The Guardian backdrop
Drama

The Best Episodes of The Guardian Season 1

Every episode of The Guardian Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Guardian Season 1!

Binge this in Unknown•Peaking at 8.7/10

Nick Fallin is a hotshot lawyer working at his father's ultrasuccessful Pittsburgh law firm. Unfortunately, the high life has gotten the best of Nick. Arrested for drug use, he's sentenced to do 1,500 hours of

Airs on
CBS
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons3

All123

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Guardian Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    7.7/10(258 votes)

    #1 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Nick Fallin, a high-powered, high-priced attorney living the good life is brought down to earth when he has to pay the price for his indulgent lifestyle. Busted for drugs, he must now perform 1,500 hours of community service and so Nick juggles his white-collar world of litigation with the not-for-profit world of child advocacy working with Children's Legal Services. Under the supervision of Alvin Masterson, Nick is thrust into the life of Hunter Reed, a young boy who has witnessed the murder of his mother by his father's hand. Back at Fallin & Associates, owned by Nick's father, Burton Fallin, he is dealing with company presidents who are looking to bring their business to Pittsburgh and spoiled dot com kids who want to get rich quick.

    Director:Michael Pressman
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 2 - Reunion
    7.8/10(195 votes)

    #2 - Reunion

    S1:E2

    Nick brings a lawsuit again the pharmaceutical company, Bendaprine, on behalf of Hunter Reed and his mother's estate for 10 million dollars. But, when Alvin Masterson gets wind of it he insists that Nick drop the case, being that it is a conflict of interest. Nick is quick to point out that Alvin took him off of Hunter's case and therefore he is acting within his rights as a lawyer for Fallin & Assoc. Meanwhile, James gets handed a case involving a 12-year-old boy who has been living with his older brother after their mother has been arrested for drugs. Marcus, Andre's older brother, is arrested for selling crack and James tries desperately to find a relative for the boy to act as guardian so the youth won't end up in juvenile detention like his brother. But, Andre doesn't want to be separated from Marcus and even when James succeeds in finding a relative, Andre makes it very clear he will stay with Marcus at all cost � even if he needs to get himself arrested to make it happen.

    Director:Michael Pressman
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 3 - Paternity
    7.6/10(170 votes)

    #3 - Paternity

    S1:E3

    Nick is given the case of a wheelchair-bound boy who is about to be placed in a group home while his mother does time for prostitution. The boy, Lawrence, wants to live with his stepfather, but the man has a criminal record. The state wants him to live at St. Riley's, but Lawrence doesn't want to live among the mentally disabled. Nick thinks the only chance for him is to track down the father, a former customer of the mother's, and sue for child support. But, when the father wants to have more of a relationship with the boy, everyone is caught off guard. Meanwhile, Burton and Nick help out an old friend when his daughter, Rebecca, tries to take over his business.

    Director:Joan Tewkesbury
    Writer:Michael R. Perry

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 4 - Lolita?
    7.6/10(170 votes)

    #4 - Lolita?

    S1:E4

    Nick is taken off of the Hunter Reed case and assigned a case about a fifteen-year-old girl, April Santos, who claims to have been raped by her stepfather, a cop. Nick arranges for her maternal aunt to have guardianship, but Nick soon finds out that all is not what it appears to be and he must go to CLS and admit that he may have placed April in an even more dangerous environment than her home. And at Fallin & Assoc., John Clayton seeks the firm to reorganize his assets at his steel plant. Burton refuses, claiming that there is no money to be made, but Simon discovers that his father has a personal reason for refusing the business � Clayton Steel is the same plant that he worked at as a teenager alongside his father.

    Director:Charles Haid
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 5 - The Men from the Boys
    7.6/10(177 votes)

    #5 - The Men from the Boys

    S1:E5

    Nick encounters problems with his 16-year-old gay gay client, who had been arrested for solicitation, when trying to place the boy with a gay couple rather than in a shelter.

    Director:Peter Levin
    Writer:Peter Parnell

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 6 - Indian Summer
    7.8/10(150 votes)

    #6 - Indian Summer

    S1:E6

    Nick is duped into representing a young woman who lied to him after they spent the night together. After Nick picks up a young woman named Dina at The Incline, they go back to his place for the night. The woman then reveals herself to be an orphaned, underaged girl whose younger sister is about to be placed in a new home where Dina is not wanted. She gives Nick an ultimatum that he must help her get placed in the same family as her sister or risk her going to the police about his underage encounter. He must uncover her true motives or risk the consequences of their ill-fated night together. Meanwhile, Alvin goes to extreme measures, including soliciting a donation from a wealthy socialite, in an effort to raise money after CLS loses its grant and the money runs out.

