We have some bad news if you thought it was a clean line for the rest of the season for Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago P.D..
Following their most recent installments, NBC has placed all three Dick Wolf procedurals on another hiatus.
It’s not just a one or two-week break for the shows, either.
TV Line reported this week that the trio of Chicago-set dramas will not return with original episodes until May 3.
Yes, really.
It’s hard to believe that the broadcast networks still employ these wild schedule changes, even though ratings are slipping across the board.
Maybe it’s time to switch that up and air seasons in two uninterrupted parts.
It would certainly make it easier for fans to remain engaged.
Momentum is key with any series, and the breaks do lead to people losing interest.
TV Line asked NBC about the latest gap in the schedules, and the network said the following:
“This is normal scheduling for the Chicago shows,” an NBC rep maintained to the outlet.
“You need a balance of original and encore episodes so that the season can run from September through May.”
All three shows are set to have 22 episode seasons this year, so if there are no breaks between the final four episodes, they will wrap their seasons on Wednesday, May 24.
NBC hasn’t been following suit with many early renewals this season, and with many multi-year renewals ending, there’s a good chance the network is looking to lock in its top performers for more than one year.
As a result, renewals for the One Chicago franchise could come much later than usual, but there’s no chance they will end this season.
All we can do is await their return in May at this stage.
What are your thoughts on the current rollout plans?
Do you think the networks need to switch things up?
Hit the comments.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.