NBCIf you’re not watching the Chicago trilogy, you’re missing out. Chicago PD Season 12 is a few episodes away from its finale, but Episode 20 has a brutal storyline lying in wait for fans.
For streamers who don’t know what kind of soap opera drama 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.
As you might have guessed, Chicago PD is often the most grizzly. Fans follow two units of the Chicago Police Department – the Intelligence Unit and a team of uniformed cops – whose styles for tackling crime are completely opposite.
Obviously, this has led to some tense drama over the years, and Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20 is about to make matters worse. Here’s when you need to catch up with the next instalment of the binge-worthy TV show.
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20 release date and time
Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20, titled ‘Black Ice,’ will air on May 7, 2025, on NBC at 10pm ET.
NBCThis means we’ve got a two-week wait until the next installment, with Episode 19 airing on April 23. Considering Chicago PD usually airs on a weekly basis, we’d have expected Episode 20 to air on April 30 instead.
There’s no official reason why there’s an extended delay, though it’s following suit from other shows such as 9-1-1 Season 8 and The Rookie Season 7.
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You can check when it drops in other time zones below:
- 9pm CT
- 11pm Brazil
- 2am UK (May 8)
- 3am CEST
- 7:30am India Standard Time
- 12:30am Australia
- 2pm New Zealand
For UK viewers, episodes have usually dropped at 2am. If you want to catch Chicago PD at this time, you’re going to need a VPN for the job (it won’t be available to stream immediately, but more on that later).
Season 12 Episode 20 runtime
An official runtime hasn’t been revealed yet, but we can expect Season 12 Episode 20 to clock in at around 45 minutes.
NBCAll Season 12 episodes so far have been between 40-45 minutes, and there’s no reason for anything to change during the home stretch.
If any episode of Chicago PD Season 12 is going to be significantly longer, it will be the season finale – which is Episode 22, for those not keeping up.
What will happen in Chicago PD Season 12 Episode 20?
As you can see from the below 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.”
Season 12 episode release schedule
NBC- Season 12 Episode 1: ‘Ten Ninety-Nine’ – September 25, 2024
- A month after Voight’s close brush with death, Intelligence is overwhelmed with cases as they catch a high-stakes drug bust.
- Season 12 Episode 2: ‘Blood Bleeds Blue’ – October 2, 2024
- After tragedy strikes Intelligence, the unit must persevere during an adrenalized manhunt across the city.
- Season 12 Episode 3: ‘Off Switch’ – October 9, 2024
- Atwater struggles to find balance as he teams up with a forensic psychologist on an armed robbery case.
- Season 12 Episode 4: ‘The After’ – October 16, 2024
- Assistant State’s Attorney Chapman assists Intelligence with a sensitive investigation that drudges up painful memories for Voight.
- Season 12 Episode 5: ‘Water and Honey’ – October 23, 2024
- In the midst of a momentous rainstorm, Intelligence lends support to Officer Cook when she and her partner disagree about an investigation.
- Season 12 Episode 6: ‘Pawns’ – November 6, 2024
- Burgess is put to the test as she looks to make an advancement in her career.
- Season 12 Episode 7: ‘Contrition’ – November 13, 2024
- Torres is haunted by his previous transgressions as Cook takes on a tense undercover assignment.
- Season 12 Episode 8: ‘Penance’ – November 20, 2024
- The unit learns the truth about a secret Torres has been keeping, as Deputy Chief Charlie Reid puts a focus on Intelligence.
NBCSeason 12 then went on hiatus until 2025, picking up again on January 8.
- Season 12 Episode 9: ‘Friends and Family’ – January 8, 2025
- Cook turns to her family when Intelligence faces administrative roadblocks that threaten a kidnapping investigation.
- Season 12 Episode 10: ‘Zoe’ – January 22, 2025
- An unexpected visitor causes disruption for Ruzek and Burgess amidst an emotional investigation involving an unidentified young girl.
- Season 12 Episode 11: ‘In the Trenches: Part III’ – January 29, 2025
- With the suspects still at large and conditions worsening underground, first responders race against the clock to reach the trapped victims, while the investigation into the assailants comes into focus.
- Season 12 Episode 12: ‘The Good Shepherd’ – February 5, 2025
- Intelligence makes a gruesome discovery that leads Torres to go undercover at the juvenile detention centre where he served time as a teen.
- Season 12 Episode 13: ‘Street Jesus’ – February 19, 2025
- A mounting street war threatens a community-center project that Atwater is trying to get off the ground.
- Season 12 Episode 14: ‘Marie’ – February 26, 2025
- Ruzek grapples with his father’s worsening condition while Intelligence searches for an elusive serial killer.
- Season 12 Episode 15: ‘Greater Good’ – March 5, 2025
- Voight questions Deputy Chief Reid’s motives in enacting a Violence Reduction Initiative across a neighbourhood where numerous gangs are fighting for territory.
- Season 12 Episode 16: ‘Seen and Unseen’ – March 26, 2025
- Burgess’ memory recall is put to the test following a deadly incident at her local diner.
- Season 12 Episode 17: ‘Transference’ – April 2, 2025
- The search for the suspect in a shooting uncovers a surprising personal connection to Atwater and Val, raising questions about their relationship status.
- Season 12 Episode 18: ‘Demons’ – April 16, 2025
- Voight and Chapman work together to uncover Deputy Chief Reid’s shadow dealings as Reid assigns Intelligence to a carjacking case.
- Season 12 Episode 19: ‘Name Image Likeness’ – April 23, 2025
- Cook works with a confidential informant for the first time in a robbery-murder case with links to a star college athlete.
- Season 12 Episode 20: ‘Black Ice’ – May 7, 2025
- Ruzek witnesses a tragic accident on an icy bridge, leading Intelligence into a dark, sinister case involving sex trafficking.
- Season 12 Episode 21: ‘TBA’ – May 14, 2025
- Season 12 Episode 22: ‘TBA’ – May 21, 2025
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.
NBCIf 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 finale will be streaming on Peacock the day after. For international fans, this will be on Now TV or Prime Video instead.
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.