    Director:Lou Antonio
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 BEST Episodes of The Guardian

    READ
  7. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 7 - Feeding Frenzy
    7.9/10(154 votes)

    #7 - Feeding Frenzy

    S1:E7

    Now that CLS has expanded its circle of operation to include all people needing legal aid, not just minors, Nick is given a case surrounding a retarded man, Malcolm Dempsy, who wants to remain living on his own. Though his mother fears for his safety, his next door neighbor and friend is a drug dealer, she has no proof and therefore the court will not remove him from his apartment. When Eddie, the suspected drug dealer, is murdered, Malcolm is accused of the murder and Nick must work to find the real killer - a search that puts him back in the world of drugs. Far more crucial to Fallin & Assoc. is the fact that Jake has hit another lawyer with his car and faces felony charges if the man dies. Burton Fallin is concerned that Jake's reckless driving has put the firm in danger of being sued and Jake feels the lawyer Burton has hired to defend him is more concerned about what's good for Fallin & Assoc. than what's good for Jake Straka. So, he embarks on his own investigative work to try to clear his name.

    Director:Peter Medak
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 8 - Heart
    8.7/10(228 votes)

    #8 - Heart

    S1:E8

    Nick Fallin finds himself the advocate for a 12-year-old girl, Lesley, who needs to be adopted by foster parents immediately in order to receive a heart transplant. Laurie Solt, a social worker for Legal Services (LS), is having trouble placing her due to the many demands of caring for a child with congenital heart disease. Inspired by Lesley's strength after she learns her current foster parents are unable to adopt her, Nick takes the search on as a personal campaign to save Lesley's life. As hope of finding suitable foster care fades, Nick decides that the only way to save Lesley's life is to become her legal guardian. Nick's supervisor at LS, Alvin Masterson questions Nick's ability to care for Lesley. Eventually, the judge does grant Nick legal guardianship. Meanwhile, one of Burton Fallin's old friends, Harry Josephs is dying of cancer and tells Burton he is challenging the employment contract of Hopeson, Inc., which terminates employment if an employee is unable to work for 90 consecutive days. Hopeson Inc. is a long time client of Fallin & Assoc. and Burton helped finalize the original employment contracts. Burton struggles with the responsibility of fighting for his clients and opportunity to stand by his friend.

    Director:Jeremy Kagan
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 9 - The Funnies
    7.4/10(164 votes)

    #9 - The Funnies

    S1:E9

    Alvin asks Nick to help Barbara after her teenage son is arrested for drug possession. After Barbara's son, Russell, is arrested for drug possession, the charge changes to manslaughter when the teen who was with Russell is found dead from an overdose of the badly manufactured drugs. Now, as Russell maintains his innocence, but refuses to give up his source, Nick must find out whom Russell is protecting before the boy's future is ruined. Meanwhile, Burton asks Nick to help get the copyright for the toy "Bunny - Buddy," which is holding up a multimillion-dollar buyout. However, the eccentric old man who invented it is creating problems for Nick, fearing that the integrity of his creation will now be compromised.

    Director:Lou Antonio
    Writers:Michael R. Perry, Peter Parnell

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 10 - Loyalties
    7.9/10(152 votes)

    #10 - Loyalties

    S1:E10

    Nick defends an Arab American man who appears to be the victim of a hate crime. Wendy Moniz ("Nash Bridges") and James B. Sikking ("Brooklyn South") guest star. Nick gets a new boss at Legal Aid, Louisa "LuLu" Archer (Moniz), and their first case together involves the vandalism of a restaurant owned by the Arab-American and his young daughter. However, things are complicated further when the vandal, who was viciously beaten in self-defense by the restauranteur, turns out to be a teenage boy.

    Director:Arvin Brown
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 11 - Home
    7.9/10(144 votes)

    #11 - Home

    S1:E11

    Nick, now working at another law firm, is reinstated as the guardian of young Hunter Reed, his first case. Polly Draper ("thirtysomething") guest stars Both Nick and his child advocacy boss, Alvin, face Nick's father, Burton, in court. Nick, who is now working for Burton's competitors, Kirk and McGee, faces him when he is reassigned to Hunter -- the young boy who witnessed his father kill his mother -- after Hunter's father's controversial verdict comes in. Meanwhile, Alvin agrees to defend his ex-wife (Draper), for whom he still has some unresolved feelings, in a wrongful termination case, only to realize that the company they are suing is represented by Burton.

