Chicago’s
record-setting
year of
television
production
just got more
record-settinger
Dick Wolf’s award-winning trio of Windy City-based dramas — Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med — will collectively shoot a half-dozen additional episodes for the 2018 season, according to recent reports.
Chicago PD executive producer/director Eriq LaSalle announced the news to fans in an Instagram post. Next to a photo of the cast, he wrote, “just found out you’ll be seeing this bad ass cast for an additional 2 episodes this season.”
Besides Chicago PD, Chicago Fire and Chicago Med will each shoot an additional pair of episodes in 2018.
“The increase,” according to Deadline, “brings the episode count for all three Chicago series to full-season 22.”
CHICAGO P.D. | SEASON 6 – EPISODE 9 SNEAK PEEK
The news beefs-up an already record-setting year for Chicago’s TV production industry, where a total of ten shows were filmed in 2018. When the bottom line is reported in 2019, it will mark the city’s third straight year of unprecedented achievement.
In 2017, the city scored a record level of activity for local film and media production. A total of 580 individual film and media projects generated 2,404 production days, resulting in an estimated $423 million in job creation and expenditures, according to a report from the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. To support the projects, the Chicago film office issued a total of 2,127 permits, a 10 percent increase from 2016.
The majority of the shows are filmed at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, the film and television production campus located in North Lawndale. Besides the Chicago triology, the location is home to Empire and The Chi, among others.
NBC moved all three shows to Wednesdays earlier this year, branding the weekly event as “One Chicago” night.
“One Chicago” begins with Chicago Med at 7 p.m., followed by Chicago Fire at 8 p.m. and Chicago P.D. at 9 p.m. According to Deadline, it was a major factor in generating the popularity that prompted the network to order more show’s.
Premiering in 2012, Chicago Fire was the first show in the lineup’s to air. Chicago P.D. was launched in 2014. Chicago Med started its run in 2015.
Send your production updates to Reel Chicago Editor Dan Patton, dan@reelchicago.com.
