Dick Wolf, the producer who owns prime time

While network TV has taken a backseat to streaming in recent years, one man is proving there is still money to be made.

In 2020, megaproducer Dick Wolf signed a five-year deal with NBCUniversal-owned Universal Television worth an estimated $1B, per The Hollywood Reporter.

If Wolf’s name doesn’t ring a bell…

… maybe his shows will. He has nine of them:

• “Law & Order,” which is in its 21st season, and its two spinoffs — “Law & Order: SVU” (23rd season), and “Law & Order: Organized Crime” (second season)
• “Chicago Fire,” ending its 10th season, and its two spinoffs — “Chicago P.D.” (ninth season), and “Chicago Med” (seventh season)
• “FBI,” ending its fourth season, and its two spinoffs — “FBI: Most Wanted” (third season), and “FBI: International” (first season)

It may seem odd that the three “FBI” series air on CBS given Wolf’s contract with NBCUniversal, but the move to co-produce the franchise came out of necessity: Thanks to his six other shows, NBC didn’t have any prime-time slots left.

Within each banner…

… Wolf’s team has created interconnecting narratives, proving that Marvel isn’t the only brand building its own universe.

The result? A highly loyal audience of 10m+ viewers, including our editor Jen, who can’t get enough.