One Chicago Shows Could Return Sooner Than Fans Think

Now that the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are firmly in Hollywood's rearview mirrors, it's time for actors to get back to work. Fortunately for most television series, once the WGA strike concluded on September 27, writers were soon back at the table crafting fresh scripts for the upcoming season. The trio of One Chicago dramas — "Chicago Fire," "Chicago Med" and "Chicago P.D." — seem to be no exception to this rule. Sources close to the situation told The Wrap in November 2023 that all three One Chicago shows will be going back before the camera this winter, and that some of the three dramas should be back presenting fresh episodes on NBC in late January. There's no word as to which of the shows will be ready to roll in that time period. 

While this generally means the 2023-2024 season will be — more plainly — the 2024 season, at least renewed shows will be able to put out some new content before summer comes and the 2024-2025 season rolls around. In some cases, that will mean truncated episode orders. In the case of the One Chicago dramas, each series is set to produce a 13-episode season, likely to run from late January to late April or early May.

Fans of Dick Wolf's dramas will definitely be in luck, because his CBS procedurals — and the entire "Law & Order" universe — also appear to be back on track for quick 2024 returns, which means procedural fans won't have to go hungry much longer.

Aside from the "One Chicago" shows, the rest of the Dick Wolf universe looks alive and well. The Wrap reports that the entire "Law & Order" franchise will be back. Before the strike, it was announced that "Law & Order: Organized Crime" would have a shorter season comprised of 13 episodes, while "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" were greenlit for 22. There's no word as to whether or not those orders have been trimmed at all.

Meanwhile, Wolf's other two dramas — CBS' FBI series of programs — will also be returning to network television after their renewals, presumably also with truncated episode orders after being renewed before the strike. And outside of all three "One Chicago" dramas, NBC will still be presenting plenty of its original 2023-2024 slate — for instance, "Night Court" is slated to be the first of its scripted series renewed for the 2023-2024 season to head before the cameras in mid-November. 

Whether you love dramas, sitcoms, or just plain want to see something that's not a reality show, it looks like viewers won't have to wait long for scripted entertainment to make its return to small screens everywhere.