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The Best Episodes of The Name of the Game

Every episode of The Name of the Game ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Name of the Game!

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The Name of the Game is an American television series starring Tony Franciosa, Gene Barry, and Robert Stack that ran from 1968 to 1971 on NBC, totaling 76 episodes of 90 minutes. It was a

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Name of the Game Season 2 Episode 25 - One of the Girls in Research
    8.0/10(16 votes)

    #1 - One of the Girls in Research

    S2:E25

    Howard's research girl has romantic daydreams about him as they try to locate an eccentric conniving industrialist who is trying victimized her.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 3 - The Taker
    7.9/10(27 votes)

    #2 - The Taker

    S1:E3

    Crime Magazine publisher Glenn Howard refuses to support a powerful businessman who backs a crooked political candidate and finds himself in a battle of wits over the takeover of his publishing empire.

    Director:Harvey Hart
    Writers:William Link, Richard Levinson

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  3. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 11 - The White Birch
    7.9/10(49 votes)

    #3 - The White Birch

    S1:E11

    Glenn Howard travels to Prague, Czechoslovakia, where he and other rival journalists try to get custody of an ailing author's latest work.

    Director:Lamont Johnson
    Writers:Luther Davis, Dean Hargrove

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  4. The Name of the Game Season 2 Episode 6 - Goodbye Harry
    7.9/10(23 votes)

    #4 - Goodbye Harry

    S2:E6

    Roving reporter Sam Hardy's boss, Crime magazine publisher Glenn Howard (GB), sends Hardy and magazine researcher Peggy Maxwell on a dangerous fact-finding mission. Their quarry is American missile scientist Harry Roarke. While it appears as though Harry has defected to Cuba, he may very well be hiding out in the States, in fear for his life.

    Director:Barry Shear
    Writer:Gene L. Coon

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  5. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 8 - Little Bear Died Running
    7.9/10(15 votes)

    #5 - Little Bear Died Running

    S3:E8

    When an Indian kills the friend of a reporter, Paul Tyler (RC) investigates.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 9 - The Protector
    7.8/10(20 votes)

    #6 - The Protector

    S1:E9

    Glenn Howard goes up against a bigoted millionaire who sets out to solve the nation's racial problems with his own private army.

    Director:Richard Irving
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Name of the Game

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  7. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 10 - Ordeal
    7.8/10(28 votes)

    #7 - Ordeal

    S1:E10

    A woman sitting on death row hopes that Dan Farrell can find enough evidence to prove that she did not murder her husband.

    Director:Ralph Senensky
    Writer:Alvin Sapinsley

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  8. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 24 - The Third Choice
    7.8/10(11 votes)

    #8 - The Third Choice

    S1:E24

    Howard (GB) tries to save a Howard Publications editor kidnapped by a man who hopes to use the ransom to overthrow an African government.

    Director:Seymour Robbie
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 26 - An Agent of the Plaintiff
    7.8/10(19 votes)

    #9 - An Agent of the Plaintiff

    S1:E26

    Howard (GB) is the victim of a conspiracy hatched by his own attorney, the lovely-but-lethal Bethany Cromwell, and plaintiff Harold Wyler.

    Director:John Llewellyn Moxey
    Writers:Dean Hargrove, Marion Hargrove

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  10. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 11 - I Love You, Billy Baker (2)
    7.8/10(16 votes)

    #10 - I Love You, Billy Baker (2)

    S3:E11

    No description available

    Director:Barry Shear
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 5 - Nightmare
    7.7/10(26 votes)

    #11 - Nightmare

    S1:E5

    Dan Farrell patiently prepares to exact his revenge upon the robbers that murdered his wife.

    Director:Alvin Ganzer
    Writer:Ed Adamson

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  12. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 23 - A Wrath of Angels
    7.7/10(18 votes)

    #12 - A Wrath of Angels

    S1:E23

    Dan Farrell (RS) investigates as a man and a priest try to clean up the slums and end up having a showdown with a powerful Mafioso.

    Director:Alvin Ganzer
    Writers:Dick Nelson, Gilbert Ralston

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  13. The Name of the Game Season 2 Episode 24 - Jenny Wilde Is Drowning
    7.7/10(23 votes)

    #13 - Jenny Wilde Is Drowning

    S2:E24

    When a young actress becomes suicidal, Jeff Dillon (TF) attempts to prevent her suicide attempts.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The Name of the Game Season 2 Episode 26 - The Other Kind of Spy
    7.7/10(15 votes)

    #14 - The Other Kind of Spy

    S2:E26

    Dillon (TF) investigates a chemical plant that has blown up only to discover industrial espionage as the motive.

