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Mary Beth Lacey and Chris Cagney are teamed up as NYPD police detectives. Their opposing personalities (one is tough and the other sensitive) mesh to make this one of the great crime-fighting duos of all time.
“Two women cops working twice as hard for half the glory, twice the excitement!”
1982
The detectives again go undercover as prostitutes
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.
An illegal immigrant is murdered, and the trail leads to a large racket in modern-day slave trading.
Hispanic gang member is killed.
Cagney and Lacey become involved in an investigation of child abuse and possible murder when they rescue a child from a window ledge.
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.
1984
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
1982
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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?
A new detective has been assigned to the 14th. Lacey thinks it's nice to have another woman; Cagney thinks she's incompetent
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
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.
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
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
1986
Detective Newman is just walking down the street, celebrating a successful collar, when he is shot down. A cop killed is always taken very seriously.
An Islamic girl from a very devout family wants to be more American. No arranged marriage for her; she'd rather go to Malibu.When she turns up dead, Cagney and Lacey must face her angry family. They're also being considered for a very select task force that Cagney sees as her path to sta
Lacey and Isbecki are trapped in an elevator. Of course it's the hottest day of the year, and Victor is claustrophobic. The episode also features character actor Stanley Kamel as Det. Solomon
(Also given to me as ""Incest."") A girl says that their father is molesting the younger daughter, who is too young to testify. How does she know? Because she was molested herself. Cagney and Lacey get the children away from their parents, but have to split up the girls to do so.
In a self-referential show, the 14th is visited by a TV star, ""Detective Deedee,"" who has permission from the brass to learn how real policemen work. She especially wants to learn from Cagney and Lacey.
An assistant D.A. has devoted his entire career to prosecuting child pornography. When he turns up dead, Cagney (who would have liked to have gotten to know him better) thinks one of those scuzzy pornographers had killed him.
The 14th precinct has to help support the annual New York City marathon. One of the (white) runners is from South Africa, and is facing death threats if she runs. Cagney and Lacey are assigned to talk her out of running but if they can't, then they must protect her.
A college sorority initiate falls off a building. The detectives suspect a hazing prank gone sour, but the sorority sisters won't talk.
When someone who Petrie held a grudge against is killed, Marcus is the suspect. In the B plot, Chris dates a reporter and discovers that he has a hidden agenda.
In a sequel to episode #69, Sara Jones goes on trial. She wants Cagney to back up her story, but Cagney won't do it.
In a sequel to episode #75, Mansfield goes on trial. He's done something clever - he's hired David Keeler to defend him. David explains how principled he is. Chris tells him to go to hell.
A toy company is dumping toxic wastes, and a gungho environmentalist is willing to do whatever it takes to get Cagney and Lacey to investigate.
The detectives go after a corrupt judge. but he has an ""in"" - he's an old friend of Charlie Cagney's. Cagney also has to do the performance reviews, and smoke flies when she doesn't give Lacey top ranking.
Story by Allison Hock. The crime story hits close to home here. The Laceys are burglarized and Mary Beth must deal with Detective Dupnick from Queens. Of course, she's neglected all the precautions that she lectures civilians about. Cagney attends the Emerald Ball, while dealing with a high school athlete who dropped dead of steroid overuse
The detectives go undercover at Alcoholics Anonymous to find out who's holding up AA meetings. At a session for co-dependents they meet Donna, Charlie's girlfriend, who's figured out that Charlie's an alcoholic.
Story by Sandy Sprung and Marcy Vosburgh. Samuels is getting the Distinguished Service Award at a banquet. All Cagney and Lacey have to do is plan the banquet, coordinate the entertainment, get the balloons, and make cannoli. Very funny, especially the cannoli scene.
A spiritualist has a new gimmick. She charges people to get messages to their dead loved ones by hiring terminally ill people as messengers. The funny thing is that everyone except Cagney and Lacey are happy with the setup.
A deaf girl is suspected of murder. Could someone with such a severe handicap commit a crime like that? Also, a drunken David Keeler appears on Cagney's door step begging her forgiveness. She hadn't seen him since ""the Cost of Living"" although he left numerous messages on her answering machine.
Lacey participates in a protest march against nuclear weapons. She gets arrested and thrown to the tender mercies of Detective Dupnick.
This time it's Lacey's turn to get shot. She isn't hurt as badly as Cagney was, but the trauma sends them to the police psychiatrist. Lacey is saved from certain death by her bullet-proof vest.
Charlie's drinking finally catches up with him and he goes to the Great Bar in the Sky. Chris and brother Brian send him off with a wake at Flannery's. But Chris can't handle it, and winds up dead drunk in her apartment. Only Lacey can save her and get her to AA.
In the B plot, Lacey rescues a child from a burning car and then has to return the child to the proper mother.
1984
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
1985
A teenager has run away from her wealthy home, preferring prostitution to Princeton. Cagney and Lacey need her to testify against her pimp
Cagney and Lacey have no trouble with a case, thanks to their star witness. Alas, he's an illegal alien, who can only stay in the country until the trial ends. When the baddy takes a plea bargain, the witness and family are going to be deported
Mary Beth is taken hostage by a very dangerous man.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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
A company is getting ahead in business by some well-placed fires. The small firms can choose between burning and blackmail
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
A psychic is hired to find a missing woman (hired by the family of the woman). Cagney senses trouble.
