On This Year’s Big ‘Chicago’ Crossover, a Firefighter’s Life Hangs in the Balance

Firehouse 51 rallies around one of its own as the irrepressibly optimistic Herrmann (David Eigenberg) hovers between life and death in the first two hours of this week’s three-way Chicago crossover event (Tuesday, Jan. 5, 9/8c and 10/9c, NBC). In Fire’s fall finale cliffhanger, Herrmann was stabbed by Freddie (Ralph Rodriguez), a troubled young man he hired to work at Molly’s bar at the behest of fellow firefighter Cruz (Joe Minoso), who was trying to set the kid on the right path. “Herrmann got lippy with Freddie,” Eigenberg explains. “[He was joking] but instead of stabbing a steak, Freddie stabbed Herrmann. The doctors can’t stem the bleeding in his liver and he crashes a couple of times. It’s not good.” While his dear friend suffers, Cruz “is an emotional wreck,” Eigenberg adds. “He tried to do the right thing by helping Freddie, and it went south.”

RELATED: 7 Multi-Episode Crossovers That Made for Great TV

As Herrmann’s situation worsens, his firehouse family takes issue with treatment choices made by Chicago Med trauma fellow Dr. Rhodes (Colin Donnell). “Severide [Taylor Kinney] in particular has a strong reaction as to what should be done,” executive producer Peter Jankowski says. Cruz, meanwhile, urgently helps the cops over at the Chicago P.D. track the culprit down. (They already have their hands full with the investigation of a shady doctor who could be linked to a tragedy in Sergeant Voight’s past.)

It all concludes on Wednesday’s Chicago P.D. (Jan. 6, 10/9c), but this is far from the last nail-biting crossover, Jankowski promises. “Ratings are a consideration, but when you have three shows that share DNA, it’s a choice that’s creatively irresistible.” Fans of these hit series would agree.

Chicago Fire, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 9/8c | Chicago Med, Tuesday, Jan. 5, 10/9c, NBC

Chicago P.D., Wednesday, Jan. 6, 10/9c, NBC