The BEST episodes of The Guardian

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

Nick Fallin is a hotshot lawyer working at his father's ultrasuccessful Pittsburgh law firm. Unfortunately, the high life has gotten the best of Nick. Arrested for drug use, he's sentenced to do 1,500 hours of community service, somehow to be squeezed into his 24/7 cutthroat world of mergers, acquisitions and board meetings. Reluctantly, he's now The Guardian - a part-time child advocate at Legal Aid Services, where one case after another is an eye-opening instance of kids caught up in difficult circumstances.

Last Updated: 2/4/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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The Beginning
star
8.97
58 votes

#1 - The Beginning

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/21/2002

In The Season Finale Burton and Lulu tells Nick damaging information but that deals with a wanted killer. Dr. Reed asks to be his son's (Hunter)Trustee but their future could be in trouble.

Directors: Michael Pressman
Watch Now:Amazon
Ambition
star
8.74
54 votes

#2 - Ambition

Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/21/2003

Lulu's mom comes to town to offer her daughter a job. Soon Nick learns of Mrs. Novack's bad business practices which causes a problem.

Directors: Duane Clark
Writer: Anne McGrail
Watch Now:Amazon
Shelter
star
8.56
55 votes

#3 - Shelter

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/7/2002

Nick and LuLu find teenagers in her house, after they hear a girl screaming giving birth. They want to keep the baby and soon end up in foster care.

Directors: Steve Gomer
Watch Now:Amazon
Burton & Ernie
star
8.55
49 votes

#4 - Burton & Ernie

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/29/2003

Burton, Lulu & Nick each find themselves in tight spots. Burton tries to stop Shannon from being hurt, Alvin finds Nick & Lulu at the office late Will they still have jobs after Alvin finds out?

Directors: Martha Mitchell
Watch Now:Amazon
Chinese Wall
star
8.55
55 votes

#5 - Chinese Wall

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/14/2002

Burtton turns his law firm over to Sen. Nathan Calldwell, he gets ready to be a federal Judge.

Directors: Joan Tewkesbury
Watch Now:Amazon
What It Means to You
star
8.50
50 votes

#6 - What It Means to You

Season 2 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/22/2003

Nick & Lulu get closer in their relationship, but can they keep their feelings for each other hidden as they argue a case in court or will the case push them apart? Burton takes on a new role as a foster parent after Shannon loses her mother.

Directors: Jerry London
Watch Now:Amazon
The Dead
star
8.43
61 votes

#7 - The Dead

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/8/2002

Burton's past comes back to haunt him as he gets close to being a Federal Judge.

Directors: Jerry Levine
Watch Now:Amazon
Testimony
star
8.43
54 votes

#8 - Testimony

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/2002

Burton tries to save Nick who is behind bars temporarily for drug possession by looking for a defense in Mandy's daughter Shannon. Shannon's grandmother doesn't want her to testify.

Watch Now:Amazon
Big Coal
star
8.41
51 votes

#9 - Big Coal

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/2003

Nick tries to help a young lady who has cancer but get can't the insurance company to help her out, this puts Nick in a bind. Nick asks Lulu to help him get the insurance company to pay for her medical care. Nick tells his client's dad he needs to look somewhere else for the money.

Directors: Mel Damski
Watch Now:Amazon
Monster
star
8.37
60 votes

#10 - Monster

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/2002

A 13 year old is charged with the rape and murder of his mother and could be tried for first-degree murder. Nick must try and get the case to juvenile court.

Directors: Steve Gomer
Watch Now:Amazon
All Is Mended
star
8.33
76 votes

#11 - All Is Mended

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/10/2004

Nick learns that his unborn child will most likely have Down Syndrome. Alvin provides Nick an opportunity to work with an adult client, Mark, who has Downs Syndrome. Nick brings Mark by the office for Lulu to get to know as well and to develop a better understanding of what they are facing. Kate Shaw and Jake start dating. Kate asks Jake to take an AIDS test before they go much further.

Directors: Emilio Estevez
Watch Now:Amazon
Hazel Park
star
8.26
80 votes

#12 - Hazel Park

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/4/2003

Nick runs into a former client while helping in a cleanup project for his Community Service. Nick helps the former client out by calling a community College after learning he can't read. Burton takes the case of a mother who puts her baby up for adoption because she can't afford to keep her son. Burton wants to adopt Shannon but her dad doesn't want the adoption to happen.

Directors: Emilio Estevez
Watch Now:Amazon
Where You Are
star
8.22
49 votes

#13 - Where You Are

Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/11/2003

Rob a college roommate of Nick's wants to test a device for tracking kids. Will Nick agree to testing the tracking device on L.S.P. kids?

Directors: Vahan Moosekian
Watch Now:Amazon
Sacrifice
star
8.20
81 votes

#14 - Sacrifice

Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/10/2002

Nick takes the case of a 16 year old mom who wants to put her baby up for adoption, after her father ends up being arrested for the murder of the 16 year old's very ill mom. Brian Olsen (LuLu's Husband) ends up being accused of negligence.

Writer: Rick Eid
Watch Now:Amazon
No Good Deed
star
8.19
85 votes

#15 - No Good Deed

Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/17/2002

Nick helps a boy stay in the shelter. Burton helps Mary Gressler and Shannon out.

Directors: Lou Antonio
Watch Now:Amazon
Paternity
star
8.03
188 votes

#16 - Paternity

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/9/2001

Nick is given the case of a wheelchair-bound boy who is about to be placed in a group home while his mother does time for prostitution. The boy, Lawrence, wants to live with his stepfather, but the man has a criminal record. The state wants him to live at St. Riley's, but Lawrence doesn't want to live among the mentally disabled. Nick thinks the only chance for him is to track down the father, a former customer of the mother's, and sue for child support. But, when the father wants to have more of a relationship with the boy, everyone is caught off guard. Meanwhile, Burton and Nick help out an old friend when his daughter, Rebecca, tries to take over his business.

