Cagney & Lacey

S01 E01 · 1982-03-25 · 45 min

You Call This Plain Clothes? (aka Bang, Bang, You're Dead)

The detectives again go undercover as prostitutes

S01 E02 · 1982-04-01 · 45 min

Pop Used to Work Chinatown

The first appearance of Dick O'Neill as Charlie Cagney. The case occurs in Chinatown, where Charlie just happened to work, so he helps out. This is the episode where Lacey shoots and kills a fleeing perp.

S01 E03 · 1982-04-08 · 45 min

Beyond the Golden Door

An illegal immigrant is murdered, and the trail leads to a large racket in modern-day slave trading.

S01 E04 · 1982-04-15 · 45 min

Street Scene

Hispanic gang member is killed.

S01 E05 · 1982-04-22 · 45 min

Suffer the Children

Cagney and Lacey become involved in an investigation of child abuse and possible murder when they rescue a child from a window ledge.

S01 E06 · 1982-04-29 · 45 min

Better Than Equal

C&L are assigned to protect a feminist, only not a Gloria Steinem type, but a Phyllis Schlafy type. This episode was very controversial, and several stations refused to run it.

S02 E01 · 1982-10-25 · 45 min

Witness to An Incident

One of the uniforms accidentally kills a civilian, mistaking him for a perp. C&L both see it, but they have very different recollections of the event. Marquette and Samuels pressure Lacey to agree with Cagney, but you know how stubborn she is. The bad guy is a crewman on a foreign ship, and it ends with a chase on the ship.

S02 E02 · 1982-11-01 · 45 min

One of Our Own

A uniform cop is shot in a restaurant. The assumption is that the cop was shot because he knew too much, but it was actually mistaken identity. The B story is that the precinct is going to field a softball team. Of course, Cagney wants to play and drags Lacey along. Isbecki is the captain and tries to keep them out but eventually has to allow them in when he learns that the team must include both men and women

S02 E03 · 1982-11-08 · 45 min

Beauty Burglars

A group of baddies is preying on wealthy patrons of beauty shops. They get into these shops by pretending to be policemen. C&L get to head up the task force, and Cagney befriends one of the victims

S02 E04 · 1982-11-15 · 45 min

High Steel

A construction worker falls to his death, and everyone thinks it's an accident, including Isbecki, who lets the ladies take over the case. You see, Harvey knew the fellow, and he thinks there's something funny. It turns out that the victim was on the take, and Harvey and Mary Beth go out to the construction site to inspect first hand.

S02 E05 · 1982-11-22 · 45 min

Hot Line

A group of unrelated stranglings has the NYPD very worried. Turns out all the women work for telephone erotic hotlines. There's a very funny scene where C&L go to investigate and the hotline manager thinks they're looking for work.

S02 E06 · 1982-11-29 · 45 min

Internal Affairs

The 14th precinct has an informer in its midst. The undercover agents working on a truck hijacking are getting exposed. IAD ""asks"" C&L to investigate, since they're ""outsiders."" When Cagney refuses, the IAD lieutenant smirkily tells her that Charlie was on the take when he was a cop. All they turn up is that LaGuardia has a girlfriend and Samuels is seeing aa psychiatrist because of the effect of his divorce.

S02 E07 · 1982-12-06 · 45 min

Mr. Lonelyhearts

A farmer from Vermont comes in looking for his wife, who has disappeared in New York City. Seems that she has ""married"" several men, and is collecting money from all of them.

S02 E08 · 1982-12-13 · 45 min

Conduct Unbecoming

C&L and another detective are working on a case involving some illegal weapons. The catch is that the third detective has just had his picture turn up in a gay magazine. Is he gay? Will he be suspended before he helps C&L catch the bad guy?

S02 E09 · 1982-12-20 · 45 min

I'll Be Home for Christmas

A Christmas episode, lighter than usual. The ""villain"" is a nebbish who steals from parking meters. When he gets arrested, he makes off with a squad car, which so enrages Samuels that nobody gets to leave early on Christmas Eve. The villain is played by character actor David Masur The ""B"" story is that Petri's Lauren daughter is born. We first meet Dory McKenna as Chris' boyfriend.

