The 2025One Chicagocrossover is a celebration of NBC’s premier dramas, but it is bogged down by imbalanced storytelling made worse by failing to establish the stakes at hand. After six years,Chicago Fire,Chicago PD, andChicago Medhave gathered once again for Wolf Entertainment’s Windy City tradition. The last time Firehouse 51, Gaffney Medical, and Intelligence worked a whole shift together was back in 2019, with an ominous case that threatened Chicago with a virus attack. It would be an understatement to say that much has changed since then, withmany major characters having left One Chicagosince.
One Chicago
Developed by Derek Haas and Michael Brandt, One Chicago is a multi-series television franchise that combines various public service/government organizations in Chicago, Illinois. Each series shares a timeline and universe, with multiple characters crossing over occasionally. The One Chicago universe began with Chicago Fire in 2012, with P.D., Med, and Justice comprising the remainder of one of NBC’s most successful primetime franchises.
In the three-part One Chicago crossover of 2025, Firehouse 51 responds to a call in a government building. Instead of their usual emergencies, it proves to be more complicated because it involves a bold crime.Chicago MedandChicago PD’s best personnel come in and helpChief Boden’s replacement, Dom Pascal, and his team not only ensure that lives are saved, but that those who are at fault will be punished.
The 2025 One Chicago Crossover Overpromised But Underdelivered
Fire, Med, & PD’s Overall Story Gets Convoluted At Times
Doing a One Chicago crossover in 2025 was much needed. The franchise needed to re-establish itself, with so many new faces joining Firehouse 51, Gaffney, and Intelligence. On paper, the premise isn’t as interesting as past special events. The inciting incident could have easily been a normal emergency that turned into an arson case for Severide. I understand that this was intentional, with the producers of the show previously saying that this year’sOne Chicago crossover wasn’t going to be as grandas its predecessors because they wanted to focus on the characters.
Why Chief Boden Didn’t Return In The 2025 One Chicago Crossover
Firehouse 51 responded to a major emergency that put some notable characters at risk, and despite that, Chief Wallace Boden still didn’t appear.
Even with that sentiment in mind, the crossover still overpromised and underdelivered. It’s great seeing people from different branches of the franchise work together, especially considering how rare these have become in later years. In terms of the overall pace and story cohesion, however, the crossover feels rushed and disjointed. Even its final villain twist falls flat, primarily because, despite Trudy Platt and Hank Voight’s comments, we don’t actually know Margaret Bates. It tried doing way too much and, in the end, accomplished very little. It doesn’t help that there’s no clear separation between the shows, which wasn’t the case before.
Trudy’s near-death experience would have been enough to be the emotional core of the 2025 One Chicago crossover.
The One Chicago special’s narrative problem is best highlighted by the way it handles its couples. It essentially tells the same story with three different pairings: Kim Burgess and Adam Ruzek; Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide, and Trudy and Mouch McHolland. Trudy’s near-death experience would have been enough to be the emotional core of the crossover. Meanwhile, Ruzek and Kidd’s predicament underground could have been more focused on the tension in the trapped bus instead of selling a false sense of doom for them.
The 2025 One Chicago Crossover’s Best Moments Lie In Its Smaller Interactions
Character Pairings Work Well
Ultimately, the big wins lie in smaller moments. This is particularly true withChicago Fire, with Firehouse 51 being able to fully show off its competency. It’s also refreshing to see them go back to basics with an intense fire rescue — something that we haven’t seen from the procedural in a while. Pascal is able to take over the team and establish how much progress he’s had with his subordinates since taking over in theChicago Fireseason 13.
The Most Lighthearted Subplot In 2025’s One Chicago Crossover Exposes What The Franchise Has Been Missing
The 2025 One Chicago crossover included a lighthearted subplot that balanced the heavier stories. This arc also exposed what’s missing.
While the rest of One Chicago doesn’t quite get the same focus,Chicago PD andChicago Medhave their respective highlights. Burgess' brief but powerful interaction with Dr. Caitlin Lenox shows how the franchise is united by one goal, despite its characters' differing opinions and principles. Voight coming to Mouch’s aid as Trudy undergoes surgery is a reminder of their friendship that’s barely highlighted in the series. Similarly, Intelligence newbie Toya Turner being posted at Gaffney and interacting with its personnel is a good way to get her acquainted with people beyond Intelligence.
Despite some disappointments, the event crystallizes what the franchise needs more of moving forward — smaller crossovers within the shows themselves.
Admittedly, NBC and Wolf Entertainment could have done a better job with the One Chicago crossover, especially because it had been years since the last one. Despite some disappointments, the event crystallizes what the franchise needs more of moving forward — smaller crossovers within the shows themselves.One Chicago’s backbone remains its characters, and they are missing so many storytelling opportunities by keeping the shows so separated, leaving us waiting for years before some players even meet each other.
