Pretty Hard Cases

Pretty Hard Cases is a Canadian police procedural crime comedy-drama television series that premiered on CBC Television on February 3, 2021. Originally announced with the working title Lady Dicks, the series was created by Tassie Cameron and Sherry White. In March 2021, the series was renewed for a second season, which premiered on January 5, 2022. IMDb TV became official co-producer for the series' second season, with the second season released on IMDb TV on April 22, 2022. In June 2022, at CBC's upfronts announcement event, the show was renewed for a third season, with Amazon Freevee still committed and on board to co-fund, co-produce and broadcast in the United States. Season 3 premiered on January 4, 2023 on CBC and CBC Gem in Canada, and on November 29 on Freevee.
The CBC announced in February 2023 that the show will end at the conclusion of the third season on March 8.

Premise

The series follows two detectives in their early 40s: Sam Wazowski, an uptight and by-the-book guns and gangs detective, and Kelly Duff, a streetwise narcotics detective. Both are ambitious and accomplished in their own way, excelling at work while struggling with their personal lives. They drive one another crazy, but also appreciate each other's strengths, and somehow manage to work together.

Cast

Meredith MacNeill as Det. Sam Wazowski
Adrienne C. Moore as Det. Kelly Duff
Amanda Brugel as Det. Karina Duff
Karen Robinson as Unit Commander/Superintendent Edwina Shanks
Tara Strong as Tiggy Sullivan
Dean McDermott as Det. Barry Hamm
Al Mukadam as Det. Taai Nazeer
Percy Hynes White as Elliot Wazowski
Katie Douglas as Jackie Sullivan
Ronnie Rowe as Rick Gray
Kim Coates as Bill Misiano
Tricia Black as Det. Tara Swallows
Miguel Rivas as Det. Dustin Chase
Daren A. Herbert as DS Nathan Greene
Laura de Carteret as Marley Briggs
Ben Bass as DS Brad Michaels
Charlotte Sullivan as Adeline French
Brendan Beiser as Det. Watts
Amanda Walsh as Ro Wells
Wendy Crewson as Unit Commander Gloria Ballard
Ellie Moon as Ash
Episodes

Series overview

Season 1 (2021)

Season 2 (2022)

Season 3 (2023)

Production

Development

On February 11, 2020, CBC, along with NBCUniversal International Studios, announced that it had given the series, then titled Lady Dicks, a series order. It was also revealed that Tassie Cameron and Sherry White would act as co-showrunners with David Wellington would direct the first episode. The launch of production was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada; during the summer, further, the racial protests associated with the murder of George Floyd in the United States and the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet in Canada led Cameron and White to rewrite some of their scripts.

Casting

On February 11, 2020, it was announced that the series would star Meredith MacNeill and Adrienne C. Moore. On September 8, 2020, CBC announced that Karen Robinson, Tara Strong, Dean McDermott, Al Mukadam, Percy Hynes White, Katie Douglas, and Ronnie Rowe would be joining the cast. In March 2022, it was announced that Ben Bass and Charlotte Sullivan had joined the cast in season 2.

Filming

Filming was set to begin in early spring, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. In September 2020, filming was underway in the Toronto area.

International broadcast

In the United States, the series premiered on September 10, 2021, on IMDb TV. In the UK, the series premiered on 19 January 2022 on Alibi.