'One Chicago': Will the annual crossover event be scrapped? Coronavirus restrictions could hamper plans
This year, the previous seasons of all three 'Chicago' shows on NBC had to wrap up earlier than expected due to the coronavirus outbreak. 'Chicago Fire', 'Chicago PD' and 'Chicago Med', all ended their then-current seasons short of a couple of episodes each. The three procedural dramas are set to return in November this year -- which is later than normal, but it is doing so amid all the necessary precautions.
While 'Chicago PD' and 'Chicago Fire' are currently filming for their eighth and ninth seasons respectively, production on 'Chicago Med' had to be halted at the end of September due to a positive Covid-19 test among the crew. The halt on 'Chicago Med' production does not affect 'Chicago Fire' or 'Chicago PD'. However, there are questions that still remain about the new season and it all depends on how the plotline goes. 'Chicago Med' does intend to reflect the current situation -- the ongoing coronavirus pandemic -- in its sixth season, while we expect the same to be reflected at least in the minimum for the two other shows.
The big question is, will the three 'Chicago' franchise shows be able to do the epic annual crossover event known as 'One Chicago' that it usually does? During last year's crossover event -- which aired during the first leg of the seasons -- an epic crossover between 'Chicago Fire', 'Chicago PD', and 'Chicago Med' saw the cast of all three come together for a movie-like event when a bacterial infection spread through Chicago.
It is unlikely that any crossovers in that sort of a large scale will be possible any time soon. Right now, all three shows film independently and at different locations. Filming for crossovers would require a large group of cast and crew members to come together and in the current situation, that would be extremely difficult and ill-advised. It is possible that crossovers of a smaller scale can be allowed, but this might involve the two-week isolation procedure to be followed for the cast member that is required to show up in the other series.
Of course, should the producers go for really creative decisions, there might be a possibility of a more fruitful crossover. If the coronavirus pandemic is, in fact, reflected on the show, there is no reason not to have the actors take the precautions while filming -- it wouldn't be odd to see the city's medical professionals interact with the police or the fire department with all of them donned in protective gear.
Either way, the new seasons of 'Chicago Fire', 'Chicago Med', and 'Chicago PD', are set to unveil something new this fall. All three shows were renewed for three seasons each by NBC earlier this year, so it might be unlikely that the pandemic affects their runs. If these shows are successfully able to pull off their new seasons, it would mean great things for television.
New seasons of 'Chicago Fire', 'Chicago Med', and 'Chicago PD' will premiere on Wednesday, November 11 and will run from 8/7c till 11/10c.