A provocative legal drama focused on young associates at a bare-bones Boston firm and their scrappy boss, Bobby Donnell. The show's forte is its storylines about “people who walk a moral tightrope.”
Is this the best episode?
The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 7.98.
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Steve Harris
Eugene Young
Camryn Manheim
Ellenor Frutt
Michael Badalucco
Jimmy Berluti
Jessica Capshaw
Jamie Stringer
James Spader
Alan Shore
Rhona Mitra
Tara Wilson
All 168 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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This may take a moment for shows with many seasons.
6 episodes • 1997Avg: 8.0Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Part I (Pilot) | Mar 4, 1997 | 7.8 |
| 2 | Part II | Mar 11, 1997 | 7.8 |
| 3 | Trial and Error | Mar 18, 1997 | 7.9 |
| 4 | Part IV | Mar 25, 1997 | 8.5 |
| 5 | Part V | Apr 1, 1997 | 7.9 |
| 6 | Part VI | Apr 8, 1997 | 8.0 |
28 episodes • 1997Avg: 7.8
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reasonable Doubts | Sep 20, 1997 | 7.6 |
| 2 | Betrayal | Sep 23, 1997 | 8.2 |
| 3 | The Blessing | Sep 27, 1997 | 7.9 |
| 4 | Dog Bite | Oct 4, 1997 | 8.0 |
| 5 | First Degree (1) | Oct 11, 1997 | 7.7 |
| 6 | Sex, Lies and Monkeys (2) | Oct 18, 1997 | 7.6 |
| 7 | Search and Seizure | Oct 25, 1997 | 7.6 |
| 8 | The Means | Nov 8, 1997 | 6.9 |
| 9 | Save the Mule | Nov 15, 1997 | 7.5 |
| 10 | Spirit of America | Nov 22, 1997 | 7.7 |
| 11 | Hide and Seek | Nov 29, 1997 | 7.6 |
| 12 | Race with the Devil | Dec 13, 1997 | 7.4 |
| 13 | The Civil Right | Dec 20, 1997 | 7.4 |
| 14 | The Pursuit of Dignity | Jan 3, 1998 | 7.6 |
| 15 | Line of Duty | Jan 5, 1998 | 7.9 |
| 16 | Truth and Consequences | Jan 12, 1998 | 8.1 |
| 17 | Burden of Proof | Jan 19, 1998 | 8.5 |
| 18 | Ties that Bind | Feb 2, 1998 | 7.5 |
| 19 | The Trial (1) | Feb 9, 1998 | 8.1 |
| 20 | Cloudy with a Chance of Membranes (2) | Feb 16, 1998 | 8.4 |
| 21 | In Deep | Mar 2, 1998 | 7.7 |
| 22 | Another Day | Mar 9, 1998 | 7.9 |
| 23 | Checkmate | Mar 16, 1998 | 8.2 |
| 24 | Trees in the Forest | Mar 30, 1998 | 7.5 |
| 25 | Food Chains | Apr 6, 1998 | 7.8 |
| 26 | Axe Murderer (II) | Apr 27, 1998 | 8.0 |
| 27 | Duty Bound | May 4, 1998 | 8.1 |
| 28 | Rhyme and Reason | May 11, 1998 | 7.6 |
23 episodes • 1998Avg: 7.9
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passing Go | Sep 27, 1998 | 7.7 |
| 2 | Reasons to Believe | Oct 4, 1998 | 7.9 |
| 3 | Body Count | Oct 11, 1998 | 8.3 |
| 4 | The Defenders | Oct 18, 1998 | 8.0 |
| 5 | The Battlefield | Oct 25, 1998 | 7.9 |
| 6 | One of Those Days | Nov 8, 1998 | 8.2 |
| 7 | Trench Work | Nov 15, 1998 | 8.5 |
| 8 | Swearing In | Nov 29, 1998 | 7.6 |
| 9 | State of Mind | Dec 6, 1998 | 7.6 |
| 10 | Love and Honor | Dec 13, 1998 | 8.1 |
| 11 | Split Decisions | Jan 3, 1999 | 7.5 |
| 12 | A Day in the Life | Jan 10, 1999 | 7.0 |
| 13 | Judge and Jury | Jan 17, 1999 | 7.4 |
