The WORST episodes of Kojak

Every episode of Kojak ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Kojak!

Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. Taking the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier it aired on CBS from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978. In 1999 TV Guide ranked Theo Kojak number 18 on its 50 Greatest TV Characters of All Time list.

Last Updated: 3/4/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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Sister Maria
star
6.25
4 votes

#1 - Sister Maria

Season 4 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/15/1977

A vengeful nun tries to bring to justice the gangster who ordered the murder of her sister. (60 mins)

Writer: Ross Teel
The Halls of Terror
star
6.40
5 votes

#2 - The Halls of Terror

Season 5 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/18/1978

Kojak and the detectives go undercover in a local hospital in order to investigate a string of murders that have been occurring while the victims were on duty.

Directors: Edward Abroms
Close Cover Before Killing
star
6.50
8 votes

#3 - Close Cover Before Killing

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/5/1975

Kojak investigates a homicide in which the murder was covered up by a torched building.

Letters of Death
star
6.67
6 votes

#4 - Letters of Death

Season 5 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/13/1977

Anonymous messages begin turning up informing a model that someone close to her is in danger of being murdered.

Law Dance
star
6.75
8 votes

#5 - Law Dance

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/1976

Kojak searches for the killer of a key witness in a prominent murder trial.

Directors: Edward M. Abroms
Caper on a Quiet Street
star
6.88
8 votes

#6 - Caper on a Quiet Street

Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/6/1977

A woman is Kojak's only link to finding $6 million dollars, but her boyfriend (Armand Assante) has other plans.

Directors: Edward Abroms
One for the Morgue
star
6.90
58 votes

#7 - One for the Morgue

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/7/1973

Kojak is suspicious of anonymous tips implicating an underworld boss in the attempted assassination of his rival(Art Metrano).

Directors: Richard Donner
Watch Now:Apple TV
60 Miles to Hell
star
7.00
2 votes

#8 - 60 Miles to Hell

Season 5 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/11/1978

Crocker is taken hostage while trying to transport a prisoner back to New York.

Directors: Gene Kearney
Mouse
star
7.00
4 votes

#9 - Mouse

Season 5 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/21/1978

Kojak encounters a case where a highly respected surgeon may be doing unnecessary surgeries in order to use the money to pay off gambling debts.

Directors: Harvey Laidman
Writer: Art Eisenson
Die Before They Wake
star
7.12
17 votes

#10 - Die Before They Wake

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/6/1974

A prostitute with a drug addiction (Tina Louise)holds the key to solving the murders of her roomate and a local TV reporter.

Directors: Leo Penn
The Betrayal
star
7.14
37 votes

#11 - The Betrayal

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/15/1974

An informant (Paul Anka) uses a detective in order to further his way up the criminal ladder.

Directors: Telly Savalas
Eighteen Hours of Fear
star
7.14
14 votes

#12 - Eighteen Hours of Fear

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/20/1974

A woman (Lynne Marta) who smuggled two twenty dollar plates in her fake cast is running from the man who murdered her boyfriend.

Death is Not a Passing Grade
star
7.17
47 votes

#13 - Death is Not a Passing Grade

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/30/1974

While teaching a criminal justice class at a local college,Kojak embarrasses a student(James Woods),prompting him to leave a stolen item of Kojak's behind at a crime scene in which he commits in order to have the upperhand in future classroom discussions.

Directors: Allen Reisner
Writer: Gene Kearney
Watch Now:Apple TV
You Can't Tell a Hurt Man How to Holler
star
7.18
11 votes

#14 - You Can't Tell a Hurt Man How to Holler

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/27/1974

Kojak suspects that a small-time criminal was framed for a murder, but the man refuses to cooperate when Kojak tries to prove his innocence.

Directors: Seymour Robbie
Writer: Albert Ruben
Dark Sunday
star
7.18
49 votes

#15 - Dark Sunday

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/12/1973

The murder of a car thief yields vital clues to a $500,000 heist.

Directors: Charles Rondeau
Watch Now:Apple TV
Nursemaid
star
7.19
43 votes

#16 - Nursemaid

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/20/1974

Kojak and Crocker must protect a bookkeeper from madmen who will stop at nothing to keep her from testifying in court.

Directors: Jerry London
Down a Long and Lonely River
star
7.19
16 votes

#17 - Down a Long and Lonely River

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/20/1974

A young psychologist goes to Kojak for help after her finacee (Paul Michael Glaser) who is also on parole, attempts to settle an old score with the people who left him to take the fall for the entire crime in which sent him to prison.

Directors: Leo Penn
Once More from Birdland
star
7.22
9 votes

#18 - Once More from Birdland

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/30/1977

A singer(Andrea Marcovicci) is determined to prove her wrongfully imprisoned father innocent after he spends 14 years in prison.

Directors: Nicolas Sgarro
Writer: Gene Kearney
The Corrupter
star
7.23
52 votes

#19 - The Corrupter

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/5/1973

A new staff, including a former model, may be involved in a jewelry store owner's murder.

Directors: Paul Stanley
Watch Now:Apple TV
Conspiracy of Fear
star
7.24
51 votes

#20 - Conspiracy of Fear

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/19/1973

Kojak tries to stall an urban redevelopment project until he can solve a murder.

Directors: Jeannot Szwarc
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Acts of Desperate Men
star
7.24
41 votes

#21 - Acts of Desperate Men

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/12/1975

An accountant assists a sniper (Bruce Kirby Jr.) on a vendetta.

Directors: Jeannot Szwarc
Writer: Gene Kearney
Watch Now:Amazon
Last Rites for a Dead Priest
star
7.24
45 votes

#22 - Last Rites for a Dead Priest

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/23/1974

During a local jeweler's convention, A jewel thief (played by Jackie Cooper)disguises himself as a priest in order to pull off a multi-million dollar heist.

Directors: Joel Oliansky
Writer: Jack Laird
Watch Now:Apple TV
No License to Kill
star
7.25
4 votes

#23 - No License to Kill

Season 5 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/11/1978

Kojak offers to help a jealous police officer search for a professional hit man.

Directors: Ernest Pintoff
Watch Now:Amazon
Wall Street Gunslinger
star
7.29
42 votes

#24 - Wall Street Gunslinger

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/6/1974

Kojak goes undercover as a Greek millionaire to track down the person responsible for the theft of $20 million in securities as well as three murders.

Directors: Richard Donner
Watch Now:Amazon
Web of Death
star
7.29
66 votes

#25 - Web of Death

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/31/1973

A fellow cop Nick Ferro kills his wife's lover and tries to cover it up.

Directors: William Hale
Writer: Jack Laird
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV