How does it feel to be a part of one of the most challenging and responsibility-filled jobs in the world? Well, being a doctor is never easy as you are surrounded by sickness and death all around, all through the day. You can be surrounded by the guilt of saving your patients if you are a doctor and fail to do so.
Well, it is all a part of the process, and many medical shows like Grey’s Anatomy, Dr.House, and The Good Doctor capture it well. One such medical drama came out to be a part of the Chicago series by the name of Chicago Med saw doctors and nurses, along with other staff members from Gaffney Chicago Medical Center’s emergency ward, working on the most twisted and crucial vases as they try to save patient’s lives round the corner. But does that come without their own personal problems?
With the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes coming in since early 2023 and receiving a renewal for the show in April 2023, we see that the show has not come up with any updates since. Well, it brings the horrifying question of whether Chicago Med got canceled due to the strike and if it will return for an eighth season. Let us find out.
Will Chicago Med get canceled due to the strike?
A report on September 21, 2023, by Chris Isidore from CNN, shows the current status of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. It said, “The two unions have been in close communication since before either strike began and have frequently issued statements of support for one another. The union that remains on strike could find itself pressured to agree to its own deal along the lines of whatever agreement is reached by the first union to settle, although SAG-AFTRA has enough leverage to keep productions shutdown.”
The strikes are in place to get their rights and negotiate with AMTMP, and get the credit due to them. While these strikes are happening, famous productions like NBC, ABC, and CBS have pushed many shows to next year or canceled them. But is Chicago Med a product of the collateral damage? Yes and no.
It is a yes because the show was set to be out in fall 2023, only if shooting began by May-June 2023 post-renewal. It is interesting to see how every year, Chicago Med came out in July, ending-August timeframe, and Chicago Fire around September-December timeline. Even though makers thought of pushing the show for the fall schedule, NBC has not included the show as a part of the fall releases.
The show, which is now pushed to 2024, will see scheduling around January releases and have a lower episode count than the earlier predicted 18-20 episodes. We can expect 13 episodes, but no official announcement or trailer means total silence from the maker’s end. As per a report by One Chicago Center they explain how the show is definitely going to return. They say, “It wouldn’t make sense for NBC to cancel this show. It is one of the top-rated shows on the network, along with all of Dick Wolf’s programming.”
This hints at Chicago Med coming back on our screens with the same cast and a new storyline.