'Chicago' Mania: 5 Suggestions for a 4th NBC Spin-Off
If there can be three Chicago shows, why not make it four? With the third, Chicago Med, premiering on Nov. 17 — making Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. a trilogy — we did a little brainstorming on what new Chicago setting could complete the square and still be rife with stories, crossover opportunities, and characters who are really, really, ridiculously good-looking.
Here are five of ‘em. You’re welcome, Dick Wolf.
1. Chicago Paper
Newspapers are dying, and now viewers can see that struggle for themselves, as the young, growing online team at a local publication battles with the veterans on the print side for the biggest scoops. Through an attractive cast of characters, see the pros and cons of storytelling — as well as the jockeying over what kinds of stories take priority in the modern age — in both mediums. Phylicia Rashad or Sigourney Weaver plays the tough-as-nails editor in chief tasked with keeping the peace… and keeping the paper afloat.
Otis (Yuri Saradov) and Cruz (Joe Minoso) at Molly’s on ‘Chicago Fire’ (NBC)
2. Molly’s
In a sad turn of events, Chicago Fire’s Otis (Yuri Sardarov) is injured in the line of duty and takes to running Molly’s, the bar he owns with several other members of Firehouse 51, full time. Despite nasty neighbors from Portland determined to shut the place down and the venue’s mob ties, the local watering hole at the center of this sitcom (why not?) has some regulars who aren’t firemen, police officers, and doctors. One is a postal worker, one’s a psychiatrist, one’s an accountant…
Related: Just What the Doctor Ordered: It’s a Twitter Takeover, Chicago Style
3. Chicago Hall
Not all mayors are as crooked as they’re often portrayed on other TV shows. In this extension of the Chicago franchise, we get an inside look daily workings of local politics, from battling with posturing wannabe fire and police commissioners to clearing the streets as the city gets continuously pummeled with snow. Our mayor, played by Harrison Ford (hey, if Jennifer Lopez is willing to come to NBC, anything can happen!), is basically Jeb Bartlett on a smaller scale. He’s a good man who’s a not-so-great judge of character. He’s determined to make a difference — though the team around him, including his wife, is more determined to make a buck. Bonus: The tagline is, obviously, “You can’t fight it.”
Atwater (LaRoyce Hawkins) and Lindsay (Sophia Bush) at a diner on ‘Chicago P.D.’ (NBC)
4. Chicago Diner
The Walking Dead has Talking Dead, so why shouldn’t the three Chicago shows have their own aftershow where plotlines are analyzed and pairings are shipped? Better yet, guests can gab over eggs! Suggested host: Saturday Night Live alum and Chicago native Beck Bennett.
Related: ‘Chicago Fire’ Season 4 Photos
5. Chicago DMV
Have you ever heard of The Fast and the Furious? Well, this is not that. But still, the gorgeous men and women of this DMV don’t just sit back and watch everyone else harrumph with frustration as they wait and wait to renew their licenses — they risk their lives every single day. How else would you describe getting in a car with a teenager behind the wheel? The series kicks off when a hot new employee — played by Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Nina Agdal — joins the team. We soon learn she has a deep, dark secret: She doesn’t know how to drive.
Chicago Med premieres on NBC on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 9 p.m.