S02 E10 · 1982-12-27 · 45 min

Recreational Use

C&L are assigned to work for Sgt. Dory McKenna on a murder investigation. The baddy is a slumlord who is trying to get rid of his tenants so he can make a co-op out of his building. The kicker is that Dory is using cocaine. After he snorts up at Mary Beth's and doesn't show up as backup, Chris threatens to turn him in unless he gets help for his addiction.

S02 E11 · 1983-01-10 · 45 min

Hopes and Dreams

A gang of thieves have an intriguing modus operandi. They wait until a family is at a funeral and then break in and steal everything. One of the victims is a crippled girl.

S02 E12 · 1983-01-17 · 45 min

The Grandest Jewel Thief of Them All

Albert Grand is the most famous jewel thief in the world. He has even written a book about his career. Can the elegant dog lover who stops a petty crime really be the great thief?

S02 E13 · 1983-01-24 · 45 min

Affirmative Action

A new detective has been assigned to the 14th. Lacey thinks it's nice to have another woman; Cagney thinks she's incompetent

S02 E14 · 1983-01-31 · 45 min

Open and Shut Case

Lacey is the main witness in an open-and-shut case, only it isn't that open-and-shut. in the ""B"" story, a witness in an old rape case has to testify. The defendants' strategy is stall and stall, and C&L have to support her when she wants to quit

S02 E15 · 1983-02-14 · 45 min

Jane Doe #37

a bag lady, is murdered. Only Cagney cares what happened, and strives to find the woman's real name. The ""B"" plot is very funny: our heroines are assigned to do recruiting, and wind up trying to do a commercial for the NYPD. Of course, they get replaced by ""real"" actresses.

S02 E16 · 1983-02-21 · 45 min

Date Rape

It's a rape case, but the victim knew her assailant, which makes it date rape. Cagney and Harvey think the woman asked for it; Lacey is more supportive. The ""B"" story is that the guys in the precinct are playing practical jokes such as fixing Isbecki up with a female impersonator and Samuels with a prostitute. Cagney thinks it's funny and points out that it's a great step forward for them to be included in this

S02 E17 · 1983-03-07 · 45 min

Burn Out

The ""A"" story is that Cagney goes undercover as a nun to investigate the theft of drugs from a hospital. The ""B"" story is that she goes alone because Lacey has gone off AWOL. After her vacation is canceled at the last minute, she just says, ""the hell with it"" and disappears

S02 E18 · 1983-03-14 · 45 min

Chop Shop

When C&L screw up a backup assignment, Isbecki is taken hostage. The situation gets worse when Petri kills a child. As the child is black, public relations thinks they can solve the problem by putting Petri's picture in the paper, so everyone can see he's also black

S02 E19 · 1983-03-21 · 45 min

Let Them Eat Pretzels

A poor Jewish man is hit by a car, and we know who did it. The problem is that he's the son of an Arabian diplomat, and safe as long as he stays in the embassy. After he escapes twice, the women had better work something out.

S02 E20 · 1983-03-28 · 45 min

The Gang's All Here

To celebrate Petri's promotion to detective first grade, the gang goes out to celebrate. Alas, they get robbed (including their guns and shields), and have to restore face. LaGuardia is so upset that he threatens to quit.

S02 E21 · 1983-05-02 · 45 min

A Cry for Help

The "A" story is that a con man is doing very well, but when he's arrested as he's fleeing, there's nothing of value in his suitcase. The "B" story is that one of the cops working with them, who Mary Beth has known since academy days, is beating his wife.

S02 E22 · 1983-05-09 · 45 min

The Informant

To find out who's selling drugs to high school students, C&L use a teenage informer. But the youth is not to be trusted, and the detectives wind up with eggs on their face when it turns out that he's selling drugs himself.

S03 E01 · 1984-03-19 · 45 min

Matinee

A wealthy Westchester housewife is found dead in the city. Since Cagney comes from a well- off family in Westchester, we get to learn a little bit about her background. The ""B"" story is that Samuels' son David gets arrested for car theft, and relations between the two are very strained

S03 E02 · 1984-03-26 · 45 min

A Killer's Dozen

The uniforms are on strike, and the detectives must wear uniforms and go back on the street, all the while solving the case of the ""Don Juan Strangler."" This is the first episode in which Cagney plays poker.

S03 E03 · 1984-04-16 · 45 min

Victimless Crime

The ladies happen on a porno movie filming, and the next day the leading man dies. The female star would make a great witness, but she doesn't want to talk

S03 E04 · 1984-04-23 · 45 min

The Bounty Hunter

This time it's clear who the bad guy is. But he's being pursued for bail jumping by a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter not only has a legal right, if he can find him, but he makes a point of irritating Cagney.

S03 E05 · 1984-04-30 · 45 min

Baby Broker

When an abandoned infant is turned in, C&L go to work on a baby-broker scheme. The baby is deaf, and Mary Beth wants to take it home for child #3. (This was shown before Tyne Daly's pregnancy.) In the B plot, Cagney is dating a glamorous playwright, but he doesn't think much of her career.

S03 E06 · 1984-05-07 · 45 min

Partners

Cagney gets show by a bad guy early in the episode. Not to worry, she solves the case from her hospital bed. She has to, because Mary Beth gets stuck with a real dweeb as a replacement. In a role reversal, Mary Beth is the ""hot dog"" and the guy is only interested in getting home on time

S03 E07 · 1984-05-14 · 45 min

Choices

The crime story is a sequel to #16 (slumlord trying to get rid of tenants.) The witness has died, since the defense strategy is to stall, so C&L have to find new witnesses.

S04 E01 · 1984-10-15 · 45 min

Child Witness

A little girl appears to have been molested by her babysitter, but the girl's father doesn't want her to testify, not because he's a bad guy, but because he doesn't want her to face a trial

S04 E02 · 1984-10-22 · 45 min

Heat

Mary Beth is taken hostage by a very dangerous man.

S04 E03 · 1984-10-29 · 45 min

Insubordination

Dory McKenna is back, rehabilitated from cocaine, and C&L again get to assist him. Meanwhile, Samuels must deal with a former subordinate who is now a captain and wants to ""improve"" the 14th Precinct.

S04 E04 · 1984-11-05 · 45 min

Old Debts

A cop killer has just been paroled. C&L have to guard him for only a little while, but of course he gets killed on their shift. This was a popular killing, but the ladies don't like anybody messing with them, so they track down the killer.

S04 E05 · 1984-11-12 · 45 min

Fathers and Daughters

Both the wife and daughter confess to a killing, but they can't both have done it. ADA Feldberg has a great time sarcastically pointing out how two confessions are not better than one

S04 E06 · 1984-11-19 · 45 min

Taxicab Murders

This is the only episode with the title displayed. The cabbies of New York are disappearing, and the detectives drive shifts to find the killer. This so worries Michael Lacey that he runs off to Christine's to get reassurance.

S04 E07 · 1984-11-26 · 45 min

Unusual Occurrence

Cagney shoots an Hispanic teenager. It doesn't matter that he attacked her or that he was full of angel dust - the local press has her drawn and quartered.

S04 E08 · 1984-12-03 · 45 min

Thank God It's Monday

The 14th Precinct has done its paperwork so badly that everyone (except for Petrie) has to come in over the weekend and clear it up. but C&L discover a statute of limitations that's about to expire and they must serve the warrant that weekend. The paperwork doesn't get done. Petrie is no better off - Claudia makes him spend the weekend painting the place.

S04 E09 · 1984-12-10 · 45 min

Hooked

Dory's sponsor in the cocaine rehabilitation program is caught with cocaine. When Dory defends him, Chris has to consider the possibility that Dory is still using it himself

S04 E10 · 1984-12-17 · 45 min

Lady Luck

The episode begins with Mary Beth talking a successful businesswoman out of jumping off a ledge. Not so successful - she has a good income, but horrendous gambling debts. When she dies they must track down the loan shark. To make contacts, C&L go out gambling themselves

S04 E11 · 1984-12-31 · 45 min

Out of Control

The crime story concerns a cat burglar who never uses a gun. Yet somebody gets shot. Chris is now sufficiently involved with Dory to meet his kids by a prior marriage

S04 E12 · 1985-01-07 · 45 min

American Dream

A company is getting ahead in business by some well-placed fires. The small firms can choose between burning and blackmail

S04 E13 · 1985-01-14 · 45 min

Happily Ever After

Dory finally pops the question. Will Christine marry him? Of course he will; there's just a few things to iron out. The crime story concerns a fellow who works in the credit department of a store and is making good money by stealing one penny from each refund

S04 E14 · 1985-01-28 · 45 min

Rules of the Game

C&L think it's wonderful to be assigned to a hot case under the hot Captain Hennessey. it seems that his interest in Chris is more personal than professional. Finally, Chris announces that she will file departmental charges against him for sexual harassment.

S04 E15 · 1985-02-04 · 45 min

Stress

Cagney is a witness to a stabbing. The bad guy has the charming habit of erasing people he doesn't like, such as witnesses, and he goes after her

S04 E16 · 1985-02-11 · 45 min

Who Says It's Fair (1)

A two parter where Mary Beth discovers that she has a lump in her breast, but she refuses to talk about it or do anything about it. Chris finds out when Harvey gets worried and sneaks out to tell her. Chris finally convinces Mary Beth to see a doctor and then to get a second opinion. Meanwhile the detectives must find a missing child. Cagney thinks the kid ran away because the mother was unfit. The mother thinks that they would look harder for a white child. Finally he turns up in an underground passage and Chris goes in after him. Mary Beth goes in for her surgery, but Chris can't be there because she is taking the sergeant's exam. But she gets back in time to learn that the operation is a success

S04 E17 · 1985-02-18 · 45 min

Who Says It's Fair (2)

S04 E18 · 1985-02-25 · 45 min

Lost and Found

Cagney's car (a yellow Corvette) has been stolen and boy is she mad. She doesn't get much help from Mary Beth, who is convalescing at home and considering quitting for good. The good news is that the second half of the sergeants exam has a question about auto theft technique.The episode introduces Hector (El Vengeador). It is later learned that Cagney's nemesis Mansfield had him murdered for his role as a drug informant in the episode ""The Man Who Shot Trotsky

S04 E19 · 1985-03-04 · 45 min

Two Grand

In a sequel to #18, the noted jewel thief Albert Grand returns. All Chris asks of him is that he not give her anything stolen. It is considered a classic episode for Albert Grand's confession to Cagney

S04 E20 · 1985-03-11 · 45 min

Con Games

Cagney's sexual harassment case comes to trial (follow up to #49). Lacey is busy with the bunco squad. She manages to get approached by a completely different bunco scam and reels them in.

S04 E21 · 1985-03-18 · 45 min

Violation

A teenager is thrown into a very tough jail by mistake for am minor offense and gets raped. The angry parents file a lawsuit for $7 million dollars against the NYPD

S04 E22 · 1985-04-08 · 45 min

Organized Crime

When a nun is killed, C&L assume it's their case. However, the nun's family was friends with the Godfather, and the ladies find themselves with some very efficient but unwanted assistance.

S07 E03 · 1987-10-05 · 45 min

Loves Me Not

Petrie gets his promotion to sergeant and leaves the show (Carl Lumbly wanted out). Lacy interferes in a neighborhood dispute and her enraged neighbors call for a Civilian Review Board. David Keeler (back in Chris' good graces) comes to the rescue

S07 E04 · 1987-10-19 · 45 min

Different Drummer

There's an older woman who acts strange, burns incense, and claims to be a witch. Is she? Or is she merely lonely and poor and standing in the way of higher real estate prices?

S07 E05 · 1987-10-26 · 45 min

You've Come a Long Way, Baby

Mature"" prostitutes are getting bumped off, so our heroines go undercover to investigate. Merry Clayton joins the cast as Detective Verna Dee Jordan. Isbecki just adores having a woman partner.

S07 E06 · 1987-11-09 · 45 min

Video Verite

A valuable music video has been stolen, and there's some suspicious white powder about. In the meantime, Cagney's niece Bridget again visits, trying to carve out a career as a New York actress

S07 E07 · 1987-11-16 · 45 min

Greed

A game show is supposedly crooked. Once again, undercover work, this time as game show contestants (dressed up like fruits).

