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The Worst Episodes of The Big Valley

Every episode of The Big Valley ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Big Valley!

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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 Worst Episode
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    The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 8 - My Son, My Son
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - My Son, My Son

    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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  2. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 12 - Night of the Wolf
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - Night of the Wolf

    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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  3. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 13 - The Guilt of Matt Bentell
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - The Guilt of Matt Bentell

    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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  4. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 15 - Judgement in Heaven
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - Judgement in Heaven

    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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  5. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 16 - The Invaders
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - The Invaders

    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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  6. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 17 - By Fires Unseen
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - By Fires Unseen

    S1:E17

    Nick returns from a trip from San Francisco with a big surprise. . . a fiance!! While he is completely smitten with her, the rest of the family isn't so quickly won over. They see the truth, that she's just not ready to leave behind the life of parties and numerous suitors, to which she has become accustomed.

    Director:Ralph Senensky
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 BEST Episodes of The Big Valley

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  7. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 18 - A Time to Kill
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - A Time to Kill

    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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  8. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 19 - Teacher of Outlaws
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - Teacher of Outlaws

    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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  9. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 20 - Under a Dark Star
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - Under a Dark Star

    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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  10. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 21 - Barbary Red
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - Barbary Red

    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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  11. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 22 - The Death Merchant
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - The Death Merchant

    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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  12. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 23 - The Fallen Hawk
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - The Fallen Hawk

    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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  13. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 24 - Hazard
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - Hazard

    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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  14. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 25 - Into the Widow's Web
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Into the Widow's Web

    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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  15. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 27 - The River Monarch
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - The River Monarch

    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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  16. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 28 - The Midas Man
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - The Midas Man

    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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  17. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 29 - Tunnel of Gold
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Tunnel of Gold

    S1:E29

    Some men try to dig a tunnel from a general store to the train depot next door, to steal the Barkley's gold shipment.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Big Valley Season 1 Episode 30 - Last Train to the Fair
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Last Train to the Fair

    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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  19. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 1 - Lost Treasure
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Lost Treasure

    S2:E1

    A con man comes claiming to be Heath's real father, not Tom Barkley.

    Director:Arthur H. Nadel
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 2 - Legend of a General (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Legend of a General (1)

    S2:E2

    Part 1, Heath is down in Mexico where an old friend of the family escapes arrest, fleeing to the Barkley ranch. Heath is imprisoned to be held in exchange for the general.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 3 - Legend of a General (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Legend of a General (2)

    S2:E3

    Nick and Jarrod head to Mexico to break out Heath, who has already broken out and been recaptured.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 4 - Caesar's Wife
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Caesar's Wife

    S2:E4

    An old friend of Audra's has a new , very young, stepmother who likes him as more than a son, and is jealous of Audra.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 5 - Pursuit
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Pursuit

    S2:E5

    Victoria heads alone into the desert to find a sick indian before he reaches, and infects, his people.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 6 - The Martyr
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - The Martyr

    S2:E6

    Jarrod defends a Basque sheepherder.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Big Valley Season 2 Episode 7 - Target
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Target

    S2:E7

    A candidate for governor, Joshua Hawks, who had been traveling up and down California spreading lies and causing trouble, comes to Stockton.His target this time, The Barkleys, his story, that Tom Barkley stole every inch of land that they own. He chose the wrong family to mess with this time though, because the Barkleys don't lie down for anyone they come out fighting. Against the wishes of his campain manager, the man who fabricated the story, he decides to, foolishly, stay and fight. Jarrod decides not to bring about a libel charge against Hawks, knowing that it would only result in a long drawn out court battle. Instead he asks the senator to form a committee of four men to decide on the case. Hawks cooks up a scheme to murder the committee and blame it on the Barkleys, he even kills his campaign manager when he decides to leave him, after he has found out Hawks' plan. The plan backfires however and Hawks' ends up getting himself killed instead. In the end The Barkleys get the good

    Director:Arthur H. Nadel
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"My Son, My Son" is the worst rated episode of "The Big Valley". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Paul Henreid and written by Paul Schneider, it aired on 11/3/1965. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Night of the Wolf".