It’s a somewhat surprising development, considering that On Call, created by Tim Walsh and Elliot Wolf, has been performing well, reaching the #1 position on Prime Video in the US after releasing all eight episodes in January and holding a 92% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The series has received mixed reviews from critics, however.
Amazon did indeed approach the show’s producers a few weeks ago about a two-season renewal, sources said. Things were looking good until the offer came with a request to lower the show’s premium. Under the current, widely used fee-plus streaming compensation model, the licensing fee producers receive from the platforms covers the cost of the show plus a premium, which goes to profit share holders and the studio rather than the back end.
The question isn’t a surprising development: Virtually every conversation about renewal in the current tough economic climate in the broadcast and streaming industries involves strings attached, such as lowering licensing fees/budgets. The process is even more difficult when outside studios are involved, as they face an increasingly high barrier to renewal. (Universal Television is the lead studio for On Call, co-producing with Amazon MGM Studios in association with NBCU-based Wolf Entertainment.)
According to sources, Amazon’s reasoning for the discount was that the company was losing money on the show, something that’s common, especially with non-owned shows. For Wolf Entertainment and Universal TV, dropping what was initially a modest premium wasn’t economically viable, causing On Call’s status at Amazon to go from an impending two-season renewal to being canceled in a matter of weeks.
All in all, the divorce was amicable, with Amazon allowing the producers to take back the rights to the existing season if they find a new home for the series, something not all streamers are willing to do.
Sources say there are active discussions with two parties, and it’s no surprise that one of them is likely to be NBCUniversal’s Peacock, which streams Dick Wolf’s Chicago and Law & Order NBC dramas, as well as his Peacock original Law & Order: Organized Crime, all of which are among the most-watched shows on the platform.
However, the producers have been given permission to offer the series to other streaming services, and talks are reportedly underway with two other platforms regarding a possible continuation of the series.