The BEST episodes of Adam-12 season 1

Every episode of Adam-12 season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Adam-12 season 1!

Follow two Los Angeles police officers as they patrol the streets of Southern California. Adam-12 was the first series to realistically portray the joys/frustrations of being a police officer in the late 1960's-early 1970's. This attention to detail made the show a catalyst for uncounted numbers of people to enter public service as adults. "1-Adam-12" was the radio call number of the unit that Malloy & Reed worked: "1" was the division assigned, "Adam" was LA Phonetic for "A" designating a 2-person patrol unit, and "12" was the beat area assigned. (Although, Malloy & Reed could be seen patrolling the streets anywhere in L.A. from Downtown to the Valley, they retained the number division #1, no matter where they were). The police station used throughout the series was the newly-built (at the time) Rampart Station.

Last Updated: 8/17/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
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Log 033: It All Happened So Fast
star
8.48
56 votes

#1 - Log 033: It All Happened So Fast

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/1/1969

It's been a long night of patrol for Malloy and Reed. Just as the two tired officers are headed to the station to turn in for the night, shots are fired at the patrol car. In the blink of an eye, Reed kills whom he believes was the gunman. Back at the station, Reed undergoes a night of intensive questioning from the captain and lieutenant, as part of the superior officers' investigation into the incident. Much like the Dragnet episode, "The Shooting Board", this episode highlights how seriously the LAPD takes all officer-involved shootings. It also takes pains to show the difficulty most officers have when forced to take a life in the line of duty for the first time.

Writer: Preston Wood
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Log 011: It's Just a Little Dent, Isn't It?
star
7.73
98 votes

#2 - Log 011: It's Just a Little Dent, Isn't It?

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/1968

Officers Malloy and Reed are involved in a high speed chase, a murder case and a family dispute as they work the P.M. watch. Reed worries all evening that the small dent in the fender he caused while backing the car up for fuel might lead to termination, since he is still on probation.

Writer: Preston Wood
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 122: The Thief Who Stole Christmas
star
7.44
54 votes

#3 - Log 122: The Thief Who Stole Christmas

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/21/1968

On Christmas eve Reed and Malloy make rounds distributing police department donation packages to needy families, and pull many heartstrings.

Writer: Preston Wood
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Log 101: Someone Stole My Lawn
star
7.44
55 votes

#4 - Log 101: Someone Stole My Lawn

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1968

Reed gets Malloy to agree to an early dinner when his wife puts him on a low-cal diet. However, one after another event prevents them from going code 7 all night long. Events include the theft of a man's sod, stolen credit cards, and a suspected car theft.

Writer: Tom Dunphey
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 012: He Was Trying to Kill Me
star
7.40
48 votes

#5 - Log 012: He Was Trying to Kill Me

Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/15/1969

A "child-left-alone" call turns up a horrifying case of child neglect. A 6-year-old girl is left home with her baby brother and both parents are unable to provide for their children.

Writer: Robert Holt
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Log 132: The Producer
star
7.37
54 votes

#6 - Log 132: The Producer

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/30/1968

Reed tries to pawn off his new litter of puppies to co-workers, strangers, even victims. The officers work a silent alarm, rescue a boy with his head stuck in a fence, and track down a prowler.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
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Log 111: Snake in the Trunk
star
7.37
54 votes

#7 - Log 111: Snake in the Trunk

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/7/1968

Officers Reed and Malloy have to break apart a couple of feuding neighbors, attempt to find a stolen car with a boa constrictor in the trunk, and effect a rescue of two people from a house on fire.

Writer: Preston Wood
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 102: We Can't Just Walk Away from It
star
7.34
47 votes

#8 - Log 102: We Can't Just Walk Away from It

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/1/1969

A teenager is threatening to commit suicide and Malloy and Reed try to talk the troubled youth out of it.

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Log 061: The Runaway
star
7.34
50 votes

#9 - Log 061: The Runaway

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/14/1968

When officers Reed and Malloy get to a communal house occupied by hippies, they find a young girl, who has run away from home, extremely sick from narcotic use.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Writer: Neil Nosseck
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 062: Grand Theft Horse?
star
7.33
54 votes

#10 - Log 062: Grand Theft Horse?

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/18/1969

Reed and Malloy assist park rangers in catching a horse thief, a homesick Texan who was high on drugs at the time. The officers then chase two gunmen in a high speed pursuit.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 172: Boy, The Things You Do for the Job
star
7.32
44 votes

#11 - Log 172: Boy, The Things You Do for the Job

Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/22/1969

Malloy writes a young woman a traffic ticket and then is bombarded with attention and affection, all of which he doesn't want.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 001: The Impossible Mission
star
7.31
91 votes

#12 - Log 001: The Impossible Mission

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1968

Pilot Episode: Working out of a patrol car designated "Adam-12," Officers Malloy and Reed perform a typical day's work, which includes a high speed auto-chase, the capture of two robbers, and an emergency call to save a suffocating baby. Malloy decides to turn in his badge after his young partner was killed a few weeks earlier. But at the end of the shift, he comes around and decides that he can't let inexperienced Jim Reed loose on another officer, so he decides not to leave the force.

