The It List guide to the Dick Wolf universe of high-octane procedurals and spin-offs

I recommend it for fans who enjoy seeing their favorite characters interact, because the shows frequently air crossover events.

Chicago Med

• When: Chicago Med Season 9B starts Jan. 8 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

• What to know: Each episode focuses on the doctors, nurses and other hospital staff working to save patients’ lives at the emergency department at Gaffney Chicago Medical Center.

• Notable past and present stars: Nick Gehlfuss, Yaya DaCosta, Torrey DeVitto, Rachel DiPillo, Colin Donnell, Brian Tee, S. Epatha Merkerson, Oliver Platt, Marlyne Barrett, Norma Kuhling, Dominic Rains, Steven Weber, Guy Lockard, Kristen Hager, Jessy Schram, Luke Mitchell, Sarah Ramos and Darren Barnet

Chicago Fire

• When: Chicago Fire Season 12B starts Jan. 8 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

• What to know: The series explores the professional and personal lives of its cast of firefighters, rescue personnel and paramedics in Chicago. It was the first of the One Chicago franchise to air, later inspiring two interconnected spin-offs.

• Notable past and present stars: Jesse Spencer, Taylor Kinney, Monica Raymund, Lauren German, Charlie Barnett, David Eigenberg, Teri Reeves, Eamonn Walker, Yuri Sardarov, Christian Stolte, Joe Miñoso, Kara Killmer, Dora Madison Burge, Steven R. McQueen, Miranda Rae Mayo, Annie Ilonzeh, Alberto Rosende, Daniel Kyri, Adriyan Rae, Hanako Greensmith, Jake Lockett, Jocelyn Hudon and Dermot Mulroney

Chicago P.D.

• When: Chicago P.D. Season 11B starts Jan. 8 at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

• What to know: The show follows uniformed patrol officers and the intelligence unit at the city’s police department. It had a short-lived spin-off called Chicago Justice that followed prosecutors and investigators and ran for one season.

• Notable past and present stars: Jason Beghe, Jon Seda, Sophia Bush, Jesse Lee Soffer, Patrick John Flueger, Marina Squerciati, LaRoyce Hawkins, Archie Kao, Elias Koteas, Amy Morton, Brian Geraghty, Tracy Spiridakos, Lisseth Chavez, Benjamin Levy Aguilar and Toya Turner

On Call

On Call is the only new show on the list, as well as the only half-hour drama and the only streaming-first release. The series was co-created by Dick Wolf’s son Elliot Wolf and Chicago P.D. executive producer Tim Walsh.

I recommend this one for veteran procedural fans looking for quicker, more emotionally intense episodes.

• When: All eight episodes of On Call Season 1 start streaming Jan. 9 on Prime Video.

• What to know: The series follows officers on patrol in Long Beach, Calif. It includes bodycam and dashcam footage, and bucks the traditional procedural format by refusing to resolve plot lines at the end of an episode.

• Notable stars: Troian Bellisario, Brandon Larracuente, Lori Loughlin, Rich Ting and Eriq La Salle

Law & Order

The Law & Order franchise is Dick Wolf’s biggest and longest-running, known for featuring “ripped from the headlines” stories and procedural episode formatting. Episodes air on Thursdays, and with the exception of a new Canadian spin-off, have a significant back catalog available to stream on Peacock.

There are a few one-season wonders in the Law & Order universe: Law & Order True Crime, which is streaming on Peacock, as well as Law & Order: Trial by Jury and Law & Order: LA, which are available for purchase but not streaming. Law & Order: Criminal Intent ended in 2011 after 10 seasons, all of which are now available to stream on Peacock.

I recommend the Law & Order franchise to anyone fascinated with the criminal justice system or in need of a background show.

Law & Order

• When: Law & Order Season 24B starts Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.

• What to know: The original New York City-set series began in 1990 and aired until 2010, then returned in 2022 with a refreshed cast and a couple of returning characters. It follows the law enforcement officers who investigate a serious crime — usually murder — then shifts to the prosecution of the crime in court.

• Notable past and present stars: Chris Noth, Dann Florek, Michael Moriarty, Steven Hill, Paul Sorvino, Jerry Orbach, Carolyn McCormick, S. Epatha Merkerson, Sam Waterston, Angie Harmon, Jesse L. Martin, Elisabeth Röhm, Fred Thompson, Anthony Anderson, Hugh Dancy, Odelya Halevi, Reid Scott, Tony Goldwyn and Maura Tierney

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

• When: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Season 26B starts Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.

• What to know: The longest-running live-action scripted American primetime series has been on since 1999. It follows the Manhattan SVU detectives who investigate sexual crimes and the prosecutors who pursue justice. Mariska Hargitay has starred as Olivia Benson for the show’s entire run, going from junior detective to captain.

• Notable past and present stars: Mariska Hargitay, Christopher Meloni, Richard Belzer, Dann Florek, Stephanie March, Ice-T, BD Wong, Diane Neal, Tamara Tunie, Danny Pino, Kelli Giddish, Raúl Esparza, Peter Scanavino, Jamie Gray Hyder, Octavio Pisano and Kevin Kane

Law & Order: Organized Crime

• When: An air date for Law & Order: Organized Crime Season 5 has not yet been announced, but it will be moving from NBC to Peacock.

• What to know: Beloved detective Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) left the SVU in 2011, but his character returned in 2021 for guest episodes and a spin-off in which he investigates organized crime for the NYPD.

• Notable past and present stars: Christopher Meloni, Danielle Moné Truitt, Tamara Taylor, Ainsley Seiger, Dylan McDermott, Rick Gonzalez and Dean Norris

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent

• When: Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent Season 2 starts Feb. 20 on Citytv, but is not yet available to watch in the U.S.

• What to know: The Canadian spin-off follows a squad of detectives from Toronto’s Specialized Criminal Investigations unit as they investigate the psychological motives behind high-profile crimes. Dick Wolf created the series, but a Canadian team wrote and produced it.

• Notable stars: Aden Young, Kathleen Munroe, K.C. Collins and Karen Robinson

FBI

FBI and its two spin-off shows dominate Tuesday nights on CBS and have several previous seasons available to stream on Paramount and Peacock.

I recommend these shows to those who love procedurals but prefer when the setting frequently changes.

FBI

• When: FBI Season 7B starts Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

• What to know: The series focuses on the employees of the New York City field office of the FBI.

• Notable past and present stars: Missy Peregrym, Zeeko Zaki, Jeremy Sisto, Ebonee Noel, Sela Ward, Alana De La Garza, John Boyd, Katherine Renee Kane and Lisette Olivera

FBI: International

• When: FBI: International Season 4B starts Jan. 28 at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

• What to know: The show follows the elite members of the International Fly Team, based in Budapest. They neutralize threats against the United States in Europe.

• Notable past and present stars: Jesse Lee Soffer, Vinessa Vidotto, Carter Redwood, Eva-Jane Willis, Christina Wolfe, Luke Kleintank, Heida Reed and Christiane Paul

FBI: Most Wanted

• When: FBI: Most Wanted Season 6B starts Jan. 28 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

• What to know: The spin-off centers on the Fugitive Task Force, a division of the FBI that tracks and captures the most notorious criminals on the Most Wanted list.

• Notable past and present stars: Julian McMahon, Kellan Lutz, Roxy Sternberg, Keisha Castle-Hughes, Nathaniel Arcand, YaYa Gosselin, Miguel Gomez, Alexa Davalos, Dylan McDermott, Edwin Hodge and Shantel VanSanten

Looking for more recommendations? Check out our guides to the best in winter entertainment.