List of In the Heat of the Night episodes

This is a list of episodes of the television series In the Heat of the Night, which aired from 1988 to 1995.

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally released			Rank	Rating
			First released	Last released	Network
1	8		March 6, 1988 (1988-03-06)	May 3, 1988 (1988-05-03)	NBC	19	17.0
2	22		December 4, 1988 (1988-12-04)	May 16, 1989 (1989-05-16)		19	17.3
3	22		October 24, 1989 (1989-10-24)	May 8, 1990 (1990-05-08)		17	17.3
4	22		September 18, 1990 (1990-09-18)	April 30, 1991 (1991-04-30)		19	15.2
5	22		October 1, 1991 (1991-10-01)	May 19, 1992 (1992-05-19)		30	13.1
6	22		October 28, 1992 (1992-10-28)	May 12, 1993 (1993-05-12)	CBS	37	11.9
7	24		September 16, 1993 (1993-09-16)	May 11, 1994 (1994-05-11)		63	10.3
TV films	4		October 21, 1994 (1994-10-21)	May 16, 1995 (1995-05-16)		—	—

Episodes

Season 1 (1988)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Rating/share (households)
1	1	"Pilot: Part 1"	David Hemmings	James Lee Barrett	March 6, 1988 (1988-03-06)	7801A	18.7/30[1]
Detective Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta for his mother's funeral and joins the police force as chief of detectives. His arrival is met with resistance from police chief Bill Gillespie – who, despite his good relationship with Tibbs, resents having an officer hired without his approval. Virgil has trouble adjusting to the small, antiquated police force. Tibbs' first case is a racially charged murder case that is soon complicated when the suspect is murdered in his cell. Doug Savant and Kevin McCarthy guest star.
2	2	"Pilot: Part 2"	David Hemmings	James Lee Barrett	March 6, 1988 (1988-03-06)	7801B	18.7/30[1]
The investigation into the brutal murders of a young girl and the suspect in her death, leads Tibbs and Gillespie to the son of one of Sparta's wealthiest and most influential citizens. As they come closer to the truth matters become dangerous for Virgil.
3	3	"Road Kill"	Leo Penn	Kathy McCormick	March 15, 1988 (1988-03-15)	7802	17.9/28[2]
The affair between a wealthy, alcoholic woman's husband and her distant cousin leads to the wife's murder. Virgil immediately suspects the adulterous pair. But he has a difficult time persuading Gillespie, who is a longtime friend of the husband, and Bubba, who has been seeing the cousin. Bubba and Virgil clash again and Virgil is frustrated when the Chief rejects his theory about the crime.
4	4	"Fate"	Anthony Wilkinson	Richard Fielder	March 22, 1988 (1988-03-22)	7804	16.8/26[3]
Racial tensions run high when a married white woman has an affair with a black businessman from New York. Meanwhile Virgil is not happy when the Chief enlists his aid in tracking down Bubba's cousin, a suspected moonshiner.
5	5	"Blind Spot: Part 1"	David Hemmings	William Gray	March 29, 1988 (1988-03-29)	7805	17.4/28[4]
Virgil refuses to let go of a grudge against a wealthy former classmate from high school who cheated the latter out of a scholarship. The man has promised city leaders that he will move his business to Sparta, but not all of his business interests are legal. The nephew of an old friend of Gillespie's finds his life in danger after he steals drugs stored in the businessman's mansion.
6	6	"Blind Spot: Part 2"	David Hemmings	William Gray	April 5, 1988 (1988-04-05)	7806	16.5/26[5]
An angry Gillespie seeks answers when an old friend is shot. And Virgil narrowly escapes death after trying to ascertain the real reason behind an old adversary's return to Sparta. Nan finds herself in danger after she finds out the truth about her new love.
7	7	"A Necessary Evil"	Winrich Kolbe	Josef Anderson	April 12, 1988 (1988-04-12)	7803	16.5/26[6]
In this humorous episode, Virgil and the Chief arrest a bible salesman (guest star Ted Lange) for bigamy. It soon becomes a polygamy case after an endless parade of wives (six total) come to visit their husband, who later turns up murdered in his cell. Did any of his wives kill him?