S07 E08 · 1987-11-23 · 45 min

Secrets

Cagney gets her dream - a chance to work with the Major Task Force. But one of those so-polished officers is really a traitor. Will they find the traitor, or will the glamour get to Cagney?

S07 E09 · 1988-01-05 · 45 min

Do I Know You?

Brad Potter seems like the perfect date - tall, handsome, successful. But he's really a date rapist. Cagney must explain to the guys at the precinct why she didn't draw her gun, and of course, the baddy says yes, it happened, but she consented

S07 E10 · 1988-01-12 · 45 min

Old Flames

Harvey Jr. has his 18th birthday. His birthday present from his parents is a computer. His present to them is the announcement that he will enlist in the Marines.

S07 E11 · 1988-01-19 · 45 min

Trading Places

When Samuels takes some time off, Chris expects to be put in charge. But a high-tech, none-""street"" officer, Lt. Thornton, gets the job. The crime case deals with construction kickbacks, so Harvey volunteers to help out by wearing a wire

S07 E12 · 1988-01-26 · 45 min

Shadow of a Doubt

Cagney and Lacey go undercover at a computer manufacturer. But the company has random drug testing and Chris flunks it. Of course, David argues that this is a violation of her civil rights.

S07 E13 · 1988-02-09 · 45 min

Hello Goodbye

David finally pops the question to Chris. she's consistent - she says no, even though Mary Beth likes him much better than she did Dory.

S07 E14 · 1988-02-16 · 45 min

School Daze

The 14th Precinct gang takes a refresher course at the police academy, along with Detective Dupnick from Queens. Lacey is the eager, hand-up, teacher's pet. Chris thinks it's a waste of time

S07 E15 · 1988-02-23 · 45 min

Land of the Free

A Salvadoran refugee is murdered. Some people say he ran drugs, others say he was a saint. In the B story, Chris meets Nick the plumber at an AA meeting.

S07 E16 · 1988-03-15 · 45 min

A Class Act

A very valuable painting is stolen, and Cagney and Lacey make the rounds of fancy galleries looking for leads. In the B plot, Samuels has a reunion with an old friend. Also, the dissimilarities between David Keeler and Nick are shown. Nick was decidedly everything David was not and vice-versa.

S07 E17 · 1988-03-22 · 45 min

Button, Button

A man is murdered, and his girl friend begs the police for help. It's a hard case, since he was in the Federal Witness Protection Program

S07 E18 · 1988-03-29 · 45 min

Amends

Thornton shots a fellow officer in an operation that went bad. That's what happens when you put someone with no practical experience in charge

S07 E19 · 1988-04-05 · 45 min

Friendly Fire

In a sequel to episode #112, Cagney's rape case goes to trial. The main story is that Harvey Jr. is missing while doing maneuvers. Fortunately Mary Beth has moral support from both her father and Christine.

S07 E20 · 1988-05-02 · 45 min

Yup

A Wall Street tycoon is burgled, and he has a lot of clout with the higher-ups. Harvey Jr. comes home for a visit, and nobody mentions the previous episode. (Rosenzweig usually does a much better job of continuity.)

S07 E21 · 1988-05-16 · 45 min

A Fair Shake (1)

A bank is missing some money - not much, only $100,000. The baddy offers a plea bargain - she knows who stole $100 million. Now that's worth sending Cagney and Lacey to upstate New York to hunt down the bank president. But when they find him, they discover that the real bank president is gone, and that this is an FBI agent. Our heroines narrowly escape a shootout and get offered a promotion to Major Case Squad as the series ends

S07 E22 · 1988-05-16 · 45 min

A Fair Shake (2)

A bank is missing some money - not much, only $100,000. The baddy offers a plea bargain - she knows who stole $100 million. Now that's worth sending Cagney and Lacey to upstate New York to hunt down the bank president. But when they find him, they discover that the real bank president is gone, and that this is an FBI agent. Our heroines narrowly escape a shootout and get offered a promotion to Major Case Squad as the series ends