Dun-Dun' Goes North: Law & Order Toronto Puts a Canadian Twist on Classic Criminal Cases
The latest Law & Order spinoff premiered in Canada in 2024 and is set to air its first season in the U.S. this fall on the CW.
While it will include many beloved elements of the franchise, the series will also introduce a unique twist that makes it distinctly Canadian.
“It’s a brand. We want to deliver stories and performances and all of the twists and turns that are expected from the Law & Order franchise, but also feel like we are distinct within that in terms of stories and sense of place,” executive producer Erin Haskett told Variety. She added, “People will respond to what’s familiar but celebrate what feels distinctly Canadian. We’ve worked on other police detective shows in the past that have sold all over the world, in many, many territories. In those cases, they didn’t necessarily have a brand or a franchise behind them. So we have high hopes there will be an audience for this show around the world.”
The series has already attracted a substantial audience in Canada, and we anticipate that viewers in the United States will also embrace it. Here’s what you need to know about how to watch Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent, including details on its plot, cast, and more.
The show is based on the original L&O: Criminal Intent, which featured the memorable Vincent D’Onofrio. The series was created by longtime Dick Wolf executive producer Rene Balcer, who is also behind both iterations. This procedural series investigates the motives of criminals, particularly focusing on killers. The cast includes Kathleen Munroe from FBI, playing Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman, and Aden Young from Rectify, who, interestingly, has never watched a full episode, portraying DS Henry Graff.
Munroe told TV Insider, “We’re an odd couple, but we’re both detectives at the top of our game. Even though we come from different perspectives on the work, we complement each other.”
Following the L&O franchise, the writers draw inspiration from real-life crimes, specifically Canadian cases, as starting points for their stories. The pilot episode features a cryptocurrency scam that ultimately leads to a murder. This is followed by various criminal cases, including the death of a beloved art professor, whose artwork helps uncover the truth about "the real Eve" and her killer, as well as the murder of a journalist caught in the middle of a contentious mayoral race.
The Show airs every Wednesday on the CW at 8pm est