Chicago Med's Marlyne Barrett Says Season 10 Has a Fresh 'Pulse': It's Like 'a Complete New Show' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Marlyne Barrett.

AsChicago Medapproaches its milestone 10th season, Marlyne Barrett says the next installment of the series will breathe a whole new life into the show.In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the actress, 46, who plays charge nurse Maggie Lockwood, teases that the upcoming season will be a “second coming” of the show. After recruiting new head writer, Allen MacDonald — who she calls “the Christopher Nolan of television in the medical world” — Barrett says season 10 will be the “most extraordinary” yet.“I can’t wait for you guys to see episode three — although episode one is fantastic,” she gushes, noting how this season’s storyline will start with a shipwreck. She explains, “It’s the most emergent experience, the ambulances that arrive, the state of emergency. Man, there was a pulse to the show that I hadn’t felt in a long time, although I’m very passionate about the show."(l-r) Jon Kasunic as Officer Stinson, Nick Gehlfuss as Will Halstead, Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Lockwood in ‘Chicago Med’.George Burns Jr/NBC"It was this new breath to the OneChicago Medfamily that I was so excited [about],” she adds. “By the time you get to episode three, you’re like, ‘This is a completely new show.'“Barrett says that she doesn’t “even recognize” the show with the changes. When she was shooting episode 3, she recalls feeding off the energy and current climate in Chicago.“Everything was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this city, this show is alive,'” she continues. “And it was extraordinary. An extraordinary episode. It’s about femininity with courage … It was courageous writing.“Marlyne Barrett in ‘Chicago Med’.George Burns Jr./NBCNow that she’s finished filming episode four and read up to six, Barrett says she can’t wait to see how audiences will react to the new season.“I’m really excited to say that I believe that One Chicago, I’ll dare say it, we’re going to giveLaw & Ordera run,” she mused, before joking, “It’s in the same family, so please, nobody get upset that I say this.“In August, NBC announced that Sarah Ramos andDarren Barnetwould be joining the hit medical drama as series regulars for its 10th season.Ramos will star as Dr. Caitlin Lenox while Barnet will take on the role of Dr. John Frost when the show returns on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The additions came amid a casting shake-up on the long-time NBC drama series.PEOPLE learned in June that Dominic Rains — who played Dr. Crockett Marcel —was leavingChicago Medafter five seasons. In addition to the cast change-up, co-showrunners Diane Frolov and Andy Schneider left the series after nine years with MacDonald set to take over.Jessy Schram, Steven Weber and Luke Mitchell are expected to return, joining original castmembers Barnett, Oliver Platt and S. Epatha Merkerson.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Chicago Medwill return Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

AsChicago Medapproaches its milestone 10th season, Marlyne Barrett says the next installment of the series will breathe a whole new life into the show.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, the actress, 46, who plays charge nurse Maggie Lockwood, teases that the upcoming season will be a “second coming” of the show. After recruiting new head writer, Allen MacDonald — who she calls “the Christopher Nolan of television in the medical world” — Barrett says season 10 will be the “most extraordinary” yet.

“I can’t wait for you guys to see episode three — although episode one is fantastic,” she gushes, noting how this season’s storyline will start with a shipwreck. She explains, “It’s the most emergent experience, the ambulances that arrive, the state of emergency. Man, there was a pulse to the show that I hadn’t felt in a long time, although I’m very passionate about the show.”

(l-r) Jon Kasunic as Officer Stinson, Nick Gehlfuss as Will Halstead, Marlyne Barrett as Maggie Lockwood in ‘Chicago Med’.George Burns Jr/NBC

George Burns Jr/NBC

“It was this new breath to the OneChicago Medfamily that I was so excited [about],” she adds. “By the time you get to episode three, you’re like, ‘This is a completely new show.'”

Barrett says that she doesn’t “even recognize” the show with the changes. When she was shooting episode 3, she recalls feeding off the energy and current climate in Chicago.

“Everything was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this city, this show is alive,'” she continues. “And it was extraordinary. An extraordinary episode. It’s about femininity with courage … It was courageous writing.”

Marlyne Barrett in ‘Chicago Med’.George Burns Jr./NBC

Now that she’s finished filming episode four and read up to six, Barrett says she can’t wait to see how audiences will react to the new season.

“I’m really excited to say that I believe that One Chicago, I’ll dare say it, we’re going to giveLaw & Ordera run,” she mused, before joking, “It’s in the same family, so please, nobody get upset that I say this.”

In August, NBC announced that Sarah Ramos andDarren Barnetwould be joining the hit medical drama as series regulars for its 10th season.

Ramos will star as Dr. Caitlin Lenox while Barnet will take on the role of Dr. John Frost when the show returns on Wednesday, Sept. 25. The additions came amid a casting shake-up on the long-time NBC drama series.

PEOPLE learned in June that Dominic Rains — who played Dr. Crockett Marcel —was leavingChicago Medafter five seasons. In addition to the cast change-up, co-showrunners Diane Frolov and Andy Schneider left the series after nine years with MacDonald set to take over.

Jessy Schram, Steven Weber and Luke Mitchell are expected to return, joining original castmembers Barnett, Oliver Platt and S. Epatha Merkerson.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Chicago Medwill return Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

source: people.com