Chicago PD showrunner Rick Eid signs new contract

CHICAGO P.D. -- "Profiles" Episode 516 -- Pictured: (l-r) Patrick John Flueger as Adam Ruzek, Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess -- (Photo by: Parrish Lewis/NBC)
CHICAGO P.D. -- "Profiles" Episode 516 -- Pictured: (l-r) Patrick John Flueger as Adam Ruzek, Marina Squerciati as Kim Burgess -- (Photo by: Parrish Lewis/NBC) /
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Chicago PD’s Rick Eid has signed a new contract that confirms he’ll continue as showrunner if Chicago PD is renewed for season 6 next fall.

Rick Eid is staying in charge of Chicago PD.

It was revealed Thursday by Deadline that Eid had signed a new two-year contract with Universal Television, the studio which produces the One Chicago franchise.

Under that contract, he will remain the showrunner and an executive producer of Chicago PD if the series is renewed by NBC for a sixth season. No decision has been made yet on the fate of any One Chicago show.

Rick Eid was named PD‘s showrunner last year to replace original boss Matt Olmstead, who left the show to pursue other projects.

More from One Chicago Center

He came to the series from Dick Wolf‘s Law & Order franchise, having been appointed to run Law & Order: Special Victims Unit last season.

Wolf’s two franchises essentially swapped producers, as former Chicago Justice showrunner Michael Chernuchin was named Eid’s replacement on SVU.

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“It’s exciting to try and take on a new show,” Eid told One Chicago Center in our interview before Chicago PD season 5 began.

“There’s a lot of change, but at the end of the day we’re just telling stories. So while the players may change, the idea of telling stories about the players you have remains the same.”

Eid’s new contract means there won’t be any change at the top of PD‘s food chain for at least the next two seasons, presuming that we get Chicago PD season 6 and Chicago PD season 7.

That kind of producing consistency is good news for any TV show, because it means the vision for the show is carried out by the same person and not changing each year. It’s also something that’s helped build One Chicago as a fandom.

Derek Haas has been running Chicago Fire since it began, although this is his first season without partner Michael Brandt. Olmstead was the only showrunner that PD had known before Eid.

And on Chicago Med, Diane Frolov and Andrew Schneider were brought in to replace Andrew Dettman, but they started before the show premiered—so they’ve been the only ones steering that ship as well. So by re-signing Rick Eid, Universal Television is keeping PD on a steady course, which is more than we can say about the current state of the Intelligence Unit!

Next: Which Chicago PD character could turn on Voight?

What do you think of Rick Eid continuing as showrunner on Chicago PD? Leave your thoughts on this week’s announcement in the comments.

Chicago PD airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC.