9.5/1034 votes#1 - (pilot)
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/7/1991
Lawyer Forrest Bedford struggles to raise a family amid the civil-rights strife of the 1958 South, aided by Lily, a lack housekeeper who comes to work in the opener to find Forrest prosecuting a young white for a bus accident that killed three black; and little John Morgan missing his hospitalized mama.
Director: Joshua Brand
Writer: John Falsey, Joshua Brand
7.8/1011 votes#2 - The Hat
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/8/1991
When John Morgan loses his cowboy hat out of the car window, Lilly finds it—but then so does her daughter—-while Forrest faces verbal cross-fire over a beating case arising from the demonstration.
Director: John David Coles
Writer: David Chase
- 8.8/108 votes
#3 - Rules Of The Game
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/15/1991
With Forrest away on a weekend hunting trip, womanhood takes aim at Francie, who feels utterly alone; while worries about the fate of an errant arrow dog, John Morgan.
Director: Jack Bender
Writer: Barbara Hall
- 8.6/106 votes
#4 - Amazing Grace
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/22/1991
As Forrest joins the race for attorney general, Lilly considers attending a voting-rights meetings, while Francie elects to overcome her writer's block by committing a betrayal.
Director: Kevin Rodney Sullivan
Writer: Henry Bromell
- NaN/100 votes
#5 - All God's Children
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/1991
John Morgan is upset when he doesn't get to go to Lilly's birthday party; the wrestlers aren't celebrating Zollicofer's decision to let a black join the team; Forrest realizes running for office isn't going to be a piece of cake.
Director: Eric Laneuville
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#6 - Beyond Here Dar Be Dragons
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/1991
On Halloween, the specter of the KKK haunts Christina as she's asked to investigate Prevtiss Carver's death. It also haunts John Morgan, who's heard about the ""dragon men"" from Adlaine.
Director: Eugene Corr
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#7 - Parallel Lives
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/19/1991
Slocum wrestles with his conscience—-and with-–Evans as Zollicfer applies pressure over the brick-throwing incident; Lilly balks when Lewis, wanting to relive his time in the Negro Leagues, takes his eyes off the ball at home.
Director: Michael Fresco
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#8 - Coming Home
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/26/1991
Thanksgiving brings family—and conflict—home: Gwen's visit from the mental hospital knocks the stuffing out of the Bedfords, especially Nathan; and Lilly's brother makes a pilgrimage home after discovering the New World of the North.
Director: Mark Sobel
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#9 - Some Desperate Glory
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/10/1991
A game of checkers turns deadly serious for Nathan and Slocum; Lilly helps Francie, who's afraid she'll lay an egg singing in the church benefit.
Director: Ian Sander
Writer: Barbara Hall
- NaN/100 votes
#10 - Desire
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/17/1991
Lilly expresses a burning desire to divorce her absent husband; sparks fly between Nathan and a carnival worker; Forrest's arrest of an upstanding citizen in the McDaniel murder adds fuel to the fire against him, which licks at John Morgan.
Director: Aaron Lipstadt
Writer: Henry Bromell, Judi Ann Mason
- NaN/100 votes
#11 - Alice Oakley Doesn't Live Here Anymore
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/7/1992
John Morgan makes up a tall tale about his absent mother joining the rodeo; as the trial approaches, Forrest lassos a witness and then tightens the rope; Slocum's father brands his son a loser and kicks him out of the house.
Director: Jack Bender
Writer: Josef Anderson
- 9.2/106 votes
#12 - On The Road
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/28/1992
On a campaign swing, Forrest lobbies for the affections of a difficult Francie, while Lilly faces a difficult test registering to vote.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 9.2/106 votes
#13 - Master Magician
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 3/6/1992
As Election Day nears, John Morgan plans a post-victory show, but Forrest isn't sure he can pull a win out of his hat in his race for attorney general. He's facing a blackmail threat from a drunken Tyler. Meanwhile, Lilly's determination to vote remains unabated, even after her faith is tested by the opposition of her minister. But discrimination at the polling place makes that step forward seems more like an illusion.
Director: Eric Laneuville
Writer: David Chase
- NaN/100 votes
#14 - Hard Lessons
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 3/13/1992
Forrest faces a test in courage when some of the townsfolk decide to teach him a lesson; Nathan is eager to learn why Forrest and Lake had a falling-out; and Lilly enrolls in night school.
Director: Jack Bender
Writer: Barbara Hall
- NaN/100 votes
#15 - Cool Winter Blues
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/20/1992
An impromptu lunch-counter protest leads to a more serious demonstration; Lilly has to chew out John Morgan and an unruly friend; Nathan, stunned by a revelation about his girlfriend, wishes he could eat his words after Slocum repeals them to her.
Director: Joe Napolitano
Writer: Judi Ann Mason
- 7.3/107 votes
#16 - The Way Things Are
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/27/1992
Forrest is shocked when Rev. Henry's latest protest sparks Lilly to action; Nathan and Diane's status as a couple generates charged comments; John Morgan fools with electricity.
Director: N/A
Writer: Henry Bromell
- NaN/100 votes
#17 - Slow Dark Coming
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 4/3/1992
Diane's father tries to put a damper on her and Nathan's passions; racial tensions heat up with the department-store boycott, leaving Lilly's cousin Oscar out in the cold.
Director: Michael Fresco
Writer: Karen Hall
- 7.2/106 votes
#18 - Toy Soldiers
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/10/1992
Not realizing how deep town sentiment runs, Lilly and Forrest learn fast after witnessing a police attack on black children; tucker robs the cradle with Forrests' young campaign worker; Francie behaves childishly after being asked to walk John Morgan to school.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- NaN/100 votes
#19 - The Kindness Of Strangers
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 4/24/1992
Lilly finds herself in time with a visiting sax player; a frustrated Forrest wants someone to face the music about his incompetent opposing counsel in a murder trial; Slocum is jazzed to find Zollicofer in town, trying to get his job back.
Director: Bruce Seth Green
Writer: Barbara Hall, Henry Bromell
- NaN/100 votes
#20 - Not Buried
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 5/1/1992
John Morgan tries to put to rest his guilt and fear over an elderly neighbor's passing; Forrest asks Christina to step in to save the dying defense of a black man accused of murder.
Director: David Chase
Writer: David Chase
NaN/100 votes#21 - A Dangerous Comfort
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/15/1992
Lilly feels no pain when she's with Clarence, but Lewis isn't as intoxicated by his presence; Christina faces her own demons helping alcoholic tucker dry out; Nathan keeps his anger bottled up after catching Forrest in a compromising position.
Director: Michael Fresco
Writer: Barbara Hall
- 7.6/106 votes
#22 - The Slightest Distance
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/15/1992
Forrest ponders an offer for a challenging job; Lilly tries to make peace between her father and Clarence, who asks her to make a life-changing decision; Nathan sees something he shouldn't; and Slocum saves his mother's birthday party.
Director: Ian Sander
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of I'll Fly Away Season 1
Every episode of I'll Fly Away Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of I'll Fly Away Season 1!
I'll Fly Away is an American drama television series set during the late 1950s and early 1960s, in an unspecified Southern U.S. state. It aired...
Genre:Drama
Network:NBC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"(pilot)" is the best rated episode of "I'll Fly Away" season 1. It scored 9.5/10 based on 34 votes. Directed by Joshua Brand and written by John Falsey, Joshua Brand, it aired on 10/7/1991. This episode is rated 1.7 points higher than the second-best, "The Hat".