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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!

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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 as the white police chief William Gillespie, and Howard Rollins

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 1 - Rape
    9.1/10(165 votes)

    #1 - Rape

    S3:E1

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

    Directors:Paul Lynch, Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. In the Heat of the Night Season 7 Episode 4 - A Depraved Heart
    9.0/10(104 votes)

    #2 - A Depraved Heart

    S7:E4

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

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. In the Heat of the Night Season 2 Episode 11 - A Trip Upstate
    8.9/10(165 votes)

    #3 - A Trip Upstate

    S2:E11

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. In the Heat of the Night Season 4 Episode 5 - And Justice For Some
    8.9/10(118 votes)

    #4 - And Justice For Some

    S4:E5

    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:Unknown

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  5. In the Heat of the Night Season 5 Episode 7 - The More Thing's Change
    8.9/10(99 votes)

    #5 - The More Thing's Change

    S5:E7

    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:Unknown

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  6. In the Heat of the Night Season 2 Episode 5 - Prisoners
    8.8/10(141 votes)

    #6 - Prisoners

    S2:E5

    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

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of In the Heat of the Night

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  7. In the Heat of the Night Season 4 Episode 4 - Perversions of Justice
    8.8/10(104 votes)

    #7 - Perversions of Justice

    S4:E4

    A mild mannered school teacher is accused of child molestation.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Robert Bielak

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  8. In the Heat of the Night Season 5 Episode 14 - Love, Honor and Obey
    8.8/10(83 votes)

    #8 - Love, Honor and Obey

    S5:E14

    Parkers investigation into a purse snatching reveals an abused woman.

    Director:Reza Badiyi
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. In the Heat of the Night Season 6 Episode 22 - A Correct Settling
    8.8/10(63 votes)

    #9 - A Correct Settling

    S6:E22

    Eugene hopes a well known minister can save his father from Death Row.But someone runs the Reverend off the road on his way into town and the Sparta police try to protect him and track down his assailent.Meanwhile Harriet struggles with what her part in her ex-husbands appeal should be and is even more unsettled when Eugene demands that she break up with Bill.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. In the Heat of the Night Season 7 Episode 1 - Child's Play
    8.8/10(78 votes)

    #10 - Child's Play

    S7:E1

    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:Unknown

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  11. In the Heat of the Night Season 7 Episode 3 - Hatton's Turn (2)
    8.8/10(78 votes)

    #11 - Hatton's Turn (2)

    S7:E3

    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:Unknown

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  12. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 8 - Vengeance
    8.7/10(106 votes)

    #12 - Vengeance

    S3:E8

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 22 - Citizen Trundel (2)
    8.7/10(111 votes)

    #13 - Citizen Trundel (2)

    S3:E22

    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:Unknown

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  14. In the Heat of the Night Season 4 Episode 1 - Brotherly Love (1)
    8.7/10(104 votes)

    #14 - Brotherly Love (1)

    S4:E1

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

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. In the Heat of the Night Season 5 Episode 8 - Sweet, Sweet Blues
    8.7/10(135 votes)

    #15 - Sweet, Sweet Blues

    S5:E8

    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:Unknown

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  16. In the Heat of the Night Season 6 Episode 11 - Private Sessions
    8.7/10(76 votes)

    #16 - Private Sessions

    S6:E11

    One of Virgil's classmates from law school is arrested following the death of his former girlfriend, but the man insists that her death was the result of her relationship with her psychiatrist.

    Director:Russ Mayberry
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. In the Heat of the Night Season 7 Episode 7 - Singin' the Blues
    8.7/10(85 votes)

    #17 - Singin' the Blues

    S7:E7

    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:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. In the Heat of the Night Season 7 Episode 22 - Dangerous Engagement
    8.7/10(71 votes)

    #18 - Dangerous Engagement

    S7:E22

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

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 4 - First Girl
    8.6/10(128 votes)

    #19 - First Girl

    S3:E4

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

    Directors:Gene Reynolds, Winrich Kolbe
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 5 - Crackdown
    8.6/10(154 votes)

    #20 - Crackdown

    S3:E5

    Sparta P.D. gets it's first black policewoman.

    Director:Gene Reynolds
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 6 - Anniversary
    8.6/10(96 votes)

    #21 - Anniversary

    S3:E6

    Someone is selling crack to teenagers and Sweet tries desperately to save a young addict.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Nancy Bond

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  22. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 21 - Citizen Trundel (1)
    8.6/10(97 votes)

    #22 - Citizen Trundel (1)

    S3:E21

    Harriet's sister is murdered on the orders of the wealthy white man who fathered her child.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. In the Heat of the Night Season 4 Episode 2 - Brotherly Love (2)
    8.6/10(98 votes)

    #23 - Brotherly Love (2)

    S4:E2

    Virgil is framed for murder and Gillespie travels to Philly to help him clear his name.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. In the Heat of the Night Season 4 Episode 10 - A Final Arrangement
    8.6/10(71 votes)

    #24 - A Final Arrangement

    S4:E10

    Sweet is heartbroken when an elderly woman who befriended him is murdered in her bookstore.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. In the Heat of the Night Season 5 Episode 5 - Ruda's Awakening
    8.6/10(73 votes)

    #25 - Ruda's Awakening

    S5:E5

    Virgil's Aunt Ruda is the only witness to a struggle between Bubba and a young robbery suspect that ends in the young mans death.But her prejudice against the police -- and Virgil clouds her memory of the incident.

    Director:Russ Mayberry
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Rape" is the best rated episode of "In the Heat of the Night". It scored 9.1/10 based on 165 votes. Directed by Paul Lynch, Harry Harris and written by Unknown, it aired on 10/24/1989. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Depraved Heart".