The One Chicago Franchise Makes a Controversial Decision Ahead of Fall Return

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NBC is making more changes to the One Chicago franchise as preparation for the production of the new seasons of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D., get underway. Every broadcast season now comes with some alterations to the long-standing format of Network TV as companies try to cut down on production spending. One Chicago has seen these changes in the last few years, from reduced screen time for series regulars to fewer series regulars in a given show. Now, the network is trying something different as budget cuts continue to decimate the medium. Deadline reported that the seasons will come with reduced episodes. Contrary to the regular 22-episode season, this Fall’s season will have 21 episodes for each show. This is not a significant reduction, but it could be a sign of what’s to come.

The real impact is felt when this development is combined with other recent changes that have been made. As it has been for the past two seasons, series regulars in the One Chicago universe are getting less screen time. Normally, a series regular would appear in most, if not all, episodes in the season. However, the shows have been cycling through main characters, writing some out of an episode to minimize production costs. It has given rise to the character-centric format where storylines are built around one character while others take a backseat. Meanwhile, some shows, like Chicago Fire, have lost series regulars due to budget constraints. The cumulative effect of this would naturally be less screen time for characters, which could impact the show’s overall feel. Whether this will happen when One Chicago returns remains to be seen.

Who Is Returning to ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 14, ‘Chicago Med’ Season 11, and ‘Chicago P.D.’ Season 13?

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The same report reveals that various leads from all three shows have signed on for more episodes after contract negotiations. On Chicago Fire, Taylor Kinney, Miranda Rae Mayo, and Dermot Mulroney will return in their full capacity. Everyone else’s fate hangs in the balance, as showrunner Andrea Newman said while teasing some major turnover in Season 14. She said:

“We’re going to have a lot of turnover and a lot craziness going on in the CFD from the top, where people are being cut and moved, and everything’s going to get shaken up next season.”

On Chicago P.D., Jason Beghe has also signed on for more episodes, while on Chicago Med, S. Epatha Merkerson and Oliver Platt will continue serving at Gaffney. Apart from Mulroney, who joined Chicago Fire in Season 13, everyone else has been with their respective shows for a while. One Chicago continues on Wednesdays on NBC this Fall.