The BEST episodes of The District

#1 - Something Borrowed, Something Bruised

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/1/2004

Mannion investigates the murder of two young women, one of whom is identified as Debreno's sometime girlfriend, Maria.

#2 - Hollow Spaces

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/13/2003

Mannion is very disappointed when he finds that the 17-year old boy who got Ella's heart is involved in a robbery of a gas station that ended in the attendant's death. Temple's day turns very sour when the mayor decides to not pick up the court fees after the Lester Richards case. Meanwhile, Nancy and her mom are attacked by car jackers, or are they?

#3 - On Guard

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/21/2004

Mannion wants to believe that it was self-defense when his attractive fencing teacher's husband is killed at her studio. Meanwhile, Debreno recognizes a suspect in a drug case as his childhood friend who convinced Debreno to go into the Police Academy.

#4 - Ella Mae

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/10/2003

After beloved Ella Farmer dies unexpectedly, all the members of the police district pay a tribute to her, remembering all the hard work and effort she put in her job. They pray together and miss her, knowing she'll be forever in their heart, and that no one can ever replace her as Mannion's right arm.

#5 - Ten Thirty-Three

Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/24/2004

Mannion investigates of the murder of a young illegal immigrant leads to the discovery of a car theft ring run by a teenage gang that is selling cars as far away as El Salvador.

#6 - Open Season

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/1/2004

Mannion's determination to crack down on gangs puts Noland in the line of fire where he's shot and critically wounded.

#7 - Family Values

Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/28/2004

#8 - D.C. Confidential

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/14/2004

#9 - a.k.a.

Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/7/2004

People in the witness protection program become victims, and the team sets out on the case to find the killer. Meanwhile, Chief Mannion gets a specialty sandwich named after him, which then becomes ""hard to swallow.""

#10 - Small Packages

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/14/2002

On Christmas Eve, Temple and Debreno hunt for three dwarfs disguised as elves who robbed a mission truck and were responsible for other thefts in the area, a billy goat who was part of a real-life nativity scene goes missing, Mannion is determined to fulfill ""Santa's"" promise to an 8 year old boy; Parras becomes attached to an abandoned newborn, and Ella has a gift-giving mix-up.

#11 - Resurrection (1)

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/28/2002

The third-season opener picks up where the sophomore year ended, with Mannion struggling for his life after being shot on his boat and falling overboard into the Potomac River. As he tries to pull himself ashore, his would-be assassin — the daughter of a Russian mobster — flees the scene and is hit by a car. While the accident brings to light the fact that Mannion is missing, the chief keeps his survival a secret so he can figure out who's behind the shooting. Deputy chief Noland is immediately pressured to solve the case by an aggressive U.S. attorney general, while a new press secretary tries to keep matters from spinning out of control.

#12 - Cop Hunt

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/1/2001

A woman who was driving home late at night is found beaten and raped after being stopped by a police officer for a traffic violation. After talking to the woman, Mannion discovers that this is the latest in a series of attacks allegedly perpetrated by a police officer. Now, after Mannion conducts an internal investigation of his officers and fingers start pointing at Cutter, Debreno is thrown for a loop when his estranged wife (Farentino) informs him that she was attacked in the same exact way. Meanwhile, Preston Kembridge, a mayoral candidate, tempts Nick with an offer to run his campaign. (from CBS)

#13 - The Project

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/2001

After a women is stabbed to death outside her apartment building, and no witnesses are willing to speak to the police, Mannion moves in, hoping to gain the residents' trust. The housing project has been a dangerous place to live for a long time and the residents are weary of the police, who never seem to be there when they need them. Now, Mannion must convince them that this is not a media stunt -- he honestly wants to make their lives safer -- and that they need to speak up before the killer strikes again. (from CBS)

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

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/13/2001

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.

#15 - To Serve and Protect

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/27/2001

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.

#16 - Thursday

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/15/2001

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)

#17 - Untouchable

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/25/2003

One of Vanessa Cavanaugh's students commits what she taught to be a perfect murder. No evidence, no witnesses. After the murder confesses to Temple and Debreno his crime, he starts to play with Mannion, who can't seem to charge him since the confession wasn't recorded. Mannion is out to get him for the murder of the father of 3 children and ends up finding a way to link the suspect to the murder scene. Meanwhile, Parras works on a Jane Doe case and finds the victim's estranged mother; and Kendall finds it difficult to end her relationship with a married man.

#18 - Blindsided

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/8/2003

While in L.A. Mannion unexpectedly meets up with Vanessa Cavanaugh and offers her a ride. Unfortunately the rental care is carjacked and the pair find themselves stranded in a deserted part of town after they get carjacked. Back in Washington, Deputy Mayor Lockhart asks Debreno to help her find a blackmailer who has a scandalous videotape that could destroy her career; Kendall is threatened by her ex-boyfriend; and Ella is offered a job by the mayor.

#19 - The Voice Inside

Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/20/2003

#20 - Breath of Life

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/17/2004

An officer is hit by a car, and his partner is suspected of not giving him CPR, because the officer down is gay. The car in connection with the hit-and-run is traced to students performing lewd sexual acts without their victims' knowledge, then posting the videos on the internet.

#21 - Shades of Gray

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/20/2002

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.

#22 - Party Favors

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/24/2004

A staffer is found to have hung herself because she was about to reveal names of top officials who were trading votes for sexual favors. The reporter to whom she was to reveal the news also has something of a history with Chief Mannion's family. Also, a school teacher fights for health care reforms for students and families.

#23 - Foreign Affair

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/6/2001

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.

#24 - The Black Widow Maker

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 4/2/2004

Mannion gets involved in a local murder investigation when he travels to a small town to fight a warrant for his arrest for a traffic violation. Meanwhile Temple and Debreno look into the disappearance of an armored truck owned by the company the Temple works for part time.

#25 - Twist of Hate

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/26/2002

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)