8	8	"...And Then You Die"	Anthony Wilkinson	Kathy McCormick	May 3, 1988 (1988-05-03)	7807	13.6/21[7]
The Sparta police search for a killer and his girlfriend (Mariska Hargitay). But the case becomes personal when they take Althea and the grandson of one of the victims hostage.

Season 2 (1988–89)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
9	1	"Don't Look Back"	Peter Levin	Jeri Taylor & David Moessinger	December 4, 1988 (1988-12-04)	8804A	27.6[8]
10	2					8804B
A copycat recreates a shocking unsolved murder from 20 years earlier. Gillespie feels threatened after Ted Marcus suggests that Virgil should become the Chief. The situation becomes more tense after Virgil criticizes the actions of Parker and Bubba. Tibbs, Gillespie and Bubba pursue different leads in an unusual murder case and the Chief realizes that the killer has plans for him. Trivia: Sparta celebrates 150 year anniversary of its founding; neither Tibbs nor Gillespie can find out who killed the original murder victim of 20 years before—whether it was her estranged husband or her current lover, both of whom are now dead. The series location has changed from Hammond, Louisiana to Covington, Georgia.
11	3	"The Family Secret"	Lee H. Katzin	Nancy Bond	December 6, 1988 (1988-12-06)	8801	23.9[9]
The murder of a well-respected man turns up a shocking secret about his family.
12	4	"The Hammer and the Glove"	Harry Harris	Jeri Taylor	December 13, 1988 (1988-12-13)	8806	24.2[10]
Virgil is delighted when Matthew Pouge (Michael Warren) his former partner from Philadelphia comes to visit. But he soon learns his friend has another purpose for coming to Sparta. Althea is uncomfortable because she and Matthew were romantically involved before she met Virgil and she realizes that he is unwilling to accept the fact that she chose Virgil over him. Meanwhile the F.B.I. enlist Sparta P.D.'s aid in hiding a witness.
13	5	"Prisoners"	Russ Mayberry	Lee Maddux	December 20, 1988 (1988-12-20)	8805	24.6[11]
Sweet risks his life to prove that the Sheriff (Ed Ames) of a neighboring county is guilty of the racially motivated murder of a young man that Sweet was friends with back in elementary school. Friendship also leads to a conflict for Gillespie, who also happens to have been old friends with the sheriff.
14	6	"Hot Nights"	Harry Harris	Mark Edens	December 27, 1988 (1988-12-27)	8807	26.7[12]
Bubba is seduced by an alluring writer (Barbara Stock) who has more on her mind than romance. Gillespie and Virgil worry that he is in over his head. Bubba tries to protect her from her estranged husband, but matters get complicated after she shoots someone.
15	7	"Gunshot"	Lee H. Katzin	David Moessinger	January 3, 1989 (1989-01-03)	8811	24.5[13]
Virgil is forced to shoot a suspect in an armed robbery. He has trouble dealing with the consequences of his actions, after he realizes the person he shot was a teenaged girl – and no one can locate the gun he believed she was pointing at him.
16	8	"Country Mouse, City Mouse"	Vincent McEveety	Lee Maddux	January 10, 1989 (1989-01-10)	8812	29.6[14]
Virgil's visiting niece and Bubba's nephew team up in an effort to escape the boredom of small-town life, but they get more excitement than they bargained for when they cross paths with a dangerous parolee.
17	9	"Stranger in Town"	Michael Rhodes	Jordan Budde	January 17, 1989 (1989-01-17)	8802	28.5[15]
Gillespie suspects that JoAnn's new cook is connected to the murder of a young prostitute. But Virgil suspects the culprit maybe a local pimp who has been intimidating the women.
18	10	"Tear Down the Walls"	Vincent McEveety	Terry Erwin	January 31, 1989 (1989-01-31)	8808	25.2[16]
A minister attempting to integrate his all-white church by inviting Virgil and Althea to services is found murdered.
