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The Best Episodes of The Rookies Season 1

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

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The Rookies is an American crime drama series that aired on ABC from 1972 until 1976. It follows the exploits of three rookie police officers working in an unidentified city for the fictitious Southern California

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Rookies Season 1 Episode 1 - Concrete Valley, Neon Sky
    7.0/10(63 votes)

    #1 - Concrete Valley, Neon Sky

    S1:E1

    In the introductory episode of the series, the presence of several street gangs contributes to a tension-filled atmosphere. The Rookies are assigned with the challenge of maintaining order amongst the rivaling street gangs, with Willie Gillis arising as the mediator between the gangs.

    Director:Leonard Horn
    Writer:Larry Brody

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  2. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 2 - Dead, Like a Lost Dream
    7.5/10(48 votes)

    #2 - Dead, Like a Lost Dream

    S1:E2

    The division is under investigation for misconduct, following several citizen complaints. When a complaint against African-American Officer Webster contains no racial references despite its strong wording, Webster suspects an impostor, and evidence begins to suggest a police academy washout in uniform.

    Director:Leonard Horn
    Writer:Larry Brody

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  3. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 3 - The Informant
    6.8/10(37 votes)

    #3 - The Informant

    S1:E3

    Officer's Webster and Gillis try to help a young man break away from two thugs who are using him as their wheel-man for robberies they are committing. But when the thugs take his girlfriend hostage it complicates their efforts.

    Director:Leonard Horn
    Writer:Rance Howard

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  4. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 4 - The Commitment
    8.0/10(39 votes)

    #4 - The Commitment

    S1:E4

    Gillis is severly injured during an armed robbery. The doctors inform him that further surgery could leave him paralyzed leaving the police officer not knowing what to do.

    Director:Leonard Horn
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 5 - Covenant with Death
    7.6/10(37 votes)

    #5 - Covenant with Death

    S1:E5

    Against advice of their lieutenant, Webster and Gillis are charmed by Toby Jones (Louis Gossett Jr.) who leads an evangelical church fighting drug use. When Gillis spots Jones fleeing a heroin house bust he uncovers Jones' criminal history.

    Directors:Leonard Horn, Earl Bellamy
    Writer:William Blinn

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  6. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 6 - Time is the Fire
    7.9/10(41 votes)

    #6 - Time is the Fire

    S1:E6

    A young woman, Andrea Sloan, is kidnapped and held for ransom. Complications ensue.

    Director:Earl Bellamy
    Writers:William Blinn, Mark Weingart

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  7. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 7 - The Bear That Didn't Get Up
    8.0/10(35 votes)

    #7 - The Bear That Didn't Get Up

    S1:E7

    Willie struggles to cope with the death of a young man he shot during a break-in who appeared to be unarmed. That is until an unidentified caller gives reason to believe another person might be responsible for his death.

    Director:Jud Taylor
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 8 - Dirge for Sunday
    7.6/10(42 votes)

    #8 - Dirge for Sunday

    S1:E8

    Assigned with the task of protecting a valuable witness, Danko and the Officers must exercise caution regarding visitors to the prison. When a professional killer disguises himself as a professor seeking to interview Sol (the witness), Danko denies him the opportunity. Nevertheless, Danko does agree to help the 'professor' by accompanying him to an aircraft hanger where he claims he is meeting a friend.

    Directors:Leonard Horn, Earl Bellamy
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 9 - The Good Die Young
    7.8/10(36 votes)

    #9 - The Good Die Young

    S1:E9

    After three woman are murdered, the Police Squad takes action. In order to solve the mysterious murders and prevent future ones, the Squad welcomes two women officers to the force, Dawson and Conway. A plan is created which places Dawson and Conway in an apartment complex together, with Webster and Gillis across the hall.

    Directors:Ralph Senensky, Earl Bellamy
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 10 - To Taste of Terror
    8.7/10(47 votes)

    #10 - To Taste of Terror

    S1:E10

    In an effort to prove he's no 'old man', Officer Danko chases down a fleeing criminal. While he succeeds in apprehending the thief, his partners Webster and Gillis fail to catch the criminal's brother, who is also running from the law. Danko testifies in court against the criminal he caught, thereby infuriating the brother who is unassumingly observing in the courtroom.

