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The Best Episodes of The Chief

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

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The Chief is a British crime drama transmitted on ITV from 20 April 1990 to 16 June 1995. Produced by Anglia Television, it centred on the politics at the top of a typical English police

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Chief Season 4 Episode 7 - Four and Twenty Blackbirds
    7.4/10(6 votes)

    #1 - Four and Twenty Blackbirds

    S4:E7

    Cade's life is jeopardised when a visiting Italian judge falls victim to an assassination attempt.

    Director:Roger Gartland
    Writer:Peter Jukes

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  2. The Chief Season 5 Episode 7 - The End of the Line
    7.4/10(6 votes)

    #2 - The End of the Line

    S5:E7

    Cade's future is in doubt when he comes under fire from the tabloid press.

    Director:Rick Stroud
    Writer:Ian Kennedy Martin

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  3. The Chief Season 4 Episode 1 - In the Wake of Terror
    7.1/10(8 votes)

    #3 - In the Wake of Terror

    S4:E1

    Cade is the subject of public outrage after two terrorist bomb blasts, and, as if that were not enough, his girlfriend leaves him.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Ray Jenkins

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  4. The Chief Season 2 Episode 1 - A Sudden Cause for Demonstration
    7.0/10(7 votes)

    #4 - A Sudden Cause for Demonstration

    S2:E1

    Stafford returns from suspension and is immediately called upon to deal with a series of bomb threats by animal rights activists.

    Director:Desmond Davis
    Writer:Jeffrey Caine

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  5. The Chief Season 1 Episode 3 - Call Sign Bravo
    6.9/10(9 votes)

    #5 - Call Sign Bravo

    S1:E3

    Stafford creates fruther controversy when he intercepts Special Branch papers en route to MI5. Anne, meanwhile, is determined to clear her husband's name following their son's drug bust.

    Director:Brian Farnham
    Writer:Jeffrey Caine

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  6. The Chief Season 1 Episode 5 - Ring O' Ring O' Roses
    6.9/10(8 votes)

    #6 - Ring O' Ring O' Roses

    S1:E5

    A drugs raid goes wrong, and militant university students challenge Stafford's authority.

    Director:Brian Farnham
    Writer:James Fielding

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Chief

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  7. The Chief Season 2 Episode 2 - Walk Home
    6.8/10(7 votes)

    #7 - Walk Home

    S2:E2

    A hitchhiker is kidnapped, and Stafford has to deal with an ensuing siege. Stewart contends with vigilante security guards working on a private estate.

    Director:Desmond Davis
    Writers:Peter Jukes, Jeffrey Caine

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  8. The Chief Season 2 Episode 5 - Deep Breath
    6.8/10(7 votes)

    #8 - Deep Breath

    S2:E5

    Two youths throw bricks from a walkway bridge and hit a police car, killing an officer. Stafford deals with the subsequent unrest on a housing estate.

    Director:Desmond Davis
    Writer:Peter Pallister

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  9. The Chief Season 2 Episode 6 - The Thunder and the Lightning
    6.8/10(7 votes)

    #9 - The Thunder and the Lightning

    S2:E6

    A child playing on a beach is poisoned by spillage from an oil tanker. Stafford is ordered to evict a group of environmental protesters from a ship carrying toxic waste.

    Director:Desmond Davis
    Writer:Peter Pallister

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  10. The Chief Season 4 Episode 2 - The Magician's Key
    6.8/10(6 votes)

    #10 - The Magician's Key

    S4:E2

    Davies discovers that a bogus doctor has been using NHS equipment to carry out his private business. Cade has to organise a massive security operation to protect a royal visitor.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Ray Jenkins

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  11. The Chief Season 4 Episode 10 - Appropriate Force
    6.8/10(6 votes)

    #11 - Appropriate Force

    S4:E10

    Cade is forced to defend his team when an undocumented immigrant dies during attempts to detain him.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Peter Jukes

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  12. The Chief Season 1 Episode 4 - The Great Escape
    6.7/10(8 votes)

    #12 - The Great Escape

    S1:E4

    Stafford must find a solution to the vigilante groups that are emerging in response to a new social menace – crack cocaine.

    Director:Brian Farnham
    Writer:Jeffrey Caine

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  13. The Chief Season 2 Episode 3 - Jack and Jill
    6.7/10(7 votes)

    #13 - Jack and Jill

    S2:E3

    Stafford continues to deal with the siege at the hospital. A female officer resigns from the force, citing sexual harassment. Stewart's husband, Martin, walks out on her.

