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The city of Chicago is a busy place, and it takes a lot of people to keep it running. From the firefighters, to the cops, and the medical professionals, it’s a city full of heroes, and each of them has a story. Welcome to One Chicago, the hit television franchise that focuses on the Windy City. Chicago One was created by Dick Wolf, a producer known for developing the Law & Order franchise. In other words, this man knows a thing or two about creating procedurals. 

Are you looking to take a trip to Chicago but aren’t sure where to start? Not to worry, Popverse has you covered! This guide will tell you everything you need to know about watching the One Chicago franchise. 

What’s the difference between each of the One Chicago shows?

Let’s get things started by breaking down each of the One Chicago shows. There are a few television shows in the franchise, so this should help you keep them straight. The titles are pretty self-explanatory, but if you’re curious about the premise of each Show, this should clear things up.

Chicago Fire (2012-present) – This show focuses on the Chicago Fire Department. This series launched the One Chicago franchise. Most episodes center around rescue operations while dealing with the personal and professional lives of the firefighters and paramedics. 

Chicago P.D. (2014- present) – A police procedural focusing on the Chicago Police Department. At times the cops use legally dubious tactics to get the job done. 

Chicago Med (2015-present) - A medical drama set at a Chicago hospital. Like most hospital shows, it follows the doctors and nurses as they deal with patients, administrative issues, and their personal problems. 

Chicago Justice (2017) - A series focusing on the Cook County’s State Attorney office. It ended after one season, and it’s currently the only One Chicago show that isn’t available on Peacock. 

If you come across Chicago Hope and The Chicago Code, don’t worry about those shows. These are unrelated shows that have no connection to the One Chicago franchise. 

How to watch One Chicago in order

If you’re looking to watch the One Chicago franchise in order, we’re here to help. Does Chicago Justice take place before or after Chicago Fire season 5? When should I start Chicago Med? Just follow this watch order, and you’ll be all set.

• Chicago Fire season 1 (2012-2013)
• Chicago Fire season 2 (2013-2014)
• Chicago P.D. season 1 (2014)
• Chicago Fire season 3 (2014-2015)
• Chicago P.D. season 2 (2014-2015)
• Chicago Fire season 4 (2015-2016)
• Chicago P.D. season 3 (2015-2016)
• Chicago Med season 1 (2015-2016)
• Chicago Fire season 5 (2016-2017)
• Chicago P.D. season 4 (2016-2017)
• Chicago Med season 2 (2016-2017)
• Chicago Justice season 1 (2017)
• Chicago Fire season 6 (2017-2018)
• Chicago P.D. season 5 (2017-2018)
• Chicago Med season 3 (2017-2018)
• Chicago Fire season 7 (2018-2019)
• Chicago P.D. season 6 (2018-2019)
• Chicago Med season 4 (2018-2019)
• Chicago Fire season 8 (2019-2020)
• Chicago P.D. season 7 (2019-2020)
• Chicago Med season 5 (2019-2020)
• Chicago Fire season 9 (2020-2021)
• Chicago P.D. season 8 (2020-2021)
• Chicago Med season 6 (2020-2021)
• Chicago Fire season 10 (2021-2022)
• Chicago P.D. season 9 (2021-2022)
• Chicago Med season 7 (2021-2022)
• Chicago Fire season 11 (2022-2023)
• Chicago P.D. season 10 (2022-2023)
• Chicago Med season 8 (2022-2023)
• Chicago Fire season 12 (2024)
• Chicago P.D. season 11 (2024)
• Chicago Med season 9 (2024)

Is One Chicago connected to Law & Order?

The One Chicago television shows are produced by Wolf Entertainment, the same production company that is responsible for Dick Wolf’s Law & Order television shows. As a result, the One Chicago shows take place in the same fictional television universe as Law & Order. 

Although most of the Law & Order shows take place in New York City, there have still been a few crossovers with the One Chicago franchise. Erin Lindsay from Chicago P.D. appear in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit episode Comic Perversion. The storyline is then continued in the Chicago P.D. episode Conventions. 

There was also a three-way crossover between Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The crossover began with the Chicago Fire episode Nobody Touches Anything, with part two airing as the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit episode (appropriately titled) Chicago Crossover, and concluding with the Chicago P.D. episode They’ll Have to Go Through Me. 

What else has One Chicago crossed over with? 

The One Chicago franchise is also connected to FBI, a police procedural produced by Dick Wolf. Detective Hailey Upton from Chicago P.D. appears in the FBI episode Emotional Rescue. This means that One Chicago shares a continuity with the FBI spin-offs FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International. 

Since One Chicago takes place in the same television universe as the Law & Order franchise, we can reasonably assume that it shares a continuity with the various shows Law & Order have crossed over with. This means that One Chicago takes place in the same universe as Homicide: Life on the Street, New York Undercover, Deadline, and In Plain Sight. While there haven’t been any crossovers with those shows, it’s nice to know that they’re out there somewhere beyond the Chicago city limits. 

Where are the One Chicago shows filmed?

While most television productions are filmed in California or Canada, One Chicago keeps things authentic by filming in Chicago, Illinois. That’s right, the show doesn’t use a fake backlot to replicate Chicago. Each of the One Chicago shows use soundstages at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios, and use the city for outdoor scenes and exterior shots. If you’re a big One Chicago fan, you can tour Cinespace Chicago Film Studios.

If you want to visit more of the franchise’s iconic locations, the fictional Firehouse 51 is actually Engine 18, which is located at 1360 South Blue Island Avenue in Chicago. The police station seen in Chicago P.D. can be found at 943 West Maxwell Street. If it looks familiar to you, that’s because it’s the same police station that was used for Hill Street Blues. 

Is One Chicago free on Peacock or streaming anywhere?

If you want to watch the One Chicago franchise, then Peacock is your best bet. NBCUniversal’s streaming service is currently home to Chicago Fire, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Med. While some of the episodes are available for free, you will need a paid Peacock membership to stream each of the shows. 

As of this writing Chicago Justice is not on Peacock or any other streaming service. However, the full series can be rented or purchased digitally from a variety of video-on-demand platforms, including Apple TV, Fandango at Home, and Amazon Prime Video. Please note, the availability of these shows might change as streaming licenses expire.

Now you have everything you need to begin watching the One Chicago franchise! Enjoy your trip to Chicago. 

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