7.8/1047 votes#1 - Homecoming
Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/1987
A cop who helped send a gangster's son to prison years ago has been hiding, cause the gangster wants to get him. But now he wants to come home, so he and his father, asks Spenser to act as intermediary. While the gangster is unwilling to settle for nothing less than seeing him dead. Spenser tries to see what he can do. At the same time Spenser has to deal with Susan, who came back to town, and would like to see if they have a future, but this case is taking up all of his time.
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: N/A
- 7.9/1049 votes
#2 - My Enemy, My Friend
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/1987
A streetwise young kid gets involved over his head in the underworld. Spenser and Hawk try to protect him from would-be killers.
Director: N/A
Writer: Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon
- 8.2/1040 votes
#3 - The Heart of the Matter
Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/11/1987
Lt. Quirk faces his mortality when he suffers a heart attack. Spenser and Hawk protect him from revenge-minded villains as he recovers.
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: Norma Safford Vela
- 7.7/1054 votes
#4 - On the Night he Was Betrayed
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 11/1/1987
Spenser helps an old friend, an alcoholic priest who tries to help homeless teenagers, when he gets involved over his head.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/1035 votes
#5 - Sleepless Dreams
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/1987
Spenser becomes obsessed with an apparently suicidal woman after a chance encounter on the street.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/1038 votes
#6 - Consilum Abditum
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1987
Susan is in trouble when her claims of sexual harassment lead her college counselor to retaliate by hiring a hit man to keep her quiet. Spenser gets arrested for getting involved in a fight.
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1035 votes
#7 - Thanksgiving
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 11/29/1987
Spenser runs into an old friend while visiting a recreation of a Puritan village. Spenser does everything in his power to exonerate said friend when he's accused of a brutal slaying. As he uncovers more and more, Spenser begins to think it might be hard to clear the name of a guilty man.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.7/1038 votes
#8 - Gone Fishin'
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 12/6/1987
Spenser's fishing trip is interrupted when he has to protect a young man who's not allowed to marry the girl he loves.
Director: Bruce Bilson
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1036 votes
#9 - Child's Play
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 12/20/1987
A sniper takes some shots at Spenser and Susan, and a young boy ends up dead in the crossfire. Spenser sets out to determine why such a tragedy happened and track down the shooter.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1037 votes
#10 - Skeletons in the Closet
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 1/3/1988
Spenser and Hawk find themselves on opposite sides of the same case. Spenser is hired to retrieve a stolen journal containing information damaging to a judge's career. Hawk is hired by the thief to extort money from the judge.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.1/1039 votes
#11 - The Siege
Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 1/10/1988
Hawk and Susan along with other people are held captive in a post office. Richard Brooks later seen on Law and Order during Season's 1 & 2 plays one of the hostage takers.
Director: Bill Duke
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/1034 votes
#12 - Arthur's Wake
Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 1/16/1988
Spenser protects an old friend, Arthur, after he's assaulted and robbed. In the course of his investigation, Spenser comes across disturbing information connecting Arthur with racketeering.
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1037 votes
#13 - To the End of the Line
Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 1/23/1988
When Frank's niece dies of a drug overdose, Spenser and Frank go after the men responsible.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
- 5.9/1043 votes
#14 - Play it Again, Sammy
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 1/30/1988
Sammy Backlin calls Spenser for protection when he's being hunted by a 'vicious horde of bloodthirsty assassins'.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.5/1035 votes
#15 - The Big Fight
Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 2/6/1988
One of Spenser's old trainers lures Spenser to a deserted warehouse where Spenser is supposed to be killed, to get out from under a gambling debt. Spenser survives, then turns around and protects his trainer from the goons now after him.
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/1035 votes
#16 - Substantial Justice
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 3/5/1988
Spenser protects a theater owner from gangsters, but begins to suspect she's not as innocent as she appears.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.5/10188 votes
#17 - Company Man
Season 3 Episode 17 - Aired 3/12/1988
Spenser suspects insurance fraud when a building blows up. Susan has a possibly cancerous mass removed.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1034 votes
#18 - Watercolors
Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 3/19/1988
Spenser protects a child artist after the child witnesses a mob execution while painting in the forest.
Director: Winrich Kolbe
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1038 votes
#19 - Hawk's Eyes
Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 3/26/1988
Spenser investigates the death of a friend apparently involved with white supremicists. Hawk is rendered blind by an explosion.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 7.4/1046 votes
#20 - McAllister
Season 3 Episode 20 - Aired 4/30/1988
Spenser assists a lawyer in proving the innocence of his client, a Navy seaman accused of murdering the captain's daughter. The only witness is a missing Polish sailor.
Director: Harvey Hart
Writer: N/A
- 8.4/1040 votes
#21 - Haunting
Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 5/7/1988
Spenser investigates an old child kidnapping case when he tries to track down a teenage girl's biological parents.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Spenser: For Hire Season 3
Every episode of Spenser: For Hire Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Spenser: For Hire Season 3!
Mystery and suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new murder mystery each...
Genres:DramaCrimeMystery
Network:ABC
Season 3 Ratings Summary
"Homecoming" is the best rated episode of "Spenser: For Hire" season 3. It scored 7.8/10 based on 47 votes. Directed by Winrich Kolbe and written by N/A, it aired on 9/27/1987. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "My Enemy, My Friend".