Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent
Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent is a Canadian police procedural drama television series that is based on the American series Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The series is set in Toronto, Ontario, and centres on crime stories "ripped from the headlines", in the style of the original Law & Order.
The series premiered on February 22, 2024, on Citytv, and became the #1 prime-time drama of the year in Canada by attracting 1.1 million views on the first episode. The first season ran for 10 episodes; in June 2024, it was renewed for a second and third season.
Premise
A psychological thriller wrapped in a criminal investigation, the series follows a squad of detectives from the Specialized Criminal Investigations Unit, a major case squad in the fictional Toronto Police Department. These detectives investigate high-profile homicides and corruptions in metro Toronto.Production
In June 2023, it was announced that Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent had been given a 10-episode series order, based on the original series created by Dick Wolf and René Balcer for Universal Television. The series is produced by Lark Productions and Cameron Pictures. Directors include Holly Dale who directed the 1st, 3rd and 9th episodes, as well as David Wellington, Peter Stebbings, Sudz Sutherland, Rachel Leiterman, Winnifred Jong, Sharon Lewis and David Straiton.The episode "Crack Reporter" was partially inspired by the crack cocaine scandal that involved former Toronto mayor Rob Ford in 2013.
The series was renewed for a second and third season in June 2024.
Broadcast
On February 22, 2024, Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent began airing on Citytv on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET. This addition to the Law & Order Thursdays lineup moved Law & Order, which regularly aired in simulcast with NBC, to air an hour earlier at 7 p.m. ET with SVU and Organized Crime remaining at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET respectively. Season 2 was given a new timeslot moving to Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET, the former timeslot of Found, which moved to 7 p.m. ET, airing 3 hours earlier than NBC.The CW has acquired American broadcasting rights to the series for the first two seasons. The first season premiered on September 24. The second season will premiere in 2026.