Jake and the Fatman backdrop
Drama•Crime•Action & Adventure

The Best Episodes of Jake and the Fatman

Every episode of Jake and the Fatman ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Jake and the Fatman!

Binge this in 4d 10h•Peaking at 10.0/10

Jake and the Fatman is a television crime drama starring William Conrad as prosecutor J. L. "Fatman" McCabe and Joe Penny as investigator Jake Styles. The series ran on CBS for five seasons from 1987 to

Airs on
CBS
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons5

All12345

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 23 - Rhapsody in Blue
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #1 - Rhapsody in Blue

    S1:E23

    Ned Covington and his wife plan to kill his boss, Phil Duncan, when he is passed over for promotion, but they kill another employee by mistake. Realizing this they try to frame Duncan for the murder.

    Director:Michael Lange
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. Jake and the Fatman Season 2 Episode 11 - Snowfall
    10.0/10(1 votes)

    #2 - Snowfall

    S2:E11

    The Secret Service gets help from Jake in catching a money counterfeiter, who trades his product for cocaine. It becomes personal for Jake when a friend is killed during a failed raid.

    Director:Jackie Cooper
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 25 - Danny Boy
    8.9/10(38 votes)

    #3 - Danny Boy

    S3:E25

    When a gang marks him for death, Daniel joins a group about to escape from the prison. To insure his cooperation the escapees frame him for murder.

    Director:Russ Mayberry
    Writer:J. Michael Straczynski

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. Jake and the Fatman Season 2 Episode 7 - It Ain't Necessarily So
    8.5/10(39 votes)

    #4 - It Ain't Necessarily So

    S2:E7

    A burglar surprises Wallace Cogan, a publisher of adult magazines, and his wife Marina when they are returning home from a holiday. He kills Marina, but is wounded by Cogan before he gets away.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 22 - You're Driving Me Crazy
    8.5/10(37 votes)

    #5 - You're Driving Me Crazy

    S3:E22

    McCabe prosecutes a man for murdering his wife, when the man's story about them being assaulted by gang members doesn't check out.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Michele Val Jean

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. Jake and the Fatman Season 4 Episode 8 - Night and Day
    8.4/10(31 votes)

    #6 - Night and Day

    S4:E8

    Jake and private investigator Casey Quinn go after her husband's murderer - suspected smuggler Peter LaMotta.

    Director:Michael Lange
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Jake and the Fatman

    READ
  7. Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 4 - Laura
    8.3/10(51 votes)

    #7 - Laura

    S1:E4

    Jake's former partner is killed by his fiancée in an alley. She blames the murder on a Latin kid she saw stealing a VCR just before she pulled the trigger.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 8 - Body and Soul
    8.3/10(46 votes)

    #8 - Body and Soul

    S1:E8

    ""Mad"" Marvin Michaels, the owner of an electronics store, is killed, and ex-con Bradford Long is the main suspect. McCabe assigns the case to the cop Karen Stetson, whose father was killed by Long.

    Director:Jerry Jameson
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 20 - Blues in the Night
    8.3/10(48 votes)

    #9 - Blues in the Night

    S1:E20

    Jennifer Wilding gets a surprise when her identical twin sister turns up wanting to resume their previous partnership - one steals jewelry and the other provides an alibi.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 6 - It All Depends on You
    8.3/10(33 votes)

    #10 - It All Depends on You

    S3:E6

    Derek gets his first case - a drunk driver who assaulted a police officer. But the driver is a powerful man, and suddenly Derek's main witness lies and the judge dismisses the case.

    Director:Michael Lange
    Writer:David Moessinger

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 24 - My Heart Belongs to Daddy
    8.3/10(33 votes)

    #11 - My Heart Belongs to Daddy

    S3:E24

    Jake and Derek negotiates with a slightly paranoid man who has evidence against a crocked oil company, while McCabe gets a visit from a young woman claiming to be his daughter.

    Director:Robert Scheerer
    Writer:Douglas Benton

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. Jake and the Fatman Season 4 Episode 7 - More Than You Know
    8.3/10(37 votes)

    #12 - More Than You Know

    S4:E7

    Jake investigates a serial killer that leaves an orchid on all his victims, while McCabe gets his biography written.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writer:Paul Robert Coyle

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 10 - Love Me Or Leave Me
    8.2/10(42 votes)

    #13 - Love Me Or Leave Me

    S1:E10

    Ed Galvin escapes while he is being transported to prison, after threatening the life of McCabe and Andy Harmon (the cop who arrested him) during his trial.

