Reasons Why On Call Is Unlikely to Cross Over with One Chicago
Prime Video’s On Call is linked to Dick Wolf‘s television universe, yet it will likely not feature any onscreen crossovers.
In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Creator Tim Walsh clarified that his show, created alongside Elliot Wolf, stands apart from the One Chicago and Law & Order franchises, all produced by Dick Wolf.
“I do not want to do a crossover with any of the existing shows. I believe we are in our own universe while they are in theirs,” Walsh stated. “However, we are all very interested in expanding our universe to include other first responders. There are paramedics in Long Beach.”
On Call has embraced Walsh’s background as a producer on Chicago P.D. with a guest appearance by Monica Raymund, who portrayed Gabriela Dawson from NBC’s Chicago Fire. However, the intention is for On Call to build its own fictional universe rather than link to a pre-existing one.
“I started on Chicago P.D., and I have immense respect for network television. Writing for it is deceptively challenging. That said, I aimed to take everything I learned from that experience and do the polar opposite with On Call,” he explained to Us. “We want to allow things to breathe. It’s an R-rated show, which is obviously not the case for network television.”
Walsh reiterated: “I wanted this to be a completely unique entity, and honestly, the lessons I learned from other productions included what not to do.”
On Call, which debuted on Thursday, January 9, is Wolf Entertainment’s first scripted series for streaming. This gritty drama uses bodycam, dash-camera, and cellphone footage to depict police work in action, marking Elliot’s debut as an executive producer on a scripted show after years leading digital efforts at Wolf Entertainment.
“I have to acknowledge my partner, Elliot Wolf. I would not be here without him. He pitched the show before I came on and did so with the vision of utilizing cell phone, bodycam, and dash-cam perspectives, so all credit belongs to him,” Walsh shared with Us. “He had the brilliant idea of visually setting us apart from other shows.”
The series distinguishes itself by bringing up significant topics without taking sides.
“Our objective from the start was to create a show that’s neither anti-police nor pro-police; it’s pro-character — and the characters are police officers,” Walsh explained. “We conducted extensive research right from the beginning, including multiple ride-alongs with the LAPD, Sheriff’s Department, and Long Beach police. You realize, once you’re in the car, that you’re just sitting next to another human being.”
The mission of On Call is to “entertain” its viewers, Walsh mentioned. “People are at a point in their lives where they no longer wish to be lectured. We were very conscious of that,” he continued. “It’s a complex subject matter. We’re not ignoring that aspect, but we’re also highlighting the critical work that these individuals perform. That was our focus.”
On Call is currently available for streaming on Prime Video.
