Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med officially wrap today for the season. Congratulations to the cast and crew. You are our heroes!
2020 was a hard year for everyone on the planet. Keeping our favorite TV shows on the air through these difficult times was a HUGE endeavor for all involved. While the actors are portraying real life heroes in Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med, we feel that EVERYONE involved in keeping our beloved fictional heroes coming back week after week are also heroes who deserve to be celebrated.
Just over a year ago our country faced a sweeping tidal wave of a deadly global pandemic leaving the dreaded feeling of fear of the unknown, the uncertainty of how badly we’d be impacted, and how long it would last.
In March of 2020 the larger cities implemented lockdowns or “stay at home” orders for those not working in an essential business. Sadly, TV and movie production ceased leaving unfinished episodes on One Chicago and many others as productions were abandoned.
“It was like a ghost town here,” said Alex Pissios, president of Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, home of the One Chicago series. “The entire campus emptied out.”
The phrase “the new normal” was invented while most of us were trapped at home, ordering our groceries to be left on our doorsteps, and carrying on business through zoom meetings. As we went about doing what we could to “slow the curve”, our real life first responders and medical professionals were on the front line, desperately trying to stay ahead of this deadly virus.
All of us know someone who suffered through it. Some of us lost a dear loved one.
Along with the lingering cloud of worry over the wellbeing of our family, friends and ourselves, there came a new-found respect for those who kept things going, many of whom worked for minimum wage. Those essential workers who showed up to work everyday became our heroes.
Across the nation, there was a nightly cheer to support our first responders, who were in many ways celebrated through the One Chicago series. We developed an increased sense of appreciation and love for our characters on Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and Chicago Med.
On June 15, 2020, after months of being forced to adhere to a local stay-at-home order, the Chicago Film Office began issuing filming permits under very strict guidelines. The One Chicago franchise usually takes the summer months off for their break and they return to production in the fall. The producers and a skeleton crew returned early to face the many obstacles to overcome with COVID prep, and protocols to be set in place.
Chicago Med was the first of the One Chicago series to start production on September 22, 2020 in Chicago, but soon after suspended production for two weeks when two crew members tested positive for COVID within the first week of filming. Chicago Fire and Chicago PD began filming on October 6, 2020 and in November 2020, Chicago Fire also had to suspend production, out of an abundance of caution, for 2 weeks after a few individuals tested positive.
Due to pandemic-related production delays (it simply takes longer to film one episode with all of the safety protocols in place,) the current seasons of the One Chicago dramas did not premiere until mid-November and the season was shortened to 16 episodes instead of the usual 22 episodes per season.
One Chicago, Wolf Entertainment, and Cinespace Chicago Film Studios were diligent in ensuring that crews and talent were able to work in a safe environment. While studios have their set of protocols, the series had their own set of strict protocols which banned any visitors from the production office or set without a Covid test. The set was limited to only those who are working at the time. The cast and crew of each of these shows are like a family within themselves with everyone doing whatever was necessary to continue production.
With all the obstacles the One Chicago franchise had to overcome, the heroes who make up both the cast and crew worked tirelessly to produce and schedule 16 remarkable episodes for each series.
As a result, for the entire month of May, we will be gifted with brand new episodes for all three shows, and every week following until they each reach their season finale on Wednesday, May 26, 2021.
Chicago P.D. is ending its eighth season, while Chicago Fire is ending its ninth, and Chicago Med will be ending its sixth season. All three shows have completed the first of the three-season renewals ordered in February 2020.
All episodes of Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD are available to stream on NBC Peacock.