Directors: Jack Webb
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Log 131: Reed, the Dicks Have Their Job and We Have Ours
star
7.30
66 votes

#13 - Log 131: Reed, the Dicks Have Their Job and We Have Ours

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1968

Officers Malloy and Reed assist a young mother whose baby is threatened by a deranged man and they help a woman being harassed by a spiteful neighbor.

Writer: Preston Wood
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone
star
7.30
44 votes

#14 - Log 152: A Dead Cop Can't Help Anyone

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/8/1969

Malloy and Reed respond to a domestic disturbance, involving a man with a gun, with Officer Wells and his partner arrive on the scene as their backup. Not wanting to wait to follow proper procedure, Wells barges into the apartment, nearly getting shot to arrest the man. Afterwards, at the station, Wells brags about how criminals need to be put in their place and the police can't let them get away with anything. Concerned that rookie partner Reed may be picking up on Wells' habits, Malloy confronts Wells, telling him he is a negative influence on the younger officers and that, unless asked in the future, he is not to respond to their calls. Back on patrol, Reed tells Malloy how impressed he was with Wells handling of the situation. Malloy tells Reed, that in that situation, a dead cop is no help to the public or their partner. However, Wells' reckless habits catch up with him, when on a similar call as earlier, he again rushes toward the front door of the residence and is shot.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 081: The Long Walk
star
7.29
52 votes

#15 - Log 081: The Long Walk

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/4/1969

After roll call, Reed and Malloy provide backup at a robbery, help a lost man return home, handle a call about a prowler, then respond to a silent alarm. Malloy demonstrates for Reed the importance of "officer presence".

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 091: You're Not the First Guy's Had the Problem
star
7.28
68 votes

#16 - Log 091: You're Not the First Guy's Had the Problem

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/1968

Officer Reed learns that a professional officer has to keep their emotions under control; even when confronted with an abusive drunk-driver, right after clearing an "officer down" call & finding his close friend from the Academy critically wounded.

Directors: Alan Crosland
Writer: Preston Wood
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 141: The Color TV Bandit
star
7.28
90 votes

#17 - Log 141: The Color TV Bandit

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/1968

Officers Malloy and Reed attempt to save two small victims of narcotic pills, and then pursue a long-sought burglary suspect in a foot chase.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 032: Jimmy Eisley's Dealing Smack
star
7.22
55 votes

#18 - Log 032: Jimmy Eisley's Dealing Smack

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/11/1969

Reed volunteers to line up entertainment for the department party, just as Malloy needs to serve a subpoena on a famous singer. The team learns of a drug den from their informant and are handed the bust when detectives are too busy to look into it.

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Log 161: And You Want Me to Get Married!
star
7.21
62 votes

#19 - Log 161: And You Want Me to Get Married!

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1968

Officers Malloy and Reed look for a robbery suspect, help a woman pinned under her crashed car and settle a family dispute, among other duties.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Writer: Preston Wood
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 112: You Blew It
star
7.18
50 votes

#20 - Log 112: You Blew It

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/8/1969

Reed and Malloy make a routine traffic stop on a motorist. Before the NCIC check is completed, the dispatcher broadcasts a domestic dispute call in the two officers' patrol area; Reed and Malloy take the call and let the motorist go. Bad choice; the lieutenant soon calls the two errant officers in to scold them. Turns out the motorist had warrants out for his arrest on robbery and weapons charges. Malloy and Reed then come up with and carry out an ultimately successful plan to nab the wanted criminal.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 072: El Presidente
star
7.17
53 votes

#21 - Log 072: El Presidente

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/9/1968

Malloy teases Reed about calculating the cost of a new house while their first baby is still 6 months away. In the meantime they settle a domestic dispute between arguing neighbors, help a taxi driver that was just robbed, and a local man mistaken as the President by a group of rural Mexicans. Finally, they must arrest a psychotic shooter holed up in his house.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 092: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard
star
7.13
46 votes

#22 - Log 092: Tell Him He Pushed Back a Little Too Hard

Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/29/1969

A couple of neighbors co-own a boat and continually fight over it so Malloy and Reed do their best to mediate this latest rift.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Writer: Preston Wood
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 051: A Jumper - Code Two
star
7.12
49 votes

#23 - Log 051: A Jumper - Code Two

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/15/1969

Not long after an elderly woman insists that Reed and Malloy help adjust her television antenna, the officers are called to a high-rise hotel, where a suicidal man is determined to jump. Malloy incorrectly handles the situation and Mac harshly reprimands him the follow-up investigation.

Directors: Harry Morgan
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 073: I'm Still a Cop
star
7.04
51 votes

#24 - Log 073: I'm Still a Cop

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/22/1969

Malloy is a part-time student at a local college, where he suddenly finds himself in the middle of of a riot.

Directors: Phil Rawlins
Watch Now:Apple TV
Log 071: I Feel Like a Fool, Malloy
star
7.02
58 votes

#25 - Log 071: I Feel Like a Fool, Malloy

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/1968

Among other calls, Officers Malloy and Reed answer a loud noise complaint and discover a teen-age babysitter in desperate need of help.

Directors: Alan Crosland
Writer: Robert Holt
Watch Now:Apple TV