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The Best Episodes of The District

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

The Best Episodes of The District

The District is a television police drama which aired on CBS from October 7, 2000 to May 1, 2004. The show followed the work and...

Seasons4

  1. Background image for The D.C. Strangler
    9.0/10(69 votes)

    #1 - The D.C. Strangler

    S1:E11

    Temple leads an investigation to catch a serial killer who is murdering prostitutes, but after viewing the women's mutilated bodies he doesn't know if he's strong enough to see the job through; Mannion comes under pressure to hire a politically correct candidate for a district-commander post.

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  2. Background image for A Southern Town
    8.5/10(37 votes)

    #2 - A Southern Town

    S1:E16

    Mannion goes to New York to attend his ex-wife's wedding — and perhaps stop it; an ex-cop accuses Noland of covering up a case 30 years ago that involved a politician's son.

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    Writer:Pam Veasey
  3. Background image for The Real Terrorist
    8.4/10(35 votes)

    #3 - The Real Terrorist

    S1:E5

    The threat of biological terrorism strikes Washington and Chief Mannion has to arrange almost all his force to search for a potential terrorist. An escapee from juvenile detention murders a taxi driver and a few drug dealers and becomes a big threat once he hides in a public schools, putting in danger hundreds of lives. Temple disguises as a student to catch the killer, in an operation that almost cost Ella the guard of her nephew, if it wasn't for Mannion's interference to the judge.

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  4. Background image for Thursday
    8.4/10(46 votes)

    #4 - Thursday

    S2:E10

    When police officer Robert Turner woke up one Thursday morning, he thought it was going to be just a normal day on the force. However, when a car plunged off a bridge into a river, Turner lost his life while rescuing the family inside. Now, Mannion and his team reflect on the life and death of one of their own. (from CBS)

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    Writer:Linda Gase
  5. Background image for Rage Against the Machine
    8.3/10(32 votes)

    #5 - Rage Against the Machine

    S1:E14

    Mannion attempts to reunite a troubled boy living in foster care with his mother, who is in jail on a drug charge; McGregor tries to prevent a stalker from harming a woman; a female reporter shadows Mannion to write a profile of him; and Temple raises doubts about his upcoming wedding.

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  6. Background image for New World
    8.3/10(26 votes)

    #6 - New World

    S1:E17

    A respected Vietnamese colonel, who is now a successful local businessman, is suspected of running a sex-slave operation using kidnapped Asian girls, one of whom is murdered. Also, Ricky refuses to go to school and he won't tell Ella why; and McGregor's reluctance to publicly acknowledge his relationship with Nancy leads to a confrontation.

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    Director:Jerry Levine
    Writer:Unknown
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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The District

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  8. Background image for Fools Russian (2)
    8.3/10(38 votes)

    #7 - Fools Russian (2)

    S1:E23

    Mannion receives Monya's hand by the mail, an indication that someone is plotting against him. Temple hasn't recovered from his fiancée's death, but Mannion accepts him back on the force. With Mannion under heavy investigation, the mayor has no options but suspend him. Noland steps in as police chief. Noland assigns McGregor and Temple to work directly for Mannion and he decides to run a investigation of his own. Temple, McGregor and Mannion go to a contruction to investigate the Russian mob, since a scheme for money laudry in the value of over 1 billion is discovered. The FBI tapes two unidentified Russians talking about Mannion's murder, and the voices are identified to be Boris' (Mannion's informer) and Putin's (the man the FBI is after). McGregor and Temple see four suspects enter Boris's bar and call Mannion. Temple decides to take action and walks into the bar, despite Jack's order to wait for him. Temple starts a fight with the men, resulting in him being taken hostage by one of

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  9. Background image for Payback
    8.3/10(33 votes)

    #8 - Payback

    S2:E22

    The gangster wars have crossed the limits, leaving a blood trail and innumerous victims. Mannion has Temple working undercovered trying to reach the big boss on the drug dealing schemes. But it's not such an easy road and Temple is forced to try some crack in order to prove he's not a cop. That brings back ghosts from his druggie past, which Temple may no be strong enough to fight again. Meanwhile, Mannion himself interferes with the gangsters, interrogating young 12 year-old Junior about homicides. Later, Parras and Brander are victims of an ambush and are kidnapped by the gangsters. Luckily the police force rescues them before anything happens. Mannion sees no way out but turning to Richard Gray for help. With him, he gets the gang leaders to settle a non-aggression deal. When everything seems to be going back to its places, Temple looks for drug dealers to buy some crack. Ella turns down Clive's proposal to move to Seattle with him, and he decides to stay and marry her. And Mannion

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    Writer:Linda Gase
  10. Background image for Worst Block
    8.2/10(39 votes)

    #9 - Worst Block

    S1:E3

    As Mannion vows to clean up the most crime-ridden block in the city, community tensions rise when Temple is accused of intentionally pushing a police suspect into oncoming traffic.

