The essential episodes of Law & Order: UK

Watch these 15 in order and you've got Law & Order: UK — each pick states its reason.

1. 01

   S01E01 · Pilot · February 23, 2009 · 1h

   Care9.0

   When the evacuation of a central London hospital leads to the discovery of a tragic death, DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin investigate. The trail leads them to Kings Cross, where the redevelopment and gentrification of the area is affecting a number of local residents. But has this led someone to commit murder? As DI Natalie Chandler pressures Matt and Ronnie to untangle the case, a disturbing pattern begins to emerge.

2. 02

   S01E04 · Season 1 peak · March 16, 2009 · 1h

   Unsafe9.3

   When a metal-detecting pensioner unearths a shallow grave by the side of the Thames, DS Ronnie Brooks and DS Matt Devlin are forced to reopen a contentious murder case. Their investigations into the case of Luke Slade threaten to unravel a conviction made by James Steel eight years ago, with questions over the handling of the prosecution, James' career is on the line.

3. 03

   S01E05 · Top rated · March 23, 2009 · 1h

   Buried9.3

   When the remains of an eight-year-old boy are uncovered, twenty-five years after he was reported missing, DS Brooks and DS Devlin re-interview the man arrested during the original enquiry. The boy's childhood friend reluctantly agrees to undergo EMDR therapy and appears to recall the events of the night that Tommy disappeared, but George Castle is sceptical about the value of her recovered memories.

4. 04

   S01E07 · Top rated · April 6, 2009 · 1h

   Alesha9.3

   When Alesha Phillips' gynecologist touches her inappropriately during a medical examination, she purses justice with both the police and CPS. However, when no additional evidence surfaces, Alesha takes drastic action to secure a case against the doctor.

5. 05

   S02E02 · Season 2 peak · January 18, 2010 · 1h

   Hidden9.3

   When the body of missing ten year old, Jodie Gaines, is found dumped in a skip in Euston, DS Brooks and DS Devlin are faced with two suspects, the cabbie who swears he dropped Jodie at her guitar lesson and the guitar teacher who claims she never arrived. Determined to deliver justice to Jodie's grieving parents, they follow the scientific evidence to a third suspect with no prior connection to Jodie. Which of the three men is lying? Did Jodie's killer snatch her at random? Or is there a more sinister reason behind the schoolgirl's kidnap?

6. 06

   S02E05 · Top rated · February 8, 2010 · 1h

   Love and Loss9.3

   When DS Brooks and DS Devlin are called to the death of a drug mule, they are surprised to discover she is a middle class white girl, Debbie Powell. She was about to go to university, she worked hard, and she wanted for nothing. So why did she do it? Debbie's death hits home for George Castle, and he pressures James and Alesha to bring all charges possible against the defendant. Not an easy case given that are no witnesses, all the evidence is circumstantial, and James' opponent is the brilliant but eccentric Jason Peters.

7. 07

   S02E06 · Top rated · February 15, 2010 · 1h

   Honour Bound9.3

   Ronnie agrees to help his old friend and partner, DS Jimmy Valentine in an undercover drug sting, but a gun is pulled and someone ends up dead. What appears to be a tragic mistake is then investigated by internal affairs, and DS Devlin fears Jimmy is not all he seems. As they push for the truth the spotlight turns on Ronnie and his dark past as a functioning alcoholic when a ten year old drug case was left with a large quantity of missing heroin. The evidence is stacking up and James and Alesha battle Valentine's barrister, Evelyn Wyndham to bring enough evidence to court, and Ronnie's the key... but Ronnie refuses to testify.

8. 08

   S03E01 · Season 3 peak · September 9, 2010 · 1h

   Broken9.3

   DS Brooks and DS Devlin investigate a particularly heartbreaking case when the body of a 5 year-old boy is discovered in an empty flat. They have a witness in the form of 13 year-old Paige Ward who says she saw a man take Connor into the building, and her friend, 10 year-old Rose Shaw, confirms Paige's story. However, disturbing CCTV footage shows something completely different. Faced with conflicting stories and forensic evidence that is inconclusive, the CPS must decide how best justice is to be served.

