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The Best Episodes of In the Heat of the Night

Every episode of In the Heat of the Night ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of In the Heat of the Night!

In the Heat of the Night is an American television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name starring Carroll O'Connor...
Genres:CrimeDrama
Network:CBS

Best Episodes Summary

"Rape" is the best rated episode of "In the Heat of the Night". It scored 9.2/10 based on 126 votes. Directed by Harry Harris, Paul Lynch and written by N/A, it aired on 10/24/1989. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "And Justice For Some".

  • Rape
    9.2/10126 votes
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    #1 - Rape

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 10/24/1989

    After being released by his captors, the chief discovers that his abduction is part of a plot to assassinate a visiting civil rights leader.

    Director: Harry Harris, Paul Lynch

    Writer: N/A

  • And Justice For Some
    9.0/1099 votes
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    #2 - And Justice For Some

    Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 10/23/1990

    Gillespie and his officers are outraged when a drug courier who ran down the son of Virgil's next door neighbor makes a deal with the F.B.I. to avoid prosecution.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • A Trip Upstate
    8.9/10136 votes
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    #3 - A Trip Upstate

    Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 2/7/1989

    In this thought provoking episode.Gillespie is surprised when a man he arrested asks to see him on the eve of his execution.He must confront his feelings about the death penalty when the prisoner asks him to witness his death.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • A Depraved Heart
    8.9/1088 votes
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    #4 - A Depraved Heart

    Season 7 Episode 4 - Aired 9/23/1993

    The daughter of an old friend asks Bubba to arrest the man who knowingly gave her AIDS.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • Prisoners
    8.8/10111 votes
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    #5 - Prisoners

    Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 12/20/1988

    Sweet risks his life to prove that the Sheriff of a neighboring county is guilty of the racially motivated murder of a young man that Sweet was friends with in high school.

    Director: Russ Mayberry

    Writer: Lee Maddux

  • The More Thing's Change
    8.8/1083 votes
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    #6 - The More Thing's Change

    Season 5 Episode 7 - Aired 11/19/1991

    A man murders his business partner and frames the man's illegitimate daughter for the crime in an attempt to gain the man's business and his wife.

    Director: Russ Mayberry

    Writer: N/A

  • Don't Look Back (1)
    8.7/10110 votes
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    #7 - Don't Look Back (1)

    Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 12/4/1988

    A copycat recreates a shocking unsolved murder from the past.Gillespie feels threatened after Ted Marcus suggests that Virgil should become the Chief.The situation becomes more tense after Virgil criticizes Parker and Bubba's actions.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Don't Look Back (2)
    8.7/1086 votes
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    #8 - Don't Look Back (2)

    Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 12/4/1988

    Tibbs,Gillespie and Bubba pursue different leads in a bizarre murder case and the Chief realizes that the killer has plans for him.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • First Girl
    8.7/10105 votes
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    #9 - First Girl

    Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 11/14/1989

    An unhappy wife asks her lover to place a bomb in her abusive husband's truck.

    Director: Winrich Kolbe, Gene Reynolds

    Writer: N/A

  • Citizen Trundel (2)
    8.7/1093 votes
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    #10 - Citizen Trundel (2)

    Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 5/8/1990

    Harriet's efforts to bring V.J. Trundel to trial are fruitless.The Chief does not believe they will ever get enough evidence to get an indictment,so he tries another method to bring Trundel to justice.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • Perversions of Justice
    8.7/1082 votes
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    #11 - Perversions of Justice

    Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 10/2/1990

    A mild mannered school teacher is accused of child molestation.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: Robert Bielak

  • A Woman Much Admired
    8.7/10100 votes
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    #12 - A Woman Much Admired

    Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 10/1/1991

    Gillespie's old flame returns to Sparta to settle some business matters and see Bill. When she is murdered he travels to Gulfport and meets his daughter Lana for the first time.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • Love, Honor and Obey
    8.7/1072 votes
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    #13 - Love, Honor and Obey

    Season 5 Episode 14 - Aired 2/4/1992

    Parkers investigation into a purse snatching reveals an abused woman.

