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Dick Wolf, Master of the Prime-Time Franchise, Leads NBC’s Comeback Dick Wolf, Master of the Prime-Time Franchise, Leads NBC’s Comeback
(about 7 hours later)
Five years ago, Dick Wolf’s “Law and Order” empire was coming apart.Five years ago, Dick Wolf’s “Law and Order” empire was coming apart.
Though “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” was still going strong, the parent show and all other accompanying spinoffs had been yanked off the air (Does anyone recall “Law and Order: LA?”?). At a time when television was in the midst of a creative renaissance with critically praised character-based shows, Mr. Wolf’s meat-and-potato procedurals looked a little stale. Though “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” was still going strong, the parent show and all other accompanying spinoffs had been yanked off the air (Does anyone recall “Law and Order: LA”?). At a time when television was in the midst of a creative renaissance with critically praised character-based shows, Mr. Wolf’s meat-and-potato procedurals looked a little stale.
And what’s happened to Mr. Wolf since?And what’s happened to Mr. Wolf since?
He’s back, and then some. Mr. Wolf currently has four shows on the air, including three based in Chicago that are all delivering ratings. NBC announced on Thursday that it would add a fifth Wolf show to its lineup next season with “Chicago Justice.”He’s back, and then some. Mr. Wolf currently has four shows on the air, including three based in Chicago that are all delivering ratings. NBC announced on Thursday that it would add a fifth Wolf show to its lineup next season with “Chicago Justice.”
The procedural, it turns out, is doing just fine.The procedural, it turns out, is doing just fine.
When Mr. Wolf, 69, reflects on his improbable latest act, he can only sit back and laugh.When Mr. Wolf, 69, reflects on his improbable latest act, he can only sit back and laugh.
“One of the reasons that I’m still at the table is I have infinite patience,” he said in an interview. “It is just amazing that if you stick around long enough people will catch on.”“One of the reasons that I’m still at the table is I have infinite patience,” he said in an interview. “It is just amazing that if you stick around long enough people will catch on.”
The success of Mr. Wolf’s shows has propelled NBC to a strong season. It will finish in second place, behind CBS, in total viewers and in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic important to advertisers. (If CBS had not had the Super Bowl, NBC would have finished No. 1 in the demographic.) Not counting years that the network got a boost from the Super Bowl or the Olympics, that’s NBC’s best finish to a season since 2004.The success of Mr. Wolf’s shows has propelled NBC to a strong season. It will finish in second place, behind CBS, in total viewers and in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic important to advertisers. (If CBS had not had the Super Bowl, NBC would have finished No. 1 in the demographic.) Not counting years that the network got a boost from the Super Bowl or the Olympics, that’s NBC’s best finish to a season since 2004.
And when NBC has its upfront presentation for advertisers on Monday, executives will speak with pride about tacking on yet another show from a prolific veteran.And when NBC has its upfront presentation for advertisers on Monday, executives will speak with pride about tacking on yet another show from a prolific veteran.
“People roll their eyes and go, ‘Another Dick Wolf show, another Dick Wolf show,’ but who else has done anything close to this?” said NBC Entertainment’s chairman, Robert Greenblatt. “It’s really remarkable.”“People roll their eyes and go, ‘Another Dick Wolf show, another Dick Wolf show,’ but who else has done anything close to this?” said NBC Entertainment’s chairman, Robert Greenblatt. “It’s really remarkable.”
Mr. Wolf’s sudden resurgence is even bringing new life to his old franchise. NBC is developing a “Law and Order” true crime series (the first season is based on the Menendez brothers), and next season will broadcast a reality show, “Law and Order: You the Jury.”Mr. Wolf’s sudden resurgence is even bringing new life to his old franchise. NBC is developing a “Law and Order” true crime series (the first season is based on the Menendez brothers), and next season will broadcast a reality show, “Law and Order: You the Jury.”
It’s been a long way back.It’s been a long way back.
In 2009, the network was in serious trouble on the drama front. It had all but given up its 10 p.m. time slot, handing it over to the failed Jay Leno experiment. Mr. Greenblatt said Mr. Wolf’s slate of shows was vital to stabilizing NBC’s dramas and revving the 10 p.m. machine back to life.In 2009, the network was in serious trouble on the drama front. It had all but given up its 10 p.m. time slot, handing it over to the failed Jay Leno experiment. Mr. Greenblatt said Mr. Wolf’s slate of shows was vital to stabilizing NBC’s dramas and revving the 10 p.m. machine back to life.
