There’s a lot that needs to be resolved in January 2025.
One Chicago is on hiatus. The NBC franchise will return with new episodes in January, and all three of them left fans with cliffhangers to ensure that they are excited for what comes next. As we know, from years of watching Chicago Med, Chicago Fire and Chicago PD, though, not all cliffhangers are made the same.
Some put the viewer on the edge of their seat, and demand to be answered ASAP, while others pose interesting questions but ultimately reach enough of a resolution that a wait doesn’t actually feel like the torture the writers intended. So, with that in mind, we decided to break down the upcoming winter premieres, and rank them from least anticipated to most.
Chicago PD
Chicago PD had a solid outing during its season 12 fall finale. There was an emphasis placed on Dante Torres (Benjamin Levy Aguilar), and the ways in which the IU agree to band together to keep him protected in light of some scandalous behavior.
It was also a good outing for Kiana Cook (Toya Turner), who continues to be a rising star within the show. The thing is, nothing is really left unresolved. There’s an implication that Chief Reid (Shawn Hatosy) has dirt on Torres, and will subsequently try to blackmail the IU, but it’s so vague, and is framed as such a long time concern that it doesn’t demand that audiences tune in for the winter premiere. We will, because we like the show, but still.
Chicago Med
Chicago Med made some bold narrative decisions in the closing minutes of the fall finale. There was an implication that Dr. Dean Archer (Steven Weber) was going to resign from Gaffney Medical Center, and a terrifying confrontation that left Dr. Sharon Goodwin (S. Epatha Merkerson) mortally wounded in her office.
These are major cliffhangers. The catch, though, is that the promos for the upcoming One Chicago crossover have confirmed that Archer and Goodwin are sticking around. We know the outcome, and while it will be fun to see how both characters bounce back, it takes some of the anticipation out of the equation.
Chicago Fire
Chicago Fire threw a lot at the wall during its season 13 fall finale. The thing that made the episode so frustrating is the very thing that will make the winter premiere so satisfying, though. None of the arcs were resolved in the fall finale, whether it be the conflict between Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) and the gang member from his past, or the results of the lieutenant exam taken by Herrmann (David Eigenberg) and Mouch (Christian Stolte).
The winter premiere will provide answers for all, in addition to fleshing out the increasingly complex dynamic between Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) and the rest of Firehouse 51. As such, it has topped our list.