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  11. Background image for Pot Scrubbers
    8.2/10(32 votes)

    #10 - Pot Scrubbers

    S1:E9

    Mannion goes after a dealer who is supplying drugs to rich executives. Meanwhile, his ex-wife, Sherry, shows up unexpectedly to deliver bad news.

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    Director:Stephen Cragg
    Writer:Pam Veasey
  12. Background image for The Most Dangerous Job
    8.2/10(35 votes)

    #11 - The Most Dangerous Job

    S1:E15

    Mannion vows to better protect cab drivers after a cabbie fatally shoots a passenger he thought was trying to rob him. Also, a new U.S. Attorney stirs up controversy, and McGregor gets jealous when Nancy receives flowers from an unknown person.

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    Director:Rod Holcomb
    Writer:Unknown
  13. Background image for This Too Shall Pass
    8.2/10(28 votes)

    #12 - This Too Shall Pass

    S2:E13

    Page and Debreno investigate the murder of a reporter, and evidence point them to a wheel-chaired man, who claims the victim was already dead by the time he found her. Mannion goes to NY for his daughter's graduation from police academy and has a hard time saying goodbye to Sherri. Meanwhile, Parras meets a charming man on a cab and thinks he might be ""the one"", and Brander confesses his love for her. Ella goes to Ricky's school to check on why he is having problems with his new teacher, and finds out she looks just like his late mother.

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    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for Shades of Gray
    8.2/10(30 votes)

    #13 - Shades of Gray

    S2:E18

    The crime level on District 9 is skyrocketing, and Mannion blames it on Commander Richard Gray, whose performance has fallen under expected. Mannion's actions are recriminated and he is pressured to re-think his decision to fire Gray, but he won't give in. Finally, Gray resigns from his duty, and several cops show their loyalty to him by handing their badges as well. Meanwhile, Officer Parras has to face a performance evaluation when her nightstick breaks on a suspect's face. Later, Ella finds out the sticks are cold sensitive and it wasn't Parras's fault.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for Pilot
    8.1/10(60 votes)

    #14 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Jack Mannion is hired as Washington, D.C.'s new police chief and isinstantly greeted with hostility by the city's top brass, led by chief of patrol Joe Noland, who believes he should have been promoted. Also, this is the Sensitive Beginning of the True, Touching Friendship between Jack Mannion and Ella. This kind of friendship is such a Joy to Watch and we can always use more ""Warming of the Heart"", in these cold facts reality years.

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    Director:Terry George
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for Surveillance
    8.1/10(43 votes)

    #15 - Surveillance

    S1:E4

    Mannion creates departmental strife when he orders a special night shift that will put senior officers out on the streets during peak crime hours.

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  17. Background image for How They Lived
    8.1/10(32 votes)

    #16 - How They Lived

    S1:E6

    The statement on this episode about the Pumpkin Tapes should be on Episode #8

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    Director:Oz Scott
    Writer:Pam Veasey
  18. Background image for The Jackal
    8.1/10(33 votes)

    #17 - The Jackal

    S1:E8

    The city is terrorized by a criminal who stalks elderly people, empties their bank accounts and then kills them; the Mayor comes clean about his sordid past; Ella is asked out on a date, but she's not sure if she should accept.

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    Director:Sandy Smolan
    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for The Santa Wars
    8.1/10(34 votes)

    #18 - The Santa Wars

    S1:E10

    Jack is threatened by an ex-cop who was fired. Ella has to deal with Santas fighting over the hot spots of the city. Jack's suspicious that Nick is seeing his daughter behind his back, when he's in fact trying to work out a way to bring her to see him for Christmas as a surprise. McGregor and Parras continue with their secret affair. A US Senator is arrested for public drunkness and the deputy mayor has to negotiate with Nolan for it not to go public. Expensive video games are stolen and it is discovered the the store owner is behind it to get extra money.