“The fact that we could multiply the Dick Wolf shows, and they would all work, is enormously helpful in just trying to keep our head above water, which is basically the goal of any broadcast network these days as we see the audience fragmented in so many directions,” he said.“The fact that we could multiply the Dick Wolf shows, and they would all work, is enormously helpful in just trying to keep our head above water, which is basically the goal of any broadcast network these days as we see the audience fragmented in so many directions,” he said.
While the three Chicago shows have not drawn critical praise, they have more than made up for it with ratings. “Chicago Fire,” in its fourth season, and “Chicago P.D.,” in its third, both won their time slots and had their most viewed seasons: about 10 million viewers per episode for “Fire” and nine million for “P.D.” The first-year “Chicago Med” was the fifth-highest rated new show among adults under 50. Even “Law and Order: SVU,” in its whopping 17th season, increased its ratings in the demographic by 5 percent.While the three Chicago shows have not drawn critical praise, they have more than made up for it with ratings. “Chicago Fire,” in its fourth season, and “Chicago P.D.,” in its third, both won their time slots and had their most viewed seasons: about 10 million viewers per episode for “Fire” and nine million for “P.D.” The first-year “Chicago Med” was the fifth-highest rated new show among adults under 50. Even “Law and Order: SVU,” in its whopping 17th season, increased its ratings in the demographic by 5 percent.
“We make Mercedes S-Class sedans,” Mr. Wolf said of his shows. “They’re designed to run basically forever and be comfortable and you don’t have to think about much. We don’t make Ferraris. I love ‘Homeland’ but after six years it’s got, what, 52 episodes or something?”“We make Mercedes S-Class sedans,” Mr. Wolf said of his shows. “They’re designed to run basically forever and be comfortable and you don’t have to think about much. We don’t make Ferraris. I love ‘Homeland’ but after six years it’s got, what, 52 episodes or something?”
That would be 60 episodes over five seasons, but point taken. By comparison, “Chicago Fire” has produced 92 episodes over its four seasons. In this era of prestige television, Mr. Wolf’s shows prove that closed-ended procedurals (perhaps with the exception of “Chicago Fire,” which is a more character-driven show) still work. And it confounds Mr. Wolf that shows producing 70 episodes over seven years — or 10 episodes for a limited series — are called hits. Mr. Wolf prefers his brand of assembly-line programming.That would be 60 episodes over five seasons, but point taken. By comparison, “Chicago Fire” has produced 92 episodes over its four seasons. In this era of prestige television, Mr. Wolf’s shows prove that closed-ended procedurals (perhaps with the exception of “Chicago Fire,” which is a more character-driven show) still work. And it confounds Mr. Wolf that shows producing 70 episodes over seven years — or 10 episodes for a limited series — are called hits. Mr. Wolf prefers his brand of assembly-line programming.
“I think it’s a failure if it’s only 100 hours,” Mr. Wolf said, referring to 100 episodes, at a talk earlier this year at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. “The idea is to go eight, 10, 12 years or longer.”“I think it’s a failure if it’s only 100 hours,” Mr. Wolf said, referring to 100 episodes, at a talk earlier this year at the Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. “The idea is to go eight, 10, 12 years or longer.”
His shows skew a little older — the median age of viewers for the Chicago shows is around 57 — and they are not lavished with praise by reviewers.His shows skew a little older — the median age of viewers for the Chicago shows is around 57 — and they are not lavished with praise by reviewers.
“Critics don’t like them,” he said. “I can’t help that, but they were not critical raves.”“Critics don’t like them,” he said. “I can’t help that, but they were not critical raves.”
Nor do his shows get much Emmy love, another thing that seems to gnaw at him. Despite the remarkable endurance of “Law and Order,” it rarely received meaningful Emmy attention for its writers, directors or stars.Nor do his shows get much Emmy love, another thing that seems to gnaw at him. Despite the remarkable endurance of “Law and Order,” it rarely received meaningful Emmy attention for its writers, directors or stars.
“And yet it was just magic,” he said sarcastically. “One of the five best shows every year just happened.”“And yet it was just magic,” he said sarcastically. “One of the five best shows every year just happened.”
Mr. Wolf, instead, is proud of making a good business. In a phone interview recently, he rattled off a series of statistics — the number of “eyeballs” he gets per week (more than 40 million when delayed viewing is factored in), the incredible longstanding success of “SVU,” Mariska Hargitay’s long run on that show — to illustrate what success means to him.Mr. Wolf, instead, is proud of making a good business. In a phone interview recently, he rattled off a series of statistics — the number of “eyeballs” he gets per week (more than 40 million when delayed viewing is factored in), the incredible longstanding success of “SVU,” Mariska Hargitay’s long run on that show — to illustrate what success means to him.