    Director:Oz Scott
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 12 - Causality
    7.7/10(139 votes)

    #12 - Causality

    S1:E12

    No description available

    Director:Jeremy Kagan
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 13 - Privilege
    7.8/10(141 votes)

    #13 - Privilege

    S1:E13

    After a rough turn of events at Kirk & McGee, Nick is back at Fallin & Assoc. just as Burton is looking into the case of Susan Newberg, deceased daughter of longtime client and family friend Frank Newberg. What begins as an investigation into Susan's widower Ray Harper, and the $11 million estate left to him, ends in a shocking case of suicide linked to sexual assault. Nick and Burton put their legal licenses and freedom at stake by violating their attorney/client privileges to protect Frank's youngest daughter and victim, 16 year-old. Meanwhile, first-year associate Amanda Bowles walks out of Fallin & Assoc. when Burton disapproves of her volunteer work at CLS.

    Director:Graeme Clifford
    Writers:Michael R. Perry, David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 14 - Family
    8.0/10(138 votes)

    #14 - Family

    S1:E14

    Nick's Aunt Liz visits Burton & Nick and tells them she is dying.

    Director:Andy Wolk
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 15 - In Loco Parentis
    8.0/10(142 votes)

    #15 - In Loco Parentis

    S1:E15

    Nick thinks a woman he helped get her kids, may still use drugs.

    Director:Michael Pressman
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 16 - Solidarity
    7.8/10(129 votes)

    #16 - Solidarity

    S1:E16

    A case that Nick took at Legal Services creates a conflict of interest, James tries to help his nephew.

    Director:Lou Antonio
    Writers:Michael R. Perry, David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 17 - The Divide
    7.8/10(135 votes)

    #17 - The Divide

    S1:E17

    Nick tries to help 2 brothers get adopted, the foster parents want the "gifted" brother. Jake tries to save his dad from losing his house to a loan shark.

    Director:Alan Myerson
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 18 - Mothers of the Disappeared
    8.2/10(137 votes)

    #18 - Mothers of the Disappeared

    S1:E18

    When a mother of a missing child shows up in Nick Fallin's office at Legal Services, he finds himself in the middle of an emotional struggle for closure and justice. Prior to the disappearance of her daughter Grace, Janine McGregor was in a car accident with her for which they were awarded a large settlement. However, since Grace has been missing for 10 years, the insurance company will not release the money. After years of searching for her daughter, Janine believes her only chance to get the money she so desperately needs is to have Grace declared deceased. However, just as a judge is about to sign off on the declaration, Grace unexpectedly reappears saying she had been kidnapped and taken to Europe. Nick encourages Janine to take the necessary steps to verify Grace's identity. However, with nothing but her gut feeling, Janine is convinced that the girl who has returned claiming to be her daughter is really her "Gracie." Meanwhile, Nick and Burton Fallin are faced with the death of a close friend and colleague, Judge Stanton. He was a long-time friend of Burton's and was the judge who presided over Nick's probation. His passing causes Burton to re-evaluate his life and his accomplishments as a lawyer.

    Director:Steven Robman
    Writers:Michael R. Perry, David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 19 - Lawyers, Guns and Money
    7.8/10(126 votes)

    #19 - Lawyers, Guns and Money

    S1:E19

    Trouble gets very deep for Dale (Nick's Parole officer asks for help from Nick. Later LuLu's husband to be is arested. Nick can't tell LuLu. Burton wonders if his son will be on the federal bench.

    Director:Jerry Levine
    Writers:Michael R. Perry, David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 20 - Shelter
    7.6/10(122 votes)

    #20 - Shelter

    S1:E20

    Nick and LuLu find teenagers in her house, after they hear a girl screaming giving birth. They want to keep the baby and soon end up in foster care.

    Director:Steve Gomer
    Writers:Michael R. Perry, David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 21 - Chinese Wall
    7.5/10(115 votes)

    #21 - Chinese Wall

    S1:E21

    Burtton turns his law firm over to Sen. Nathan Calldwell, he gets ready to be a federal Judge.

    Director:Joan Tewkesbury
    Writers:Peter Parnell, David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. The Guardian Season 1 Episode 22 - The Beginning
    8.1/10(128 votes)

    #22 - The Beginning

    S1:E22

    In The Season Finale Burton and Lulu tells Nick damaging information but that deals with a wanted killer. Dr. Reed asks to be his son's (Hunter)Trustee but their future could be in trouble.

    Director:Michael Pressman
    Writer:David Hollander

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "The Guardian" season 1. It scored 7.7/10 based on 258 votes. Directed by Michael Pressman and written by David Hollander, it aired on 9/25/2001. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Reunion".