| 14 | Of Human Bondage | Feb 7, 1999 | 7.4 |
| 15 | Lawyers, Reporters and Cockroaches | Feb 21, 1999 | 7.7 |
| 16 | End Games | Feb 28, 1999 | 8.6 |
| 17 | Target Practice | Mar 7, 1999 | 7.8 |
| 18 | Crossfire | Mar 14, 1999 | 7.6 |
| 19 | Closet Justice | Mar 28, 1999 | 8.6 |
| 20 | Home Invasions | Apr 18, 1999 | 8.0 |
| 21 | Infected | Apr 25, 1999 | 8.1 |
| 22 | Do Unto Others | May 2, 1999 | 7.7 |
| 23 | Happily Ever After | May 9, 1999 | 8.7 |
22 episodes • 1999Avg: 7.8
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free Dental | Sep 26, 1999 | 7.5 |
| 2 | Boston Confidential | Oct 3, 1999 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Loser's Keepers | Oct 10, 1999 | 8.2 |
| 4 | Legacy (1) | Oct 17, 1999 | 7.5 |
| 5 | Oz (2) | Oct 24, 1999 | 7.6 |
| 6 | Marooned | Nov 7, 1999 | 7.5 |
| 7 | Victimless Crimes | Nov 14, 1999 | 7.7 |
| 8 | Committed | Nov 21, 1999 | 7.8 |
| 9 | Bay of Pigs | Nov 28, 1999 | 7.6 |
| 10 | Day in Court | Dec 12, 1999 | 7.9 |
| 11 | Blowing Smoke | Jan 9, 2000 | 7.5 |
| 12 | New Evidence (1) | Jan 30, 2000 | 8.3 |
| 13 | Hammerhead Sharks (2) | Feb 6, 2000 | 8.7 |
| 14 | Checkmates | Feb 13, 2000 | 8.2 |
| 15 | Race Ipsa Loquitor | Feb 20, 2000 | 7.2 |
| 16 | Settling | Mar 12, 2000 | 7.4 |
| 17 | Black Widows | Apr 2, 2000 | 7.8 |
| 18 | Death Penalties | Apr 9, 2000 | 7.8 |
| 19 | Till Death Do Us Part (1) | Apr 30, 2000 | 7.9 |
| 20 | Liberty Bells (2) | May 7, 2000 | 8.8 |
| 21 | The Honorable Man | May 14, 2000 | 7.6 |
| 22 | Life Sentence | May 21, 2000 | 8.1 |
22 episodes • 2000Avg: 7.9
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summary Judgments | Oct 8, 2000 | 7.6 |
| 2 | Germ Warfare | Oct 15, 2000 | 7.7 |
| 3 | Officers of the Court | Oct 22, 2000 | 7.8 |
| 4 | Appeal and Denial | Oct 29, 2000 | 7.7 |
| 5 | We Hold These Truths... | Nov 5, 2000 | 7.8 |
| 6 | Show and Tell | Nov 12, 2000 | 7.6 |
| 7 | Brothers' Keepers | Nov 19, 2000 | 7.3 |
| 8 | Mr. Hinks Goes to Town | Nov 26, 2000 | 8.9 |
| 9 | The Deal | Dec 10, 2000 | 8.5 |
| 10 | Friends and Ex-Lovers | Dec 17, 2000 | 8.1 |
| 11 | An Early Frost | Jan 7, 2001 | 7.8 |
| 12 | Payback | Jan 14, 2001 | 8.0 |
| 13 | The Thin Line | Feb 4, 2001 | 8.0 |
| 14 | The Day After (I) | Feb 11, 2001 | 7.5 |
| 15 | Awakenings | Feb 18, 2001 | 7.4 |
| 16 | Gideon's Crossover | Mar 11, 2001 | 7.5 |
| 17 | What Child is This? | Mar 18, 2001 | 7.6 |
| 18 | The Confession | Apr 1, 2001 | 7.8 |
| 19 | Home of the Brave | Apr 22, 2001 | 7.4 |
| 20 | The Case of Harland Bassett | Apr 29, 2001 | 8.9 |
| 21 | Poor Richard's Almanac | May 6, 2001 | 8.7 |
| 22 | Public Servants | May 13, 2001 | 8.4 |
23 episodes • 2001Avg: 7.7
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Candidate (1) | Sep 23, 2001 | 8.4 |
| 2 | The Candidate (2) | Sep 23, 2001 | 7.7 |
| 3 | Killing Time | Sep 30, 2001 | 8.0 |
| 4 | Liar's Poker | Oct 7, 2001 | 7.6 |
| 5 | Vanished (1) | Oct 14, 2001 | 7.8 |
| 6 | Vanished (2) | Oct 21, 2001 | 8.3 |
| 7 | Honor Code | Nov 18, 2001 | 8.3 |