“Is it old-fashioned?” he said. “Or it is comfort food? I much prefer to see it as comfort television. It doesn’t disappoint you. And you can keep coming back and coming back.”“Is it old-fashioned?” he said. “Or it is comfort food? I much prefer to see it as comfort television. It doesn’t disappoint you. And you can keep coming back and coming back.”
Mr. Wolf’s return to the forefront of network television happened somewhat by accident.Mr. Wolf’s return to the forefront of network television happened somewhat by accident.
Peter Jankowski, the president of Wolf Entertainment and a longtime colleague of Mr. Wolf, said that they were taken aback when NBC canceled “Law and Order” after its 20th season, in 2010. Mr. Greenblatt, NBC Entertainment’s chairman, asked them to think about a new franchise and suggested a firefighting show, Mr. Jankowski said. FX had just aired a successful firehouse show based in New York (“Rescue Me”), so they settled on Chicago so the two would not be compared.Peter Jankowski, the president of Wolf Entertainment and a longtime colleague of Mr. Wolf, said that they were taken aback when NBC canceled “Law and Order” after its 20th season, in 2010. Mr. Greenblatt, NBC Entertainment’s chairman, asked them to think about a new franchise and suggested a firefighting show, Mr. Jankowski said. FX had just aired a successful firehouse show based in New York (“Rescue Me”), so they settled on Chicago so the two would not be compared.
It was far from a sure thing that “Chicago Fire” would work, but Mr. Jankowski said that Mr. Wolf was already plotting his future.It was far from a sure thing that “Chicago Fire” would work, but Mr. Jankowski said that Mr. Wolf was already plotting his future.
“I remember standing on the set on the first day of shooting of ‘Chicago Fire’ and Dick was telling me that the next one we’re going to do is a Chicago cop show, a Chicago hospital show, and a Chicago lawyer show,” Mr. Jankowski said. “That’s sort of an insight into how Dick thinks. He is very expansive and he looks down the road. He thinks in terms of brands, not necessarily individual series.”“I remember standing on the set on the first day of shooting of ‘Chicago Fire’ and Dick was telling me that the next one we’re going to do is a Chicago cop show, a Chicago hospital show, and a Chicago lawyer show,” Mr. Jankowski said. “That’s sort of an insight into how Dick thinks. He is very expansive and he looks down the road. He thinks in terms of brands, not necessarily individual series.”
Perhaps it’s worth noting here: Before Mr. Wolf was a TV showman, he worked in advertising.Perhaps it’s worth noting here: Before Mr. Wolf was a TV showman, he worked in advertising.
“For years I went hoarse saying ‘Law and Order’ is a brand,” Mr. Wolf said. “It’s like Crest. There are 15 types of Crest now but they’re all really good. If you want good toothpaste, you take that and you’re going to get good toothpaste.”“For years I went hoarse saying ‘Law and Order’ is a brand,” Mr. Wolf said. “It’s like Crest. There are 15 types of Crest now but they’re all really good. If you want good toothpaste, you take that and you’re going to get good toothpaste.”
Though he is seven months shy of becoming a septuagenarian, he has no interest in walking into the sunset, even though he would be assured of going out a winner. He suggested he has another franchise he’s putting together.Though he is seven months shy of becoming a septuagenarian, he has no interest in walking into the sunset, even though he would be assured of going out a winner. He suggested he has another franchise he’s putting together.
“I’ve got a 6- and an 8-year-old,” he said. “I don’t plan on having their father retire in the near future.”“I’ve got a 6- and an 8-year-old,” he said. “I don’t plan on having their father retire in the near future.”
That’s welcome news to NBC’s Mr. Greenblatt, who said he’d seen this act before.That’s welcome news to NBC’s Mr. Greenblatt, who said he’d seen this act before.
“These guys don’t ever want to stop doing this,” he said. “I was working with Aaron Spelling at Fox in what I call the third act of his career with ‘90210’ and ‘Melrose Place.’ He was in his 80s when he died and he had hit shows on the air. He didn’t want any more money or anything. He just loved to eat, sleep and breathe storytelling and television.”“These guys don’t ever want to stop doing this,” he said. “I was working with Aaron Spelling at Fox in what I call the third act of his career with ‘90210’ and ‘Melrose Place.’ He was in his 80s when he died and he had hit shows on the air. He didn’t want any more money or anything. He just loved to eat, sleep and breathe storytelling and television.”
“And that’s who Dick is,” Mr. Greenblatt continued. “Sixty-nine is nothing.”“And that’s who Dick is,” Mr. Greenblatt continued. “Sixty-nine is nothing.”