When people talk about crime dramas and procedural shows on television, one name inevitably rises to the top: Dick Wolf. With a career spanning decades, he has not only built a brand, but an entire universe of interconnected TV shows that have captivated millions across the globe. Best known for creating Law & Order and the Chicago franchise, Dick Wolf is a television juggernaut whose storytelling continues to shape the landscape of primetime programming. However, beyond the series you already know, Wolf has been the creative force behind many more shows—some wildly popular, others flying under the radar.
Most fans are familiar with the iconic Law & Order, which debuted in 1990 and revolutionized the police procedural format. Known for its distinctive split structure between crime investigation and courtroom drama, the show became a cornerstone of American television, running for 20 seasons before being revived in 2022. But that was only the beginning. The success of Law & Order paved the way for an entire franchise, including Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, which premiered in 1999 and continues to thrive. With Mariska Hargitay leading as Olivia Benson, SVU has broken records and become one of the most respected and longest-running dramas on TV.
Wolf didn’t stop with legal dramas. In 2012, he launched Chicago Fire, a high-octane series focusing on the lives and rescues of firefighters and paramedics in Firehouse 51. Its success led to two spin-offs: Chicago P.D. in 2014, and Chicago Med in 2015. Together, these three shows make up the One Chicago universe—a rare television feat where characters and storylines seamlessly cross over between series. Viewers have come to expect thrilling rescues, emotional hospital scenes, and high-stakes police chases, all delivered with the realism and intensity that Dick Wolf’s name guarantees.
What some viewers may not realize is that Wolf’s empire extends beyond NBC. In 2018, he took his talent to CBS with FBI, a series that dives into the inner workings of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New York office. With the same grit and urgency as his previous work, FBI quickly found its audience, leading to two spin-offs: FBI: Most Wanted in 2020 and FBI: International in 2021. These shows expanded his storytelling across the nation—and even the globe—with FBI: International following agents as they operate across Europe to protect American interests abroad.
But Dick Wolf’s portfolio isn’t just built on recent hits. He’s been experimenting with different formats for years. In the 1990s, he created New York Undercover, one of the first police dramas to feature people of color in lead roles. It offered a bold, urban twist on crime television and became a cult classic. He also produced Law & Order: Criminal Intent, which flipped the script by focusing on the psychology of the criminals, and Law & Order: Trial by Jury, which delved deeper into courtroom procedures and jury dynamics—though the latter had a short run.
In addition to scripted dramas, Wolf ventured into true crime with Cold Justice, a reality series that follows former prosecutor Kelly Siegler as she reopens unsolved murder cases. Co-produced by Wolf, the show has found its niche among fans of real-life crime stories, offering both drama and a sense of justice being served.
