Swift Justice — Season 1
Mac Swift is an ex-cop with his own way of enforcing justice.
About this season
Swift Justice is an American detective drama television series created by Dick Wolf and Richard Albarino, broadcast for one season (13 episodes) on UPN from March 13 to July 17, 1996. James McCaffrey stars as former Navy SEAL Mac Swift, a private investigator fired from the NYPD. He receives support from his former partner Detective Randall Patterson (Gary Dourdan) and his father Al Swift (Len Cariou). Critics noted the series' emphasis on violence, specifically in the pilot's opening sequence, drawing comparisons to The Equalizer (1985–1989) and Die Hard (1988). UPN canceled the program after receiving complaints from viewers, advertisers, and critics for its stark depiction of violence. Wolf considered the cancelation a mistake due to good ratings. Further, it was praised for its visuals and McCaffrey's performance, but often criticized as being either too violent or formulaic.
Episodes (13)
1. Out on a Limb
Aired 13 March 1996 • 60 min
Ex-cop turned PI Mac Swift works outside the normal law enforcement routine on cases too hot for the standard justice system. While still on the force, Swift falls for a call girl.
2. Pilot
Aired 20 March 1996 • 60 min
Swift goes undercover to retrieve a young boy from his dangerous, white supremacist father, Stone Paxton, who has taken the child from his ex-wife who he has accused of polluting the boy with her liberal ideas and interracial dating habits. But when Swift's cover is blown, he is forced to do battle with the extremist, first using the information superhighway, then in hand-to-hand combat.
3. Sex, Death and Rock 'n' Roll
Aired 27 March 1996 • 60 min
Mac helps a rockstar's wife escape his clutches
4. Supernote
Aired 3 April 1996 • 60 min
Swift is approached by Rita Vicks, a beautiful treasury agent concerned over the disappearance of her partner, Bo Maxey, who has neared obsession in his quest to find the Supernote, an impeccable counterfeit C-note he believes is being used by the Iranian government.
5. Where Were You in '72?
4.0Aired 10 April 1996 • 60 min
Swift learns the latest person under his protection was involved in a bank heist to support IRA activities
6. Takin' Back the Street
Aired 24 April 1996 • 60 min
When Mama Em, a neighborhood matriarch and old friend of Swift's father, is gunned down for trying to organize her community against a drug dealer, Swift sets out to help her daughter Sylvie bring the murderers to justice, with hope of saving Juwan, one of Sylvie's prize pupils, from a life of crime.
7. No Holds Barred
2.0Aired 1 May 1996 • 60 min
Pregnant college girl Allison enlists Swift to find her missing boyfriend, college wrestler Palo Montega. Swift discovers that Palo's fanatical instructor, Dillon Brock, has other plans for Palo when he forces him to compete in a cage match that leaves only one contestant standing. Knowing that Swift is getting close to finding Palo, Brock sets a trap and Swift becomes Palo's next opponent.
8. Horses
Aired 8 May 1996 • 60 min
Swift helps a horse breeder avoid selling out to a business tycoon.
9. Bad Medicine
Aired 15 May 1996 • 60 min
When research scientist Bud Wertheim dies under suspicious—but apparently natural–circumstances, his friend and colleague Jessie McKenna enlists Swift to find out how—and why—he really died, uncovering research fraud at an up-and-coming pharmaceutical company poised to profit millions on a new cholesterol-lowering drug.
10. Isaiah's Daughter
Aired 22 May 1996 • 60 min
An Amish man, Isaiah Zook, travels to New York to search for his runaway daughter Sarah but is quickly overwhelmed by the city. Paterson happens upon the naive Isaiah and introduces him to Swift, who quickly agrees to take his case. Swift discovers that Sarah is living with an illicit pornographic star, David, who owes his producer a lot of money for drugs.
11. The Haze
Aired 2 July 1996 • 60 min
Patterson asks Swift to watch over a woman somehow involved in his latest case.
12. Stones
Aired 10 July 1996 • 60 min
Swift and Paterson clash on issues of strategy when cases they are working on collide. Paterson, under pressure from his superiors, may have to place a charge of Swift's in danger to bring down suspects in a series of jewel heists. Swift, feeling a responsibility to help the girl he's been trying to protect and her ex-con boyfriend, may be jeopardizing Paterson's case in the process. Can their friendship survive?
13. Retribution
Aired 17 July 1996 • 60 min
A serial killer escapes and goes after those who put him away: Swift, Patterson and a criminal profiler.