19	11	"A Trip Upstate"	Jeffrey Hayden	Matt Harris	February 7, 1989 (1989-02-07)	8803	22.9[17]
In this thought provoking episode, Gillespie is surprised when a man he arrested asks to see him on the eve of his execution. He must confront his feelings about the death penalty when the prisoner asks him to witness his death. The first of 27 episodes of the series written by Carroll O'Connor.
20	12	"A.K.A. Kelly Kay"	Chuck Bowman	Lee Maddux	February 14, 1989 (1989-02-14)	8813	27.5[18]
The past comes back to haunt JoAnn in the form of an escaped convict.
21	13	"These Things Take Time"	Michael Rhodes	Nancy Bond	February 21, 1989 (1989-02-21)	8809	28.4[19]
A teenage mother from an impoverished family is arrested for murder after her infant is found dead, but Virgil believes there is more to the case than meets the eye. Meanwhile, Althea believes the situation could have been prevented if the school had offered sex education classes.
22	14	"Intruders"	Chuck Bowman	Steven Baum	March 7, 1989 (1989-03-07)	8817	25.5[20]
The police search for a burglar who preys on elderly women. And the prime suspect is the son of a city councilwoman.
23	15	"The Creek"	Alexander Singer	Jo William Philipp	March 14, 1989 (1989-03-14)	8810	25.3[21]
The investigation of a possible assault brings back nightmarish and confusing childhood memories for Virgil.
24	16	"Sister, Sister"	Lee H. Katzin	Carol Saraceno	March 21, 1989 (1989-03-21)	8818	22.3[22]
A vivacious socialite's return to Sparta delights her ailing father and childhood friend Virgil, but her sister is less than thrilled at her homecoming. After their father is poisoned, the jealous siblings become suspects in his murder.
25	17	"Walkout"	Russ Mayberry	Steven Aspis	March 28, 1989 (1989-03-28)	8816	24.9[23]
A bitter labor strike at a local factory leads to a murder investigation on a snowy day in Sparta. O. J. Simpson guest stars.
26	18	"Accused"	Chuck Bowman	James Novack	April 4, 1989 (1989-04-04)	8820	24.2[24]
Bubba tries to rescue a woman (Vanessa Bell Calloway) from a rapist, but she mistakes him for her attacker. Gillespie tangles with an ambitious district attorney who plans to use the case to further his career.
27	19	"Fifteen Forever"	Vincent McEveety	Nancy Bond	April 25, 1989 (1989-04-25)	8814	24.6[25]
Sparta grieves after a drunk driver causes a fatal crash with high school cheerleaders on their way home from a game. While the police try to find the drunk driver, Althea tries to help the victim's families deal with their loss. The accident brings back painful memories for retired officer Tom Dugan (Joe Don Baker). Meanwhile, district attorney Dutton accuses the department of being inadequate. Starting with this episode, star Carroll O'Connor will remain absent for the remainder of the season, due to undergoing heart surgery. He will return in the season finale to set up the season cliffhanger.
28	20	"Ladybug, Ladybug"	Alexander Singer	Terry Erwin	May 2, 1989 (1989-05-02)	8815	22.1[26]
With the Chief in Quantico, Bubba and Virgil try to catch a serial arsonist. Matters get complicated after a man dies in one of the fires. And Councilwoman White stirs things up by appointing Tom Dugan acting chief of police in Gillespie's absence. Meanwhile, Bubba helps a young man, who is seduced by the arsonist's girlfriend, with the license tags of his car.
29	21	"The Pig Woman of Sparta"	David Moessinger	Story by : Marc Taylor Teleplay by : Frank Dandridge	May 9, 1989 (1989-05-09)	8821	27.7[27]
It seems that a serial killer has been burying his victims in a wooded area owned by a wealthy hermit that Virgil refers to as "Sparta's Howard Hughes". Suspicion immediately falls on an eccentric woman (guest star Shirley Stoler) who lives in the woods with her pigs and chases away trespassers with a shotgun. The officers ask the landowner's disturbed son for help and Bubba is surprised to find that a woman he attended high school with is working as the man's "nurse". Also Parker and Sweet compete with one another to solve the case.
