NBC’s #OneChicago Lineup Is Off the Air for an Entire Month — Here’s Why
#OneChicago diehards, you have the rest of the month off.
TVLine has confirmed that NBC’s Windy City troika of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. will not be back with original episodes until May 3.
After airing new episodes on April 5, the Dick Wolf procedurals will be in repeat mode on April 12 and 19. And on April 26, NBC will give over much of its Wednesday lineup to the two-hour birthday-themed special Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love, which airs from 8-10 pm; a P.D. rerun will close out the night.
The silver lining in the franchise’s fairly unprecedented late-in-the-season break? When #OneChicago does return on May 3, the franchise will kick off a run of four consecutive fresh episodes, culminating with the trio’s season finales on May 24.
“This is normal scheduling for the Chicago shows,” an NBC rep maintains. “You need a balance of original and encore episodes so that the season can run from September through May.”
It’s worth noting that Med, Fire and P.D. — which are still awaiting formal renewals from NBC — remain in production on their current 8th, 11th and 10th seasons, respectively. Med and P.D. are due to wrap within the week, while Fire — which this season had to contend with the abrupt exit of Taylor Kinney — will continue shooting until early May.
People will complain no matter how things are scheduled (long breaks, hiatuses, etc.), but I personally like having some off weeks of shows so that I can catch up on other shows on the DVR (though I do dislike the lack of scripted content on OTA broadcast in the summers… it’s better when things are staggered).
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Thanks for the update on production; I’d love to see a round-up of that for different shows.
EXACTLY! The breaks are good for, as you say, catching up. But also, so there isn’t such a huge break between seasons. I watch something on Netflix and have to wait 50+ weeks. I can’t remember what happened 50 weeks ago!
I don’t mind the long breaks, I need a break sometimes away from my shows. I only hate it terms of ratings momentum, but outside of that I prefer the scheduling that they’re doing with a few weeks of episodes in a row and then a few weeks of episodes in a row.
It’s crap n anyone on here saying they like it is just a propaganda pusher from the TV side of life. Ur tools r full of it!
Some shows are better suited to having breaks. Ones with complicated plots suffer. I couldn’t continue with Better Call Saul because I just forgot where they were at and how they got there. I’d say I’d watch it all later, but I probably won’t.
Breaks are fine, but it’s the way they do them that’s infuriating. Two episodes, then one week break. Or, one episode followed by a three week break. I’d rather have a longer break between episodes than one episode here, followed by break, then another two episodes, then another break, etc. That’s worse.
Ur opinion is not shared by most. N yes ill fully admit I HATE that ur getting ur way when ur wayv is NOT what the majority wants.
I’m fine with it. Weather is getting nicer, time to spend more time outside anyway 🤷♀️
I am NOT fine with all the extended new/re-run switches!
I quit watching quite a few shows because I lost interest when they took long hiatuses—including Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal, both of which I really liked, but lost interest in when they were off for weeks/months at a time.
I’d much rather they run all the new episodes, then put on other shows to test out or fill the time slots.
An occasional preemption, like a week or two around the holidays is fine, but NOT several weeks/months!
So you’re asking network dramas to produce 30-35 episodes per season?
They did years ago
Before 2008 or the writer’s strike of the early 2000’s, seasons would have 26 episodes and break around November and March. The season would end in May or June depending on when the season started. This provided content for summer reruns so people could get caught up. These 12 episodes per season is too short. By the time I get into the season, it is over especially with all these month long breaks in between. Networks can’t build a following or great ratings if the show doesn’t air or stream long enough for people to build interest.
No, but the former normal 26 episodes a season would be appreciated. The shortened seasons were understandable during the height of COVID with social distancing, but this just feels like cutting episodes to save $$ and because they can. No respect for the fans who look forward to the shows. And sorry but the Dick Wolfe megaverse shows are the worst – the FBIs, OneChicago and the L&Os. They all vanish at once for weeks at a time. I hate it.
22-episode seasons have been a thing since at least the 1980s. Honestly, if you can get it done in 13-15 episodes without a lot of filler, more the better. As for the hiatus these shows take, I think the way they haphazardly schedule them is nuts. Would it really kill NBC to slot eleven straight episodes in the fall, something else in the winter-spring, then finish the run in March?
God forbid they should have to work as hard as the rest of us for their dream lives.
Or you’re asking networks to have double the number of shows they produce. Doesn’t work like that! You want all the episodes in a row then you have to wait 6+ months for the next season? I’d rather split it up as they do now.
In 1965 there were 36 episodes of Gunsmoke, and 33 of Bonanza. Episodes were about 50 minutes, compared to about 42 minutes for today’s hour-long programs.
1) Productions were not nearly as involved then.
2) Even if it was feasible from a logistics POV, productions have also become more expensive
3) I enjoy a good soap opera, but watch any of them to see some of the difference. 36 would not be as bad as soaps on all year, but productions would be closer to that level than they are now
That’s just profits talking they could do just as good make a Ton of money just not a mega ton sorry ur reasoning fir thier greed is a joke
I agree wholeheartedly
FCC regs changed in the late 1980s. Since then, a half-hour show was allowed to have 12 minutes of commercials; an hourlong show was allowed to have 18 minutes! Most commercial breaks are as long as 4 minutes each in an hourlong show. Worse yet, “previously on” intro clip recaps, seconds-long “bumpers” (e.g. “we’ll be right back” or “will return after these messages”) and “teasers” (especially on the true-crime shows) count as “content,” rather than ads. That’s also one reason for the almost universal disappearance of theme songs (except for “The Conners,” “The Goldbergs,” the “L&O” franchise and the extremely short ones on “Night Court,” & “American Auto”).
