Now That NBC’s One Chicago Crossover Ratings Are In, Did The Event Live Up To The Showrunners’ Hype?

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At long last, the 2025 TV lineup provided what One Chicago enthusiasts had anticipated since 2019: a three-part, three-show crossover event titled “In the Trenches.” This coordinated series of episodes might just be the most seamless crossover the franchise has ever produced. It’s no wonder the showrunners were inspired to make comparisons with “Avengers: Endgame” following a notable star’s remark. Now, we have the viewership numbers that reveal how many viewers tuned in live, and these figures remind me of the buildup the executive producers gave for “In the Trenches” beforehand.

How Many One Chicago Fans Tuned In

The three-part TV event titled “Chicago” aired on January 29, with “Chicago Fire” starting at 8 p.m. Eastern Time, followed by “Chicago Med” at 9 p.m. ET, and concluding with “Chicago P.D.” at 10 p.m. ET. Similar to the “Infection” event in 2019, the order of “Fire” and “Med” was swapped this time around, which might seem insignificant considering the continuous nature of the three-hour broadcast, but it does bring an interesting factor when analyzing the viewing statistics.

As reported by TVLine, here’s how the ratings unfolded for viewers aged 18 to 49 based on Live+Same Day totals (people who watched on the day it aired):

TVLine states that these are the viewership statistics for individuals aged 18 to 49, as measured by Live+Same Day totals (those who tuned in on the broadcast date):

Or even more simply:

According to TVLine, here’s how many viewers aged 18-49 watched the show based on Live+Same Day ratings:

  • Chicago Fire: 6.3 million viewers/0.5 demo rating
  • Chicago Med: 6.6 million viewers/0.5 demo rating
  • Chicago P.D.: 6.4 million viewers/0.5 demo rating

In both “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.”, the viewership and ratings reached record highs during their respective seasons. For “Med”, it saw a season peak in viewership with 6.6 million, while tying for 0.5 in ratings. As “Med” has been closing the gap with “Fire” in the 2024-2025 TV season ratings, I find myself pondering this question: was the high performance of the “Med” hour due to its inherent appeal, coincidence (since it aired during a three-part storyline), or anticipation from fans who thought they were tuning into “Fire” at 9 p.m.?

It’s not definitive, but I always appreciate it when ratings stay steady across all programs, taking into account only the initial viewings for now. However, once delayed or streamed views with Peacock are included in Live+3 day and Live+7 day totals, the numbers might change. For the time being, it seems that a significant number of viewers indeed chose to watch it, as the showrunners had promoted it as a three-hour movie prior to its airing.

How The Showrunners Felt After Watching It

I had a great opportunity to chat with the producers behind all three “One Chicago” series before the event, and they were all thrilled that fans would get to witness it. Since I hadn’t seen it yet, I was curious: what were their feelings as executive producers when they first saw the completed project? Allen MacDonald, who is in his debut season as showrunner for “Chicago Med,” revealed:

It’s pretty exciting. It’s a big movie, and it’s just played as one runs right into the other.

The head of Med expanded upon his perspectives following the revelation that Steven Weber drew parallels between the event and ‘Avengers: Endgame’, expressing excitement about the upcoming “hero moments”. He continued:

After immersing myself in the various scripts over several months, watching the transformation unfold, it’s truly enchanting to witness the final product. Initially, I thought I would retain everything in my mind, but quite the contrary happens. When the scenes are visualized on screen, with all the talented actors and breathtaking stunts, I find myself utterly engrossed. As a spectator and a fan, it’s incredibly satisfying, suspenseful, and above all, emotionally resonant… The three-hour narrative is intense with some heavy themes. It’s a journey that continues for the entire duration, striking a deep chord in me.

After speaking with Allen MacDonald from Med, I subsequently discussed the topic with Chicago Fire’s boss Andrea Newman. She expressed her feelings following the viewing of the incident, which ranged from traditional shock tactics to sharing harrowing tales about first responders due to the impact of wildfires on Los Angeles. In her words:

My pulse quickened with anticipation and exhilaration. Even though I’d read the scripts, experiencing it firsthand was a different story – each turn brought unexpected surprises that left me exclaiming, ‘Wow!’ Indeed, there were still some jump scares, which made me laugh despite the tense situation.

What touched me deeply was witnessing the bravery of these firefighters from One Chicago, particularly in light of the ongoing fires in LA. Seeing them plunge into the ground, risking their lives to rescue people trapped below, evoked a profound emotional response. They’ve always been selfless, putting themselves last and rushing into flames to save others.

During our subsequent conversation with Chicago P.D.’s showrunner, Gwen Sigan, she expressed her excitement over the final outcome and acknowledged the tireless effort put in to make the crossover a success. In simpler terms, she praised the end result while giving credit to the backstage team for their hard work.

My initial response was swelling with pride as we accomplished it, seeing how visually appealing it turned out, and finding it harmonious. I believe that characters from each of the three series had memorable moments, scenes that truly stood out, taking us on an emotional journey. We were along for this ride with them, and I felt our cast performed exceptionally well, managing their emotions effectively throughout the three-hour duration. It’s quite challenging to maintain such control over emotions when filming in a non-linear manner – first hour, then third, then second. [laughs] The fact that they were able to do this consistently and that all elements came together seamlessly – it’s quite an achievement. It’s not easy to pull off these feats, but I think everyone delivered, and it certainly shows.

After viewing the crossover episode for the first time, fans’ experiences were likely different from those of the showrunners. To gauge this, I will be closely monitoring the ratings for the upcoming episodes on February 5. This Tuesday, Chicago Med returns to its regular 8 p.m. ET timeslot, followed by Chicago Fire at 9 p.m. ET and Chicago P.D. wrapping up the night at 10 p.m. ET, all airing on NBC.

Despite the return of regular programming without large-scale crossover events similar to those seen in the Avengers, it remains intriguing to observe whether viewers remain captivated by the One Chicago series to such an extent that record-breaking viewership persists. At this point, none of the One Chicago shows have been confirmed for renewal during the 2025-2026 television season.

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2025-02-01 03:07