One Chicago Secures Cast for Upcoming Season — Episode Count Revealed?

It isn’t the best time to be a fan of a long-running drama on the broadcast networks.

Many beloved shows have been cut short this year, so it’s a miracle that Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D. will remain intact next season on Wednesday evenings.

The best news to take from it?

The Chicago trifecta are consistent performers, and NBC is well aware that too many changes are not a good thing.

But it hasn’t made the last few months easy, especially with Chicago Fire introducing budget cuts in the form of a character named The Padlock.

We’ve known for a while now that Jake Lockett and Daniel Kyri were both on the way out of the original show in the franchise.

And now, we finally have some intel on who will be back for Chicago Fire Season 14.

One Chicago Is Making Some Moves

Taylor Kinney, Miranda Rae Mayo, and Dermot Mulroney have all closed deals to continue as series regulars on the long-running series, Deadline reports.

Kinney has been a mainstay since Chicago Fire Season 1, so his continued presence is great news for long-term fans.

Meanwhile, over on Chicago P.D., Jason Beghe has agreed to remain on the spinoff for its 13th season.

The series features a diverse array of characters, but Voight is the glue that holds the ensemble together.

The only thing that would have prompted the beloved actor to leave would have been budget cuts, but it seems the show will be moving into its next chapter with most of the leads still on the payroll.

Then there’s Chicago Med, which has re-upped S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt.

It’s good news that producers know fans are invested in the legacy characters, and that there’s something to be gained by keeping the most familiar faces around.

All three shows are currently slated to run for 21 episodes apiece next season, meaning they’ll be on the air for much of the 2025-2026 TV season.

How Many Episodes Are Planned?

Many shows are introducing more cable-like episodic orders, but these shows struggled in the storytelling department with fewer episodes.

With such big ensembles, the longer seasons work well to tell more intricate stories that utilize everyone.

As has become customary with broadcast procedurals, some of the series regulars will be absent from a handful of episodes in a cost-saving move.

It’s a small price to pay to keep the cast intact, so we’re here for it!

NBC has yet to announce a premiere date for One Chicago, but it’s likely to be in the middle of September.

Summer isn’t fun without them, so it’s a surprise that the network hasn’t opened up the doors to limited series or TV movies set in the One Chicago universe for the summer months.

It would be a great way to keep fans intrigued and an even greater way to bring back franchise OGs for a short stint.

If you’re wondering where t