Prime Video is officially off the case when it comes to On Call. The half-hour cop drama from Dick Wolf, his son Elliot Wolf, and Chicago P.D. alum Tim Walsh has been cancelled after just one season—despite strong viewership and a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
But don’t count it out just yet.
According to Deadline, On Call is already being shopped around to other platforms, with at least two—including Peacock, the streaming home for Dick Wolf’s Law & Order and One Chicago franchises—currently in active discussions about picking up a second season.
On Call premiered on January 9, dropping all eight episodes of its first season on Prime Video. The series climbed to No. 1 on the platform’s U.S. streaming chart shortly after its debut. Viewers responded positively, even if critics were more divided.
Despite that early momentum and what looked like plans for a two-season pickup, talks reportedly stalled over financials. Prime Video, which didn’t develop the show in-house, is said to have argued that it was losing money on the series and requested the producers lower their licensing fee. That request was reportedly a nonstarter for Wolf Entertainment and Universal Television. The result? On Call went from being in talks for a multi-season run to being dropped altogether—though reportedly with Amazon’s blessing to shop the series elsewhere.
What On Call Was All About
Set in Long Beach, California, On Call followed veteran officer Harmon (Troian Bellisario) and rookie cop Diaz (Brandon Larracuente) as they tackled high-stakes patrols and personal demons. The show used a unique blend of body-cam, dash-cam, and cellphone footage to craft a gritty, cinéma vérité style that pulled viewers into the heart of every call.
The cast also featured Eriq La Salle as Sergeant Lasman (who also directed multiple episodes), Lori Loughlin as Lieutenant Bishop, and Rich Ting as Sergeant Koyama. The story combined procedural tension with emotionally grounded character arcs—including a lingering thread around the fentanyl trade and a fellow officer’s murder that could be explored in a second season.
The decision isn’t entirely shocking given today’s streaming climate. Most renewal conversations now come with requests to slash budgets and reduce licensing fees—especially for shows not owned outright by the platform. In On Call’s case, that meant Amazon wanted to cut costs while Universal TV and Wolf Entertainment weren’t willing to sacrifice what little premium they were already working with.
Still, the split appears to be amicable. Amazon has reportedly allowed the producers to reclaim the rights to the show, which is now being actively pitched elsewhere. The show’s built-in popularity and franchise potential make it a prime candidate for a streaming rescue—especially on Peacock, where Dick Wolf’s brand already commands a loyal audience.
On Call was originally greenlit in 2021 at IMDb TV (later Amazon Freevee), before eventually landing on Prime Video. Though this chapter may be closed, there’s still a solid chance the show could be revived—especially with franchise ambitions already being floated.
Dick Wolf, who has built an empire out of procedural storytelling, was reportedly aiming to turn On Call into a broader streaming franchise, with another half-hour drama already in development to follow its format.
For now, the odds of On Call returning for a second season are said to be 50/50. But if a streamer sees what audiences clearly did—a buzzy, socially conscious cop drama with legs—then we just might hear that radio crackle back to life.
Streaming Tip: Season 1 of On Call is still available to watch on Prime Video.