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NBC announces shake-up with One Chicago and Law & Order amid ongoing strikes

With both writers and actors on strike, networks are now forced to rethink their fall schedules

CHICAGO FIRE -- "The White Whale" Episode 721 -- Pictured: Taylor Kinney as Lt. Kelly Severide
Beatriz Colon
Beatriz Colon - New York
Online News WriterNew York
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It has been less than a week since Hollywood effectively shut down as the SAG-AFTRA strike began July 14 – with actors joining writers on the picket line for the first time in 60 years – and the consequences have been swift.

Already, we've seen the cast of Oppenheimer walk out of their London premiere, late night shows stopped airing, the Barbie world press tour was canceled, and now, networks are scrambling to fill the void that will inevitably be left when their shows fail to release on time.

With no end to the two strikes in sight, NBC has already put a plan in action, and the One Chicago and Law & Order franchises are among the first casualties.

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In the midst of the ongoing strikes, NBC is making some changes to its fall schedule, which they had previously announced on May 12, ten days before the WGA strike started.

Come fall, the broadcaster is no longer planning to air One Chicago content on its usual Wednesday night block, nor will episodes of Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU air on its own Thursday slot.

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In their place, NBC will air the season finale of America's Got Talent on Wednesday, September 27, and the People's Choice Country Awards on the following Thursday, September 28. 

A sign reads 'Unions Stand Together' as SAG-AFTRA members walk the picket line in solidarity with striking WGA (Writers Guild of America) workers outside Netflix offices on July 12, 2023 in Los Angeles, California© Getty
This is the first time since 1960 that both writers and actors are on strike

After that, it plans to air reruns of One Chicago on Wednesdays at 8pm EST starting October 4, followed by new episodes of Magnum P.I. and Quantum Leap, the latter having finished production on the majority of its second season prior to the WGA strike. Meanwhile, the second part to Magnum P.I.'s fifth and final season will premiere after it makes its move from NBC to CBS.

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As for the Law & Order franchise, reruns will air on Thursdays beginning October 5, and the third season of the Canadian medical drama Transplant will follow.

Jessy Schram striking on the picket lines © Instagram
Jessy Schram of Chicago Med already joined the picket line to support the strikes

Additionally, NBC has officially taken both Night Court and new comedy Extended Family off of their fall roster, after previously announcing they planned to have both air on Tuesday nights. 

Instead, The Voice will air for two hours on Tuesdays beginning October 3, and starting October 10, the first hour of their two-hour block will be a recap of the previous night.

Chicago PD cast © Timothy Hiatt
The cast of Chicago PD

SAG-AFTRA union president Fran Drescher confirmed actors would be going on strike with an impassioned speech on Thursday, July 13; she said: "It is with great sadness that we came to these crossroads but we had no choice," adding: "We are the victims, we are being victimized by this greedy entity."

Ben Whitehair, Frances Fisher, SAG President Fran Drescher, Joely Fisher, National Executive Director, and SAG-AFTRA members are seen as SAG-AFTRA National Board holds a press conference for vote on recommendation to call a strike © Getty
The star made her fellow actors proud with her defiant speech

"It is disgusting," she stated, exclaiming: "Shame on them, they stand on the wrong stand of history," and declared: "We stand in solidarity, in unprecedented unity."

SAG-AFTRA counts 160,000 working actors as members, and since the strike started, stars such as Kevin Bacon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hilary Duff, Margot Robbie, Matt Damon, Jason Sudeikis, Mandy Moore, and others have expressed their support.