9. 09

   S03E02 · Top rated · September 16, 2010 · 1h

   Hounded9.3

   When the body of a 16 year-old schoolgirl is found dead in her home in the middle of the afternoon, the investigating police cannot be sure a crime was even committed. With no forensic evidence and nothing to suggest the victim didn't die of natural causes, Matt and Ronnie question why they have been called out in the first place. However, the victim's mother is convinced her daughter was raped because she never slept naked. On further investigation, an unlikely murder weapon is uncovered and a likely suspect - someone with whom James Steel has a history. Determined the accused is guilty, James pursues him like a man possessed, pushing the boundaries of the law to the legal limit.

10. 10

    S04E03 · Season 4 peak · March 21, 2011 · 1h

    ID9.0

    When a pregnant junior doctor, Alice Cullen, is found beaten to death in the car park of the hospital where she works, the prime suspect becomes her boyfriend, who cannot provide a solid alibi for where he was at the time of the killing. Mobile phone traces put him in the right place at approximately the right time, but when his therapist provides him with an alibi for that evening, DS Devlin and DS Brooks begin to suspect they are having an affair. On arrest, what initially seems like a crime of passion soon unravels into a conspiracy involving senior level government officials. Risking their careers and defying the instruction of the Director of Public Prosecutions, James and Alesha must get to the bottom of this case before another life is destroyed.

11. 11

    S05E01 · Season 5 peak · July 10, 2011 · 1h

    The Wrong Man9.3

    Brought into an extremely busy A&E with flu-like symptoms and leaving in a body bag, Suzanne Morton's death is treated as suspicious by DS Brooks and DS Devlin as they investigate a hospital department which has had three such untimely deaths within six months. Senior Crown Prosecutor, Jake Thorne is pulled in opposite directions when the chief suspect in the case claims to have been framed for the murder by others within his department. With a conspiracy of silence permeating the hospital staff, it's clear that there's more to this case than meets the eye and only by penetrating the web of professional loyalties can the truth emerge.

12. 12

    S06E05 · Season 6 peak · February 3, 2012 · 1h

    Line Up8.3

    A murder investigation is launched when a concerned citizen alerts the police to a shocking video that is spreading like wildfire on the web, in which a teenage girl is attacked and shot.

13. 13

    S07E01 · Season 7 peak · July 14, 2013 · 1h

    Tracks7.8

    A suicidal man drives his car across a railway causing a massive train crash and killing over a dozen innocent passengers, but somehow he survives. Crown Prosecutor Jake Thorne pursues the culprit with vigour whilst the man's defence barrister tries to prove his vulnerability and mental illness. Just as the case finishes, CPS Director Henry Sharpe springs one more surprise on Jake… Alesha's replacement. Another new face is DI Wes Leyton, an old colleague of Ronnie's, who is covering for DI Chandler when a suspect is found dead in his cell at court, and the last person seen entering the cell was DS Sam Casey.

14. 14

    S08E05 · Season 8 peak · April 9, 2014 · 1h

    Customs8.6

    When Ronnie and Joe are called to a suicide it doesn't take long for Ronnie to suspect foul play: Ranya Habib had no reason to kill herself. Although they are initially suspicious of a Dr. Elsayed who recently arrived in the country to visit Ranya. Although they can't find any evidence against him, Dr. Elsayed's medical history includes the practice of FGM, female genital mutilation, on young girls. Appalled by this, Kate struggles to remain professional and jeopardises her entire career leaving Jake to prosecute the case alone.

15. 15

    S08E08 · Series finale · June 11, 2014 · 1h

    Repeat to Fade7.3

    After a fatal stabbing in a crowded market place, the pressure is on to make Londoners feel safe again. Ronnie and Joe have a new boss to contend with, DI Elisabeth Flynn is determined to put her stamp on the MIU, declaring her own personal crackdown on knife crime. Under pressure from all sides, Ronnie and Joe struggle to gather enough evidence to charge the youth they believe to be responsible. However, when the suspect inadvertently confesses to Ronnie, he thinks he's got him – but with the confession uncorroborated by anyone else, Ronnie begins to realise that his honesty is in question.