Chicago PD has some major cliffhangers to resolve in season 1, with the most notable being whether or not Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) survives his gunshot wound. If it were any other year, fans would have already found out the answer, but the writers and actors strike have pushed the season back to 2024.
There have been some very encouraging signs regarding the show’s future. The writers room was opened back up in October, and crew members started prepping soundstages on November 1. We also got an update regarding how many episodes fans can expect to see in season 11, though the number may not be what fans were hoping for…
According to TV Line, NBC is aiming to release 10-13 episodes of Chicago PD in season 11. This is, of course, due to the actors strike, but the fact that there’s been an agreement made between the actors and the studios as of November 8 means that the procedural drama could start filming as early as late November or early December. These dates are encouraging in many ways, but they still don’t allow enough time to produce a normal 20+ episode season.
10-13 episodes will result in the shortest season of Chicago PD to date. Generally speaking, the police procedural averages 22 episodes a season, with only two exceptions. The first exception is the first season, in which the show released only 15 episodes, and the second is season 8, which was cut down to 16 episodes due to the 2020 pandemic and the complications that resulted.
The circumstances surrounding the 10-13 episode count are understandable, especially as the writers scramble to piece together a story with a fraction of the time they are typically given. It’s always better to prioritize quality over quantity, and based on the decisions that have been made thus far, the writers have a clear vision for season 11.
The show already announced that Hailey Upton (Tracy Spiridakos) will be written off the show at some point during the season, which will open up space for new characters to be introduced and mark the end of an era, with regards to both Upton and the recently exited Halstead (Jesse Lee Soffer). The circumstances aren’t ideal, but at least we will be getting some form of the show we love in 2024.
