Dick Wolf has lost an hour of prime time TV.
NBC Universal is moving “Law & Order Organized Crime” from the network to streaming on Peacock. The ratings deprived crime show has never caught on at 10pm despite massive efforts to cross it over with “SVU.”
Now Wolf loses his three hour block on NBC on Thursdays, while still keeping his three hours on CBS with “FBI” shows and Wednesdays on NBC with “Chicago” variants.
Do you remember how this all started? Wolf was supposed to deliver a different “Law & Order” show to NBC but it didn’t work out. Thinking it was happening, NBC killed “Manifest,” a popular show, so that Wolf could take the evening with “Law & Order” and “SVU.”
It turned out Wolf’s team had never developed the show they promised. “Manifest” moved to Netflix because fans were furious that it had been cancelled mid-cliff hanger.
Then Wolf and co. came up with “Organized Crime.” The show never had a purpose other than to feature Chris Meloni as Elliot Stabler. At least five showrunners have come and gone since then. They’ve wasted Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn as Meloni’s mother. Dylan McDermott managed to escape and go to the “FBI” on CBS after his run on “OC” was a failure.
Now “OC” will get 10 streaming episodes that no one will watch. And Tuesdays at 10pm are up in the air unless Wolf can developed “Law & Order: Taylor Swift.”