    Director:Boris Sagal
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 1 - So Long Baby, and Amen
    7.7/10(26 votes)

    #15 - So Long Baby, and Amen

    S3:E1

    Dan Farrell (RS) reports his findings at a Congressional committee hearing on addictive drugs. Later he finds himself entangled with a self-destructive, drug-addicted young girl.

    Director:Marvin J. Chomsky
    Writer:Steven Bochco

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  16. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 6 - The Time Is Now
    7.7/10(20 votes)

    #16 - The Time Is Now

    S3:E6

    Howard (GB) investigates the death of a moderate black educator at a campus torn into a struggle between militants and moderates.

    Director:Nicholas Colasanto
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 9 - All the Old Familar Faces
    7.7/10(22 votes)

    #17 - All the Old Familar Faces

    S3:E9

    Howard (GB) tries to find out who is behind a series of death threats levelled against him. He interviews several likely suspects who, in flashback, explain just what might have prompted them to kill.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 17 - The Inquiry
    7.6/10(28 votes)

    #18 - The Inquiry

    S1:E17

    Howard (GB) is called before a Senate committee to answer charges that he stole a fortune in U.S. Army funds while serving with the OSS in Italy during World War II.

    Director:Sutton Roley
    Writer:Harold Livingston

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  19. The Name of the Game Season 1 Episode 19 - Love-In At Ground Zero
    7.6/10(24 votes)

    #19 - Love-In At Ground Zero

    S1:E19

    Howard (GB) is kidnapped by a group of protestors who demand he witness their suicide and then write an expose of the army's testing of chemical warfare weapons.

    Director:Richard Irving
    Writers:Dean Hargrove, Shimon Wincelberg

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  20. The Name of the Game Season 2 Episode 5 - Chains of Command
    7.6/10(19 votes)

    #20 - Chains of Command

    S2:E5

    Farrell (RS) is investigating charges that the officials of a prison on the Mexican border are shipping out forced labor to local farms. It has been further charged that the officials are getting rich on kickbacks. Assuming a false identity and taking a job in the border town becomes very hazardous.

    Director:Robert Day
    Writer:Carol Sobieski

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  21. The Name of the Game Season 2 Episode 16 - Island of Gold and Precious Stones
    7.6/10(19 votes)

    #21 - Island of Gold and Precious Stones

    S2:E16

    A late millionaire's millions have disappeared, and reporter Jeff Dillon (TF) wants to find out why. Together with his crack researcher Peggy Maxwell, Dillon checks out the deceased man's relatives. Each, it seems, has a reason for wanting the man dead, and each had opportunity to make off with the inheritance.

    Director:John Newland
    Writer:Anthony Skene

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  22. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 3 - Cynthia Is Alive and Living in Avalon
    7.6/10(22 votes)

    #22 - Cynthia Is Alive and Living in Avalon

    S3:E3

    Cynthia is a reclusive jet-setter who has of late become a political activist. She refuses all interviews and keeps hidden in a rambling house on the island of Avalon. At the urging of his pal, reporter Paul Tyler decides to make a name for himself by getting the exclusive story on Cynthia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 5 - The Enemy Before Us
    7.6/10(22 votes)

    #23 - The Enemy Before Us

    S3:E5

    Crime Magazine reporter Jeff Dillon (TF) is back in his old neighborhood in New York's ""Little Italy"", Dillon hopes to take a break from his hectic responsibilities and recapture ""something real"" from his younger days. Unfortunately, he is bombarded by pain and disillusionment from every side: his stepmother is gravely ill, and her son is deeply involved with drug dealing.

    Director:Barry Shear
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 7 - The War Merchants
    7.6/10(14 votes)

    #24 - The War Merchants

    S3:E7

    Farrell (RS) investigates the death of an old friend and discovers an international weapons-smuggling operation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Name of the Game Season 3 Episode 20 - The Savage Eye
    7.6/10(23 votes)

    #25 - The Savage Eye

    S3:E20

    Dan Farrell (RS) looks into a conflict involving loggers and the filming of a documentary.

    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"One of the Girls in Research" is the best rated episode of "The Name of the Game". It scored 8/10 based on 16 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 4/3/1970. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Taker".