TV series
Two women cops working twice as hard for half the glory, twice the excitement!
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.
Streaming, rental and purchase options
Checked Jul 22, 2026
Cagney & Lacey is available to stream on Prime Video, Pluto TV, and The Roku Channel in United States. You can also buy it from Amazon and Apple TV. Use the direct links below to open the provider.
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.
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Episode 1
A teenager has run away from her wealthy home, preferring prostitution to Princeton. Cagney and Lacey need her to testify against her pimp
Directed by Alexander SingerGuest stars Kathleen Wilhoite, Stanley Kamel, Kristy Swanson, Pamela Dunlap
Episode 2
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
Directed by Reza BadiyiGuest stars Elizabeth Peña, Gloria Gifford, Stephen Tobolowsky, Haunani Minn
Episode 3
A psychic is hired to find a missing woman (hired by the family of the woman). Cagney senses trouble.
Directed by Ray DantonWritten by Debra Frank, Scott RubensteinGuest stars Michael Delano, Shawnee Smith, Michael Alldredge, Michael Fairman, Richard Frank, Janet MacLachlan, Chuck McCann, Eve McVeagh
Episode 4
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
Directed by James FrawleyGuest stars Roxie Roker, Earl Billings, David Dunard, Dan Shor, David Byrd
Episode 5
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.
Directed by Al WaxmanGuest stars Tony La Torre, Henry Jones, Vonetta McGee, John Harkins, Joel Polis, Linda Carlson
Episode 6
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.
Directed by Alexander SingerGuest stars Barbara Tarbuck, Sal Viscuso, Fionnula Flanagan, Dan Shor, Dick O'Neill, Matthew Barry
Episode 7
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
Directed by Ray DantonWritten by Frank SouthGuest stars Tony La Torre, Soon-Tek Oh, Charles Aidman, Peggy McCay, Al Fann
Episode 8
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
Directed by Sharron MillerGuest stars David Paymer, Walter Charles, Michael Ensign, Mary Jackson, Dan Shor, Dick O'Neill
Episode 9
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.
Directed by Georg Stanford BrownGuest stars Tony La Torre, Theresa Saldana, Ta-Tanisha, Mitchell Anderson, James Hong, Dan Shor, David Ackroyd, Dick O'Neill
Episode 10
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
Directed by James FrawleyWritten by Patricia GreenGuest stars Herb Edelman, Dan Shor, Dick O'Neill
Episode 11
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
Directed by Charlotte BrownGuest stars John Furlong, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Stephen Macht, Thalmus Rasulala, Teddy Wilson, Thelma Houston, Dan Shor
Episode 12
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.
Directed by James FrawleyGuest stars Tony La Torre, Dan Lauria, Steve Susskind, Dan Shor
Episode 13
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.
Guest stars Tony La Torre, Danny Goldman, John Mengatti, Bill Henderson, Carmen Argenziano, Michael Moriarty, Dan Shor
Episode 14
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
Directed by Al WaxmanWritten by Les Carter, Susan SiskoGuest stars Vincent Schiavelli, Lin Shaye, Caroline Lagerfelt, Robert Costanzo, Pamela Gordon, Stephen Macht
Episode 15
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.
Directed by Sharron MillerGuest stars Paul Mantee, Dan Shor, Robert Hegyes
Episode 16
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.
Directed by James FrawleyGuest stars Tony La Torre, Al Sapienza, Fran Bennett, Irene Olga López, Joe Unger, Dan Shor, Dick O'Neill
Episode 17
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
Directed by Georg Stanford BrownGuest stars Tony La Torre, Geoffrey Blake, Tom Everett, Julius Harris, Richard Bradford, Joe Colligan, Dan Shor
Episode 18
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?
Directed by Alexander SingerWritten by Kathryn Ford, Peter LefcourtGuest stars Michael Tucci, Eddie Velez, John Harkins, Dan Shor
Episode 19
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.
Directed by James FrawleyGuest stars Peter Hansen, Salome Jens, Ann Hearn, Dan Shor
Episode 20
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.
Directed by Alexander SingerGuest stars Tony La Torre, Aki Aleong, Joanna Miles, Dana Ashbrook
Episode 21
Cagney and Lacey get a sweetheart trip - to Los Angeles to bring back a bail jumper
Directed by Charles S. DubinWritten by Bob Rosenfarb, Kathryn FordGuest stars Amanda Wyss, Dan Shor, David Ackroyd
Episode 22
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
Directed by Alexander SingerGuest stars Tony La Torre, Bill Pullman, Dennis Christopher, Moosie Drier, Takayo Fischer, Maree Cheatham, Dan Shor, Dick O'Neill
Episode 23
A labor leader is killed. Once again, the victim seems to have led a blameless life, yet someone wanted him dead.
Directed by Jeffrey HaydenWritten by Patricia Green, Hannah Louise ShearerGuest stars Tony La Torre, Peter Frechette, Grace Zabriskie, Tuck Milligan, Amanda Wyss, Dan Shor
Episode 24
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.
Directed by Georg Stanford BrownGuest stars Tony La Torre, Dan Shor, Lance Rosen
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Tyne DalyMary Beth Lacey
Meg FosterChristine Cagney
Sharon GlessChristine Cagney
John KarlenHarvey Lacey
Al WaxmanLieutenant Bert Samuels
Carl LumblyMark Petrie
Martin KoveDet. Victor Isbecki
Sidney ClutePaul La Guardia
CBSUnited States
Orion Television
CBSUnited States
Filmways PicturesUnited States
