How Many One Chicago Shows Are There In Total?
Created by Dick Wolf, Derek Haas, and Michael Brandt over a decade ago, the "One Chicago" franchise has cemented its status as a powerhouse for NBC, with over 600 episodes and 30 seasons available for fans to enjoy. But how many shows make up one of the small screen's most popular shared universes?
There are a total of four shows from "One Chicago." Starting things off in 2012 was "Chicago Fire," which has 11 seasons that follow the brave firefighters and paramedics from Firehouse 51. "Chicago P.D." came next, debuting in a backdoor pilot from Season 1, Episode 23, "Let Her Go." The first spinoff from the franchise chronicling the efforts of the Windy City's cops from the 21st District would kick off in 2014 and has gone on to release 10 seasons.
The shared universe would continue to expand with "Chicago Med" in another "Chicago Fire" backdoor pilot in Season 3, Episode 19, "I Am the Apocalypse," before its first full entry premiered in 2015. The second offshoot centers on the nurses, doctors, and other personnel from the Gaffney Chicago Medical Center and has prescribed home audiences with eight seasons so far. "Chicago Justice" is the fourth series, which first arrived in the "Chicago P.D." episode "Justice." The third spinoff revolved around the lives of the legal professionals working out of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. The first season debuted in 2017, but the series was eventually canceled. The three remaining series were renewed in April, meaning most of "One Chicago" will continue.
Throughout the years, numerous crossovers have occurred between these shows, though not everyone shares the same enthusiasm when the worlds of the "One Chicago" universe collide.
One Chicago crossovers are a blessing and a curse
Although "Chicago Fire," "Chicago P.D.," and "Chicago Med" cover different emergency services, the franchise has gained a reputation with fans for playing well together, especially considering there have been well over a dozen crossovers involving the titles that make up the "One Chicago" universe. But there are pros and cons to the shared set of dramas experiencing frequent team-ups.
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, Oliver Platt, who plays Dr. Daniel Charles on "Chicago Med," praised the special connection the Chicago-based shows possess. One of the shared universe's creators, Dick Wolf, pointed out a major benefit the special events provide, saying, "The crossovers are incredible ratings engines for us. What we can't do is have them become commonplace." But while they perform well, Wolf admitted not everyone enjoys putting the collaborative efforts together. "A lot of the times, nobody likes making the crossovers. It's horrible," the "One Chicago" creator said. "They shoot Saturdays; it's very complicated, and there's always a lot more re-shooting."
Even though the crossovers may not be ideal, the cast has fun with what "Chicago P.D." star LaRoyce Hawkins described as a friendly rivalry. "We tease 'Chicago Med' because they're never out in the elements and, you know, just kind of stay in their plush scrubs and they're extremely comfortable," the actor revealed to US Magazine. "We tease 'Fire' sometimes because they're probably the most dramatic out of all of us."
As the road to crafting the crossovers may be paved with challenges, watching the heroes of Chicago unite is always a worthwhile affair that rarely disappoints, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next big "One Chicago" mashup.