Things are heating up over at NBC as Universal Television announces that theOne Chicagofranchiseis coming back with a vengeance, with the holy trinity -Chicago Med,Chicago Fire, andChicago P.D.all snagging renewals for the upcoming 2024-2025 season. For the last few years, the stories of the bravest first responders in the Windy City have been a gargantuan hit for audiences, with each in the trio of titles landing a snug spot among the top 10 primetime shows of the season, holding onto bragging rights of being the top three Wednesday shows by way of viewership numbers. Those final tallies are absolutely staggering, asChicago Medstands at 10.5 million viewers,Chicago P.D.at 12.0 million viewers, andChicago Firereally brings the heat with 12.6 million viewers. With these calculations in mind and the fact that the shows just keep building more of a solid audience foundation, there’s no shock behind the network’s decision to announce their renewals for next season.
Lovingly dubbed “Chicago Wednesdays,”each of the three shows returned to NBC on January 17, kicking off another season of tight bonds, close community relationships, and - of course - life-saving actions stemming from Chicago’s first responders. In case you need to get caught up on the first handful of episodes to land from the trifecta of primetime entertainment, each installment heads toNBC’s streamer, Peacock, the following day, where you can also dive into the multiple seasons that came before.
What’s Happening In The One Chicago World?
Kicking things off in the order of how they air on Wednesdays,Chicago Medis now in its ninth season andcontinues to focus on the high-stress situationsthat some of the finest doctors in the city find themselves tangled up in on the daily. This season, the staff at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center will be welcoming a few new faces to the fold,including Grey’s Anatomy alum, Sophia Ali, andBig Sky’s Luke Mitchell.
Keeping the flame of intrigue lit on that midweek lineup isChicago Fire,which has just rushed towards its 12th season - an incredibly impressive feat, but when you see the numbers it all makes sense. Blending a handful of first responding teams together, this installment from theOne Chicagofranchise follows firefighters, paramedics, and more from the fictional Firehouse 51 as they put their lives on the line to save those in deadly and extreme circumstances. This year has already been one of tumult for the cast and crew aslong-running star, Kara Killmer called it quits with the series - at least for now.But, there are also some reunions in the mix asTaylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide is back in action. In all,we can expect plenty more action, tears, and joyto come from whatever Season 12 has in store for Chicago’s bravest and boldest.
Finally,Chicago P.D.recently embarked on its 11th season, trailing just behindChicago Firefor the longest running title to come from the universe. As its name suggests, the series follows Chicago’s police department on their daily mission of keeping the peace across the city. Like the other two titles in the group,Chicago P.D.will also be holding a tearful goodbye for one of its close members asTracy Spiridakos steps down from her role as Detective Hailey Upton.Bringing the good vibes back, we know thatAmy Morton willfinallyreprise her role as Trudy Plattwith the production’s showrunner foreshadowing the upcoming episode.
So, while you catch each of the shows during their scheduled time slots, just know that these seasons aren’t the end and that there will be plenty more drinks at Molly’s next year.
Chicago Med
The city’s most highly skilled medical team saves lives, while navigating their unique interpersonal relationships.
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire: Focusing on the professional and personal lives of the firefighters, paramedics, and rescue squad members of Firehouse 51, the series navigates the high-pressure situations and camaraderie that define their work, revealing the challenges and triumphs faced by these dedicated public servants.
Chicago P.D.
Chicago P.D. is a gripping police procedural drama series that debuted in 2014, set against the backdrop of the city of Chicago. The show focuses on the officers and detectives of the 21st District, comprising two distinct units: the uniformed patrol officers and the Intelligence Unit that tackles major offenses.
