Why is Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20 delayed? Release schedule change explained

Chicago PD only has a few episodes left of Season 12, but you’re going to have to wait a little longer for the next one. There’s no new episode of Chicago PD tonight because it’s delayed – here’s why.

For viewers who don’t know what kind of binge-worthy TV show they want to watch next, the Chicago shows are the perfect choice. Fire, Med, and PD basically cover all traumatic angles, airing one after the other weekly on NBC.

With PD, we’re following two units of the Chicago Police Department – the Intelligence Unit and a team of uniformed cops – whose styles for tackling crime are completely opposite.

You might have noticed the usual weekly instalment is nowhere to be seen. Annoyingly, the next episode of Chicago PD is actually delayed, and there’s a frustrating reason why.

Why is Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20 delayed?

Officially, all One Chicago shows – that’s Chicago Med, PD, and Fire – are on a week’s hiatus. The reason for this is unknown, but it does mean Season 12 Episode 20, titled ‘Black Ice,’ now won’t be broadcast until May 7, 2025, at 10/9c on NBC.

 

NBC

We’ve seen a weekly hiatus across the board by different broadcasters of late, from Beyond the Gates on CBS to 9-1-1 Season 8 on ABC. Sometimes, there are explicit reasons – The Rookie Season 7 was moved last week because of a new interview with President Donald Trump – and other times, there’s no reason at all.

Annoyingly, this is one of those times. The “brief hiatus” only lasts a week, though, meaning we’re back on track soon. We’ve still got two episodes of Season 12 left to go after Episode 20 has aired, so there will be plenty more to binge.

What will happen in Season 12 Episode 20?

As per the episode synopsis, “Ruzek witnesses a tragic accident on an icy bridge, leading Intelligence into a dark, sinister case involving sex trafficking.”

As you can see from the above trailer, the team finds an abandoned warehouse used as a hub for underage sex trafficking, with Adam and Burgess going in to try and find those being held inside.

We’re also going to continuing exploring Cook and Torres’ relationship, which has been on an absolute rollercoaster since the series began. On the back of the last few episodes, Cook has seemingly been compromised after Torres willingly put her in a dangerous situation.

We don’t yet know if their relationship can bounce back to where it once was, but actor Toya Turner has confirmed we’re going to see more drama play out.

She told TV Line, “I think even in [last Wednesday’s] episode, I feel like there’s a possibility their relationship could get back to what it used to be. I think it does still sting. Of course, she’s still going to work with him. But I feel like she don’t really trust him. They’re not as close as they used to be.

“So I feel like [in last Wednesday’s episode], [they] start leaning into each other more, and there are some things that bring them a little closer in [this Wednesday’s episode], too, and then there’s going to be a moment or two in the finale. That’s it. That’s all. [Laughs] That’s all I can say, and I feel like it’s her gaining trust of him again.”

How to watch

Fans have two possible ways to watch Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20: watch it live on NBC, or wait until it’s available to stream on Peacock.

 

NBC

If you have a traditional cable subscription to NBC, you’re all set. You also have the option to use your cable username and password to watch the episode live on NBC.com or with the NBC app.

Alternatively, the episode will be streaming on Peacock the day after. All previous seasons of the show are already on the streaming service.

Chicago Med airs weekly on NBC. For more, check out new TV shows streaming this month, the best TV shows of the year so far, and anticipated 2025 releases you cannot miss.