In this series premiere, the railroad has hired men to force the farmers and ranchers of Stockton off their land. The Barkleys join with the rest of the valley to help fight them off. While at home an angry young man, Heath, shows up claimimg to be the deceased Tom Barkleys' illegitimate son.

Victoria begins to wonder if Tom ever truly loved her, if he could go off and have an affair which produces a child. So she's off to Heath's hometown Strawberry to find out more about Tom and Leah's (Heath's mother) relationship.

Jarrod defends a man accused of murder, even though the only witness is his own brother, Heath!!

A group of irish immigrants settle down on Barkley land, believing that they bought the land legally. Nick, along with the others at first, believes they are merely squatters. They, however, refuse to believe that the land does not belong to them.

While on their way to the fair in Sacremento, Audra is stricken with a severe case of appendicitis. Fortunately there is a doctor on board, unfortunately he is being chased down by men who wish to see him hang.

When Jennie's house is ransacked by three gunmen, Nick realises his practical joke wasn't so great after all!

When Heath is asked to look after a wanted man's baby, he gets himself into trouble.

An old childhood friend of Audra's returns whom she'd like to be involved with. She doesn't know however that he is emotionally disturbed, dangerously so.

When Nick is bitten by a rabid wolf, he makes Heath swear not to say a word, and leaves town so his family will not have to witness what will happen to him.

Handy Random, theman who killed the man that killed Tom Barkley, comes to Stockton. It's a happy reunion for all but Heath who hates the man, and for good reason. Everywhere he goes he starts range wars to profit from them.

When Heath falls in love with a woman, he doesn't realize how dangerous she is, and what could happen to him.

When Heath kills someone in self-defense, he becomes a wanted man

Victoria learns that her brother-in-law has been declared insane.

A guilt ridden Jarrod offers to help a man that he helped to convict of a crime that Jarrod now knows that he did not commit. Even though the man threatened to kill Jarrod at the trial.

Jarrod is happy to see an old law school friend. . until he learns there is a secret service agent on his tail. It seems everywhere he goes counterfeit money follows, and Jarrod is determined to find out what's going on with his old friend.

When Jarrod visits Baker City, he gets involved in a Mexican Marital mix-up.

Mistaken for the schoolteacher, Victoria is kidnapped by an outlaw who wishes to learn to read.

While having a birthday drink at The Barbary Red saloon with two of his ranch hands, Nick is shanghaied.

A man comes to the ranch looking for Heath and gets shot by bounty hunters. It turns out he's not a friend of Heath's like he stated, in fact Heath has sworn to kill him himself.

Heath's childhood sweetheart Libby suddenly reappears in his life, bringing nothing but trouble.He ends up thrown in jail, accused of the murder of Liberty's drunken husband, by the new D.A. who's out to prove that the Barkleys power and money can't buy everything. It's a race to prove Heath's innocence and save him from a fate at the end of a rope!!

When Victoria and Heath head up to the lodge to prepare things for the whole family, their pleasant ride turns into a nightmare. After becoming stuck in a muddy section of road, Heath gets out to help push, only to have the axle break and the heavily loaded wagon fall on him. Unable to free him herself, Victoria sets out to find help. She soon finds that the only person able to help is an escaped convict with bounty hunters on his tail, and no intentions of stopping to help anyone.

Audra falls for a man out to make money off the other ranchers in the valley, by taking their land.

The final episode of The Big Valley

While preparing for a major cattle drive bunching the Barkley's herd with those of other ranchers, Heath has major difficulties being accepted as a Barkley, especially by the ranch hands. Then when Nick's former commander in the war comes to visit, Heath is suspicious of him, and with good reason. He is there to cause trouble and steal the herd!! Nick ends up getting shot while on the drive and has to be taken to town, leaving Heath in charge of the drive. Heath ends up saving the day, and finally the hands begin to accept him as a true Barkley.

Jarrod decides to bring home one of his clients, a young woman named Maybelle, for Christmas. Her accused crime aiding and abbetting her outlaw boyfriend, a boyfriend who recently escaped from jail and is now looking for Maybelle.