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The Best Episodes of The Big Valley Season 1

Every episode of The Big Valley Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Big Valley Season 1!

Binge this in 20h 50m•Peaking at 8.4/10

The Big Valley is an American western television series which ran on ABC from September 15, 1965, to May 19, 1969. The show stars Barbara Stanwyck, as the widow of a wealthy nineteenth century California

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 30 - Last Train to the Fair
    8.4/10(148 votes)

    S1:E30

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Paul Savage

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  2. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 1 - Palms of Glory
    8.3/10(293 votes)

    S1:E1

    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.

    Director:William A. Graham
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 3 - Boots with My Father's Name
    8.3/10(217 votes)

    S1:E3

    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.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 12 - Night of the Wolf
    8.3/10(175 votes)

    S1:E12

    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.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 14 - The Brawlers
    8.3/10(159 votes)

    S1:E14

    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.

    Director:Joseph Pevney
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 8 - My Son, My Son
    8.2/10(192 votes)

    S1:E8

    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.

    Director:Paul Henreid
    Writer:Paul Schneider

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  7. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 10 - The Murdered Party
    8.2/10(153 votes)

    S1:E10

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

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 20 - Under a Dark Star
    8.1/10(154 votes)

    S1:E20

    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.

    Director:Michael Ritchie
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 22 - The Death Merchant
    8.1/10(158 votes)

    S1:E22

    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.

    Director:Bernard McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 18 - A Time to Kill
    8.0/10(149 votes)

    S1:E18

    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.

    Director:Bernard McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 21 - Barbary Red
    7.9/10(165 votes)

    S1:E21

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

    Director:Michael Ritchie
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 25 - Into the Widow's Web
    7.9/10(121 votes)

    S1:E25

    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!!

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 26 - By Force and Violence
    7.9/10(144 votes)

    S1:E26

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 2 - Forty Rifles
    7.8/10(180 votes)

    S1:E2

    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.

    Director:Bernard McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 15 - Judgement in Heaven
    7.8/10(186 votes)

    S1:E15

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 16 - The Invaders
    7.8/10(154 votes)

    S1:E16

    While out counting cattle Heath comes across a dead animal. When he gets down off of his horse to investigate, he is shot by the same rawhiders who killed the cow. When they realize that he is still alive, they decide to take him back to the ranch for a finder's ""reward"". Once there they find that all of the other men are gone for at least a week, leaving the house and all within ripe for the picking.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 19 - Teacher of Outlaws
    7.8/10(126 votes)

    S1:E19

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

    Director:Michael Ritchie
    Writer:Gilbert Ralston

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  18. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 27 - The River Monarch
    7.8/10(132 votes)

    S1:E27

    When a riverboat belonging to the the Barkleys, which sank years before taking with it a fortune in government gold, is recovered, the gold is nowhere to be found. Rumors and accusations soon fly, that it was Tom Barkley who stole the gold and sank the boat to cover it up. An investigation follows which seems to prove that Tom was guilty, a fact that could cost the Barkleys their fortune!!!

    Director:Sutton Roley
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 28 - The Midas Man
    7.8/10(126 votes)

    S1:E28

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

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 4 - Young Marauders
    7.7/10(173 votes)

    S1:E4

    Audra is save by a man who claims to be a mustang hunter, but who's band of mustangers are also extorting protection money from the farmers and ranchers of Stockon. While Audra is smitten with him her brothers are suspicious, and soon find out the truth. Which Audra does as well. . .after she is kidnapped by them.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 9 - Earthquake!
    7.7/10(182 votes)

    S1:E9

    Victoria is in a mission church with a pregnant indian woman, when an earthquake collapses it into a forgotten mine underneath. As if the situation isn't isn't bad enough. . they are also trapped with a man whom Nick had fired and who now has a serious grudge against the Barkleys.

    Director:Paul Henreid
    Writer:Oliver Crawford

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  22. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 13 - The Guilt of Matt Bentell
    7.7/10(146 votes)

    S1:E13

    When the Barkleys invite the foreman of their logging operations to dinner, Heath walks in and tries to kill the man on sight. It turns out that the man is Matt Bentell, the warden of violent, horrible Carterson Prison, where Heath was held during the war. A man whom he had sworn to kill if he ever saw him again. The family comes up with the brilliant idea to send Heath up to the logging camp with the man to help with the building of log flumes, and to protect the man whose identity has been brought into the open. Heath ends up saving his life and learns that people can change.

    Director:Lewis Allen
    Writer:Paul Savage

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  23. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 24 - Hazard
    7.7/10(127 votes)

    S1:E24

    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.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 6 - Heritage
    7.6/10(152 votes)

    S1:E6

    While Heath investigates violence at one of the Barkley mines, he discovers that the miners hate the Barkley's for unkept promises. This discovered they work to set things right before anything else happens.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Carey Wilber

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  25. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 23 - The Fallen Hawk
    7.6/10(127 votes)

    S1:E23

    Heath feels that his friend's injury and paralysis is his fault, and ends up being used by the man.

    Director:Paul Henreid
    Writer:Unknown

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Last Train to the Fair" is the best rated episode of "The Big Valley" season 1. It scored 8.4/10 based on 148 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Paul Savage, it aired on 4/27/1966. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "Palms of Glory".