Marina Squerciati did not leave Chicago P.D. during the season eight finale, only to have a child and a blossoming relationship in season nine.
Chicago P.D. has been airing for nine years, as part of NBC’s One Chicago franchise. The series is fronted by acclaimed actor, Jason Beghe as Detective Sergeant Hank Voight, and the lead actress of the series is Marina Squerciati, who plays Detective Kim Burgess.
Burgess is a fan-favourite character. Therefore, fans that watched season eight when it aired between February 2021 and May 2021, were left speculating if Squerciati was leaving the series as Burgess’ life hung on by a thread.
However, she has returned in the ninth season, and currently has the central storyline of the series.
What is Chicago P.D.?
Chicago P.D. premiered in 2014 as the second series in the One Chicago franchise established by NBC.
The release of the crime procedural drama followed two years after the release of the One Chicago franchise flagship series, Chicago Fire which premiered in 2012, and the latest release from the franchise is 2015’s Chicago Med.
The series was created by Michael Brandt, Derek Haas and Matt Olmstead, and the premise is shared as, “Follows District 21 of the Chicago Police Department, which is made up of two distinctly different groups: the uniformed cops and the Intelligence Unit.”
Marina Squerciati is not leaving Chicago P.D.
While beloved characters leaving long-running shows is a common occurrence, the departures are bittersweet for fans that are enamoured with the character in question.
It seems, then, that in season eight of Chicago P.D., the writers of the series had fun playing with the viewers emotions as they took fans on a two-episode emotional rollercoaster that saw the fate of Detective Kim Burgess hanging in the balance.
As a result, fans believed that Marina Squerciati would be leaving the series.
This was further suggested during the last two episodes of season eight, when Burgess was not only abducted by Roy Walton, but was brutally beaten and shot twice in the stomach and left for dead.
While she was found by Jay Halstead and Kevin Atwater, her life still hung in the balance as season eight’s final episode showed her in the hospital fighting for her life.
Therefore, fans’ worries were not quelled with the beginning of season nine, when she was still in hospital fighting for her life.
Did Kim Burgess die in season 9 of Chicago P.D.?
When season nine of Chicago P.D. started, Kim Burgess was in the hospital in critical condition following her abduction after which she was left for dead by Roy Walton.
Though she eventually did start to heal and had to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the experience.
What made it worse was that she fearfully believed that Roy was still on the loose and would come back to “finish her off.” In her latest storyline, Burgess has moved in with her ex, Adam Ruzek.
Moreover, the exes are co-parenting their adoptive daughter, Makayla, who they found together after she was abducted in season nine.
Will Marina Squerciati return for Chicago P.D. season 10?
Considering that the current A-storyline of Chicago P.D. is centred around the possibility of Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek reigniting their relationship after finding their adoptive daughter together.
It seems that season 10 will see Marina Squerciati return as her character continues to learn how to be a mother to a child of colour, and cements the state of the relationship with Ruzek.
Squerciati also teased what fans can expect from the rest of the current season stating:
“There’s a darker side of her that definitely is taking over. But I think the reason that she’s able to bounce back from all these traumas — and she’s had many — is that ultimately, before the job got her down, she was this happy, bubbly person and that still exists at her core.”
Is Chicago P.D. season 10 confirmed?
News of the renewal of Chicago P.D. season 10 was shared in February 2020, even before news of the ninth season of the series.
Specifically, when the announcement of the renewal was made, it confirmed that the series, along with the rest of the One Chicago franchise trio, has been greenlit for three more seasons.
Meaning that Chicago P.D. was renewed for season nine, season 10 and season 11. Seeing as season nine is still airing, there has been no release date for season 10 as of yet. However, it is projected to be a Fall 2022 release.
Final thoughts
Chicago P.D.’s Kim Burgess, played by Marina Squerciati, is one of the characters that has had multiple traumatic experiences due to her line of work.
Season eight was no different, as her life hung in the balance after she was left for dead after being shot in the stomach by Roy Walton.
Fans had to wait until the first episode of season nine in September 2021, to find out if Burgess survived.
Moreover, the latest season has affirmed Squerciati as the lead female protagonist of the series, as currently, the main story arc is focused on her, her love life and her experience as a mother to her new adoptive daughter.