    Director:Desmond Davis
    Writers:Jeffrey Caine, Brian Clark

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  14. The Chief Season 2 Episode 4 - Take Care
    6.7/10(7 votes)

    #14 - Take Care

    S2:E4

    Stafford considers whether to allow the screening of a controversial documentary about BSE. Stewart gets into hot water.

    Director:Desmond Davis
    Writer:Jeffrey Caine

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  15. The Chief Season 1 Episode 6 - For Whom the Bell Tolls
    6.5/10(7 votes)

    #15 - For Whom the Bell Tolls

    S1:E6

    Stafford's conflict with the Home Office reaches crisis point – and threatens to end his career.

    Director:Brian Farnham
    Writer:James Fielding

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  16. The Chief Season 1 Episode 2 - Daydreamer
    6.4/10(10 votes)

    #16 - Daydreamer

    S1:E2

    As the new Chief Constable, Stafford faces opposition from all sides, and numerous challenges to his authority. The accusation of being soft over the weeding of Special Branch files presents just one...

    Director:Brian Farnham
    Writer:Jeffrey Caine

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  17. The Chief Season 4 Episode 3 - Hammer and Tongs
    6.4/10(7 votes)

    #17 - Hammer and Tongs

    S4:E3

    Stewart is disillusioned and frustrated when she fails to win the promotion for which she has been fighting.

    Director:Roger Gartland
    Writer:Ray Jenkins

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  18. The Chief Season 3 Episode 2 - Songbird
    6.2/10(6 votes)

    #18 - Songbird

    S3:E2

    Stafford's corruption inquiry reaches a successful conclusion, and the officer who assisted him with the case is appointed as Eastland's new chief constable.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Peter Jukes

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  19. The Chief Season 1 Episode 1 - Crash Course
    6.0/10(11 votes)

    #19 - Crash Course

    S1:E1

    Newly appointed Eastland Police Chief Constable John Stafford is asked to provide police support to a prison where warders have gone on strike in protest at staff shortages.

    Director:Brian Farnham
    Writer:Gerard Macdonald

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  20. The Chief Season 3 Episode 1 - The Time for Change
    6.0/10(6 votes)

    #20 - The Time for Change

    S3:E1

    Stafford becomes Head of Europol, but the position gives him plenty of free time, so the Home Office asks him to tackle corruption within the Metropolitan Police as Alan Cade arrives. Anne has a promotion board for DCC, while also dealing with a major firearms incident in Norfolk.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Peter Jukes

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  21. The Chief Season 5 Episode 1 - Gunfire
    6.0/10(1 votes)

    #21 - Gunfire

    S5:E1

    Cade's attitude on firearms is challenged after an armed robbery on a countryside mansion.

    Director:Tom Cotter
    Writer:Maggie Allen

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  22. The Chief Season 3 Episode 3 - A Long Cold Lonely Winter
    5.8/10(6 votes)

    #22 - A Long Cold Lonely Winter

    S3:E3

    An American gas rig is hijacked on Alan Cade's first day, but will his choice of negotiator pay off?

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Ray Jenkins

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  23. The Chief Season 3 Episode 4 - Seeing Red
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Seeing Red

    S3:E4

    A hospital lab tech implicates a local councillor in illegal practices. When he believes his accusations are being ignored, he dramatically breaks through the cordons during a royal visit to a school concert.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Ray Jenkins

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  24. The Chief Season 3 Episode 5 - The Trust of Justice
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - The Trust of Justice

    S3:E5

    Cade allows an informant to orchestrate a drug deal while investigating a smuggling ring, only to find it led to his death.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writers:Peter Jukes, Ray Jenkins

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  25. The Chief Season 3 Episode 6 - Dealbreaker
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Dealbreaker

    S3:E6

    When Cade is threatened with an investigation over the death of the informer, his team closes ranks. The Home Office, preferring to have a hold on its maverick chief constable, decides not to act.

    Director:A.J. Quinn
    Writer:Ray Jenkins

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Best Episodes Summary

"Four and Twenty Blackbirds" is the best rated episode of "The Chief". It scored 7.4/10 based on 6 votes. Directed by Roger Gartland and written by Peter Jukes, it aired on 2/18/1994. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "The End of the Line".