---
title: "Cold Case"
year: 2003
canonical_url: "https://www.archytele.com/show/cold-case-2003"
media_type: "tv"
tmdb_id: 2171
imdb_id: "tt0368479"
status: "Canceled"
seasons_count: 7
episodes_count: 156
runtime_minutes: 44
community_rating: 7.8
vote_count: 447
content_rating: "TV-14"
---

# Cold Case (2003) — Television & Cinema Intelligence Dossier

> **Archytele Living Vault Canonical Record**: https://www.archytele.com/show/cold-case-2003

## Executive Summary & Cultural Positioning

The television series Cold Case is a police procedural that follows a detective in the Philadelphia homicide squad. The series premiered on CBS and revolves around the detective's work on cases that have never been solved. Detective Lilly Rush is the lone female detective who combines her natural instincts with updated technology to bring about justice for victims. The series features a team of investigators working to solve cold cases, with Detective Rush at the forefront. The show explores the use of updated technology to aid in the investigation of older cases. The series consists of multiple episodes, with some seasons having 23 hour-long episodes and others having 24 episodes. The show was created by Meredith Stiehm and features a cast of characters, including Kathryn Morris, Danny Pino, John Finn, and Jeremy Ratchford. The series is available to watch on various platforms, including Netflix.

## The Hook & The Verdict

**The Hook**: "A Philadelphia detective reopens long-unsolved homicide cases to bring justice to forgotten victims."

### Why Watch
- compelling mystery resolutions
- strong character focus

### Caveats & Content Note
- heavy subject matter
- episodic structure
- Tone & Suitability: The series features themes related to murder investigations and crime.

**Micro-Themes & Vibe Matrix**: procedural, investigative, dramatic, historical

## Streaming Availability Matrix

| Region | Stream (Subscription) | Free / Ads | Rent / Buy |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| **United States (US)** | YouTube TV | The Roku Channel | None |
| **Canada (CA)** | Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | None | None |
| **Australia (AU)** | Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads | 9Now | None |

## Season Architecture & Lore Primers

### Season 1 (23 Episodes)
## Filler vs. Essential Episode Classifier

- **Total Tracked Episodes**: 111
- **Crucial Mytharc Episodes**: 10 (9%)
- **Character Core Episodes**: 101 (91%)
- **Side Quest / Filler Episodes**: 0 (0%)

## Creative Credits

- **Created by**: Meredith Stiehm
- **Networks / Studios**: CBS

## Key Cast Continuity

- **Kathryn Morris** as *Lilly Rush*
- **Danny Pino** as *Scotty Valens*
- **Jeremy Ratchford** as *Nick Vera*
- **Thom Barry** as *Will Jeffries*
- **John Finn** as *John Stillman*
- **Tracie Thoms** as *Kat Miller*
- **Lilli Birdsell** as *Vivian Harden*
- **Jonathan LaPaglia** as *Curtis Bell*
- **Nicki Aycox** as *Christina Rush*
- **Josh Hopkins** as *Jason Kite*

## Canonical Frequently Asked Questions

### Q: What is the premise of the show?
The series follows a Philadelphia homicide squad detective who investigates cold cases that have remained unsolved for years.

### Q: When did the series air?
The show aired on CBS from September 28, 2003, to May 2, 2010.

### Q: Who stars in the series?
The series stars Kathryn Morris, Danny Pino, John Finn, and Jeremy Ratchford.

### Q: What is the format of the episodes?
Each episode is an hour-long crime drama focusing on the investigation of a specific cold case.

### Q: Who created the show?
The series was created by Meredith Stiehm.

## Grounded Source Citations

- [Common Cold (Rhinovirus): Symptoms, Causes & Treatment](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/12342-common-cold)
- [List of Cold Case episodes - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Cold_Case_episodes)
- [Cold Case (TV Series 2003-2010) - IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368479/)
- [Common cold - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/common-cold/symptoms-causes/syc-20351605)
- [About Common Cold | Common Cold | CDC](https://www.cdc.gov/common-cold/about/index.html)
- [Watch Cold Case | Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/70157471)

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*Generated by Archytele Open Intelligence Systems. Data verified against TMDB and JustWatch APIs.*