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    Director:Sandy Smolan
  20. Background image for Old Ghosts
    8.1/10(31 votes)

    #19 - Old Ghosts

    S1:E12

    Mannion becomes personally involved in a case after a woman asks him to find her husband; McGregor threatens a former I.R.A. gunman who is in town for peace talks.

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    Director:Oz Scott
    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for Foreign Affair
    8.1/10(30 votes)

    #20 - Foreign Affair

    S2:E2

    Mannion has to handle an international crisis after the son of the Colombian ambassador is discovered to be the main dealer of the heaviest type of heroine yet. Threatened not to do anything about it, Mannion studies the international code for diplomatic immunity and plays around until he gets Eduardo kicked out of school and arrested. Meanwhile, Temple helps a heroin addicted woman; Ella has problems with Ricky after he returns from summer camp; Jack Jr. goes to court for his drug problem and Nancy finds Jack a new assistant.

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    Director:David Jackson
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for The Agony and the Ecstasy
    8.0/10(32 votes)

    #21 - The Agony and the Ecstasy

    S1:E19

    Just as Mannion and his ex-wife, Sherry, are making plans to get back together, their son, Jack Jr., arrives for a visit. He brings his new girlfriend with him and they announce they're taking a year off college to travel through Europe. The problems grow bigger when Jack Jr. is confronted by his dad for using ecstasy and is later arrested at a rave party for possession and traffic. Meanwhile, a kidnapped woman calls from a car's trunk begging for help before she is killed; Nick has to face neighborhood problems at his new house and Parras is confronted and suspended by her superiors after her gun is stolen by a man she picked up at a bar and used to kill a man.

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    Director:Oz Scott
    Writer:Linda Gase
  23. Background image for Lost and Found
    8.0/10(41 votes)

    #22 - Lost and Found

    S2:E1

    Mannion decides to take every missing case as a homicide case after a rich woman is reported missing, which causes some problems among the African-American community. Debreno is introduced as Temple's new partner, who is still recovering from his fiancée and his ex-partner's death. Ella is back at work, still recovering from breast cancer. Nancy considers going back to the streets as she recovers from Danny's death. Mannion investigates the main suspect on Danny's murder, and finds the suspect's apartment full of pictures of him, Sherry and his children. Sherry leaves and an anonymous call leads Jack to discover the suspect's body tied on his boat's anchor.

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    Writer:Pam Veasey
  24. Background image for Night Shift (a.k.a. Back Fire)
    8.0/10(30 votes)

    #23 - Night Shift (a.k.a. Back Fire)

    S2:E3

    Temple and Debreno are working on a carjacking followed by murder case. Parras is suspicious when the victim's fiancé cries but no tears come from her eyes. The case is only solved with the help of a schizophrenic homeless man with multiple identities, who saw the suspect with another man just before the shooting. Temple and Debreno are not getting along, and Mannion has to interfere before Temple (who's much more religious since his fiancee's death, which annoys Debreno) tries to quit. Ella has to handle a strike/budget crisis. Parras is back on the streets and her partner takes it hard when another black man insults him. A snake is left loose around the office.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for To Serve and Protect
    8.0/10(34 votes)

    #24 - To Serve and Protect

    S2:E5

    A construction worker finds the skeleton of a dead boy. He was Noland's last case before promoted - a case that was never solved. Now Noland devotes all his efforts into putting an end to this crime. They finally arrest the boy's mother, who also killed another son of hers. Meanwhile, Mannion tries to change the child abuse scenario in the city. Nick negotiates a possible candidature of Mannion's for the upcoming mayor election. Ella has to fire an old employee but manages to keep him. Parras has trouble dealing with an abusive father that reminds her of her own father, until it is proven that such father never touched his problematic 14 year-old son.

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    Director:Oz Scott
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for Twist of Hate
    8.0/10(25 votes)

    #25 - Twist of Hate

    S2:E12

    After a mosque is vandalized, Mannion questions the mosque president, who reveals that the mosque has been receiving threats. Meanwhile, Temple and Debreno investigate two other hate crimes - both with similar scenarios - involving a rabbi and an African-American respectively. Now, before racial and ethnic tensions escalate, Mannion and his team must get to the bottom of these crimes - unaware that the perpetrator is the last person they would suspect. (CBS)

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    Writer:Unknown

Best Episodes Summary

"The D.C. Strangler" is the best rated episode of "The District". It scored 9/10 based on 69 votes. Directed by Kevin Dowling and written by Hans Beimler, it aired on 1/6/2001. This episode scored 0.5 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Southern Town".