In 2012, NBC announced it’s release of another show by Dick Wolf.
Dick Wolf is the creator of the longest running procedural, and one of the most successful shows of all time. Law and Order, and Law and Order: SVU. A procedural show is one that follows the format of a process. For example, Law and Order: SVU is a procedural in that it follows the format of a crime happening, the detectives interviewing the victim, witnesses and others involved, and eventually leads to an arrest. Procedural shows are typically law enforcement based and follow a consistent basic format every episode.
When it was announced that another show with his name attached to it, people were very intrigued. (At least in my house).
This first show of the Chicago Series was Chicago Fire. This show was the first of it’s kind in that it was set in Chicago, as well as chronicling the lives of firefighters in a procedural format. This was different because most of the procedural 60-minute dramas were following the happenings inside police precincts, in New York, LA, Miami, Las Vegas.
Chicago Fire immediately earned the hearts of many people. It was new and different, but fast paced and interesting. The show still had the romantic interests and uncomfortable relationships but also had the different atmosphere of the firehouse. It was captivating and made me want to come back every week.
A year later, NBC announced plans for a spin-off: Chicago PD. Although this spin-off didn’t feel like a spin-off but instead, it’s own unique show that merely linked to Fire. One of the show’s main characters, Antonio Dawson’s sister, Gabriella was a paramedic on Fire, and so this opened the door for many cross-over events. I’ll admit, it was hard for me to like PD at first because of the intelligence team’s leader: Detective Hank Voight. He was violent and intense and to be quite honest, I did not care for the sound of his voice. He wasn’t necessarily a good leader, but he was the character you loved to hate. Erin Lindsay, another detective made this show worth watching. She was funny and good at her job. But still wasn’t an angel. She had quite a few demons in her closet and made you connect to her because she is human. She did not seem like the typical cliché TV character. This is what makes her so attractive.
Next came Chicago Med. Personally, I am not a huge fan of this show. I think that it was a quality way to round out the Chicago Trilogy, being that it was different than the other shows. But I think that in order to be on the air, it needs to be done really well. I say this only because of its predecessors. Grey’s Anatomy, Scrubs, E.R., Royal Pains, The NightShift, Code Black and the list goes on. The main issue I have with this show comes with one of the main characters, Dr. Natalie Manning. At first, I had no problem with her. But after watching the show with my mom and hearing her stunning commentary, I came to my senses. She is, to put it simply just annoying. She’s not unique and adding depth to the show as I would say Hank Voight does but her character is whining and continually seems as if she’s stealing everyone else’s boyfriend. This show’s redeeming quality, and what keeps me coming back is that of Dr. Daniel Charles & Dr. Sarah Reese. They both work in the psychiatry department and are entertaining in that they bring their own issues (and families) into their work. Some would say that is not the best idea but it adds a depth dynamic that makes it worth keeping.
Last, but certainly not least is Chicago Justice. I’ll admit when they announced another show about the judicial system and policing in the Chicago franchise, I was confused. I did not really understand why. I recognized how successful Dick Wolf was in both Law and Order: SVU, as well as Law and Order, but also knew that it is hard to replicate that kind of success. Just thinking about how Chicago Fire got started made me feel a bit better- but still apprehensive. I then watched the first few episodes of Chicago Justice and was immediately hooked. I find the law to be really interesting but never could quite follow Law and Order very well. I appreciate Justice because it feels different. It does not feel so cop show oriented, I guess because it isn’t necessarily a cop show. It’s a lawyer show. If I could kick off one character, it would be the State’s Attorney Mark Jefferies simply because he is irritating.
All this being said, go watch all four shows! Pick which one is your favorite! Compare and contrast them and figure out which characters you wish weren't there.