    Director:Michael Preece
    Writer:Paul Robert Coyle

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. Jake and the Fatman Season 2 Episode 1 - Wish You Were Here (1)
    8.2/10(50 votes)

    #14 - Wish You Were Here (1)

    S2:E1

    Jake goes to Hawaii to visit a longtime friend, John Graney, but finds him dead when he arrives. Meanwhile McCabe resigns his position as district attorney and decides to move to Hawaii.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. Jake and the Fatman Season 2 Episode 9 - They Can't Take That Away from Me
    8.2/10(37 votes)

    #15 - They Can't Take That Away from Me

    S2:E9

    Jake and two friends participate in a drug bust that goes sour. The next day those friends are found dead - killed by a shotgun blast while they were in their car at the docks.

    Director:Don Medford
    Writer:Catherine Clinch

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 5 - Dancing in the Dark
    8.2/10(37 votes)

    #16 - Dancing in the Dark

    S3:E5

    A cat burglar robs a hotel while McCabe is hosting a district attorney convention there. The immediate suspect is Harry McGuinn, a recently released cat burglar. He insists that he is innocent, and tries to help Jake solve the robbery.

    Director:Chuck Bowman
    Writer:Steve Aspis

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 10 - Long Ago and Far Away
    8.2/10(37 votes)

    #17 - Long Ago and Far Away

    S3:E10

    Judge Smithwood starts receiving death threats after sentencing a young man to 20 years for rape. And a mysterious man in an army captain uniform steals a high precision sniper rifle from a local military base.

    Director:Russ Mayberry
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. Jake and the Fatman Season 4 Episode 19 - It Never Entered My Mind
    8.2/10(34 votes)

    #18 - It Never Entered My Mind

    S4:E19

    Dr. Sloan is charged with murdering hospital director Havilland, who was investigating him and two other doctors.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 1 - Happy Days Are Here Again
    8.1/10(71 votes)

    #19 - Happy Days Are Here Again

    S1:E1

    Senator candidate Kyle Williams' lover is killed after she threatens to reveal their affair. His speechwriter admits to him that he was the murderer, but threatens to frame him unless he cooperates.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 2 - The Lady in Red
    8.1/10(36 votes)

    #20 - The Lady in Red

    S3:E2

    Ed Delaney, an ex-cop and an old friend of McCabe, is killed when he comes close to solving ""The Lady in Red"" Murder - a 20-year-old unsolved murder case that got him fired from the police.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writer:Kimmer Ringwald

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. Jake and the Fatman Season 3 Episode 18 - By Myself
    8.1/10(37 votes)

    #21 - By Myself

    S3:E18

    A rapist is loose, attacking single women in their homes. Meanwhile McCabe takes Max to the ""Happy Dogs"" class.

    Director:Chuck Bowman
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. Jake and the Fatman Season 4 Episode 5 - Only You
    8.1/10(31 votes)

    #22 - Only You

    S4:E5

    Jake goes under cover investigating industrial espionage, trying to find the top man. Things get complicated when an acquaintance for LA comes to visit.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Carol Saraceno

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. Jake and the Fatman Season 4 Episode 10 - Goodbye (2)
    8.1/10(33 votes)

    #23 - Goodbye (2)

    S4:E10

    Jake is in LA and has to clear himself of murder charges.

    Director:Bernard L. Kowalski
    Writer:J. Michael Straczynski

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. Jake and the Fatman Season 4 Episode 12 - Let's Call the Whole Thing Off
    8.1/10(34 votes)

    #24 - Let's Call the Whole Thing Off

    S4:E12

    McCabe is prosecuting Robert Burgess - a big crime boss, when his main witness is murdered on his way to court. Jake tracks down Burgess' ex-girlfriend, and has to bring her to court before the judge dismisses the case.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. Jake and the Fatman Season 1 Episode 3 - Fatal Attraction (2)
    8.0/10(54 votes)

    #25 - Fatal Attraction (2)

    S1:E3

    Carson Warfield is having an affair with his stepmother, and together they kill his father and frame a thief who used to work for them. When things don't add up McCabe gets suspicious, and starts nosing around.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"Rhapsody in Blue" is the best rated episode of "Jake and the Fatman". It scored 10/10 based on 1 votes. Directed by Michael Lange and written by Unknown, it aired on 4/6/1988. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Snowfall".