Directors: Joan Tewkesbury
Watch Now:Amazon
Sparkle (aka: Glow)
star
7.96
78 votes

#17 - Sparkle (aka: Glow)

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/24/2004

Nick works to find a new home for a foster child, Phillip, who has been accused of harming his current foster parents’ new baby. Things may not be as they seem here. Social workers convince Burton to remove Shannon from prep-school and place her in remedial school as she is not prepared for the advanced schooling he has her enrolled in. While preparing a surprise for Shannon, Burton discovers professional but inappropriate “modeling” photographs of Shannon taken by a “professional,” Malcom Reeves. While uncovering how Shannon came to be involved with Malcom, Burton learns that Shannon’s dad, Roy, signed the consent form allowing Shannon to model. Burton informs Roy that he can’t consent for Shannon to do “anything at all.” Burton’s house is robbed and the thieves target specific jewelry (Nick’s mother’s). Burton receives a head injury when he interrupts the robbery. Nick questions Shannon because the targeted items are suspicious and she admits to “helping” Roy because he made a bad deal on some make-up. Burton expresses his displeasure regarding Shannon’s actions and she runs away.

Watch Now:Amazon
Believe
star
7.95
75 votes

#18 - Believe

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/2003

LSP teams up with Victoria Little to form AIDS Relief Alliance, meanwhile Nick becomes a medical guardian to two kids who may AIDS. Lulu learns she is about to be a mom. Nick and Susan Powell meet Mr. Wheat who learns that one his kids needs a home because she is HIV positive. Nick asks Burton for his for mom's engagement ring to marry Lulu after she sees the ring Lulu wonders if Nick is moving things to fast. Nick leans his client is HIV positive after he wouldn't give a blood test. Nick learns Calvin may have given HIV to his client.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Intersection
star
7.94
47 votes

#19 - The Intersection

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/25/2003

Caroline Novack returns to find out that Nick and Lulu were in a car accident which could prove fatal for Lulu.

Directors: Peter Medak
Watch Now:Amazon
Feeding Frenzy
star
7.93
91 votes

#20 - Feeding Frenzy

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/6/2001

Now that CLS has expanded its circle of operation to include all people needing legal aid, not just minors, Nick is given a case surrounding a retarded man, Malcolm Dempsy, who wants to remain living on his own. Though his mother fears for his safety, his next door neighbor and friend is a drug dealer, she has no proof and therefore the court will not remove him from his apartment. When Eddie, the suspected drug dealer, is murdered, Malcolm is accused of the murder and Nick must work to find the real killer - a search that puts him back in the world of drugs. Far more crucial to Fallin & Assoc. is the fact that Jake has hit another lawyer with his car and faces felony charges if the man dies. Burton Fallin is concerned that Jake's reckless driving has put the firm in danger of being sued and Jake feels the lawyer Burton has hired to defend him is more concerned about what's good for Fallin & Assoc. than what's good for Jake Straka. So, he embarks on his own investigative work to try to clear his name.

Directors: Peter Medak
Watch Now:Amazon
Remember
star
7.93
74 votes

#21 - Remember

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 4/6/2004

Alvin tells Nick about his date with Victoria and that ALS will later affect his relationship with Victoria and how Alvin's only form of communication will be blinking his eyebrows. At a court hearing Alvin is asked to turn over his files involving past clients at LSP. Alvin isn't ready to turn over the yet just yet because feels that in doing so would violate the Attorney client privilege. Nick also helps a young boy who claims he can't remember being abused Nick learns that Andrew has been lying to him all along and now has to testify at his father's hearing.

Watch Now:Amazon
Let God Sort 'Em Out
star
7.92
78 votes

#22 - Let God Sort 'Em Out

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/25/2003

Nick tries to find a place for Donny Longo & his Grandfather to live together, but Donny has a hard time with Rebecca's ruling (the Judge that handled the shelter hearing). Meanwhile Burton must try to get Mr. Lounge's house back from a man that bought it at an auction. Mr. Longo lived in the house for 65 years with paying rent. Nick learns that Mr. Longo used the property for bad purposes that caused Mr. Longo to lose custody of Donny.

Watch Now:Amazon
Without Consent
star
7.92
75 votes

#23 - Without Consent

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/17/2004

Jake lies to everyone regarding his injuries. Burton & Maureen find out the secret. Nick considers whether or not Luke should live in Foster Care or live with his dad after seeing his mom sleep with a friend of his. Lulu drafts a trust fund for their baby; Nick wants them both to be trustees but Lulu opts for herself. Burton is concerned when Jake is noticeably absent on a case.

Writer: Rick Eid
Watch Now:Amazon
The Bachelor Party
star
7.92
75 votes

#24 - The Bachelor Party

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/9/2004

Alvin Masterson has a lot to do in so little time. He is getting married to Victoria Little and has ALS. Nick decides to go to Los Angles with Alvin and Alvin tries to get to know Nick better. Alvin drives to see his son who he last saw at age 7 and learns that his son already has a dad. Alvin wonders if marring Victoria is the right thing to do and if it is for the right reason.

Writer: Rick Eid
Watch Now:Amazon
Assuming the Position
star
7.92
83 votes

#25 - Assuming the Position

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/2002

Alvin head of Legal Severice of Pittsburgh is arested and LuLu takes over after seeing him on tv.

Directors: Mel Damski
Watch Now:Amazon