NBC Renews ‘Chicago Med,’ ‘Chicago Fire,’ and ‘Chicago P.D.’ for New Seasons

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In a period when network TV isn’t as strong as it once was, NBC remains committed to its successful procedural dramas. The One Chicago series, encompassing Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med, all produced under Dick Wolf’s Wolf Entertainment label, continue to be among NBC’s strongest ratings contenders. As the networks prepare their schedules for the 2025-26 season, NBC has now confirmed where the One Chicago franchise will appear, a decision that should delight fans of all three shows.

NBC has officially renewed the series “Chicago Fire” for Season 14, “Chicago P.D.” for Season 13, and “Chicago Med” for Season 11. To make this announcement, the network shared a video on social media that includes several cast members of “Chicago Fire” revealing the exciting news. The return of all three “Chicago” shows was always expected; it just required some cost-cutting negotiations in the background to finalize the decision.

All Three ‘Chicago’ Shows Will Have Reduced Costs

Similar to many long-lasting TV shows, production costs often rise as a program progresses. In an effort to lower expenses, NBC and Universal Television, which produces all Wolf Entertainment series like Law & Order: SVU, have been implementing cost-saving strategies over the past few seasons. For instance, during the 2022-23 season of One Chicago, many cast members across all shows had their “minimum guarantees” reduced as a cost-cutting measure. This is common in long-running dramas, and it means that regular actors may not appear in every episode to help control costs. The upcoming season’s contracts suggest that some regulars might only star in 2-4 episodes, and actors are being encouraged to relocate to Chicago, where the series is filmed. If they don’t, their guarantees could be reduced even further.

Despite the assurance of their earnings, certain TV series have encountered a few additional complications. Some key actors, including longtime cast members like Taylor Kinney from Chicago Fire, are currently in negotiations with the network to renew their contracts. Unfortunately, some other cast members won’t be returning for budgetary reasons.

To put it simply, the “One Chicago” series remains highly profitable for NBC, consistently outperforming their competition in both linear TV ratings and streaming views on Peacock. Combined, these shows have reportedly amassed approximately 46 million viewers across NBC and the streaming platform this season, with each show’s streaming numbers showing a year-over-year improvement. Furthermore, the “Chicago” franchise is NBC’s most-watched dramatic brand on network television and has consistently secured them the top spot on Wednesday evenings.

The number of episodes for each show next season is yet to be finalized, but there’s a chance they might have fewer episodes compared to this season. This trend, seen in network TV lately to save costs, shouldn’t worry fans too much as their favorite shows will continue to air. Despite a potential slight reduction, the beloved One Chicago series will persist.

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2025-05-07 00:13