Despite the writers and actors strike in Hollywood M-Net (DStv 101) is able to continue its trifecta Chicago TV franchise known as "One Chicago" and will show season 11 of Chicago Fire, season 8 of Chicago Med and season 10 of Chicago P.D. on Tuesdays from tonight.
While the new seasons of multiple American procedural shows - like the various Chicago series - for the new season starting in late 2023 will be delayed severely, the "One Chicago" series are not "Express from the US" shows on M-Net, with three complete and cross-aligned seasons available for M-Net to broadcast.
Season 11 of Chicago Fire will start tonight at 19:00 on M-Net (DStv 101), followed by season 8 of Chicago Med at 20:00, and then season 10 of Chicago P.D. at 21:00.
These three shows will continue to have new episodes on Tuesdays on M-Net as part of a Tuesday night "One Chicago marathon".
While it's not a crossover episode, tonight's 8th season premiere of Chicago Med features a dazzling array of cameos from Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D., as well as the shocking return of some characters and the departure of others.
Universal Television has signed a new mega-deal with the American producer Dick Wolf that sees all three of the Chicago procedural series each getting renewed for a further three seasons, while the longrunning Law & Order: SVU also gets renewed for a further 3 seasons.
The massive renewal will see Chicago Fire continue at least until season 11, Chicago P.D. continue until season 10 and Chicago Med continue at least until season 8 with all three series broadcast on M-Net (DStv 101) in South Africa and throughout sub-Saharan Africa on DStv.
Meanwhile Law & Order: SVU with Mariska Hargitay, seen on Universal TV (DStv 117) and SABC3, is already America's longest-running drama series and will now continue until at least season 24 on the NBC network in America.
"Dick Wolf has proven time and time again that he makes shows audiences love," says Paul Telegdy, NBC Entertainment chairperson in a statement announcing the 3-year renewals for all four series.
"We are delighted, excited and proud that as part of this epic deal with Wolf Entertainment, our loyal audience will know that their favourite shows have a certain future for the next three years."
Bonnie Hammer, NBCUniversal Content Studios chairperson, says "I've thoroughly enjoyed working with Dick over the decades and it goes without saying he remains one of the most influential producers in history. He is a visionary unlike any other whose impact has changed the entire television landscape. We're beyond thrilled to have Dick and his team remain in the NBCUniversal family for many years to come".
Pearlena Igbokwe, Universal Television president, says "The significance of having Dick Wolf remain at Universal Television can't be overstated. Dick has proven himself masterful at building successful, iconic brands and telling gripping, intelligent and thought-provoking stories. It’s an honour and pleasure to be a part of the Wolf Pack for the next five years".
Dick Wolf says "I'm gratified and excited that Universal will remain our home" and that "We are now supercharged to expand our business on new platforms, both domestically and internationally, while continuing to produce our current and future series for broadcasting and streaming networks."
M-Net (DStv 101) tells me it's switching the linear broadcasting order of the episodes of the brand-new seasons of Chicago P.D. and Chicago Med around next Tuesday, 2 July for one week, in order to have the "One Chicago" 3-way crossover between the various Chicago drama series play out chronologically in the correct order.
With a big 3-episode crossover involving all three seasons during the second episode of all three seasons, the Chicago series now perfectly align in order for viewers to see it happen correctly as characters from each of the series appear in both of the other series.
During next week's "One Chicago" crossover event, a highrise fire requires the help of the firefighters, paramedics and doctors, as well as the police.
While M-Net beautifully fixed the biggest problem by having all three Chicago series broadcast at the same time, a little problem remained: the "One Chicago" crossover should play out starting with the fire (Chicago Fire), people going to hospital (Chicago Med) and the police solving the case and finding the person who escapes from hospital (Chicago P.D).
M-Net has however scheduled the series to be broadcast weekly in the order of the 7th season of Chicago Fire (19:00), Chicago P.D. (20:00), Chicago Med (21:00).
Just for next week, 2 July, Chicago Med will start at 20:00, followed by Chicago P.D. (21:00).
Another Chicago crossover will happen with the 15th episode of Chicago Fire later in this season, continuing in the 15th episode of Chicago Med where no episode switching on M-Net is necessary since Chicago Fire is airing before Chicago Med anyway.
