For decades, Dick Wolf has dominated prime- time programming. Now, at 78, he has plans to conquer his next world: streaming.According to The New York Times, in the early 2010s, Dick Wolf’s television empire was facing a major downfall. NBC suddenly canceled his long-running show “Law & Order,” which had been on the air for 20 years, leaving Mr. Wolf’s production company in shock. The following year, two spinoffs of the show were also canceled without any ceremony. This left Mr. Wolf with only one remaining show, “Law & Order: SVU,” which was a small slate for a company that valued multiple sources of revenue and had made Mr. Wolf a wealthy man. As Mr. Wolf has often said, “No show, no business.”
Peter Jankowski, Mr. Wolf’s longtime second-in-command, described the situation as “a little tight there for a minute.” This was due to the fact that the TV industry was shifting away from the traditional “procedural” format that had made Mr. Wolf a dominant figure in prime-time viewing. This type of programming typically presented a conflict and resolution within an hour, often in a courtroom, hospital, or police precinct. However, streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu were gaining popularity, and more complex, serialized shows were becoming the new trend. This meant saying goodbye to shows like “CSI” and “Law & Order” and welcoming shows like “The Crown” and “Big Little Lies.”
But things have changed in recent years. As Hollywood studios have cut budgets and moved away from the “Peak TV” era, Mr. Wolf’s style of programming has made a comeback. This can be seen in the popularity of repeats of older network shows like “Criminal Minds,” “NCIS,” and “Grey’s Anatomy” on streaming platforms, even as studios invest in more expensive, cinematic shows. Even HBO and Max, known for their high-quality, prestige programming, have jumped on the bandwagon with shows like “The Pitt,” a network-style medical drama starring Noah Wyle from “ER.”
According to Casey Bloys, the head of HBO and Max, one of the reasons for this shift is the cost-effectiveness of these types of shows and the abundance of episodes that keep viewers engaged. He stated, “You’re seeing a lot of people kind of rediscover what broadcast and basic cable had done so well, in terms of procedurals, cop shows, medical shows, things like that.”
It seems that the TV industry is coming full circle, with a resurgence of network-style programming. As Vulture recently declared, “Network TV Is Officially Back.”
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