Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D. are taking their last break of the season this week as the three get ready for the final stretch of the season. Last time the shows were on, Chicago Med saw Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram) offers to be her sister Lizzie’s surrogate so she can fulfill her dream of being a mother. Meanwhile, on Chicago Fire, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) investigated an old fire his wife Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) was involved in years ago, and on Chicago P.D., Kiana Cook handled her first CI as she and Torres got even closer. So, when are Chicago Fire, PD, and Med coming back, and why haven’t they been renewed?

Why Are Chicago Fire, PD, Med Not on Tonight?

The shows are just taking their last regular one-week break of the season, likely to set up the finale in the week NBC would prefer for the finale to air, which is the week of May 21st. The shows will return with new episodes next week, on May 7th, and will also air a new episode on May 14th. Those, alongside the May 21st finale, are the last three episodes remaining this season. We still don’t know if One Chicago will return for another season.

Everything is pointing towards a renewal, but the shows have yet to get an official Season 14 order for Chicago Fire, Season 13 for Chicago P.D., and Season 11 for Chicago Med. And yet, the budget cuts in preparation have already begun, with Chicago Fire announcing two series regulars that will be departing at the end of the season and will not return for a possible Season 14. Jake Lockett, who plays Sam Carver, and Daniel Kyri, who plays Darren Ritter, are departing the show at the end of Season 13 of the show.

Neither of the actors wanted to leave, and the decision is not believed to be creative but budgetary. It’s a real tough break, especially as the show just had Lizzie Novak move in with Ritter, and was just starting to repair Carver and Violet’s relationship. This seems to be set up at least one of them, if not both, to die in the finale. What other way could Chicago Fire justify their exits? They’ve done absolutely no setup for their departures of.

The other One Chicago shows have not announced any exits, although Chicago Fire is the show with the largest cast. Chicago P.D. has a smaller cast of regulars and tends to have an officer or two disappear every once in a while. We’ve had Dante Torres missing weeks on the end of this season, for example. Over on Chicago Med, there are doctors who come and go on the background, but every year it feels like the main cast gets smaller and smaller. And perhaps that’s the price to pay for a renewal at this point.

But we have not yet got that renewal, and it’s getting pretty late. Usually by this time of the year, we will already have confirmation of another season. Then again, it’s not like NBC has renewed everything but One Chicago. In fact, NBC has held off on all of its renewals, so it’s probably too early to worry just yet. Wolf Entertainment has already lost two shows this year in FBI: International and FBI: Most Wanted, but it’s unlikely One Chicago or any of the shows in the Law & Order franchise will join them in being canceled.

That, however, doesn’t mean fans are going to be happy with what the shows have in store for the finale. The franchise always likes to end on big cliffhangers, and Chicago Med has promised the return of some familiar faces, while Chicago Fire still has to find a way to say goodbye to Carver and Ritter. And oh yes, over on Chicago P.D., Burgess and Ruzek are finally getting married. So that’s a lot to look forward to, either way.