Navigating the One Chicago Universe: A Guide to Watching 36 Seasons of Television
The One Chicago shows have been a staple of NBC's Wednesday night lineup for a long time, creating a vast interconnected universe within Dick Wolf's crime and medical series. With 36 crossover episodes between the four series and connections to other NBC procedurals like "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," it can be overwhelming to know where to start watching. Here's a simple guide to help you navigate through 36 seasons of television in a somewhat chronological order.
You can start by watching Season 1 of "Chicago Fire" without interruptions. Episode 23, "Let Her Go," serves as a backdoor pilot for "Chicago P.D.," marking the first One Chicago crossover. The two series were launched together, allowing you to alternate episodes until Season 2, Episode 20 of "Chicago Fire," where the storyline continues on "Chicago P.D." Season 3 of "Fire" and Season 2 of "P.D." also have interconnected episodes, especially focusing on the death of Leslie Shay.
The complexity increases when "Fire" and "P.D." have crossovers with "Law and Order: SVU," intertwining storylines as they investigate similar arson attacks. The introduction of "Chicago Med" adds another layer to the interconnected universe, with characters from all three shows coming together to solve medical emergencies and crimes.
As you progress through the seasons, more crossovers and interconnected storylines unfold, involving characters from all four One Chicago shows. The order of watching becomes more straightforward after the introduction of "Chicago Justice," with the remaining crossover episodes airing in the order they were released.
The current season of One Chicago shows continues to deliver intense crossovers and interconnected storylines, keeping viewers engaged with high-stakes situations and personal conflicts between characters. From high-rise fires to deadly bacteria outbreaks, the One Chicago universe offers a thrilling and interconnected viewing experience for fans of the series.