One Chicago: Why Does NBC Stop Airing New Episodes for the Holidays?
It seems like not long ago the One Chicago shows returned to NBC with new seasons in September. Now, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. are on a break for the holidays, and won’t return until 2022. This year, from Thanksgiving to the start of the New Year, NBC will only release one new episode for each One Chicago show. Why does the franchise have such a long break during this time of year?
[Spoiler alert: One Chicago 2021 fall finales spoilers ahead.]
NBC aired the One Chicago fall finales last week
On Dec. 8, 2021, the One Chicago shows aired their fall finales. Each show had not released a new episode since before Thanksgiving, and now the One Chicago shows won’t return with new episodes until 2022. In Chicago Med, Sharon Goodwin reported Dr. Cooper to the FBI for receiving kickbacks from VasCom devices. This will have serious consequences for her going forward.
In Chicago Fire, the fire crew helped rescue people who were trapped under a fallen Christmas tree. Violet, Gallo, and Ritter served their new beer at Winterfest and even won the competition. In a surprising twist, Stella Kidd also made an appearance.
Finally, Chicago P.D. was the last fall finale to air. The new episode wrapped up Halstead, Voight, and Upton’s complicated situation following Roy Walton’s death. There was also a surprise wedding at the end of the episode.
Why does NBC stop airing new One Chicago episodes for the holidays?
By now, fans probably know that there won’t be new episodes of their favorite One Chicago shows until after the holidays. This isn’t a new procedure for NBC. In some previous years, the network has chosen not to release new episodes for the whole month of December.
The reason is simple. According to One Chicago Center, the period of time from Thanksgiving through the New Year isn’t a great time to release new episodes. “Viewership and ad revenue plummet as people are busy with things other than watching TV,” the outlet states.
Instead, NBC chooses to fill the empty spots left by the One Chicago shows with holiday-themed and family-friendly content. For example, this Wednesday, Dec. 22, NBC will air the Benedict Cumberbatch-voiced animated movie Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch from 8-10 p.m, according to TV Insider. The network would normally air new One Chicago episodes at this time.
When do new One Chicago episodes air in 2022?
New episodes of the One Chicago shows will return to NBC on Jan 5, 2022. Unfortunately, due to the 2022 Winter Olympics, it’s possible that the One Chicago shows will go on another hiatus in February. Still, there is more exciting content to look forward to next year and in the meantime, fans can enjoy some holiday cheer on NBC.