    Director: Reza Badiyi

    Writer: N/A

  • Child's Play
    8.7/1065 votes
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    #14 - Child's Play

    Season 7 Episode 1 - Aired 9/16/1993

    Chief Gillespie is fired by the city council and Sparta's new police chief Hampton Forbes arrives in town.Bill's last case with Sparta P.D. is a murder investigation in which a young boy has been implicated.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • ...And Then You Die
    8.6/10103 votes
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    #15 - ...And Then You Die

    Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 5/3/1988

    The Sparta police search for a killer and his girlfriend.But the case becomes personal when they take Althea and the grandson of one of the victims hostage.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Family Secret
    8.6/1098 votes
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    #16 - Family Secret

    Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 12/6/1988

    The murder of well respected man turns up a shocking secret about his family.

    Director: Lee H. Katzin

    Writer: Nancy Bond

  • Vengeance
    8.6/1087 votes
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    #17 - Vengeance

    Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 12/12/1989

    An outlaw family seeks revenge against Bubba after he is forced to shoot one of them during a holdup.The chief wants him to stay out of sight until they are arrested - a suggestion that does not set well with Bubba.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Brotherly Love (1)
    8.6/1088 votes
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    #18 - Brotherly Love (1)

    Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1990

    Virgil goes to Philadelphia to investigate a friends death.And Bubba (reluctantly) fills in as Althea's Lamaze coach.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: N/A

  • Sweet, Sweet Blues
    8.6/10121 votes
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    #19 - Sweet, Sweet Blues

    Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 11/26/1991

    The lyrics to a blues song recall a murder that happened 50 years earlier.The victim - Sweet's grandfather.And the only people left with the answers are the bluesman who wrote the song and a retired sheriff.

    Director: Vincent McEveety

    Writer: N/A

  • A Small War (1)
    8.6/1071 votes
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    #20 - A Small War (1)

    Season 6 Episode 1 - Aired 10/28/1992

    Big city crack dealers invade Sparta.Eugene witnesses the drive by shooting of a friend and his offer to help the police identify the shooters leaves Harriet frightened and angry at Bill.

    Director: Harry Harris

    Writer: Joe Gannon

  • Hatton's Turn (2)
    8.6/1066 votes
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    #21 - Hatton's Turn (2)

    Season 7 Episode 3 - Aired 9/18/1993

    Wade and Sarah try to keep young Henry from being punished for a crime he did not commit and Forbes and his officers search for the two men who are really responsible.

    Director: Carroll O'Connor

    Writer: N/A

  • Singin' the Blues
    8.6/1070 votes
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    #22 - Singin' the Blues

    Season 7 Episode 7 - Aired 10/28/1993

    Luann moonlights as a singer at a nightclub and finds romance with the clubs owner.Her happiness is shortlived when she realizes that the bartender is dealing drugs.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Dangerous Engagement
    8.6/1063 votes
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    #23 - Dangerous Engagement

    Season 7 Episode 22 - Aired 5/4/1994

    Bill and Harriet's wedding plans are interrupted by a sniper who mistakes Bill for Sheriff McComb.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Pilot (1)
    8.5/10206 votes
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    #24 - Pilot (1)

    Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 3/6/1988

    Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta and joins the police force as chief of detectives.His arrival is met with resistance from police chief Bill Gillespie - who resents having an officer hired without his approval.Virgil has trouble adjusting to the small, antiquated police force.Tibbs' first case is a racially charged murder case that is soon complicated when the suspect is murdered in his cell.

    Director: David Hemmings

    Writer: N/A

  • Blind Spot (2)
    8.5/1073 votes
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    #25 - Blind Spot (2)

    Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/5/1988

    An angry Gillespie seeks answers when an old friend is shot.And Virgil narrowly escapes death after trying to ascertain the real reason behind an old adversary's return to Sparta.Nan finds herself in danger after she finds out the truth about her new love.

    Director: David Hemmings

    Writer: N/A