When I got into 9-1-1 back in March, I also dove right into the fanfiction, because of course I did. Even during those first few weeks after finished binge watching the entire series, I noticed something.
There were a decent amount of crossovers. From like three series.
So, the biggest amount of crossovers came from the show Hawaii 5-0, which made a lot of sense. The main character of the show, LCDR Steve McGarrett was in the US Navy SEALs, a branch of the military that 9-1-1‘s Buck said he tried out for, but he washed out. Most of the crossovers show Buck having stayed through training and becoming a SEAL, whether he is still by the time of the show or not. Those are always fun (SEAL!Buck is so much fun to read). I was an early fan of the show, mostly because of Alex O’Loughlin from his Moonlight days before the writer’s strike, though I fell off of it while I was in college, and never really got back into it. (And I really wasn’t happy when Daniel Dae Kim and Grace Park left the show because they tried to negotiate pay equal to O’Loughlin and Scott Caan, and CBS came back with 10-15% lower. It wasn’t a good look for CBS.)
Another show crossed into 9-1-1 frequently is S.W.A.T, which premiered about four months before 9-1-1. They both take place in LA, and plots usually involve one team protecting or saving the other. I’ve watched a few episodes of S.W.A.T., mostly because of these crossovers. While I still love me some Shemar Moore (he always impressed me on Criminal Minds with his range), I’m going to come back to it later on. It just hasn’t really hooked me yet. Which is not entirely surprising. I’ve seen a lot of shows based out of LA right now.
On that note comes the last major show I’ve seen crossed with 9-1-1. Not to the same amount (maybe half?), but enough for me to take notice. Add in a few well timed suggested tweets, because Twitter algorithm, and I’m giving this show (or should I say franchise) a shot.
That franchise is One Chicago.
So, right from the get go, when I started to do a cursory glance at the series to even see if I should give it the time of day, I was impressed. The One Chicago franchise is made up of four shows that all take place (and are shot) within Chicago, hence the name. Three shows are still on the air; the last spin-off was canceled after one season due to lower ratings compared to the rest of the series, as well as sustainability (it has apparently been rolled back into the other three shows).
During that first glance, I will admit that I got worried. As of today, all four shows have produced 491 episodes. Yes, you read that right. Four-Nine-One. Nearly 500. And I’m going to try to catch up by the end of September? I’m insane.
So let me break this down.
The first show that premiered was Chicago Fire in October 2012. Obviously, it follows the firefighters, rescue personnel, and paramedics of Firehouse 51 in Chicago. I’ve watched the first two episodes as of writing this post, and already it feels more… grounded in reality than 9-1-1, which is not a bad thing! It’s just that 9-1-1 has some more bits of situational comedy and romance, while this show feels a bit grittier and more serious. It’s a good change of pace. The cast seems to gel well (again, two episodes), though I’m having trouble keeping up with who is who. It’s just a large cast. It takes time.
Following Fire, Chicago P.D. premiered in January 2014. It was featured in a backdoor pilot during Fire‘s first season. This one I haven’t touched yet, but I’m always down for a cop show.
Third to premier, again after a backdoor pilot during the third season of the original show in 2015, is Chicago Med, which is the requisite medical show. I’m less excited about this one, only because I’ve never been a fan of medical dramas. However, there are a few members of the cast that look pretty interesting, so I’m going to give it a show when the time comes.
And finally, there was Chicago Justice, which is of course about the legal system. It only lasted for thirteen episodes during the spring of 2017. I’m somewhat surprised that this one didn’t make it, as courtroom dramas are still popular right now, but at the same time, I’m not exactly surprised. Three shows that crossover multiple times is crazy enough. Add in a fourth and that’s a recipe for disaster.
And I’m not joking, they all crossover over multiple times. This isn’t like the CSI franchise, where the shows got a backdoor pilot and I think two total crossovers over the entire time all three shows were on television. Not counting the episodes that were backdoor pilots, there are fourteen crossovers between the four shows, as well as Law & Order SVU, due to Dick Wolf being one of the creators of the franchise, so of course it did.
This is the type of show that requires dedication, so I’m trying to watch at least two episodes a day, usually while eating or before going to bed. Of course, I’m going to have to speed up my watching. I just did the math, and I’m probably going to have to watch at least 6 episodes a day to be caught up by the suspected premier.
And if you’re curious how I came up with that, the shows are currently airing back to back on Wednesdays during the regular season. It will most likely premier on September 22nd or September 29th, if it is following the pattern set by previous seasons. That would mean from today, I would have 78 or 85 days to catch up, depending on the premier date. And since that won’t be announced until probably late August or early September, I’m going to aim for the earlier date.
(Yes, I’m an English/Creative Writing major who can do basic math. Surprising. Isn’t it.)
Am I insane to try this, especially since I’m still job hunting. But I’m still going to try, because it seems like a good series. The writing in the first two episodes, while not great, was good enough to keep me around for a bit at least. The acting is still not perfect, but these actors are (as of episode 2) just getting to really start to jive together. And honestly, my biggest issue is with the camera, but that’s something I’m just going to have to get used to, as the use of handicams seems to becoming more and more mainstream.
But all in all, if you can’t beat the fans away from a show, why not join them? It got me into 9-1-1, and that worked out. Let’s see if One Chicago gets me hooked.
(And honestly, as a quick final note? It would honestly be kinda cool to have something to watch on TV again. As much as I like binge watching things, I miss being able to keep a schedule as to when shows are airing. It was something I enjoyed when I was younger, and I kinda miss it. So there’s a plus one in that category.)
Until next time!
