The BEST episodes of Crime Story season 1

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

Chicago police lieutenant Mike Torello (Dennis Farina) wages an epic battle against organized crime in Michael Mann's arresting combination of cops and robbers, prime time soap, and film noir. Like Eliot Ness and the Untouchables, Torello and his Major Crimes Unit (MCU) have a formidable opponent in Ray Luca (Anthony Dennison), a young, ambitious thug who'll do whatever it takes to claw his way to the top.

Last Updated: 3/13/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
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The Pinnacle
star
9.40
5 votes

#1 - The Pinnacle

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/27/1987

Luca's greedy ploy to take over another casino puts his entire gambling empire in jeopardy.

Directors: John Nicolella
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Old Friends, Dead Ends
star
8.88
8 votes

#2 - Old Friends, Dead Ends

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/4/1986

Torello confronts his new friend, now laundering money for the Mob. Federal investigators indict Luca and Bartoli.

Directors: Bobby Roth
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Battle of Las Vegas
star
8.86
7 votes

#3 - The Battle of Las Vegas

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/6/1987

To take over Las Vegas casinos, Luca murders the head of a resort-workers union to put his own man in the position.

Directors: Aaron Lipstadt
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Strange Bedfellows
star
8.83
6 votes

#4 - Strange Bedfellows

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/26/1986

Holman ideintifies Torello as a dirty cop to Breitel. After an attempt on his life, Luca takes refuge in Florida.

Directors: Francis Delia
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Crime Pays
star
8.67
6 votes

#5 - Crime Pays

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/5/1986

Mike Torello's obsessive pursuit of Ray Luca is recalled through flashbacks. Guest stars Michael Madsen, Lorraine Bracco.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Fatal Crossroads (aka Fortune in Men's Eyes)
star
8.50
6 votes

#6 - Fatal Crossroads (aka Fortune in Men's Eyes)

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/9/1987

Torello is subpoenaed to testify for Luca. An enraged Abrams jumps to Torello's defense. Luca orders Torello and Abrams killed.

Directors: Gary Sinise
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Top of the World (aka The King in a Cage)
star
8.50
6 votes

#7 - Top of the World (aka The King in a Cage)

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/6/1987

Luca's jubilation over his growing business turns to fear that his associates are setting him up. Luca's insatiable lust for violence proves his undoing when he rapes Pauli's girlfriend. Pauli testifies for the prosecution in Luca's trial.

Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Kingdom of Money
star
8.44
9 votes

#8 - The Kingdom of Money

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/30/1987

Torello and Krychek join the Federal Task Force planning to raid Luca's new gambling business in Las Vegas.

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The Survivor
star
8.33
6 votes

#9 - The Survivor

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/13/1987

Torello falls in love with a Justice Attorney's former wife, only to find out that the attorney has been molesting his adopted daughter. Molestation charges jeopardizes the Unit's investigation of Luca.

Directors: Alan Myerson
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Abrams for the Defense
star
8.31
16 votes

#10 - Abrams for the Defense

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/14/1986

Attorney Abrams falls for a reporter helping him defend a tenant accused of assaulting a slum landlord.

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Hide and Go Thief
star
8.25
8 votes

#11 - Hide and Go Thief

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/12/1986

Indelli and Krychek must deal with a tense hostage situation. Torello travels to Indiana to make his move on Frank Holman.

Directors: Francis Delia
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St. Louis Book of Blues
star
8.25
16 votes

#12 - St. Louis Book of Blues

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/30/1986

Mobsters support Luca's nationwide gambling scheme. A publicity-seeking sheriff hampers Torello's arrest of one of Luca's men.

Directors: Leon Ichaso
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Torello on Trial
star
8.14
7 votes

#13 - Torello on Trial

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/16/1987

Breitel brutally cross-examines Torello. Acquitted Luca moves to Las Vegas. Torello gets a new assignment.

Directors: Gary Sinise
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The War
star
8.12
17 votes

#14 - The War

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/7/1986

A book intercepted by Torello jeopardizes Luca's nationwide gambling operation. The Torellos meet with tragedy.

Directors: Leon Ichaso
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pursuit of a Wanted Felon
star
8.06
17 votes

#15 - Pursuit of a Wanted Felon

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/28/1986

Conflict ruins the Torello's weekend trip. Luca situates in Las Vegas. Bigots target Abrams's relationship with Susan.

Directors: Aaron Lipstadt
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Shadow Dancer
star
8.00
22 votes

#16 - Shadow Dancer

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/26/1986

Torello gains a major advantage when one of Luca's burglars is connected to a robbery-homicide of a coin collector's wife. Torello finds out Julie is pregnant.

Directors: Leon Ichaso
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For Love or Money
star
8.00
9 votes

#17 - For Love or Money

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/5/1986

Divorced Torello finds comfort with Inger. The Crime Unit nabs Luca's jewelry-heist team. Torello's best friend supplies the Mob with capital.

Directors: Bobby Roth
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pilot (2)
star
7.86
22 votes

#18 - Pilot (2)

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/18/1986

Here we meet the three major players of the series: Lt. Mike Torrello, head of Chicago's Major Crime Unit(MCU); Ray Luca, a young hood about to make his mark on the underworld; and David Abrams, an idealistic public defender trying to bury his Mob-connected roots. As the story unfolds Torrello is working with Abrams to bring down members of Chicago's underworld while Luca is taken under the wing of Manny Weisbord; one of Chicago's most powerful crime figures. As events proceed Torrello and Luca each become aware of the other's existence. Torello realizes that there is a new player that he must bring down.

Directors: Abel Ferrara
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Pilot (1)
star
7.84
81 votes

#19 - Pilot (1)

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1986

Here we meet the three major players of the series: Lt. Mike Torrello, head of Chicago's Major Crime Unit(MCU); Ray Luca, a young hood about to make his mark on the underworld; and David Abrams, an idealistic public defender trying to bury his Mob-connected roots. As the story unfolds Torrello is working with to bring down members of Chicago's underworld while Luca is taken under the wing of Manny Weisbord; one of Chicago's most powerful crime figures. As events proceed Torrello and Luca each become aware of the other's existence. Torello realizes that there is a new player that he must bring down.

Directors: Abel Ferrara
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Final Transmission
star
7.77
26 votes

#20 - Final Transmission

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/19/1986

With Torello's MCU hunting a psychopath, Luca plots jewel heists and the takeover of a sports-gambling operation.

Directors: Leon Ichaso
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Justice Hits the Skids
star
7.60
10 votes

#21 - Justice Hits the Skids

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/11/1986

Devastated by Kehoe's death, Torello stonewalls Breitel's federal investigation. Abrams joins the MCU on the street.

Directors: Mario Di Leo
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Ground Zero
star
0.00
0 votes

#22 - Ground Zero

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/13/1987

After his murder mistrial, Luca clashes with a crime kingpin over plans to split up control of the sinking Luca gambling empire. Pauli changes his mind and rescues Luca from Torello as they hide in a house in the desert, a target site for nuclear testing.

Watch Now:Amazon