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The Best Episodes of The Virginian

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

The Best Episodes of The Virginian

The Shiloh Ranch in Wyoming Territory of the 1890s is owned in sequence by Judge Henry Garth, the Grainger brothers, and Colonel Alan MacKenzie. It...

Seasons9

  1. Background image for The Decision
    8.9/10(74 votes)

    #1 - The Decision

    S6:E25

    Age, inexperience and a rekindled conflict with Trampas hinder Dan Porter, an ex-sheriff who exchanged his badge for a job at Shiloh. Emily: Monica Lewis. Deputy: Steve Carlson. Trampas: Doug McClure. Manning: Ben Murphy. Virginian: James Drury. Tasker: Lawrence Dane.

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  2. Background image for Ride a Dark Trail
    8.8/10(128 votes)

    #2 - Ride a Dark Trail

    S2:E1

    The Virginian accidentally comes upon, and is held at gunpoint by, young Lon Mortison (Buzz Martin). The boy had been searching for a gambler who he thinks is responsible for his father's suicide and had already shot and wounded a man who interfered. In order to convince the boy to give himself up, the Virginian recounts in flashback how Trampas first came to Shiloh Ranch. He came seeking revenge on Judge Garth who had been forced to kill Trampas' father (Sonny Tufts) in self-defence. This object lesson serves to get Lon to realize the error of his actions and convince him to surrender to the Sheriff.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for The Handy Man
    8.8/10(83 votes)

    #3 - The Handy Man

    S6:E24

    No description available

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    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for The Sins of the Fathers
    8.8/10(74 votes)

    #4 - The Sins of the Fathers

    S8:E22

    No description available

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    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for Last Grave at Socorro Creek
    8.7/10(71 votes)

    #5 - Last Grave at Socorro Creek

    S7:E16

    Investigating the lynching of a friend, the Virginian matches wits with a sadistic killer---and the dead man's vengeful son. Four-Eyes: Steve Ihnat. Virginian: James Drury. Luther: Lonny Chapman. Kate: Ellen McRae. Burden: Kevin Coughlin.

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    Director:Leo Penn
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for Show Me a Hero
    8.6/10(94 votes)

    #6 - Show Me a Hero

    S4:E9

    While returning to Shiloh Trampas injures his horse saving a man with a runaway team. He is forced to stay a few days in a small town with the man as an old friend arrives to force the town to sign over its gambling rights to him.

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    Director:Leon Benson
    Writer:Unknown
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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Virginian

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  8. Background image for Vengeance Trail
    8.6/10(70 votes)

    #7 - Vengeance Trail

    S5:E15

    Stacey is forced to kill a man who tries to rob him. He returns the body to the man's sister who asks Stacey to leave rather than see the Sheriff. She is afraid their younger brother who joins the Shiloh cattle drive will try for revenge.

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    Director:Thomas Carr
    Writer:Unknown
  9. Background image for Jed
    8.6/10(68 votes)

    #8 - Jed

    S6:E17

    Clay tries to prevent a range war between the ranchers and the homesteaders who are blocking their path to market. A hotheaded rancher secretly hires a gunfighter who happens to be an old friend of Trampas, who falls for Abby Keefer (Brenda Scott), a homesteader's daughter.

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    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for Long Ride Home
    8.6/10(73 votes)

    #9 - Long Ride Home

    S8:E1

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for The Holocaust
    8.6/10(65 votes)

    #10 - The Holocaust

    S8:E17

    An eastern combine wants to take over the Wyoming cattle market with Shiloh in the middle of their sights. A burned Shiloh and delayed cattle drive leads to a loss on the sale of cattle resulting in all the Shiloh hands being laid off.

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    Writer:Unknown
  12. Background image for The Accomplice
    8.5/10(448 votes)

    #11 - The Accomplice

    S1:E13

    The Rocky Point Bank is robbed by two men who shoot its President. One of the men is captured and claims Trampas, with whom he has a grudge, was his accomplice -- so Trampas is arrested. His identification as the robber is supported by a spinsterish bank teller, Delia Miller (Bette Davis), who has recognized the real robber and is protecting his identity in order to blackmail him. The Virginian tries to prove Trampas innocent and expose the real criminal by falsifying Delia's story.

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  13. Background image for Big Image . . . Little Man
    8.5/10(112 votes)

    #12 - Big Image . . . Little Man

    S3:E7

    Millionaire Paul Leland (Linden Chiles) treats everyone like dirt and ends up in the desert after getting shoved off a train by a disgruntled employee. He is found and taken on by the Virginian and Shiloh crew who are driving a herd of cattle to Seattle. Leland has several run-ins with the crew as well as former employees met along the way but in the end becomes a better man for his tribulations.

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  14. Background image for Showdown
    8.5/10(100 votes)

    #13 - Showdown

    S3:E29

    The Virginian is forced to take sides in a bitter dispute between a family of ranchers and two domineering marshals.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for Jacob Was a Plain Man
    8.5/10(73 votes)

    #14 - Jacob Was a Plain Man

    S5:E5

    Jake who can't hear or speak runs after he accidentally kills a man in a bar. He lands at Shiloh where his hard work results in a job. Stacey seeing Jake can't express himself decides to teach him to read and write but puts him in danger.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for The Challenge
    8.5/10(71 votes)

    #15 - The Challenge

    S5:E6

    After a stagecoach holdup and accident, Trampas stumbles into a farm with a concussion and amnesia. The farmer and his two kids tend to Trampas but the white handled gun he is carrying puts him into danger from the law and the outlaws.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for Doctor Pat
    8.5/10(74 votes)

    #16 - Doctor Pat

    S5:E23

    Dr. Spaulding decides to hire another doctor to help share the load but he is unsure whether the attractive female doctor he is sent will work out. The Virginian takes a strong interest in her and her problems as she tries to adapt.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for The Deadly Past
    8.5/10(66 votes)

    #17 - The Deadly Past

    S6:E2

    Suspense builds as Trampas, a hard-drinking gunslinger and a sheriff's wife search for the person who has sent them death notes. Evans: Darren McGavin. Trampas: Doug McClure. Emily: Mary-Robin Redd. Chris: Linden Chiles. Ned: Bing Russell.

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    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for The Lady From Witchita
    8.5/10(70 votes)

    #18 - The Lady From Witchita

    S6:E3

    The accent is on comedy as two ex-barmaids settle on a Medicine Bow ranch, hoping that their past won't catch up with them. Lorna: Joan Collins. Belle: Rose Marie. Trampas: Doug McClure. Kane: Harry Lauter. Grainger: Charles Bickford. Mrs. Graves: Ann Doran. Elizabeth: Sara Lane.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for Star Crossed
    8.5/10(73 votes)

    #19 - Star Crossed

    S6:E4

    Ryker sidesteps the law to help a robbery suspect plagued by a blackmailing Shiloh hand. Hiller: Tom Tryon. Judith: Lisabeth Hush. Barnes: Kiel Martin. Brian: Brian Nash. Sheriff: Ross Elliott.

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    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for Stopover
    8.5/10(80 votes)

    #20 - Stopover

    S7:E14

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for The Awakening
    8.4/10(109 votes)

    #21 - The Awakening

    S4:E5

    A destitute former Minister, David Henderson (Glenn Corbett), who has had a crisis of faith, comes to Medicine Bow just as a dispute breaks out at a local mine over safety issues. Emmett Ryker entreaties Judge Garth to try and find a solution to the problem. When an accident occurs at the mine David's assists in a rescue attempt but hurts his leg. He is taken to Shiloh where Betsy Garth nurses him and they become romantically involved. David's actions gain him the respect of the miners, he becomes their leader, and he calls a strike over the working conditions. Despite an attempt to intimidate the miners by importing scab labour, with Judge Garth's help the owners and miners manage to reach an agreement. David rediscovers his calling and asks Betsy to marry him. They are married at Shiloh Ranch and head off to start a new life at a parish David has been assigned in Pennsylvania.

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    Director:Leon Benson
    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for Ride a Cock-Horse to Laramie Cross
    8.4/10(95 votes)

    #22 - Ride a Cock-Horse to Laramie Cross

    S4:E23

    Trampas becomes knight errant when he takes on two children trying to reach their mother in Laramie. They are being chased by a group of outlaws who want to return them to Mexico. A woman he adds on the way makes it feel like a family.

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  24. Background image for An Echo of Thunder
    8.4/10(71 votes)

    #23 - An Echo of Thunder

    S5:E4

    After helping deliver a herd of horses, Trampas decides to take a few days to visit an old friend nearby but he arrives in time for his friend's funeral. He is bothered by the circumstances of his death, so he decides to investigate.

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    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for Requiem for a Country Doctor
    8.4/10(87 votes)

    #24 - Requiem for a Country Doctor

    S5:E18

    One morning the Virginian arrives in a small town to meet Stacey Grainger and sees a gallows being built. From the owner of the saloon, Clara Plain (Cloris Leachman), he learns Stacey is being held in jail and is scheduled to be hanged the next morning. The Sheriff (Ford Rainey) tells him Stacey lost in a card game watched by the beloved local doctor, John Marsh, and had harsh words with him and that the doctor had a large quantity of money he had collected for the local orphanage. Having no money, Stacey went out of town where he encountered and murdered the Sheriff for the money and was caught by two locals. Stacey claims he came upon the already dead doctor, heard someone running away and fired a waring shot into the dark. Although Stacey did not have the money on him, the Sheriff claims he threw it away when he heard men approaching. In the next cell to Stacey is Randall (Morgan Woodward) who is awaiting transfer to prison. The Virginian learns that Stacey's trial was called hastil

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for Bitter Harvest
    8.4/10(74 votes)

    #25 - Bitter Harvest

    S5:E25

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

Best Episodes Summary

"The Decision" is the best rated episode of "The Virginian". It scored 8.9/10 based on 74 votes. Directed by E. Darrell Hallenbeck and written by Unknown, it aired on 3/13/1968. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Ride a Dark Trail".