TV show crossovers are exciting. They can range from a character within a universe popping in for a cameo to two completely unconnected shows merging for a special episode. And there’s no denying they’re always fun to see. From live-action to cartoons, or sometimes even both, when these series create a rupture between worlds, it’s exciting to see what the characters will do.
Aside from the odd random episode making a special edition, there are other TV shows out there that have multiple series within an affiliated franchise, and Dick Wolf‘s One Chicago is one of his most recognized. Consisting of Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med, this trio is renowned for interconnecting, even crossing over with Wolf’s other extensive procedural universe, Law and Order. Since 2013, it has become a tradition to have them merge at least once a year in some way or another. Chocked-full of drama and nail-biting anticipation, fans are always curious to see where the latest will lead. And some of these episodes sit among the best of the shows.
10. “Comic Preservation” & “Conventions” (SVU/PD)
‘Law & Order: SVU’ (S15, E15) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S01, E06)
When a new fellow police procedural within Dick Wolf’s universe came in 2014, it didn’t take long for worlds to connect when Chicago P.D. and Law and Order: SVU merged for their first crossover. The New York and Chicago teams come together to catch a serial rapist and murderer and see Erin Lindsey (Sophia Bush) enlist the help of two SVU members.
Fans were thrilled at the idea of Wolf’s shows crossing over, no matter the case they were working on. So when SVU favorites, Amanda Rollins (Kelli Giddish) and Odafin Tutuola (Ice-T) flew into the Windy City to help the Intelligence Unit catch the man behind the attacks, it made for some exciting and rather intense scenes throughout the episode’s entirety.
9. “A Dark Day” & “8:30 PM”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S02, E20) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S01, E12)
“A Dark Day” is considered one of the best episodes of Chicago Fire. According to IMDb, it’s the second highest-rated episode out of the show’s impressive 240-plus total and is the first part in this two-way crossover from 2014. It sees multiple detectives from the Intelligence Unit assisting the members of Firehouse 51 when an explosion rocks a hospital.
It’s discovered that a bomb is responsible for the blast, leading to the storyline flowing into P.D.‘s “8:30 PM” so that the Intelligence Unit’s detectives can find the people responsible. Dozens of injuries and fatalities motivate the team in one of the most harrowing crossovers to date. Its emotionally draining aspects make this one of the most heartbreaking of all.
8.“Nobody Touches Anything” & “Chicago Crossover” & “They’ll Have to Go Through Me”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S03, E07) & ‘Law & Order: SVU’ (S16, E07) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S02, E07)
In one of the earliest Law and Order crossovers, and the first to feature a three-parter with the team from the Special Victims Unit. 2014s “Nobody Touches Anything,””Chicago Crossover,” and “They’ll Have to Go Through Me” see the Chicago firefighters and Intelligence Unit teaming up with SVU‘s New York detectives to take down a child pornography ring.
Uncovered by Fire, in the first part, when they rescue a man with questionable photos in his possession, the episodes take audiences along for the ride with the edge-of-your-seat action to bring the monsters responsible for the awful crimes down and stop them once and for all. With multiple lives at stake, this early One Chicago/Law and Order crossover had viewers gripped from the start.
7.“Three Bells” & “A Little Devil Complex”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S03, E13) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S02, E13)
Leslie Shay’s (Lauren German) death came as a shocking blow to fans. She has been a favorite character of Chicago Fire since its beginning in 2012, instantly gripping viewers’ hearts with her sarcasm, loyalty, and lovable nature. When season two’s explosive cliffhanger left multiple lives on the line, their fate was unknown until the series returned for its third season months later. But nobody saw this coming.
2015’s two-part crossover between Fire’s “Three Bells” and P.D.’s “A Little Devil Complex” saw new information surrounding her death come to light. Revealed to be arson, Firehouse 51 brings in Antonio Dawson (Jon Seda), Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati), and Sean Roman (Brian Geraghty) to assist in the investigation, adamant about finding justice for their fallen colleague.
6.“We Called Her Jellybean” & “The Number of Rats” & “Daydream Believer”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S03, E21) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S02, E20) & ‘Law & Order: SVU’ (S16, E20)
A case gets a little too personal for Erin Lindsey in the second three-part crossover with Law and Order: SVU when she discovers her brother is involved in a series of rapes and murders they’re investigating. He vanished as a teenager after moving to New York, and she hadn’t heard from him in about ten years.
“The Number of Rats” focuses on the Intelligence Unit’s investigation into the serial attacks, culminating in Law and Order: SVU’s “Daydream Believer” after Erin flies to New York to assist them with the case. These episodes introduce a killer who creates all sorts of hell for P.D.’s members, specifically Lindsey, who grows attached to the case in more ways than one.