After the New York State Lottery has paid out millions, here comes another ticket. Somebody has a fake, but who? In the B story, Harvey and Mary Beth must face an IRS audit
Cagney and Lacey try to nail drug dealer Mansfield. But their case rests on Chris' unsubstantiated conversation with him. Mary Beth would rather go bowling than lie, but she has to stick up for Chris.
Cagney and Lacey escort a poor Latina to an abortion clinic, as she's afraid to run the gauntlet of protestors. When the clinic is firebombed and someone dies, it becomes murder. When the baddy is discovered, Lacey points out that since she's pregnant, attacking her is just like killing a baby. This was a controversial episode, not shown by every affiliate.
There's good evidence against a suspect, but his mother insists that he was at home with her. As long as the suspect has an alibi, he's all right
Charlie Cagney's drinking begins to catch up with him and he winds up in the hospital. Lacey, now well advanced in her pregnancy, wants to get off the street and into a desk
Cagney sees a robbery in progress, gives chase, loses the perp, and then gets into trouble because she didn't catch the guy. She doesn't like being accused of cowardice. Brother Brian shows up from L.A. to see how Charlie is doing.
Samuels' absence gives Cagney a chance to shine as temporary commander. Inspector Knelman gives her her orders - put Lacey on maternity leave. This is considered a classic episode because it is the one in which Cagney takes her turn as watch commande
A Christmas episode, where Cagney is teamed with Newman to solve a dispute over who has rights to a song. Since Chris just had a fight with David, maybe Newman will be a romantic prospect? See Cagney dressed up as a Santa with big elf shoes on
Also given to me as ""The Rapist, Part 1"")"" As a temporary replacement for Lacey, Sara Jones seems like a fine detective, and very gungho on finding a rapist. Too gungho - she decides to take matters into her own hands when it seems it is taking too long to nail the suspected rapist. A very, very sad ending to this episode.
Cagney's new partner, Michael Moriarty, is famous - he ""ratted"" on some cops on the take. The other police officers will have nothing to do with him - in fact, Coleman has a ""book"" on how long the guy will last.
To gain more command experience, Cagney commands the night shift, with its own bunch of wackos. The cop case is a hit-and-run drunken driver. Cagney must convince the driver's girlfriend to testify. This episode is one of the first to talk about Cagney's drinking
Handicapped people are being robbed, and a wheelchair activist wants the NYPD to do something about it. Cagney goes undercover by appearing as a handicapped individual in a wheelchair and falls for the activist.
This is sometimes referred to as Cagney & Lacey's ""Lucy and Ethel"" episode for its comedic touches. At last, Lacey has baby Alice. (It did seem like the longest pregnancy on record, didn't it?) Cagney has to drive her to the hospital in the obligatory get-me-to-the-hospital-on-time scene. Chris has another problem - Charlie has a girlfriend, Donna.
A West Point cadet is facing court martial and refuses to talk because of his honor code. David Keeler is sure that the cadet is innocent, so Chris goes up to help out. Lacey has a visitor - her long-lost father, who ran out on her mother when Mary Beth was a child. Now he wants to see his grandchildren
In a sequel to #62,Cagney and a back-on-duty-again Lacey go after Mansfield again. Cagney's informant is a street-smart Hispanic youth - is he tough enough to handle Mansfield?
An actress in a play has died, and it appears to be suicide. However, when the ladies start digging around, they discover that everybody in the play hates everybody else - plenty of reason for murder. We learn that Cagney tried acting in college.
A Cambodian lawyer who specialized in helping his fellow countrymen is killed. Further investigation reveals that he made a lot of money off other Cambodian's misfortunes.
Cagney and Lacey get a sweetheart trip - to Los Angeles to bring back a bail jumper
A thief gets more than he expected, when the goods include plutonium. He needs to be caught quickly, so that his radiation sickness can be treated
A labor leader is killed. Once again, the victim seems to have led a blameless life, yet someone wanted him dead.
A labor leader is killed. Once again, the victim seems to have led a blameless life, yet someone wanted him dead. In the B plot, Cagney's niece (who we met in #78) comes for a visit.
1987
Cagney and Lacey have another star witness who needs special treatment. This one is a schizophrenic, although not too bad if he takes his medication. But, of course, he doesn't.
Corassa's gun is used to kill a black kid who just happens to be in a white section of town. The black community alleges coverup. This is based on a real-life incident.
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
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?
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.
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
A game show is supposedly crooked. Once again, undercover work, this time as game show contestants (dressed up like fruits).
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?
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.)
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
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
Tyne Daly
Mary Beth Lacey
Sharon Gless
Christine Cagney
John Karlen
Harvey Lacey
Al Waxman
Lieutenant Bert Samuels
Martin Kove
Det. Victor Isbecki
Harvey Atkin
Sergent Ronald Coleman
