The first season picks up where the original made-for-TV movie left off, with Cagney and Lacey on their first undercover assignment as prostitutes. Other episodes introduce Cagney's father (a retired cop that helps out with a case), detail the investigation of a human smuggling ring, and deal with accusations of racism in the wake of a gang murder. These first six episodes act as a sort of prologue for the rest of the series. Although Sharon Gless played Christine Cagney in later seasons, in this short first season Cagney was played by Meg Foster. This earliest season was also a bit darker and grittier than those that followed, and the show also had an alternate introduction with a different theme song. Often overlooked, these early episodes are a fascinating foundation for the seasons to come.
