One of the most popular and longest-running franchises on network TV is One Chicago on NBC, which started when Derek Haas and Michael Brandt created Chicago Fire and released it in the fall of 2012, and was consecutively followed by three spinoffs — Chicago PD, Chicago Med, and Chicago Justice. Every show in the One Chicago shared universe has had varying degrees of success. Some TV series have performed better than others, while one in particular was an epic fail many would rather forget about. Nevertheless, NBC’s procedural franchise has prevailed over the years, resulting in major milestones and impressive accomplishments.
Each installment in the One Chicago franchise takes place in Chicago, Illinois, and revolves around different public service factions. All the show’s names refer to their specified public service — Fire depicts the firefighters and paramedics at Firehouse 51; PD focuses on the Intelligence Unit at the Chicago Police Department’s 21st District; Med centers around the doctors and nurses working in the emergency department at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center; and Justice follows the prosecutors and investigators at the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Over the years, One Chicago has continued to dominate despite consistent cast exits and has maintained strong ratings.
| One Chicago TV Show | Season(s) | Episodes | Creators | Backdoor Pilot Premiere Date | Release Date | Finale Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | 13 | 252 | Michael Brandt and Derek Haas | N/A | October 10, 2012 | TBA |
| Chicago PD | 12 | 221 | Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead | May 15, 2013 | January 8, 2014 | TBA |
| Chicago Med | 10 | 176 | Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead | April 7, 2015 | November 17, 2015 | TBA |
| Chicago Justice | 1 | 13 | Dick Wolf | May 11, 2016 | March 1, 2017 | May 14, 2017 |
4.Chicago Justice
Premiered In 2017
The last place ranking of the One Chicago TV shows is the easiest as Chicago Justice is inarguably the worst out of the four. Chicago Justice, created by Dick Wolf and developed by Derek Haas, Michael Brandt, and Matt Olmstead, is the franchise’s third spinoff and premiered in March 2017 after its backdoor pilot (Chicago PD season 3, episode 21) aired in May 2016. The legal drama only ran for 13 episodes before NBC canceled it after one season, referencing its disappointing ratings, lack of sustainability, and taking up space in the network’s lineup as reasons for its ending.
Despite the characters in Chicago Justice being played by notable names (Philip Winchester as Assistant State’s Attorney Peter Stone, Joelle Carter as Investigator Laura Nagel, and Carl Weathers as Cook County State’s Attorney Mark Jefferies), the series didn’t attract the attention it needed to survive. The producers also transferred Jon Seda, who portrayed Antonio Dawson, from the main cast of Chicago PD to Chicago Justice to try to reel in the franchise’s existing audience. However, the NBC TV show’s dull stories and characters failed to gain and sustain a large following, resulting in its cancelation.
Chicago Justice‘s shortened run was undoubtedly disappointing for NBC and the One Chicago producers. The series only had one season, while the three preceding shows have all made it to their tenth seasons and have released over 200 episodes (Chicago Med currently sits at 176 episodes after season 9’s release, but it’ll likely make it to 200). The legal drama crashed and burned epically, which might be why NBC hasn’t attempted to develop another spinoff. Whatever the case, there is a significant divide between the fourth-place ranking and the top three of the best One Chicago series, and it’s not close.
3.Chicago Med
Premiered In 2015
Although Chicago Med is eons better than Chicago Justice, the third installment in the One Chicago franchise can’t compare to Chicago Fire or Chicago PD. The backdoor pilot for the medical drama, created by Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead and developed by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, debuted in Chicago Fire season 3, episode 19, which depicted Dr. Will Halstead’s first day at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center (the characters typically call it “Chicago Med” or Med”). Will is the brother of one of the best characters in the One Chicago TV shows — Detective Jay Halstead from Chicago PD.
Chicago Med did a great job pulling viewers in with its engrossing stories and complex characters. Nevertheless, most of them are now gone, and their replacements aren’t as compelling, which is why Chicago Med cannot be ranked above Chicago Fire or Chicago PD.
Despite its ensemble cast, Will has arguably been the protagonist of the medical drama from the beginning. His journey has been one of the most intriguing ones to watch, but several other characters have also had entertaining (and sometimes frustrating) arcs. However, now that most of the original stars are gone and Dr. Will Halstead exited Chicago Med after season 9, the TV series is expected to continue going downhill in season 10. With all the character exits, repetitive storylines, and unrealistic conduct, Chicago Med‘s quality has certainly declined since its first season.
