A. worked with Tiffany during Maggie’s absence. Tiffany is an interesting character and a more-than-competent field agent, but she and O.A. don’t have the same spark that he and Maggie have, so their partnership was not as interesting. Additionally, Maggie would have picked up right away on O.A.’s distress and known how to get him to talk about what was going on. Without her in the picture, O.A. was left only with Gemma (Comfort Clinton) to confide in, which wasn’t nearly as satisfying despite her status as his girlfriend.
What We Think Maggie’s Next FBI Story Will Look Like
Maggie Will Need to Move Forward After Returning
Maggie’s leave of absence will hopefully have cleared her head, but she will need to deal with some things when she returns. Getting shot is a traumatic event, especially given that Maggie had PTSD after nearly dying from sarin gas poisoning during season 4, and this time she also has to reckon with the way her serious injury affected Ella. However, Maggie won’t have endless time to focus and reflect on the past. She’ll have to put her feelings aside to focus on the mission at hand while working on finding a new balance between professional and parenting duties.
Maggie will be returning during a story involving the team’s efforts to track down the people responsible for Agent Hobbs’ death, which will be challenging for her on all fronts. The mission might trigger flashbacks of her shooting at a time when she needs all her mental energy focused on ensuring everyone’s safety while tracking down a terrorist group that already killed one agent. She also may feel guilty about leaving Ella to go on another dangerous mission despite her passion for the job.
Maggie’s return will signify the beginning of a new chapter in her life, which FBI can explore in season 7 and beyond. The recent storyline involving her taking care of her late friend’s daughter requires her to make serious changes in her life, and it would have been a shame if she’d gone permanently off-screen with Ella instead of continuing this story. Maggie also has unparalleled chemistry with O.A. that would have been lost forever if she left the series. Fortunately, Maggie is remaining on-screen, so she can continue participating in the compelling storylines that make this show popular.
FBI airs on CBS on Tuesdays and streams on Paramount+.
