FBI fans tuning into season 8, episode 13, on March 9, were quick to notice that there was one key character who was missing in action: Special Agent Maggie Bell.
Missy Peregrym’s character does not appear in the episode, but let’s get one thing cleared up right away. Peregrym has not left the show, and Maggie will be back.
Peregrym’s absence in episode 13 is likely a result of ongoing cost-cutting measures taken by many long-running shows. To save money, series regulars no longer appear in every single episode of the season. Instead, we’re seeing series regulars missing four or more episodes each season, which leads to core characters, such as Maggie, missing a few episodes at random throughout the season.
We were first tipped off that Peregrym would not appear in the episode when she failed to appear in any of the promotional materials released by CBS ahead of the episode. There was no sign of Maggie in the promo for the episode, there was no mention of her in the episode synopsis, and there were no photos that included Maggie in any capacity. As one of the show’s leads, it’s not often that Peregrym does not appear in any promotional material for episodes of FBI unless she’s not in the actual episode. So when there was no sign of Maggie anywhere in promotional materials, we knew it was likely that episode 13, “Fanatics,” would not feature Maggie.
Thankfully, the writers at least addressed Maggie’s absence in a brief conversation early in the episode – one that unfolded quickly in a manner in which some viewers might not have realized it was used to explain Peregrym’s absence in the episode.
Early in the episode, Jubal and the team are called to the home of a professional basketball team owner after his son is taken by kidnappers and a ransom call comes through with demands. As the FBI begins working the case, OA and Scola start searching the son’s room for any leads that could help them find the son.
As they search his room, Scola asks OA how much longer Maggie will be at the school, and OA comments that “BAU in-service lasts about a week.” This prompts OA to joke about Scola being tired of him already, a nod to help explain why the pair is teaming up as partners on the case. Things quickly begin to move from there, with no further mention of Maggie in the episode as the team continues working the case.
The good news is that we’ll be seeing her back in action in FBI season 8, episode 14, which will be a major Maggie-centric episode.
Episode 14, “Forgive,” will see Maggie’s sister, Erin, going missing, which results in the team beginning an all-out search to try to bring her home safely. Things go from bad to worse when Maggie discovers that the individual behind Erin’s abduction is a sinister figure from her past. With time not on their side, Maggie and the team must race to find Erin before it’s too late.
Episode after episode, we see how Maggie stops at nothing to help those in need and puts her life on the line for strangers. There is no denying that this case hitting home will have Maggie stopping at nothing to make sure her sister is brought home safely.