Cancelations seem to be the name of the game right now, as hot on the heels of CBS’ decimation of its crime series slate, and NBC’s huge ax swing, Amazon is now in a chopping mood and has decided not to give a renewal to the half-hour action crime drama On Call
. This means the series joins a long list of one-season wonders, despite coming from Dick Wolf’s Wolf Entertainment and having a great reaction from audiences.
The decision not to pick up On Call for a second season came as a surprise to many, especially considering that, despite getting a mixed reaction from critics, the series scored an impressive 92% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it seems that this may not be end for the show, as Deadline reported that the team behind the show are already looking for a new home, with Peacock being among a handful of streamers being courted. This would probably make sense considering Universal Television are partly responsible for the show.
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On Call debuted on Prime Video in January, with all eight episodes dropping on the platform and quickly jumping to the top of the Prime Video chart. The audience reaction, combined with this surge of interest, appeared to be a good sign that the new show would be picked up for more. In fact, it was reported that Amazon actually approached the show’s producers about making two more seasons. However, with the streamer wanting to trim production costs from their already modest amount, it seems that Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television were not willing to meet the request, leading to the cancelation.
‘On Call’ Could Return to Service on Another Streamer
While many shows are canceled because of low viewership or a general lack of audience reaction, it seems that Amazon would have been happy to see at least two more seasons of On Call added to Prime Video. This does raise a question about why they were so adamant about cost-cutting on the show if they had enough faith in it to want multiple new seasons, but according to reports, the series was running at a loss – how exactly they gauge this on streaming shows is still something of a mystery to everyone. However, the picture overall for On Call is strangely positive despite its current position.
Created by Tim Walsh and Elliot Wolf, On Call follows patrol officers played by Troian Bellisario and Brandon Larracuente as they work a single Los Angeles neighborhood. Each episode has an almost real-time approach, and utilizes some intense body-cam moments for effect, while delivering the same kind of character stories that Wolf’s One Chicago franchise has become known for.
Whether the show finds a second life now seems to hinge on finding a home that is willing to pay the going rate for the series. It will certainly not be too long before we find out whether On Call will be permanently decommissioned or is just on standby. Meanwhile, the first season is available to watch on Prime Video.
Source: Deadline
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- Release Date
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January 9, 2025
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Troian Bellisario
Traci Harmon
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Brandon Larracuente
Alex Diaz
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
