Law & Order watch party with surprise cast member!

At the Cat's Cradle 1245 St clair ave west

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent made its debut last week (February 22), and oh boy, is it ever Canadian! The CN Tower appears in the background of the very first shot, with a later scene taking place in front of that big "Toronto" sign in Nathan Phillips Square.

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent is a Canadian police procedural drama based on the American series Law & Order: Criminal Intent. The show is set in Toronto and premiered on Citytv in February 2024. 

About the series

• Premise: The show follows the investigations of a specialized criminal unit of the fictional Toronto Police Department as they investigate high-profile homicides "ripped from the headlines". Like its U.S. counterpart, the focus is on the psychological tactics used by the detectives to uncover the criminals' motives.

• Production: The series is produced by Lark Productions and Cameron Pictures, with Canadian talent in front of and behind the camera. Tassie Cameron serves as the showrunner.

• Cast: The main cast includes:

  • Aden Young as Detective Sergeant Henry Graff

  • Kathleen Munroe as Detective Sergeant Frankie Bateman

  • Karen Robinson as Inspector Vivienne Holness

  • K.C. Collins as Deputy Crown Attorney Theo Forrester

• Canadian feel: Producers aimed to create a show that fits within the larger Law & Order universe while also celebrating its Canadian setting. The stories often feature Canadian headlines, and the show's look is less gritty than the New York versions. 

Where to watch

• In Canada: You can stream Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent on the Citytv+ app. The first season premiered in 2024, and the second season aired in 2025.

Cast of law and order Toronto at the cats cradle

In the show, Detective Sergeants Henry Graff (Aden Young) and Frankie Bateman (Kathleen Munroe) solve violent crimes in the GTA. Local references abound making it hit home.

I'm not all that familiar with Law & Order, so I can't say how this one compares with other versions — but there are quippy one-liners whenever something bad happens, comically ominous synth drones, and the melodramatic acting of community theatre. Throughout, I was consistently reminded of Crime Scene: Scene of the Crime, the fake show from Forgetting Sarah Marshall.

Still, Law & Order Toronto is extremely Canadian, so there's plenty of fun to be had for local viewers who simply want to spot all the references.

Kathleen Munroe Lead in Law & Order Toronto series visits the cats cradle

On the lighter side, we had surprise guests! And would love to see them back for another season!