Dragnet backdrop
Crime•Drama•Mystery

The Best Episodes of Dragnet

Every episode of Dragnet ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Dragnet!

Binge this in 2d 1h•Peaking at 9.0/10

Police Detective Sgt. Joe Friday and his partners investigate crimes in Los Angeles.

Airs on
NBC
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons4

All1234

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Dragnet Season 2 Episode 28 - The Big Problem
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - The Big Problem

    S2:E28

    Community relations is the theme, as Friday and Gannon try to narrow the gap between the Department and the citizens it is sworn "to protect and to serve." The gap is especially wide between African-Americans and the primarily Caucasian LAPD, as demonstrated when a young - and slightly militant - black man barracades himself in his apartment rather than submit to a traffic warrant.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Dragnet Season 3 Episode 27 - Intelligence - DR-34
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - Intelligence - DR-34

    S3:E27

    At a night school alumni party, Joe is approached to join the Fielder Militia, a right wing group. They want Joe to help one of the Militia’s members get a Federal firearms license. Joe works with the ATF to join the Militia to locate Militia’s cache of illegal automatic weapons.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:James Doherty

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 22 - D.H.Q. - Night School
    9.0/10(1 votes)

    #3 - D.H.Q. - Night School

    S4:E22

    Joe is enrolled in night school and busts a classmate for possession of marijuana. The professor threatens to give Joe an F for the bust. He puts removing Joe up for a vote by the class. An unexpected classmate comes to Joe's aid.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 2 - The Big Explosion
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #4 - The Big Explosion

    S1:E2

    A neo-Nazi psycho has planted a bomb somewhere in L.A. Friday and Gannon have to find it.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Robert C. Dennis

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 15 - The Gun
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #5 - The Gun

    S1:E15

    A Japanese widow is senselessly murdered, leaving her small daughter an orphan. Friday has a hard time controlling his emotions while seeking the killer.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Dragnet Season 3 Episode 1 - Public Affairs - DR-07
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #6 - Public Affairs - DR-07

    S3:E1

    Joe and Bill appear on the TV talk show "Speak Your Mind" debating the topic "The Police, Who Needs Them?" with a professor, a hippie, some black power activists, and some (other) disgruntled citizens.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Burt Prelutsky

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Dragnet

    READ
  7. Dragnet Season 3 Episode 8 - Public Affairs - DR-12
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #7 - Public Affairs - DR-12

    S3:E8

    Joe and Bill are assigned to help arrange a press conference for the President of the United States at LAX.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 14 - Burglary - Helpful Woman
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #8 - Burglary - Helpful Woman

    S4:E14

    A woman befriends elderly people and then steals from them. Joe and Bill contact a radio personality and ask to have him talk about the scam. The radio broadcast turns up a lead, and a stakeout is set up where Bill poses as an invalid.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Michael Donovan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 1 - The LSD Story
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #9 - The LSD Story

    S1:E1

    Sergeant Joe Friday and his partner Bill Gannon encounter a freaked-out young LSD user calling himself "Blue Boy"; before long, Blue Boy is "turning on" schoolchildren with the mysterious new drug.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Jack Webb

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 3 - The Kidnapping
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #10 - The Kidnapping

    S1:E3

    Friday and Gannon help an employee rescue her kidnapped boss.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Preston Wood

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 4 - The Interrogation
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #11 - The Interrogation

    S1:E4

    A new officer has been arrested for robbing a liquor store while on an undercover assignment.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Preston Wood

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 8 - The Candy Store Robberies
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #12 - The Candy Store Robberies

    S1:E8

    Friday and Gannon try to figure out a pattern to a series of candy store hold-ups.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Robert C. Dennis

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 9 - The Fur Job
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #13 - The Fur Job

    S1:E9

    Gannon goes undercover as a buyer in order to trap fur theives.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 12 - The Hit and Run Driver
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #14 - The Hit and Run Driver

    S1:E12

    Friday and Gannon use newspapers, radio and TV to seek the public's help in identifying a hit and run driver.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 16 - The Big Kids
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #15 - The Big Kids

    S1:E16

    A gang of juvenile thieves have been stealing petty items in order to gain membership into an exclusive club.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Dragnet Season 2 Episode 4 - The Bank Jobs
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #16 - The Bank Jobs

    S2:E4

    A nervy bank robber uses innocent women to help commit his crimes. Friday and Gannon are nearly sidetracked when one of the victims lies about her involvement and later proves to have a criminal record of her own.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Dragnet Season 3 Episode 22 - Vice - DR-30
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #17 - Vice - DR-30

    S3:E22

    The Captain assigns Joe and Bill to find the location of a high stakes poke operation that has been preying on visitors. Bill and Joe pose as farmers and check into a hotel where an agricultural convention is occurring.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Dragnet Season 3 Episode 24 - Juvenile - DR-32
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #18 - Juvenile - DR-32

    S3:E24

    A child has been bitten by a dog and the child is allergic to the anti-rabies shot. Joe and Bill have less than two hours to locate the dog.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writers:Jack E. Barrett, James Doherty

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Dragnet Season 3 Episode 26 - Frauds - DR-36
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #19 - Frauds - DR-36

    S3:E26

    Someone is embezzling from Summers Department Store by opening up false credit card accounts at the store. Joe and Bill figure it is an inside job and question employees in the credit department.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:James Doherty

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 6 - Juvenile - The Little Pusher
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #20 - Juvenile - The Little Pusher

    S4:E6

    Joe and Bill are working Juvenile Narcotics Division and find a 12 year old under the influence of narcotics. They go to the boy’s school and conduct a class for teachers on how to identify narcotics. They discover that a ninth grader is selling the narcotics in school and find that his father is the source of the drugs.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 11 - Burglary Auto - Juvenile Genius
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #21 - Burglary Auto - Juvenile Genius

    S4:E11

    Burglaries are happening and the thieves are leaving a red cloth at each crime scene. Joe and Bill respond to another break in at a chemical company and a safe company. Joe and Bill stake out the chemical company and catch an unexpected pair of thieves.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Michael Donovan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 15 - Homicide - Who Killed Who?
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - Homicide - Who Killed Who?

    S4:E15

    There is a multiple homicide at a rooming house. When Joe and Bill arrive, they find two dead in the lobby near a broken TV set and the manager has been shot and is near death. The manager mumbles the words "oft one" to Joe as he is taken away to the hospital. Bill and Joe start searching for clues and what the manager's words mean.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Michael Donovan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 16 - Burglary - The Son
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - Burglary - The Son

    S4:E16

    A victim of a burglary calls and tells Joe she forgot to report one of the items that was stolen. A pawn shop reports receiving one of the stolen items and it leads to a drug dealer. He's not the thief, but Joe has him tailed and the dealer leads them to an unexpected person.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Robert C. Dennis

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Dragnet Season 4 Episode 19 - Burglary - The Dognappers
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Burglary - The Dognappers

    S4:E19

    Dogs are disappearing from cars parked at the El Centro shopping center. Joe and Bill suspect that the dogs are being stolen to get a reward for the dogs' return.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Michael Donovan

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Dragnet Season 1 Episode 5 - The Masked Bandits
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - The Masked Bandits

    S1:E5

    Four bandits wearing red masks commit a series of robberies.

    Director:Jack Webb
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"The Big Problem" is the best rated episode of "Dragnet". It scored 9/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 3/28/1968. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Intelligence - DR-34".