Chicago Fire, Med and PD fans are likely to see less of their favorite characters next season

One Chicago fans should prepare for the disappointing reality that they’re likely going to see less of their favorite Chicago Fire, Chicago Med, and Chicago PD characters next season.

While all three One Chicago shows will be coming back next season and are expected to once again return for 22 episode seasons at NBC, Deadline is now reporting that the renewals came with a bit of an asterisk in the form of a cost-cutting arrangement which will see the cast appear in fewer episodes next season.

Due to budgetary reasons, series regulars on the three One Chicago shows will reportedly only appear in 18-20 of the season’s 22 episode orders. Deadline does report that there might be some exceptions made to this rule, but no specifics were provided meaning there is no way to currently know how many episodes each actor will appear in next season.

What is known is that the shows’ writers have been notified and will have to craft next season’s scripts in a manner that will accommodate the absence of members of the shows’ ensembles in various episodes. This means there will be a few episodes next season in which a character or two won’t appear, with the writers likely to incorporate a quick one-off in the episode to explain what they’re up to during the episode — such as attending a medical conference, working a case, out of town trips, etc.

Is anyone leaving Chicago Fire, Med or PD next season?

Given the number of cast shakeups, we saw this season, it seems likely that there might be some cast departures next season. However, NBC has not announced any cast departures or changes for the 2023-24 season which means there is a chance there won’t be any major shake-ups heading into the season.

The One Chicago shows are known to end their seasons with cliffhangers that leave the lives of at least a few members of the shows up in the air, and we have seen some shocking character exits in the following season premieres.

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When you couple that with the Deadline report that notes series regulars on the show are expected to appear in fewer episodes than normal next season, it’s understandable for fans to have some concerns about the possible cast exits.

Deadline did report that contract negotiations are underway, we can’t rule out the potential of any actors deciding not to ink a new deal. That said, there was no note in the report about any expected exits so we’ll have to stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.

For the latest One Chicago news and spoilers follow the Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago PD categories at One Chicago Center.