The three series in the Chicago universe have given NBC the chance for something truly unique on broadcast television. While other networks do have multiple shows set in the same universe -- such as the Arrow-verse on The CW and all things NCIS on CBS -- there's nothing quite like Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. airing new episodes in one solid block of Wednesday night programming. The solid block of Chicago action means that three-show crossovers can air in one night, and the mega crossover of fall 2018 was a game-changer for characters across all three.
Fortunately for Chicago fans, another three-show mega crossover will hit the airwaves this fall, but there will be some key differences from what happened last year. Chicago Med showrunner Andrew Schneider spoke with CinemaBlend about what's in store for the Chicago crossover in the new TV season, saying this:
We have a huge one coming up! It's gonna be the fourth episode, about a potential health crisis that will affect the whole city. It involves all three shows in a very deep and intertwined way throughout three hours.
Although of course Andrew Schneider wasn't going to spoil all the surprises that are in store once the Chicago shows return and head toward the next huge crossover, his comments already tease some changes from how the crossover went down in fall 2018.
For one thing, the Med/Fire/P.D. crossover aired as the second episode of each show last year, meaning that the shows only had the season premiere before jumping right into the crossover. Airing as the fourth episode means all three shows have time to resolve their previous finale cliffhangers and move into the next stage of their seasons before the city-wide health crisis breaks out.
Fans will have to wait a little longer to see their favorites from the three shows mingling on a huge scale, but there's always the chance for smaller crossovers. After all, Fire and P.D. characters can require medical attention pretty regularly, and things do catch on fire an awful lot in Chicago. Throw in the crime, and the cops of P.D. can turn up anywhere!
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For another thing, the 2019 crossover will intertwine the three episodes, which is a departure from how the 2018 crossover operated. While the episodes of Med, Fire, and P.D. did follow the same overarching story, the episodes were distinctly an hour each of Med, Fire, and P.D. The 2019 event sounds positively cinematic.
In fact, Chicago Fire showrunner Derek Haas named two action movies that will share similarities with the upcoming crossover: Poseidon Adventure and Independence Day. The reasons he gave don't suggest that the characters will be dealing with a nautical disaster or alien invasion, such as what happened in those two movies, but they certainly point toward a high-stakes and intense event.
The first episode of the crossover on October 16 will be Fire, in the usual Med time slot, penned by Derek Haas. Haas and Dick Wolf came up with the story together, and I think it's safe to say that any story crafted by Dick Wolf is primed for success on the small screen. Chicago isn't his first successful franchise, after all!
The crossover episodes of the Chicago series won't debut until October, but the shows themselves will be back soon, and Chicago Med will include a character who could be "disrupting some relationships" after he's introduced in Season 5. The Chicago action gets back into full swing on Wednesday, September 25 with Med at 8 p.m. ET, Fire at 9 p.m. ET, and P.D. at 10 p.m. ET.
Med has more than one question to answer, including what happened to cause Connor's dad's death, how Ava was or was not involved, what Maggie is facing following the cancer bombshell, if April is indeed pregnant, and if both Natalie and Will survive the car crash without long-term effects. Throw in the possible death on Chicago Fire and the fact that Voight may or may not have murdered the mayor to cause some tension within the Intelligence Unit on P.D., and Wednesday nights will be packed with must-see TV on NBC.
