The One Chicago shows love their crossovers but which ones are the best and worst?
One Chicago has always been a fantastic universe to enjoy. Chicago Fire, Chicago PD and Chicago Med are genius at how they make it so natural to coexist. Characters from one show can pop into another without looking obtrusive and distracting. There's also the great relationships across the shows from the Halstead brothers to Mouch and Trudy's marriage.
Crossovers between the shows are thus commonplace with NBC often doing special events across all three series. Some are better than others, with the best linking the shows together with a good storyline and character work. The weaker ones don't really offer a reason they need to be linked together when one episode could have done it.
For this list, these are full crossovers, not just characters from one show appearing in another. We're also only counting full One Chicago ones, not the times PD crossed over with Law & Order: SVU. Here's a look at the eight best and three worst One Chicago crossovers to marvel at how well these shows work together.
BEST
A Dark Day (Chicago Fire S2.E20)/ 8:30 PM (Chicago PD, S1.E12)
The very first crossover has to count and it's still a good one. A bombing at the hospital we'll later come to know from Chicago Med is obviously a way to bring the teams together. Notably, Burgess' niece is among the victims which gives the Intelligence Unit the excuse to take over the case.
While we don't see the Med characters we'll come to know and love, it's still wild seeing the cops and firefighters handling this disaster. It's also a fine showcase for Burgess and the race to stop the next bomber. It proved the crossovers could be a terrific watch to be a regular event.
Three Bells (Chicago Fire S3.E13)/A Little Devil Complex (Chicago PD S2.E13)
This storyline finally gives Chicago Fire a chance to lay to rest the memory of Shay, who tragically died in a horrible fire. When clues indicate the fire was no accident, Gabby reaches out to her brother Antonio for help. Amid various subplots, the two teams come together to realize a twisted arsonist is at work and may be targeting another building.
Robert Knepper is superb as the creepy suspect and it's a nice role reversal in how it's Voight and the cops trying to rein in the firefighters who want payback. The episodes flow together well, giving each character a chance to shine and make this a great tribute to Shay as well as a fun team-up.
The Beating Heart (Chicago Fire S4.E10)/Malignant (Chicago Med S1.E5)/Now I'm God (Chicago PD S3.E10)
The first three-show crossover is great in how each part flows into the other. It starts with Herman being stabbed by a gang member at Molly's. As he's whisked to the hospital, Cruz feels guilty as he was trying to help the attacker and so works with the cops to track him down. That leads to the Med guys trying to save Herman while Mouch proposes to Trudy.
A turn has a side case revealing someone is giving out fake cancer treatments to patients. When Voight discovers it's the doctor who treated his late wife, he naturally wants answers. It's an intriguing storyline that lets each team shine, builds on relationships and works as a fine crossover.
Deathtrap (Chicago Fire S5.E15)/Emotional Proximity (Chicago PD S4.E16)/Fake (Chicago Justice S1.E1)
This three-parter was meant to introduce the sadly short-lived Chicago Justice spinoff. The opening episode has the fire team heading to a warehouse rave that's turned into a deadly blaze. Olinsky is hard hit as his daughter is one of the victims. That's a devastating loss for him on PD, which gives the team impetus to find the arsonist responsible. It's jarring to see Voight try to hold Al back from taking the law into his own hands.
That leads to the pilot for Chicago Justice as the D.A. tries to prosecute the guy. There's issues of the investigation with Antonio (working for the D.A.'s office) having to question his former friends on their methods. The Al drama hits hard and it also shows why Chicago Justice should have lasted longer.
Profiles (Chicago PD S5.E16)/Hiding Not Seeking (Chicago Fire S6E13)
While only two parts, this crossover is a thrill ride. It kicks off on what was Chicago PD's 100th episode as Trudy is doing a TV interview when a bomb rips through the studio. The cops and firefighters are fast on the scene to help her and other victims. This is just the start of a bombing campaign across Chicago, with the cops trying to stop it.
The episodes are well written, bringing up questions of journalistic integrity and the realization the bomber has a legitimate grievance. There's also great interactions between the teams. It's only the two squads together but it ends up working and so giving us a top tier crossover.
Going to War (Chicago Fire S7E2)/When to Let Go (Chicago Med S4.E2)/Endings (Chicago PD S6.E2)
The Halstead brothers got a big spotlight in this epic crossover. It kicks off with a high-rise apartment fire where the Halstead's father lives so Jay is on the scene. Stella is badly injured in the rescue which moves us to the Med part of her fighting for her life. Meanwhile, Jay and Will fight over their father's condition, which takes a tragic turn.
The PD conclusion has the team discovering the fire was set to cover up a trafficking ring. While mourning, Jay takes the lead in tracking down other women involved. It's a great spotlight on the Halsteads and their bond, with Jay's dedication to the job hitting him hard. It was also a turning point for Stella and stands as an exciting crossover event.
Infection (Chicago Fire S8.E4/Chicago Med S5.E4/Chicago PD S7.E4)
This three parter is a bit harder to watch today yet a creepy thrill. What seems a typical rescue for the Fire team uncovers a deadly flesh-eating virus slowly sweeping through Chicago. The squads are on the case together with Med overwhelmed by patients and the sight of a deserted Michigan Avenue is far more chilling in a post-pandemic world.
It gets worse with the realization this is an act of bio-terrorism, so the teams have to race the clock to stop who's responsible. You feel as scared as the characters at a threat they can't handle and if anything, this story resonates even more now than when it first aired to be a fantastic watch.
In The Trenches (Chicago Fire S13E11/Chicago Med S10.E11/ Chicago PD S12.E11)
After five years, the latest One Chicago crossover was worth the wait. The three-parter works quite well with an underground explosion trapping people on a train, including cops and firefighters. There's also a powerful twist in Platt being shot, which leaves Mouch rocked hard.
Each episode does a fine job spotlighting the specific squads and some good relationships abounding. There are a few twists involving the guilty party and the final rescue is well done. From the action to the characters, this crossover is proof of why a One Chicago crossover is always worth watching.
WORST
What I Saw (Chicago Fire S7.E15)/Good Men (Chicago PD S6.E15)
This is a really weak crossover. The plot is that the Intelligence Unit suspects a firefighter is involved in a string of robberies. They enlist Cruz to go undercover in a different station to find the truth. There is some material in how the other firefighters aren't happy about investigating their own and that the cops may consider Cruz expendable.
Cruz works better with the cops than other members of the squad which helps the tale. However, the crossover aspects are weak. This could have been a single Chicago PD episode with Cruz guest-starring rather than a crossover. The weak storyline robs the tale of any real impact.
Off The Grid (Chicago Fire S8.E15) / Burden of Truth (Chicago PD S7.E15)
The issue with this storyline is that it didn't have to be a crossover. The plotline is former cop Sean Roman returning to Chicago and reaching out to Severide, claiming he's working with the cops tracking an opioid ring. In reality, the cops have no idea Sean is in town searching for his addict sister. There is a fire in the first half before it shifts totally to PD.
It's not a bad story as there's some tragedy for Sean and it's good to see him and Burgess interacting again. The problem is that the Fire guys are barely part of the storyline. This could easily have been a two-part Chicago PD storyline with the Fire guys making a cameo. It's a good story, it's just not that notable a crossover and just a weak excuse to create a mini event.