Episode Hive Logo
Show cover for Martial Law

The Best Episodes of Martial Law Season 1

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

Martial Law is an American/Canadian crime drama that aired on CBS from 1998 to 2000, and was created by Carlton Cuse. The title character, Sammo Law, portrayed by Sammo Hung, was a Chinese law officer and martial arts expert who came to Los Angeles in search of a colleague and remains in the US. The show was a surprise hit, making Hung the only East Asian headlining a prime-time network series in the United States. At the time, Hung was not fluent in English, and he reportedly recited some of his dialogue phonetically. In many scenes, Hung did not speak at all, making Martial Law perhaps the only US television series in history that featured so little dialogue from the lead character.

Genres:Action & AdventureComedyCrimeDrama
Network:CBS

Season 1 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Martial Law" season 1 is "Shanghai Express", rated 8/10 from 94 user votes. It was directed by N/A and written by Carlton Cuse. "Shanghai Express" aired on 9/26/1998 and is rated 0.2 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Diamond Fever".

  • Shanghai Express
    8.0/10 94 votes

    #1 - Shanghai Express

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/26/1998

    Sammo's comes to America to find one of his colleagues from China who has disappeared whilst infiltrating an international car theft ring. Sammo ends up taking part in a cop exchange programme between USA and China.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Carlton Cuse

  • Diamond Fever
    7.8/10 67 votes

    #2 - Diamond Fever

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/3/1998

    Sammo uncovers a diamond counterfeiting and smuggling operation ran by a major Chinese criminal, Lee Hei.

    Director: Rick Wallace

    Writer: Carlton Cuse

  • Dead Ringers
    7.8/10 72 votes

    #3 - Dead Ringers

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/1998

    When fighters start dying in an Internet based all-in-fighting competition the LAPD are called in. Louis goes undercover to see whether or not the fighters are being murdered

    Director: Whitney Ransick

    Writer: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough

  • Funny Money
    7.7/10 65 votes

    #4 - Funny Money

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/17/1998

    With the help of a federal agent Sammo and his fellow officers go after a gang who are counterfeiting money.

    Director: Deran Sarafian

    Writer: Pam Veasey

  • Cop Out
    8.0/10 64 votes

    #5 - Cop Out

    Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/24/1998

    Using his status as a new and unknown member of the LAPD Sammo goes undercover to help the team root out a group of vigilante cops.

    Director: Whitney Ransick

    Writer: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough

  • Extreme Measures
    7.5/10 59 votes

    #6 - Extreme Measures

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/31/1998

    Sammo and his colleagues try to discover the whereabouts a group of White Supremacists armed with heavy weapons.

    Director: David Carson

    Writer: N/A

  • Trackdown
    8.2/10 60 votes

    #7 - Trackdown

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/7/1998

    The murder of a DA leads to Sammo and his colleagues uncovering a lawyer who hires a gang to steal prosecution evidence.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Take Out
    7.8/10 58 votes

    #8 - Take Out

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/14/1998

    A friend of Sammo's owns a restaurant. He refuses to sell to Nathan Babbott, a big businessman, and then gets attacked. To help his friend Sammo begins an investigation into Babbott. Sammo has problems trying to open a checking account at the local bank.

    Director: John T. Kretchmer

    Writer: Patty Lin

  • How Sammo Got His Groove Back
    7.0/10 59 votes

    #9 - How Sammo Got His Groove Back

    Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/21/1998

    Terrell Parker, an LAPD press officer, sees his cousin, a rap artist shot by an assassin. His life saved only by the appearance of Sammo and Louis. Terrell tries to get himself involved in the investigation by partnering up with Sammo. Between them they uncover a CD bootlegging operation.

    Director: Larry Shaw

    Writer: Garrett Lerner, Russel Friend

  • Bad Seed
    7.6/10 50 votes

    #10 - Bad Seed

    Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/12/1998

    Winship discovers that his niece is involved with a Triad gang and assigns Sammo and Tyrell to track her down. Terrell is now part of the department.

    Director: Jesús Salvador Treviño

    Writer: N/A

  • Lock-Up
    8.2/10 51 votes

    #11 - Lock-Up

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/19/1998

    Sammo and Tyrell go undercover to infiltrate a gun-smuggling operation run by prison inmates.

    Director: John Patterson, Kevin Murphy

    Writer: Carlton Cuse

  • Painted Faces
    7.9/10 53 votes

    #12 - Painted Faces

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/9/1999

    Sammo's nemesis, Lee Hei, is back in the US and attempts to assassinate the mayor of Shanghai.

    Director: Whitney Ransick

    Writer: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough

  • Substitutes
    7.1/10 51 votes

    #13 - Substitutes

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/23/1999

    Sammo discovers that a legendary gangster and drugs dealer has left Colombia and come back to Los Angeles, looking for his ex-wife and son.

    Director: D. J. Caruso

    Writer: Patty Lin

  • Wild Life
    7.5/10 55 votes

    #14 - Wild Life

    Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/6/1999

    Sammo and Tyrell try to nail an illegal animal trading and hunting ring.

    Director: Whitney Ransick

    Writer: Garrett Lerner, Russel Friend

  • Breakout
    7.9/10 53 votes

    #15 - Breakout

    Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/13/1999

    A prisoner escapes from jail and goes looking for the $3 million he and his colleagues stole 5 years earlier.

    Director: Deran Sarafian

    Writer: N/A

  • Captive Hearts
    7.2/10 51 votes

    #16 - Captive Hearts

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/20/1999

    Sammo and Terrell pursue a sweatshop proprietor suspected of selling babies.

    Director: Michael Lange

    Writer: Del Shores

  • Trifecta
    7.7/10 50 votes

    #17 - Trifecta

    Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/27/1999

    Billy Rafferty, Terrell's former partner is found murdered. Terrell and Sammo investigate the last case he was working on, working undercover at a racetrack.

    Director: Greg Beeman

    Writer: N/A

  • Big Trouble
    7.8/10 50 votes

    #18 - Big Trouble

    Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/20/1999

    A gang threatens the supermarket owned by Terrell's mum and step dad. He decides that he is going to help them out and enlists Sammo to aid him.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Miles Millar, Alfred Gough

  • Nitro Man
    8.4/10 56 votes

    #19 - Nitro Man

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/27/1999

    During a robbery at Melanie's bank she ends up as a hostage and is kidnapped. Sammo is desperate to find her and save her from danger.

    Director: Greg Beeman

    Writer: Carlton Cuse

  • Red Storm
    8.2/10 53 votes

    #20 - Red Storm

    Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/24/1999

    While waiting at the airport for the arrival of his teacher, Master Reng, from China Sammo gets involved with trying to stop a gang of crazed terrorists.

    Director: Greg Yaitanes

    Writer: Mark Verheiden

  • Requiem (1)
    7.9/10 52 votes

    #21 - Requiem (1)

    Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/1/1999

    Lee Hei and his daughter, Lin Pai Chin, are back in America trying to set up a big drug deal to finance their other criminal activities.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • End Game (2)
    8.1/10 60 votes

    #22 - End Game (2)

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/8/1999

    Lee Hei and his daughter continue to cause trouble for Sammo and his fellow cops. This time though they are told that if they don't catch them then their unit could be shut down.

    Director: Michael Lange

    Writer: N/A