5.“The Beating Heart” & “Malignant” & “Now I’m God”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S04, E10) & ‘Chicago Med’ (S01, E05) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S03, E10)
The One Chicago universe welcomed its newest member, Chicago Med in 2015 with a backdoor pilot in Chicago Fire‘s “I Am the Apocalypse.” But the first three-way crossover wouldn’t come until the following year when fan-favorite Fire member, Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) required critical care at Med after a shocking stabbing.
However, the storylines of this first crossover wouldn’t just focus on whether Herrmann would live or die. While at the hospital, chemotherapy overdoses are discovered, prompting the need for an investigation. Connections to Hank Voight (Jason Beghe) hit home on a deeply personal level when the doctor responsible is revealed to be the person who treated his wife during her battle with cancer, and he becomes determined to convict him of her murder.
4.“Nationwide Manhunt” & “The Song of Gregory William Yates”
‘Law & Order: SVU’ (S17, E14) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S03, E14)
Nadia Decotis (Stella Maeve) has arguably one of the most tragic storylines across all the One Chicago shows. She was introduced to viewers just four episodes into Chicago P.D.‘s first season, appearing sporadically until her untimely death in the twentieth episode of season two, “The Number of Rats.” She quickly became likable, making her final moments all the more devastating.
The episode’s titular character, Gregory Yates (Dallas Roberts), was a serial killer first revealed in the same episode as Nadia’s last. He is one of the show’s most notable murderers. This crossover between Law and Order: SVU and Chicago P.D. saw Erin Lindsey work with the New York Special Victims Unit when he escaped prison with one of their most notorious. “Nationwide Manhunt” and “The Song of Gregory William Yates” saw a nail-biting attempt to end his reign of death and destruction.
3.“Deathtrap” & “Emotional Proximity” & “Fake”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S05, E15) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S04, E16) & ‘Chicago Justice’ (S01, E01)
When talking about One Chicago’s most remembered crossovers, this one is pretty high on the list. It serves as the first to feature the failed addition, Chicago Justice, culminating with their pilot episode to close out the event. When a blaze rips through an abandoned building being used as a party hangout, dozens die, and many are left severely injured due to the building’s unsafe standards.
What makes this so memorable is that it saw the life of a young girl named Lexi Olinsky (Alina Taber) come to a heartbreaking end. She was the daughter of Chicago P.D.‘s beloved detective Alvin Olinsky (Elias Koteas), a fan favorite of the show since his introduction in episode one. “Deathtrap,””Emotional Proximity,” and “Fake” took viewers through the tragedy, arson investigation, and conviction process, making for an intense three-way crossover event.
2.“Going to War” & “When to Let Go” & “Endings”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S07, E02) & ‘Chicago Med’ (S04, E02) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S06, E02)
Before “Infection” hit TV screens the following year, its three-part predecessor saw a catastrophic blaze consume a twenty-five-story apartment complex in one of Chicago Fire‘s most intense blazes to date. The fatal fire saw the teams come together in a bid to rescue as many people as possible while also finding out its cause. When it’s discovered to be the work of an arsonist, P.D. steps in to find the party responsible.
Things take a personal turn for the Halstead brothers when their father is trapped on one of the floors above the fire. Pat Halstead (Louis Herthum) passes away from excessive smoke inhalation, leaving Jay and Will (Nick Gehlfuss) heartbroken, despite their rocky relationship. Jay (Jesse Lee Soffer) becomes determined to find the man responsible, even if it means putting his own life on the line. Episodes, “Going to War,””When to Let Go,” and “Endings” made for some of the most engrossing moments of the series.
1. “Infection: Part 1″ & “Infection: Part 2” & “Infection: Part 3”
‘Chicago Fire’ (S08, E04) & ‘Chicago Med’ (S05, E04) & ‘Chicago P.D.’ (S07, E04)
Instead of the Chicago crossovers typically putting one beloved cast member’s life on the line, the 2017 three-parter took it one step further toward the extreme when the entire city of Chicago was put at risk. Necrotizing fasciitis, better known as flesh-eating bacteria, is a nasty infection easily capable of killing its host, and very quickly at that.
Parts one, two, and three of “Infection” saw the Windy City’s residents brought to their knees when an outbreak of the killer bacteria was intentionally released. The crossover started with Fire’s installment, which focused on the initial outbreak. Next up was Med and P.D., which centered on identifying the frightening new disease and catching the person responsible for the deaths it caused.
