Created by producer Derek Haas, “Chicago Med” premiered in 2015, and audiences at the time probably didn’t realize that it would become one of the most bingeworthy medical dramas ever made. Part of its appeal has been its broad ensemble cast, with stars coming and going with regularity or sometimes moving to a spin-off. One such actor who left “Med,” however, did so under inauspicious circumstances: Norma Kuhling — who joined the show’s cast in Season 2 as Dr. Ava Bekker — left after Season 5 in 2019, accompanied by Colin Donnell. Sources said (via Deadline) that their exits came down to “creative reasons related to the characters’ story evolution.”
Though no specific reason for the departure was cited, it’s largely believed by fans that Bekker’s arc simply wasn’t working, and included some moments that went too far. When the news was first announced, fans were dismayed that they’d drop Donnell, who played Dr. Connor Rhodes, but were less surprised by Kuhling’s exit. “I don’t think Rhodes’ character is played out yet. Bekker, yeah,” said u/GlitzAndGrit on Reddit at the time of the announcement. “Either do something more interesting with her or write her off.”
Ultimately, the show did indeed write Bekker out of the series, in dramatic and heartbreaking fashion, with the good Dr. Bekker ending her own life.
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Dr. Bekker divided fans of Chicago Med
Not all characters on “Chicago Med” are as beloved and celebrated as you might imagine, and Dr. Bekker was one that seems to have divided fans of the series. Criticism of Dr. Bekker was a common sentiment on fan forums online, with many feeling Bekker was the worst character on the show.. A medical student who rose through the ranks to become Attending Physician in Cardiothoracic Surgery at Chicago Med, Bekker was a chaotic sort who ended up a murderer. And even Norma Kuhling herself has acknowledged that the harsh reaction to her character among a certain subset of fans wasn’t entirely unwarranted.
“Ava’s such an interesting person to get to know,” she told the fan website One Chicago Center. “I try not to pass judgment on her personally. You don’t want to judge the people you’re playing because you’re not being them, you’re being you. But it’s been really interesting.” And Kuhling admitted that even as an actor, she was surprised by some of the twists and turns in Bekker’s story: “Every time I get a script, I’m like, what is she going to do now?”
Some fans found the unpredictable Bekker compelling, but many weren’t happy with her story. And with her exit from the series, it seems the naysayers got their wish.