Derek Haas, the co-creator of the One Chicago franchise, is exiting the popular procedurals. Haas first met with Wolf Entertainment, one of the production companies behind the shows, in 2011. He'd launch Chicago Fire the following year, which would lead to the spinoffs Chicago PD and Chicago Med. All three shows have enjoyed lengthy runs, and are commonly referred to by fans as the One Chicago franchise.
Over the past several months, the NBC dramas have faced some high-profile cast exits. Most notably, and to the surprise and dismay of many fans, Jesse Lee Soffer left his Chicago PD role as Jay Halstead with a storyline that proved divisive. Sarah Rafferty, Asjha Cooper, and Brian Tee announced that they'll be parting ways with their respective Chicago Med characters. Meanwhile, on Chicago Fire, Jimmy Nicholas recently exited as well. Now, the franchise is set to experience a big change behind the scenes.
According to Variety, Haas will be leaving Wolf Entertainment. That means he'll also be departing from his post as the co-showrunner of Wolf Entertainment's FBI: International, which airs on CBS, and his executive producer role on the Chicago spinoffs. In a statement, which is included below, Haas clarified that he will be leaving the production company to turn his attention to creating new shows. Still, he promised that he'll be with Chicago Fire and FBI: International through the end of the current seasons and that he's focused on creating great episodes for the time being that will include twists and surprises:
“Although I am leaving Wolf Entertainment next year to focus on creating new shows, I’m entirely committed to delivering amazing episodes of ‘Chicago Fire’ and ‘FBI: International’ through the end of the current seasons. I learned everything I know about storytelling, pace, characters, production values, and hiring the best cast, crews, and staffs from Dick Wolf and Peter Jankowski, and as hard as it is to leave a place you love and have called home for over a decade, including incredible support from Universal Television, NBC and CBS, I look forward to building my own brand in entertainment. That said, there are many, many twists and turns still to write on these two shows between now and May, so stay tuned for some epic surprises.”
What Does Haas' Exit Mean For The Chicago Franchise?
Given the close involvement of Haas in the Chicago shows, whether as showrunner or executive producer, his exit has major implications. Several fans have discussed how Chicago Fire handles its couples, to take one example, and how that may prove detrimental to the series as a whole. Going forward, Haas' exit could mean a shift in those types of storylines. On the other hand, for those who have largely enjoyed the stories that Haas has done, they'll get some sense of how he'd wrap up the series if given the chance. One Chicago will continue without Haas, as will FBI: International, but it will be his last run with several of the characters he helped create.
It may seem like procedurals are a unique genre, in that they'll thrive regardless of who is involved in front of the camera and behind the scenes, but that isn't necessarily true. While the general story setups and visuals may remain in place from one showrunner to the next, a new leader can shift the narrative in different directions by focusing on new themes and perhaps giving a more prominent presence to characters who were previously in supporting roles. After Haas has spent a decade with Chicago Fire and its spinoffs, it will be interesting to watch what the franchise can become in his absence.
Source: Variety