| Chicago Med Main Cast Members | Role |
|---|---|
| Dr. Will Halstead | Nick Gehlfuss |
| April Sexton | Yaya DaCosta |
| Dr. Natalie Manning | Torrey DeVitto |
| Dr. Sarah Reese | Rachel DiPillo |
| Dr. Connor Rhodes | Colin Donnell |
| Dr. Ethan Choi | Brian Tee |
| Sharon Goodwin | S. Epatha Merkerson |
| Dr. Daniel Charles | Oliver Platt |
| Maggie Lockwood | Marlyne Barrett |
| Dr. Ava Bekker | Norma Kuhling |
| Dr. Crockett Marcel | Dominic Rains |
| Dr. Dean Archer | Steven Weber |
| Dr. Dylan Scott | Guy Lockard |
| Dr. Stevie Hammer | Kristen Hager |
| Dr. Hannah Asher | Jessy Schram |
| Dr. Mitch Ripley | Luke Mitchell |
However, Chicago Med got off to a fantastic start. The show premiered in 2015 and introduced fans of the One Chicago universe to a new set of characters who brought a breath of fresh air to the franchise. As mentioned above, Will was great at the beginning, as were Dr. Ethan Choi, April Sexton, Dr. Connor Rhodes, and many others. Chicago Med did a great job pulling viewers in with its engrossing stories and complex characters. Nevertheless, most of them are now gone, and their replacements aren’t as compelling, which is why Chicago Med cannot be ranked above Chicago Fire or Chicago PD.
2.Chicago Fire
Premiered In 2012
Even though Chicago Fire is the show that started the One Chicago shared universe, it isn’t the best series in the franchise. However, it comes pretty close as it has maintained a strong following over the years and continues releasing entertaining episodes. The procedural drama, created by Michael Brandt and Derek Haas, debuted in October 2012 and has been a success for NBC ever since. Chicago Fire‘s ratings have consistently remained strong over the course of its 12 (soon to be 13) seasons, and it’s consistently one of NBC’s highest-rated TV shows.
Chicago Fire follows the lives (and relationships) of the firefighters and paramedics at Firehouse 51 in Chicago. When the series began, viewers fell in love with characters such as Jesse Spencer’s Matt Casey, Taylor Kinney’s Kelly Severide, Monica Raymund’s Gabby Dawson, and so on. The characters’ individual stories and complicated (and messy) relationships drew fans in, as did the intense action firefighting scenes. However, like most of the One Chicago series, Chicago Fire has worsened as the seasons pass by (despite its high ratings).
Unfortunately, after being on the air for almost 13 seasons, Chicago Fire has gradually become more like a soap opera. The procedural drama seamlessly blended high-stakes action with emotional, gripping storylines during the early seasons. But nowadays, that magic has all but disappeared (much like most original cast members, including Eamonn Walker as Chief Boden after Chicago Fire season 12). The NBC TV show still has some life in it, though, and no one can forget how fantastic the first seven seasons were, which is why Chicago Fire is among the franchise’s best.
1.Chicago PD
Premiered In 2014
Chicago PD might not be the original One Chicago TV show, but it is the best. The police procedural action drama, created by Dick Wolf and Matt Olmstead and developed by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, is the franchise’s first spinoff. Its backdoor pilot aired during Chicago Fire season 1, episode 23, in May 2013 and premiered in January 2014. As One Chicago‘s first spinoff,Chicago PD had a lot to live up to, given the stellar precedent set by its predecessor, and it more than exceeded expectations.
Like the other One Chicago series, Chicago PD ‘s quality has lessened since its first season, but its high ratings, bold storytelling, and complex characters push it to the top of the list.
The Chicago PD pilot didn’t pull any punches as it killed off one of the characters who was seemingly going to be a regular on the show. Her death proved how dark the police procedural would be compared to Chicago Fire, and it established the series’ high stakes. Everyone was expendable, making the TV show terrifying but also exciting. Part of what makes Chicago PD the best One Chicago show is its dark, gritty, and ruthless nature, which separates it from the crowd. Its stories and characters are unforgiving, and like a car wreck, one can’t help but sit and watch.
| One Chicago TV Show | Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score | IMDb Score |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago Fire | 88% | 8.0 |
| Chicago PD | 90% | 8.1 |
| Chicago Med | 75% | 7.6 |
| Chicago Justice | 69% | 6.8 |
Chicago PD also includes complicated characters viewers want to root for, despite their horrible deeds. Jason Beghe’s Hank Voight is a dirty cop who should be hated, but his development throughout the seasons has been one of the most intriguing arcs. Other fascinating characters, such as Sophia Bush’s Erin Lindsay, LaRoyce Hawkins’ Kevin Atwater, and Jesse Lee Soffer’s Jay Halstead, have also made the police procedural as highly received as it is. Like the other One Chicago series, Chicago PD‘s quality has lessened since its first season, but its high ratings, bold storytelling, and complex characters push it to the top of the list.
