The Dick Wolf franchises of One Chicago and Law & Order have all been renewed for next season, but eagle-eyed viewers may notice that some of their favorite characters are sometimes MIA. As part of the deals to renew the six shows – Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, and Law & Order: Organized Crime – some cost-cutting measures took place behind the scenes.
Deadline revealed the following about the plan crafted by NBC and Wolf:
One Chicago and Law & Order franchise producers Universal Television and Dick Wolf’s studio-based Wolf Entertainment are taking a different approach after reaching an agreement with NBC on budgets that will keep the series on the air for another season.
I hear episodic guarantees — the number of episodic fees per season each series regular is entitled according to their contract — are being renegotiated and are going down across the board.
This way actors are not taking per-episode pay cuts; their overall compensation still will go down as they will appear in fewer episodes, something the writers have to be mindful of as they craft next season’s scripts.
Word is that the number of episodes most series regulars on the three Chicago series, Law & Order and Law & Order: SVU have been asked to do next season has been reduced by a couple, going from standard 22 to 18-20. I hear virtually all actors are affected by the trims.
Meanwhile, Law & Order: Organized Crime was only renewed for 13 episodes next season but the cast’s per-episode salaries were unaffected.
As TV show budgets are tightening, deals to reduce production costs are becoming the norm. The cast of CBS’ Blue Bloods had to agree to a 25% salary cut for the show to be renewed for a 14th season. Bob ♥ Abishola actors had to agree to a similar double-digit pay cut for the fifth season renewal to happen. SWAT’s fate is currently unknown due to its license fee.
What do you think? Are you happy that NBC found a way to bring the Wolf shows back another season? Do you think not seeing all of the cast in every episode will affect your enjoyment?
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