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The Best Episodes of In the Heat of the Night Season 3

Every episode of In the Heat of the Night Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of In the Heat of the Night Season 3!

Binge this in 17h 28m•Peaking at 9.1/10

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
    In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 1 - Rape
    9.1/10(187 votes)

    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 3 Episode 5 - Crackdown
    8.6/10(167 votes)

    S3:E5

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

    Director:Gene Reynolds
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 6 - Anniversary
    8.6/10(111 votes)

    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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  4. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 21 - Citizen Trundel (1)
    8.6/10(108 votes)

    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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  5. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 22 - Citizen Trundel (2)
    8.6/10(119 votes)

    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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  6. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 4 - First Girl
    8.5/10(146 votes)

    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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  7. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 8 - Vengeance
    8.5/10(116 votes)

    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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  8. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 19 - Indiscretions
    8.5/10(107 votes)

    S3:E19

    Althea does not realize that an old friend from Philly is hiding a dark secret, nor does Sweet who has fallen in love with the woman.

    Director:Vince Edwards
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 20 - Night of the Killing
    8.5/10(99 votes)

    S3:E20

    Racial tensions run high when a white cabbie is murdered in the bottoms.

    Director:Chuck Bowman
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 13 - Hello in There
    8.3/10(130 votes)

    S3:E13

    Bubba refuses to believe that a former teamate embezzled funds from the bank where he worked.And sets out to prove that his friend was framed and murdered.Harriet hopes that art therapy can help the man's traumatized son,who becomes a target himself when the killer realizes he witnessed the crime.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 14 - December Days
    8.1/10(122 votes)

    S3:E14

    The Sparta police investigate a suspicious death in a nursing home.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Kim Friese

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  12. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 16 - Bubba's Baby
    8.1/10(118 votes)

    S3:E16

    Someone abandons a baby at Bubba's door.

    Director:Jeffrey Hayden
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 12 - Triangle
    8.0/10(119 votes)

    S3:E12

    A man murders his wife and her lover after he catches them together,then flees to a remote cabin with his daughter who does not know what he has done.The chief and the boys hope to talk him into surrendering without resorting to violence.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 3 - Murder Most Ancient
    7.9/10(111 votes)

    S3:E3

    A beauty contest is marred by blackmail and the ambitious mother of a contestant.

    Directors:Mario Azzopardi, Winrich Kolbe
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 9 - My Name is Hank
    7.9/10(110 votes)

    S3:E9

    A young refugee claims to be the son of a Sparta cop who died in the war.But quickly becomes a suspect in a murder/robbery after he accepts a ride with the criminals who actually committed the crime.Gillespie looks into his story, while Virgil and the boys track down the shooter.Meanwhile, the young mans presence triggers a surprisingly bitter reaction from Parker, who views him as a painful reminder of the war.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 18 - An Angry Woman
    7.9/10(94 votes)

    S3:E18

    First the mother,then the father of two young children are murdered.Althea takes responsibility for the children. The killings appear to be related to a shady trucking firm.

    Director:Winrich Kolbe
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 7 - Time of the Stranger
    7.8/10(99 votes)

    S3:E7

    After a private investigator searching for a missing child is found dead, the evidence points to a local dance teacher - a neighbor that Parker has become very fond of.

    Director:Ivan Dixon
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 11 - Epitaph for a Lady
    7.8/10(105 votes)

    S3:E11

    A long time friend of the Chief makes threats against a doctor he believes is responsible for his wife's death .When the doctor is killed he becomes the prime suspect.But Gillespie doubts his guilt - even after he confesses.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 17 - Home is Where The Heart Is
    7.8/10(101 votes)

    S3:E17

    Maybelle the madam returns to Sparta with her "" nieces "".And sets up shop just out of Gillespie's jurisdiction.Her return is not without controversy and soon one of her most vocal critics is found murdered.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 2 - Fairest of Them All
    7.7/10(112 votes)

    S3:E2

    Virgil struggles to help Althea after she is raped by a fellow teacher.Darnell does not think they can get a conviction because the man's wife has given him an alibi.Virgil tries to control his anger - until the man returns to intimidate Althea.And Gillespie tries to convince the wife to tell the truth.

    Directors:Mario Azzopardi, Paul Lynch
    Writer:Nancy Bond

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  21. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 15 - A Loss of Innocence
    7.7/10(118 votes)

    S3:E15

    Darnell plans on indicting a teenager for murder after her father is found in the basement and her mother turns up missing.But Gillespie and his men don't believe she is guilty.

    Director:Paul Lynch
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. In the Heat of the Night Season 3 Episode 10 - King's Ransom
    7.3/10(92 votes)

    S3:E10

    The F.B.I. tries to talk an ex-boxer into testifying against a mobster he once worked for, but the fighter sees the situation as an opportunity for blackmail.

    Director:Jeffrey Hayden
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 3 Ratings Summary

"Rape" is the best rated episode of "In the Heat of the Night" season 3. It scored 9.1/10 based on 187 votes. Directed by Paul Lynch, Harry Harris and written by Unknown, it aired on 10/24/1989. This episode is rated 0.5 points higher than the second-best, "Crackdown".