''Cold Justice'' is an investigative

true crime True crime is a nonfiction literary, podcast, and film genre in which the author examines an actual crime and details the actions of real people associated with and affected by criminal events. The crimes most commonly include murder; about 40 pe ...

series originally broadcast on

TNT Trinitrotoluene (), more commonly known as TNT, more specifically 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, and by its preferred IUPAC name 2-methyl-1,3,5-trinitrobenzene, is a chemical compound with the formula C6H2(NO2)3CH3. TNT is occasionally used as a reagen ...

and currently on

Oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as ...

. The series, produced by

Dick Wolf Richard Anthony Wolf (born December 20, 1946) is an American film and television producer, best known for his ''Law & Order'' franchise. Since 1990, the franchise has included six police/courtroom dramas and four international spinoffs. He is al ...

, follows former

Harris County, Texas Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas; as of the 2020 census, the population was 4,731,145, making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston, ...

prosecutor Kelly Siegler and a team of investigators as they reopen unsolved murder cases with the consent and assistance of local law enforcement. Crime scene investigator Yolanda McClary, a veteran of the Las Vegas Metro police, also appeared on the series; McClary had earlier been the inspiration for Catherine Willows, the character portrayed by

Marg Helgenberger Mary Marg Helgenberger (born November 16, 1958) is an American actress. She began her career in the early 1980s and first came to attention for playing the role of Siobhan Ryan on the daytime soap opera ''Ryan's Hope'' from 1982 to 1986. She is ...

on the series '' CSI''. , the team has helped to generate 49 arrests and 21 convictions, in addition to four confessions, three guilty pleas and three murder convictions. Although TNT made no official announcement, McClary wrote on her personal Facebook page in mid-2016 that the series was canceled. She later said that the production company is shopping the series to other networks. In February 2017, it was announced that ''Cold Justice'' had been acquired by Oxygen and resumed broadcasts on July 22, 2017. The sixth season aired from July 10, 2021, to January 1, 2022.

Episodes

Critical reception

Yolanda McClary and Kelly Siegler for TNT Cold Justice

''Cold Justice'' scored 66 out of 100 on

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based on five "generally favorable" reviews. Mary McNamara of the ''

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'' states, "Although one can be fairly certain, if only for legal reasons, that any suspect shown on television is going to turn out to be guilty of something, the lies that are told, the twists of the legal system and the simple horrible stupidity of the crimes provide drama enough." Brian Lowry of ''

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'' stated, "While some of those made-for-TV encounters feel a little stilted, they do tend to pull you along, wanting to see how the drama plays out." Neil Genzlinger of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...

'' states, "The idea that the criminal justice arena also needs a TV show to serve as equalizer is somehow dismaying. Investigative journalism programs have done this for years, but ''Cold Justice'' is more ride-to-the-rescue, less public service." David Hinckley of the '' New York Daily News'' stated, "There isn't a lot of drama." He added, "Seeking justice is good. Don't hate us if we don't always watch."

Lawsuits

In August 2014, a

Gallatin, Tennessee Gallatin is a city in and the county seat of Sumner County, Tennessee. The population was 30,278 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 census and 44,431 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Named for United States Secretary of the Tr ...

, man filed a defamation lawsuit against the show's producers for implicating and never fully exonerating him in their investigation into the 2010 death of a woman who was suffocated and stabbed inside her home. Joshua Singletary was treated for cuts at the hospital around the time of the murder and arrested as a suspect. He was later released owing to insufficient evidence. According to Singletary, the aired episode ruined his reputation and caused his business to lose customers. He requested a jury trial, seeking $100,000 in damages and other compensations. The lawsuit was reportedly closed in May 2015. In August 2015, another lawsuit arose from acquitted murder suspect Steven Noffsinger, who sued the series' producers, Siegler, McClary, and Brown for civil rights violations and defamation.

Spin-off

In October 2014, TNT announced it had

green-light To green-light is to give permission to proceed with a project. The term is a reference to the green traffic signal, indicating "go ahead". Film industry In the context of the film and television industries, to green-light something is to ...

ed a spin-off of ''Cold Justice''. The new series, titled '' Cold Justice: Sex Crimes'', began on July 31, 2015, and features unsolved

sex crimes Sex and the law deals with the regulation by law of human sexual activity. Sex laws vary from one place or jurisdiction to another, and have varied over time. Unlawful sexual acts are called sex crimes. Some laws regarding sexual activity are ...

. Former

, prosecutors Casey Garrett and Alicia O'Neill travel around the United States to help local law enforcement officers close dormant cases. The first season has 10 episodes.

References

External links

* on

Wolf Entertainment Wolf Entertainment is an American television production company founded in 1988 by producer Dick Wolf, known for its television franchises ''Law & Order'', '' Chicago'', and '' FBI''. In February 2020, Wolf Entertainment signed one of the la ...