Although Dick Wolf saw renewals with the One Chicago franchise and two out of three Law & Order shows, his newest series was not so lucky, as was Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge. Deadline reports that NBC has canceled the reality competition and LA Fire & Rescue, both after only one season. From Endemol Shine North America, Workerbee TV, and Mattel Television, Hot Wheels premiered in May 2023 and saw 16 contestants competing to transform cars from their past into life-sized Hot Wheels in the hopes of winning a cash prize and seeing their creation turned into a Hot Wheels toy.
Meanwhile, LA Fire & Rescue was Wolf’s latest venture. After having three successful procedural franchises, the producer decided to go the route of a real-life series that follows the day-to-day emergencies and personal stories of firefighters, paramedics, and lifeguards in Los Angeles. The series premiered last summer, and it doesn’t seem to have kept the momentum as other Wolf projects, unfortunately.
NBC should be making more decisions on next season very soon, meaning more cancellations are likely on the way. The network made some brutal cancellations last year, including multiple comedies as well as Magnum P.I., after rescuing it from its CBS cancellation the previous year. Freshman dramas Found and The Irrational received early renewals for Season 2. While cancellations are always a disappointment, it will surely be interesting to see what shows will be replacing it.
As for Dick Wolf, LA Fire & Rescue is not too much of a loss. His One Chicago and Law & Order franchises on NBC, as well as the FBIs on CBS, are all still going strong, with no indication that they are slowing down any time soon. His shows take over three full consecutive nights across two networks, an impressive feat as ever. While it would have been nice to have an unscripted series from him that continues to follow real-life first responders, fans will have to settle for the fictional ones.
There are still plenty of unscripted shows on NBC to look forward to, especially this summer. Among the shows coming back is Season 19 of America’s Got Talent, as well as The Wall, American Ninja Warrior, and many more. Not to mention the fact that the scripted slate on NBC is still continuing and even includes the milestone 25th season of Law & Order: SVU.
Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge and LA Fire & Rescue will definitely be missed from the schedule, but all episodes of both shows are streaming on Peacock.