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Mekia Cox joined Chicago Med as Robin Charles and left at the beginning of Season 3. Why did she exit the series – and why did her character reappear?
When it comes to medical dramas, Chicago Med is often praised for being the most realistic. It’s also a medical drama that has a habit of bringing on characters who stick around for a while. Part of NBC’s One Chicago universe, which includes Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD, Med has managed to maintain a relatively steady cast of characters throughout its seven seasons so far. While there have been in-and-out rotations of minor characters, most of its main doctors, nurses, and other staff have remained. One key love interest for one of the show’s long-running characters, Robin Charles, however, bucked the trend. She was there, and then she wasn’t. Many fans still don’t know why.
Played by Mekia Cox, who appeared in one episode of Grey’s Anatomy before jumping to NBC for another medical drama, Robin was a unique addition to the show that was seemingly never meant to last. Overall, Cox and her character only appeared in less than a seasons’ worth of episodes throughout her time on the show. Here’s why the actor left Chicago Med and returned briefly several seasons later.
Who was Mekia Cox on Chicago Med?
Cox played epidemiologist Robin Charles, daughter of Chicago Med psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Charles. She joined the series in Season 2 and became the love interest of Dr. Connor Rhodes later that season.
Robin and Rhodes were deep into their romance when she suddenly began exhibiting alarming mental health issues. She began insisting there were rats in the couple’s apartment even though there wasn’t evidence of an infestation. Her hallucinations worsened to the point where she became a danger to herself and others. Rhodes was forced to admit he couldn’t take care of her, and she was in the process of being moved to a long-term care facility just before her father requested one final test.
Though the test revealed the true, fully operable cause of Robin’s symptoms, she continued to struggle during the recovery from her surgery. At the beginning of Season 3, she left Chicago and Rhodes behind, believing she was too much of a burden on everyone. Rhodes briefly considered going after her, but ultimately decided to let her go.
Why did Mekia Cox leave the show?
Robin’s character was first introduced to add depth and emotional weight to Daniel’s storyline. Audiences knew he had troubled relationships with members of his family, and bringing his daughter onto Chicago Med showed just how his guilt about leaving her still impacted him. Over time, Robin became a support system for Rhodes before her mental health issues took center stage.
Having only been on the show for a relatively short time, it shocked One Chicago fans when Robin abruptly left the series after a large portion of Med‘s story had focused on her and her health. But Cox didn’t leave due to any negative feelings toward the series or its cast. She simply left to become a series regular on a different show, ABC’s Once Upon a Time, where she played Princess Tiana until 2018, when the show was canceled. This is also the year Season 4 of Chicago Med premiered, and Cox’s guest appearances began again in 2019.
How Robin Charles made her Chicago Med return
Toward the later half of Season 4, Robin returned to Chicago with her mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer since she left to live with her in Season 3. She reunited with both her father and Rhodes, but it was clear she wouldn’t be planting roots back in the area anytime soon. Her main focus was on her mother’s rapidly declining health, which was what ultimately brought her back briefly in the show’s next season.
After her brief one-episode return in Season 5, Robin and Cox did not appear in Chicago Med again. Rhodes moved on to other interests and then actor Colin Donnell left the show himself. Plus, the show beautifully tied up the loose ends of the ongoing struggles between Robin and her father, leaving little reason for her to make another appearance in the future. Outside of the One Chicago universe, Cox has also become a series regular on The Rookie as Nyla Harper and hasn’t spoken of any plans to return to Chicago Med again.
New episodes of Chicago Med premiere on NBC Wednesdays at 8 ET.
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