Die-hard Law & Order fans are waiting with bated breath for what Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent’s season has in store. 

There’s already been a lot of talk and positive feedback about tuning into the new show. The excitement is palpable.

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This is a monumental event in Canadian television. We’re aware of other American-based shows, particularly reality shows, that have helped set the stage. Many top-tier franchises and game shows have had spin-offs based in Canada. Nonetheless, this one feels different.

A certain pride and air comes with joining one of the families of the longest-running live-action franchises in television history. Also, we can’t forget that Toronto, Ontario, lies front and centre in this production.

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Jamaican-born Canadian actor K.C. Collins agrees wholeheartedly. Collins plays the polished and direct Deputy Crown Attorney Theo Forrester. He sees just how much everyone is beaming with pride and what this means to Toronto. “It’s not so much about the show or the production of the show, it’s the response to the show. And it’s not just the response of ‘Oh, Law & Order,’ it’s Law & Order Toronto. We see how people adore that. It’s been such a proud moment for me. And these posters! (laughs) The CN Tower…it’s incredible.”

The list of Canadian-based shows that were shot here runs the gamut. Canada has had spin-offs from many American shows, including but not limited to: Bravo’s The Real Housewives, The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, Amazing Race, So You Think You Could Dance and Wipeout.

The ones that did outstandingly well here were Entertainment Tonight Canada, Family Feud Canada and Canada’s Drag Race. Out of the above-mentioned, The Real Housewives of Toronto was a show that tried to capture some of Toronto’s essence but didn’t truly succeed because of its niche.

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In comes Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent—its initial brand created by Dick Wolf for Universal Television. The twist here is that this new show focuses on Toronto as not just a backdrop, but the main character. It’s finally time for the city to get its due shine, and British-born Canadian actor Karen Robinson agrees.

Robinson plays the no-nonsense and resolute Inspector Vivienne Holness. She agrees that we’re a lively bunch here in Toronto. It’s taken some time, but the city’s je ne sais quois is finally being tapped into. “I love that Toronto is its own character and gets celebrated. So much of the film and TV that happens in Toronto has the city subbing in as other places. But this show celebrates the very character of Toronto. You see the CN Tower, you hear about the Gardner and the Lakeshore—such as they are—the traffic…(laughter) going to all the neighbourhoods, everything. I love this city, and I love that it's being celebrated.”

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Produced by Lark Productions and Cameron Pictures Inc., Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent is shot in and around Toronto using iconic locations we know and love like Polson Pier, China Town, Little India, the Skywalk at Union Station and City Hall. And this is just the first season. Ideally, they wanted to encapsulate Toronto’s diversity and ensure its portrayal was nothing short of authentic.

With the popularity of award-winning shows like Flashpoint, Rookie Blue, Schitt’s Creek and Sort Of, they have cemented that well-written scripted Canadian shows are no curveballs. Rather, they are products of our excellent Canadian writers, directors and actors. We will be seeing Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent episodes directed by phenomenal Canadian creatives including award-winning directors Sudz Sutherland and Sharon Lewis.

Collins is all smiles regarding what he and Robinson bring to their characters. Between the two of them, they’ve given us many portrayals in positions of authority. Robinson was enamoured with S. Epatha Merkerson’s character Lieutenant Anita Van Buren on Law & Order, while Collins thought the same of Ice T’s performance as detective/sergeant Odafin Tutuola on Law & Order Special Victims Unit. But all in all, he feels it comes down to what a team brings to a production.

“You take a lot of what the writers have given you. The information is there, so you don’t have to start from scratch. You take from that and you sprinkle a little bit of your own magic dust on it, and you build from there. The character-building is never done! So as you will see in this first season, these characters are going to grow. We’re going to find out more about them ourselves and continue to grow too.”

Honestly, Robinson summed it up perfectly. “There are so many stories to share! Toronto is a multi-fabled location. We’ve got the stories.” That sentence alone sets a clear tone for what’s on the horizon.

Law & Order Toronto: Criminal Intent premieres Thursday, Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Citytv, Citytv.com, or stream anytime on Citytv+.