Ep 1. You Call This Plainclothes?

Cagney & Lacey is a police procedural drama that originally aired in the 1980s. The show follows the personal and professional lives of two female police detectives, Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey, as they solve crimes and navigate a male-dominated workplace. Season 1 episode 1 is entitled "You Call This Plainclothes?" and serves as an introduction to the main characters and their working relationship.

The episode begins with Mary Beth Lacey, a married mother of two, reporting for duty at the 14th precinct in New York City. She is fresh off her maternity leave and eager to get back to work. Her partner, Chris Cagney, is already on the job, dressed in a stylish, non-regulation outfit that raises some eyebrows with the male officers. Cagney is a single woman who lives with her father and brother and has a reputation as a bit of a maverick.

The two women respond to their first call of the day, which is a noise complaint at a local bakery. They discover that the bakery's owner, a man named Angelo Carbone, is hosting an illegal poker game in the back room. Cagney and Lacey arrest the players and confiscate the money, but Carbone refuses to give up without a fight. He threatens the officers and their families, leaving Lacey shaken but determined to put him away.

Next, the detectives attend a lineup at the precinct, where a rape victim is asked to identify her attacker. One of the suspects is a man named Mr. Davis, who is represented by a slick lawyer named Arnold Ripner. Cagney and Lacey notice that Ripner seems overly familiar with the victim and press him for more information. Ripner coyly implies that he has some kind of relationship with the woman and suggests that she might be lying about the assault.

Later, the detectives are asked to investigate a series of department store burglaries. They stake out one of the stores and catch the thief in the act. However, when they bring him in for questioning, he claims that he was just trying to steal food for his hungry family. Cagney and Lacey are sympathetic but have to follow the law, and the thief is taken into custody.

The final case of the episode involves a missing person. A young woman named Barbara has disappeared, and her family is frantic with worry. Cagney and Lacey track down the woman's boyfriend, who claims that he had nothing to do with her disappearance. They also learn that Barbara's father is a wealthy businessman who may have had something to do with her going missing. As they dig deeper, they uncover a web of lies and intrigue that eventually leads them to Barbara.

Throughout the episode, Cagney and Lacey butt heads with their male colleagues, who belittle them and question their authority. However, the two women are resilient and determined to prove their worth as detectives. They support each other through their doubts and fears, and their partnership begins to solidify.

"You Call This Plainclothes?" is a solid introduction to the world of Cagney & Lacey. The episode showcases the show's unique blend of humor, drama, and social commentary, as well as its two strong female leads. It also sets up several ongoing storylines, such as Ripner's involvement in the rape case and Barbara's father's possible misdeeds. Viewers are likely to be drawn in by the engaging characters and compelling cases, eager to see what other challenges Cagney and Lacey will face in future episodes.