Hey TVLine, thanks for this update. 🙏🏻
There is nothing the least beat unusual about this scheduling. Successful shows that produce 22 hours a season have saved fresh episodes for May sweeps for the past 40 years. It is true that back in the 1960s, shows were in production longer and produced an hour episode in 6 days rather than 8 days. But those shows had longer scenes, less cuts and angles, and could produce more minutes of an episode each production day.
Yes but we have 36 to 43 min per show with advertisers taking rest of hour.
At least they’re letting us know. A lot of what I watch just drops out of sight and I have no idea what’s going on…and the networks wonder why some shows lose viewers.
This was one thing I always loved about the CW (at least the old CW, not sure about the new one) and hated about CBS. CW would have a promo for the next episode even if weeks away so you would know when the show was returning. CBS only shows a promo if there is an episode the coming week, otherwise they show promos for their other shows. Which I get they want to promote what’s coming up but then you’re left with no clue of when the show you just watched will be back. I think the dramas on ABC, NBC and FOX are also better at this, I think, I just notice it more with CW since they have gaps a lot.
We watched Med live last night and they said the next episode is 4/26.
Constant breaks for these horrible written tv-series is becoming joke. I´m done with this chicago crap! Hope they cancel these soon. Time to bring something new and fresh. Less episodes higher quality.
Must not watch much tv
Great you no longer like it and stopped watching it that’s your choice but why wish it gets cancelled. There are around 124 shows presently on tv I’m sure you can find something else to watch. Since Chicago Fire is the most watched show on Wednesday nights and the 4th to 7th most watched show amongst the 124 shows, I think most people still enjoy it and disagree with your assumption that it is boring. I will never understand just because someone no longer cares for a show they want it cancelled. Change the channel problem solved.
No more episodes same quality
I’m not bothered because I’m watching other stuff although I do need to catch up on Fire. After Jesse left PD I found no point in continuing to watch. And I don’t watch Med at all.
I remember when we didn’t get jerked around with this on again/ off again scheduling. The season started in September. Took December off then resumed in January with sweeps month in February. Now with all the competition with streaming you’d think the networks would show more, not less episodes. They wonder why they’re losing viewers!!
Don’t think either of the 3 shows have been very good this year. Med is a revolving door for cast members and Fire is getting that way too. There were a couple of good arcs on PD but the over all mood of the show is so sad. Dick W. Is known to be a creep. Can’t believe what he did to Kelli Giddish.
Maybe it’s something more tolerated when you live in the US and you’re used to these kinds of shenanigans, personally I hate it. If a season is 22 episodes then I like them to air in 22 consecutive weeks, no breaks, no interruptions. Air it then wait for the next season.
Nothing compared to what they’re doing with So Help Me Todd. Worst treated show of the season.
Very true! So frustrating how they’re messing that one around, and they wonder why some shows struggle to build an audience! :(
Sad to see Alaska Daily on the chopping block
Also The Resident officially cancelled
A lot of ridiculous and inane shows are being renewed
Why did Kinney leave?
Looking forward to May 3, and hope all return.
TV shows use to run 30+ episodes. Then they went down to 26 episodes. Now they are down to 6, 8, 10 or 13 episodes each season.
I love my Chicago PD and be glad to see it in May although that’s a long wait. I am looking forward to seeing 4 new episodes.
It’s cool no complaints but Taylor Kinney is really not coming back to the show?
I don’t mind the breaks either because when shows come back I’ve usually forgotten about them, so less shows to watch, more time to do other things. Of course that’s probably not the goal NBC is hoping for…
Love Chicago night on CBS. But please bring back Matt and Severide. Live there characters
I will miss MED and Fire. Love these shows. But, I’ll get a break because NBA Playoffs will be starting and I’ll be watching those. Will restart my Chicago shows when they return
Lol, the usual question on all tv forums: why is there another repeat? Not on until???? why so many reruns??? You think no one has ever watched tv before. Or they can’t count. Regular seasons have 18-24 episodes-which means the same number of weeks of new episodes. There are 52 weeks in a year-Summer not involved-those 18-24 weeks get spread out somehow……
why not Saturday night or Sunday night? Family nights?
This is the second time this seaon that the Chicago One Frachise have been off the air for a month. I think its too much time not to put on original episodes. The pandemic is basicaaly over.
That’s not the reason they are on hiatus. They have 22 episodes a season and they need to extend the time in order to reach the important May ratings. The only way they could end up in May with out going on hiatus at least once would be to not start the next season until maybe November. I for one would rather have them start in late September than nearly two months later. If the new episodes started on around November that would mean the wait for the next season would be about 6 months rather than 3 1/2-4 months it currently is.
Don’t touch my shows. Most things in life you can count on, but my Wednesday nights I can count on 3 hours of great drama. Find somewhere else to cut leave my alone.