With procedural dramas dropping like flies in the world of primetime, it’s understandable why fans may be worried about the state of the One Chicago franchise as Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med take a break from NBC.
Why are Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med not new tonight?
All three One Chicago shows — Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med — aired reruns of the franchise’s recent crossover, “In the Trenches,” on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. The crossover replaced new episodes during One Chicago’s usual Wednesday night time slot of 8 to 11 p.m. Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med are also set to take a break the following week on Wednesday, March 19 before returning with new episodes on Wednesday, March 26.
So why are Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med not new? As of writing, NBC hasn’t confirmed the reason for One Chicago‘s back-to-back hiatus, however, it isn’t uncommon for networks, like NBC, to schedule breaks throughout the primetime season to make sure that there are enough episodes to last until finale time in May, which is when most primetime shows conclude their seasons ahead of the summer hiatuses.
Given that the One Chicago franchise typically airs more than 20 episodes a season, it’s likely that the two-week break was given so that the three shows had enough time to film and edit new episodes before they air on NBC.
The One Chicago franchise also returned to TV earlier than other primetime shows after its midseason break in 2024. The three Chicago shows went on their midseason hiatuses on November 20, 2024, and returned to NBC just over a month later on January 8, 2025.
In comparison, ABC’s primetime shows, such as Grey’s Anatomy and 9-1-1, aired their midseason finales around the same time as One Chicago on November 21, 2024. However, most of ABC’s shows didn’t return until early March 2025, which means that their season episode counts are likely less than the One Chicago franchise.
While there’s no reason to be concerned over the One Chicago franchise, it is a precarious time in primetime with CBS cancelling four shows, including three procedural dramas: FBI: Most Wanted, FBI: International, and S.W.A.T. All three shows are set to end in May 2025. The network also renewed The Neighborhood for its eighth and final season, which is set to air during the 2025-2026 broadcast season.
