The International Law & Order Spin-Off You Might Not Have Known Existed
When it comes to watching TV shows, one of the more underrated pleasures is the moment when you find out that your favorite show has an international version. Usually, it's the same formula as the original show but adapted for the local market. So the international version is essentially a new-to-you spinoff.
"Law & Order" fans have already been spoiled, as far as spinoffs have been concerned. While the original "Law & Order" ran on NBC from 1990 to 2010, (and has since been revived in 2022), it's spawned numerous offshoots, some even more popular than the original. "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" premiered in 1999 and has gone on to become the longest-running live-action primetime series in TV history. The third current series in the franchise is "Law & Order: Organized Crime," which premiered in 2021.
In the "former shows" category, "Law & Order" also boasts "Criminal Intent," which ran for ten years, as well as one-season wonders "Trial By Jury," "Los Angeles," and "True Crime," (which technically hasn't been canceled).
Altogether, that's enough content for several years of TV watching. But if those last two paragraphs left you wanting even more "Law & Order," here's some great news.
Law & Order has a British version
That's right. "Law & Order: UK" ran for five seasons between 2009 and 2014. Like the original "Law & Order," it focuses on both the police officers who investigate crimes, as well as the lawyers who prosecute them.
The series stars Bradley Walsh as Detective Sergeant Ronnie Brooks, Jamie Bamber as Detective Sergeant Matt Devlin, Harriet Walter as Senior Investigating Officer Natalie Chandler, Ben Daniels as Crown Prosecutor James Steele, Freema Agyeman as junior prosecutor Alesha Phillips, Paul Nicholls as Detective Sergeant Sam Casey, Bill Paterson as Steele and Phillips' supervisor George Castle, Dominic Rowan as Crown Prosecutor Jake Thorne, and Peter Davison as Paterson's eventual replacement Henry Sharpe (via IMDb).
Altogether, "Law & Order: UK" aired 53 episodes. Currently, the show is available for subscribers on Amazon Prime, YouTube TV, Sling TV, The Roku Channel, and Acorn TV. Technically the show isn't canceled, merely "rested," so there's always a chance there might be more episodes available in the future (via the BBC).