M-Net says that for 2 July it is switching Chicago Med and Chicago P.D. in order to accommodate the crossover broadcast and that the change is already reflecting on MultiChoice's DStv electronic programme guide (EPG) as well.
It's not a Christmas but a Chicago miracle: Somehow M-Net (DStv 101) has managed to fix and align the three different Chicago drama series that will now all start their new seasons on the same day - Tuesday - on the channel.
This will bring to an end DStv subscribers' confusion about storylines in instances where characters from Chicago Fire, Chicago Med and Chicago P.D. make guest appearances in stories that would bleed over into other episodes of one of the other series.
Until now this created confusion with viewers since by necessity, these episodes have been shown in the wrong chronological order in the South African broadcasts since not all three series were broadcast during the same period in the past.
Watching the Chicago series on video streaming instead of as a linear broadcast has presented the same problem since the viewers miss out on the interconnected effect between the three shows.
Now, showing all three Chicago drama series going forward on M-Net on the same night, also makes a spectacular and extremely intense "One Chicago" 3-episode crossover possible that will be broadcast next week Tuesday (2 July) - something that otherwise would have been utter Chicago chaos for DStv subscribers ... and a story in which one of the characters dies.
There is just one little "mistake" but TVwithThinus will tell you how to fix even that for perfect viewing.
Another crossover will happen with the 15th episode of Chicago Fire later in this season, continuing in the 15th episode of Chicago Med.
But first back to this Tuesday night: As part of the better coordination, Chicago Fire will kick off its 7th season on Tuesday evening at 19:00; followed by Chicago P.D. that will start its 6th season at 20:00; followed by Chicago Med that will begin its 4th season at 21:00 on M-Net.
It is the latest existing season of all three series.
Chicago continues
The first episode of all three drama series starts with quick back flashes about what happened during and at the end of the previous seasons, quickly bringing existing viewers up to date and making it possible for brand-new M-Net viewers to join the Chicago fold.
In the 7th season premiere of Chicago Fire the courageous crew has to deal with a lift that fell and got stuck. Meanwhile, Firehouse 51 welcomes a new paramedic, Emily Foster (Annie Ilonzeh) to the team, replacing Dawson on Ambulance 61.
In the 6th season premiere of Chicago P.D. Voight is put on suspension, while the team investigates drug overdose cases and everyone is still dealing with the loss of Alvin Olinsky.
In the 4th season premiere of Chicago Med Sharon immediately starts to clash with the hospital's new chief operating officer, while Dr Manning says yes to Dr Halstead's proposal (and they immediately start to argue about wedding plans).
Awesome crossover
Next Tuesday, the three episodes of the various Chicago series will all be interlinked, creating an amazing Chicago trifecta story that is basically a movie.
The story starts in Chicago Fire, then continues in Chicago Med, and concludes in Chicago P.D. as the right order to watch it in.
Since M-Net is broadcasting Chicago P.D. second and then Chicago Med last, if you have a DStv Explora, record all three and then just switch the order in which you watch them by switching around the last two.
The exciting and nailbiting 3-way cross-over will see all three "teams" rushing to a Chicago residential highrise building that is on fire and that creates chaos. Detective Jay Halstead’s father is one of the victims trapped inside.
So massive is the fire that many of the firefighters - either because of injuries or other connections - then end up on Chicago Med. A firefighter could lose a career and others could lose their lives.
Then the police officers and detectives get to work in Chicago P.D. trying to find the cause while one of the patients goes missing following the fire.
Five TV dramas - The Blacklist (M-Net), Grimm (M-Net), Chicago Fire (M-Net, SABC3), Chicago P.D. (M-Net) and Law & Order: SVU - have all been renewed for further seasons in America.
The Blacklist and Chicago P.D. will both see a 3rd season; Chicago Fire gets a 4th season, Grimm gets a 5th season and Law & Order: SVU got picked up for a 17th season.
"The creative vision of the executive producers who've guided these outstanding dramas has been nothing short of incredible," says Jennifer Salke, NBC Entertainment president in a press statement announcing the 5 dramas' renewal.
"We're highly appreciative of the passion they bring to their shows at every step of the creative process and we're thrilled to reward that decision with these renewals".
