NBC Renews Chicago Fire, Med & P.D. Plus Law & Order SVU
NBC has handed out renewal orders to ‘Chicago Fire‘, ‘Chicago P.D.‘, and ‘Chicago Med‘, plus it’s also renewed ‘Law & Order: SVU‘ for a 20th season, putting it in a potentially record-breaking position.
All four shows come from creator & exec producer Dick Wolf, and it gives ‘Chicago Fire’ a 7th Season, ‘Chicago P.D.’ a 6th Season and ‘Chicago Med’ a 4th Season. However, it’s ‘Law & Order: SVU’ which could make records as it’s renewed for the 20th Season, tying it with ‘Gunsmoke’ and the original ‘Law & Order’ for the longest-running drama series on US tv. If it gets renewed again next year, it will beat both shows.
The renewals are not unexpected, given ‘SVU’ and ‘P.D’ are the 2nd highest rated series on the network behind the juggernaut that is ‘This Is Us’. ‘Fire’ and ‘Med’ sit only 0.1 behind them in the ratings.
Launched in 2012 with ‘Chicago Fire’, the Chicago franchise has been a runaway hit for the studio, both domestically and worldwide. ‘Chicago Fire’ follows the firefighters, rescue squad and paramedics of Chicago Firehouse 51 risk their lives week in and week out to save and protect the citizens of the windy city, whilst ‘Chicago P.D.’ tracks the men and women of the Chicago Police Department’s elite Intelligence Unit, who are combatting the city’s most heinous offenses – organized crime, drug trafficking, high-profile murders and beyond. ‘Chicago Med’ moves the action to follow the day-to-day chaos of the city’s newest state-of-the-art trauma centre and into the lives of the courageous doctors, nurses and staff who hold it all together.
‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’ is the longest-running primetime drama currently on television and chronicles the life and crimes of the Special Victims Unit of the New York City Police Department, an elite squad of detectives who investigate crimes of sexual assault, child abuse and domestic violence.
Frustratingly for fans in the UK, the Chicago franchise is split across multiple channels this side of the pond, making the various crossovers a challenge to follow. ‘Chicago Fire’ airs on Sky Living, whilst ‘Chicago P.D.’ is on 5USA, and ‘Chicago Med’ appears on Universal TV along with ‘Law & Order: SVU’. None of the broadcasters co-ordinate their airings, so ‘Chicago Fire’, ‘Med’ and ‘SVU’ are currently on air, whilst ‘Chicago P.D.’ isn’t due to air until the Summer.