| 8 | Suffer the Little Children | Nov 25, 2001 | 6.8 |
| 9 | Dangerous Liaisons | Dec 2, 2001 | 7.1 |
| 10 | Inter Arma Silent Leges | Dec 9, 2001 | 7.6 |
| 11 | Eyewitness | Jan 6, 2002 | 7.7 |
| 12 | The Test | Jan 13, 2002 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Pro Se | Feb 10, 2002 | 7.8 |
| 14 | Judge Knot | Feb 17, 2002 | 7.2 |
| 15 | Man and Superman | Feb 24, 2002 | 7.3 |
| 16 | M. Premie Unplugged | Mar 10, 2002 | 7.5 |
| 17 | Manifest Necessity | Mar 17, 2002 | 7.3 |
| 18 | Fire Proof | Apr 7, 2002 | 7.7 |
| 19 | The Return of Joey Heric | Apr 14, 2002 | 7.4 |
| 20 | Eat and Run | May 5, 2002 | 7.6 |
| 21 | Evil-Doers | May 12, 2002 | 7.9 |
| 22 | This Pud's for You | May 19, 2002 | 7.8 |
| 23 | The Verdict | May 19, 2002 | 8.0 |
22 episodes • 2002Avg: 7.5
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Privilege | Sep 29, 2002 | 7.7 |
| 2 | Convictions | Oct 6, 2002 | 7.7 |
| 3 | Of Thee I Sing | Oct 13, 2002 | 7.9 |
| 4 | The Cradle Will Rock | Oct 20, 2002 | 7.1 |
| 5 | Neighboring Species | Nov 3, 2002 | 7.5 |
| 6 | The Telltale Nation | Nov 10, 2002 | 7.4 |
| 7 | Small Sacrifices | Nov 17, 2002 | 7.5 |
| 8 | Bad to Worse | Dec 1, 2002 | 7.2 |
| 9 | The Good Fight | Dec 8, 2002 | 7.5 |
| 10 | Silent Partners | Dec 15, 2002 | 7.7 |
| 11 | Down The Hatch (1) | Jan 27, 2003 | 7.7 |
| 12 | Final Judgment (2) | Feb 3, 2003 | 8.0 |
| 13 | Character Evidence | Feb 10, 2003 | 7.3 |
| 14 | The Making of a Trial Attorney | Mar 3, 2003 | 7.7 |
| 15 | Choirboys (1) | Mar 10, 2003 | 7.7 |
| 16 | Special Deliveries (2) | Mar 24, 2003 | 7.3 |
| 17 | Burnout | Mar 24, 2003 | 7.1 |
| 18 | Capitol Crimes | Mar 31, 2003 | 7.0 |
| 19 | Les Is More | Apr 7, 2003 | 6.8 |
| 20 | Heroes and Villians | Apr 21, 2003 | 7.2 |
| 21 | Baby Love (1) | May 5, 2003 | 7.7 |
| 22 | Goodbye (2) | May 5, 2003 | 7.5 |
22 episodes • 2003Avg: 7.7
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | We the People | Sep 28, 2003 | 7.5 |
| 2 | The Chosen (1) | Oct 5, 2003 | 7.6 |
| 3 | Cause of Action (2) | Oct 12, 2003 | 7.6 |
| 4 | Blessed Are They (3) | Oct 19, 2003 | 7.2 |
| 5 | The Heat of Passion (1) | Oct 26, 2003 | 7.4 |
| 6 | The Lonely People (2) | Nov 2, 2003 | 7.4 |
| 7 | Rape Shield | Nov 9, 2003 | 7.5 |
| 8 | Concealing Evidence | Nov 23, 2003 | 8.1 |
| 9 | Victims' Rights | Nov 30, 2003 | 7.7 |
| 10 | Equal Justice | Dec 7, 2003 | 7.7 |
| 11 | Police State | Jan 11, 2004 | 8.6 |
| 12 | Avenging Angels | Jan 18, 2004 | 7.8 |
| 13 | Going Home (1) | Feb 15, 2004 | 8.0 |
| 14 | Pre-Trial Blues (2) | Feb 22, 2004 | 8.0 |
| 15 | Mr. Shore Goes to Town (3) | Mar 7, 2004 | 8.2 |
| 16 | In Good Conscience (1) | Mar 14, 2004 | 7.7 |
| 17 | War of the Roses (2) | Mar 21, 2004 | 7.8 |
| 18 | The Case Against Alan Shore (3) | Mar 28, 2004 | 8.3 |
| 19 | The Firm | Apr 18, 2004 | 7.0 |
| 20 | Comings and Goings | Apr 25, 2004 | 7.3 |
| 21 | New Hoods on the Block | May 2, 2004 | 7.3 |
| 22 | Cheers | May 16, 2004 | 7.5 |
