NBC’s Chicago franchise, which includes the first responder dramas Chicago Fire,

Chicago Med and Chicago P.D., has long been a mainstay of the network’s primetime schedule.

The three shows, all executive produced by Dick Wolf, returned Wednesday to begin their respective seasons after being delayed by a strike by both writers and actors.

Even with the late start of the seasons, viewers still tuned in to watch the three-hour episode on January 17, which included a six-month time jump. Chicago Med and Chicago Fire both opened with nearly 7 million viewers, while Chicago P.D. ended the evening with nearly 6 million viewers, according to overnight ratings.

“Dick Wolf has long been a master of procedurals, and despite his success with various branches of Law & Order over the years, it wasn’t until the Chicago franchise that he perfected his particular procedural magic. your body: create fully manageable programs. itself while also seamlessly connecting to the larger franchise,” Jason Lynch, curator at the Paley Center for Media, told Yahoo Entertainment.

When does the Chicago show air?
Chicago Fire is the first series in the series that debuted on NBC in October 2012. Chicago P.D. This was immediately followed by a backdoor pilot in the penultimate episode of Season 1 of Fire which aired on May 13, 2013, before premiering on January 8, 2014 as the first spin-off. Chicago Med followed a similar path with its backdoor pilot in Fire’s third season before debuting as the series’ second spin-off on November 17, 2015.

Another spinoff, Chicago Justice, centered on the state’s attorney’s office but was canceled after one season in 2017.
How are they different?
Chicago Fire revolves around the firefighters and paramedics of Firehouse 51, often blurring the lines between their personal and professional lives. Chicago PD follows a group of officers leading the Intelligence Unit as they hunt down criminals; it can be described as the darkest tone of the franchise. Chicago Med focuses on the doctors and nurses in the emergency department at Chicago Gaffney Medical Center as they work to save patients’ lives.

While the Chicago procedurals exist in the same universe and the characters frequently intersect when large-scale emergencies occur, each show is largely self-contained. They also used the framework of their respective genres – firefighter dramas for Fire, police dramas for P.D. and medical drama for Med — to explore the complex interpersonal dynamics that often cause much tension and conflict.

Who are the stars?
Jesse Spencer, who plays Captain Matthew Casey, and Taylor Kinney, who plays Kelly Severide, were regulars on Chicago Fire for more than 10 seasons before Spencer left as a series regular in its fourth episode. 200. He returned twice more and is set to appear again in the current 12th season, which said goodbye to cast member Alberto Rosende, who played firefighter Blake Gallo, and will see ​​​​the departure of Kara Killmer, who played paramedic Sylvie Brett.

Jason Beghe leads the cast of Chicago P.D., which will also see the departure of its main cast members at the end of Season 11. Tracy Spiridakos, who plays Det. Hailey Upton is expected to leave her role this season, about a year after co-star Jesse Lee Soffer, who played her on-screen husband, Jay Halstead, left the series.

Chicago Med has also made changes in front of the camera during its nine-season run. Following the departures of Nick Gehlfuss and Brian Tee after last season, the medical drama now stars S. Epatha Merkerson, Oliver Platt, Marlyne Barrett, Dominic Rains, Steven Webber and Jessy Schram, among the cast new Luke Mitchell.

What can viewers expect?
Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. have passed the 10-year mark of television broadcasting, both of which have passed 200 episodes. Chicago Med, which will air its 165th episode next week, is at least two seasons away from achieving that rare television feat. During that time, the main cast of all three shows came and went – some permanently, others less so.

Kinney, who took time off from the Chicago Fire midway through last season to deal with an undisclosed personal matter, returned to the series in Wednesday’s Season 12 premiere. Showrunner Andrea Newman promised Kinney, who she called “the heart of Chicago Fire,” would return for the long haul in a season she described as one “of change and fluctuations”.

“Severide will be front and center this season. The disappearance of tubers

is a part of all families and we have to reflect that with our 51 families.”

Spencer’s return in Season 12 will likely lead to Killmer’s exit. In the premiere, her character wore an engagement ring after she accepted the final proposal from Spencer’s character, Casey. “In many ways, Casey has never left the age of 51,” Newman said. “His presence has always been felt, not only as part of this family, but he still has someone His best friend Severide [Kinney] was there, as was the woman he called the love of his life, Brett [Killmer]. This season we will see him come in expecting one thing, but it will happen quickly.”

For Chicago Med, losing several characters in a short period of time was an opportunity to reset the show and bring in new blood to change the dynamic. Season 9 is about “new beginnings,” showrunner Diane Frolov told Yahoo Entertainment. “It’s about how our characters struggle, personally and professionally, to overcome their past and create a new future.”

With the arrival of Mitchell, who plays the new Dr. Mitch Ripley, his presence will add more depth to the hospital. “His character overcame a difficult childhood to become an attending physician at our elite hospital. His charm and winning demeanor give no indication of his troubled past,” host Andrew Schneider told Yahoo Entertainment.