    Directors:Ralph Senensky, Jerry Jameson
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 11 - A Deadly Velocity
    8.0/10(37 votes)

    #11 - A Deadly Velocity

    S1:E11

    The rookies are given the task of protecting a controversial Army General who has recently returned to the country after serving in Vietnam. The rookies must deal with mob control, as well as actively track down a sniper who hits the General. The rookies most valuable clue is an old army rifle, used in the General's shooting, whose owner the rookies must uncover.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:William Blinn

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  12. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 12 - A Bloody Shade of Blue
    8.4/10(35 votes)

    #12 - A Bloody Shade of Blue

    S1:E12

    Investigating a shooting, the Rookies learn the victim Miller wore a police uniform as a costume. In the next attack, Webster loses his sight temporarily; despite this disability, he helps break the case.

    Director:William F. Claxton
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 13 - A Very Special Piece of Ground
    8.1/10(38 votes)

    #13 - A Very Special Piece of Ground

    S1:E13

    Danko's veteran partner (Earl Holliman) loses his family ranch and unborn son in a single day. Danko doesn't want to add to his woes by reporting on his growing rage on and off the job.

    Director:Jerry Jameson
    Writer:William Blinn

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  14. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 14 - Rabbits on the Runway
    8.5/10(42 votes)

    #14 - Rabbits on the Runway

    S1:E14

    A shady man claims to be the father of a runaway teen who's recently crossed the path of Gills. The rookies set out to find her for him unaware he has lied to them from the start.

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 15 - Tarnished Idol
    8.2/10(35 votes)

    #15 - Tarnished Idol

    S1:E15

    Gills arrests a washed up fighter (Lou Antonio) who's still connected enough to get bailed out in hours. The bitter drunk decides to fire bomb Gills for revenge.

    Directors:Gene Nelson, Leonard Horn
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 16 - Crossfire
    8.0/10(36 votes)

    #16 - Crossfire

    S1:E16

    Webster teams with a jaded and cynical veteran African-American police officer, RC Taylor. Mark Culpepper claims to have seen a crime but Taylor doesn't believe him. At a camp for troubled youth, Mark is targeted by the real perpetrators.

    Director:Leonard Horn
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 17 - Snow Job
    8.6/10(31 votes)

    #17 - Snow Job

    S1:E17

    Country, a small time hood with a cocaine addiction, learns that police HQ is storing a large amount of drugs. He becomes involved to steal the cache before it's destroyed. Webster is taken hostage trying to help Country beat his problem.

    Directors:Gene Nelson, Ralph Senensky
    Writer:William Douglas Lansford

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  18. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 18 - Point of Impact
    7.3/10(26 votes)

    #18 - Point of Impact

    S1:E18

    Terry investigates an old friend's apparently purposeless attack on a cop.

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 19 - Three Hours to Kill
    8.7/10(37 votes)

    #19 - Three Hours to Kill

    S1:E19

    A daring plan is crafted by a convict's wife to release a prisoner from incarceration: an innocent and helpless police officer, who is undergoing surgery, is taken hostage. The rest of the medical staff in the operating room is also put at risk, including Mike Danko's wife, Jill.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 20 - The Wheel of Fortune (a.k.a.) The Wheel of Death
    7.9/10(29 votes)

    #20 - The Wheel of Fortune (a.k.a.) The Wheel of Death

    S1:E20

    Widower father Frank Essex targets a local criminal organization to pay for his son's hospital stay. On the run from both sides of the law, he doesn't know that he's the only donor who can save the boy's life.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 21 - Life Robbery (a.k.a.) Tribute to a Veteran
    7.5/10(31 votes)

    #21 - Life Robbery (a.k.a.) Tribute to a Veteran

    S1:E21

    The rookies try to disengage a robbery network by leaving the undesirable city slums and working in the suburbs. They discover that the main suspect is a dear, old friend of Lieutenant Ryker's. The man is also a special security guard of the community.

    Director:Harry Falk
    Writer:William Blinn

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  22. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 22 - A Farewell Tree from Marly
    8.6/10(35 votes)

    #22 - A Farewell Tree from Marly

    S1:E22

    The rookies are presented with a ""difficult"" court case. While the case is essentially an open and shut, obvious manslaughter conviction, trouble arises: the most important element in the conviction, the only witness, is discovered to suffer from mental retardation.

    Directors:Harry Falk, Lou Antonio
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Rookies Season 1 Episode 23 - Easy Money
    8.3/10(34 votes)

    #23 - Easy Money

    S1:E23

    The rookies may be confronted with a problem worse than the nurse who holds a grudge against all police officers: they discover that her younger brother is associating with thugs who are the organizers of a current neighborhood protection scandal.

    Director:Lou Antonio
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Concrete Valley, Neon Sky" is the best rated episode of "The Rookies" season 1. It scored 7/10 based on 63 votes. Directed by Leonard Horn and written by Larry Brody, it aired on 9/11/1972. This episode is rated 0.5 points higher than the second-best, "Dead, Like a Lost Dream".