30	22	"Missing"	Alexander Singer	David Rupel	May 16, 1989 (1989-05-16)	8819	23.1[28]
Gillespie is kidnapped and Virgil believes that Tom Dugan is involved. Dugan is murdered in a cliffhanger ending. This episode's storyline continues in the sixth episode of the following season, "Anniversary".

Season 3 (1989–90)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
31	1	"Rape"	Paul Lynch	Nancy Bond	October 24, 1989 (1989-10-24)	9803	27.6[29]
Althea, returning home from the grocery store one afternoon, is violently ambushed and raped in the kitchen by Sparta High School's new music teacher, Stephen Ainslee (Ken Marshall). New D.A. Gerard Darnelle thinks that there isn’t enough evidence to prosecute Ainslee without a positive visual identification; Althea recognized his voice but never saw Ainslee's face. Ainslee's wife, Linda, provides him with a false alibi. Virgil struggles with his rage until Ainslee tries to intimidate Althea into keeping quiet about the rape. Gillespie tries to convince Linda to tell the truth.
32	2	"Fairest of Them All"	Mario Azzopardi	Edward DeBlasio	October 31, 1989 (1989-10-31)	9801	27.7[30]
A beauty pageant is marred by blackmail and the ambitious mother of one of the contestants.
33	3	"Murder Most Ancient"	Winrich Kolbe	Story by : Adrian Spies Teleplay by : Edward DeBlasio	November 7, 1989 (1989-11-07)	9807	22.9[31]
An unhappy wife asks her lover to place a bomb in her abusive husband's Cadillac.
34	4	"First Girl"	Gene Reynolds	Matt Harris	November 14, 1989 (1989-11-14)	9802	24.9[32]
Sparta P.D. gets its first black policewoman, Officer Christine Rankin. She is shot and killed on her first day on duty, and Gillespie tracks down her killer. The late Officer Rankin is replaced at the end of the episode by Officer Luanne Corbin (Crystal R. Fox).
35	5	"Crackdown"	E.W. Swackhamer	Nancy Bond	November 21, 1989 (1989-11-21)	9810	23.0[33]
Someone is selling crack to teenagers and Sweet tries desperately to save a young addict (Dana Barron).
36	6	"Anniversary"	Harry Harris	Mark Rodgers	November 28, 1989 (1989-11-28)	9812	24.8[34]
Conclusion of "Missing". After being released by his captors, the chief discovers that his abduction is part of a plot to assassinate a visiting civil rights leader. This episode was originally supposed to air at the beginning of the third season. The story is presented via a framing device of Chief Gillespie recounting the events after the fact.
37	7	"Time of the Stranger"	Ivan Dixon	Mark Rodgers	December 5, 1989 (1989-12-05)	9804	22.5[35]
After a private investigator searching for a missing child is found dead, the evidence points to a local dance teacher – a neighbor that Parker has become very fond of.
38	8	"Vengeance"	E.W. Swackhamer	Mark Rodgers	December 12, 1989 (1989-12-12)	9817	25.7[36]
The Wormlees, an outlaw family, seek revenge against Bubba after he is forced to shoot one of them during a convenience store holdup. Gillespie wants him to stay out of sight until they are all arrested – a suggestion that does not set well with Bubba.
39	9	"My Name Is Hank"	Harry Harris	Edward DeBlasio	December 19, 1989 (1989-12-19)	9815	26.1[37]
A young refugee claims to be the son of a Sparta cop who died in the Vietnam War. But he quickly becomes a suspect in a murder/robbery after he accepts a ride with the criminals who actually committed the crime. Gillespie looks into his story, while Virgil and the boys track down the shooter. Meanwhile, the young man's presence triggers a surprisingly bitter reaction from Parker, who views him as a painful reminder of the war.
40	10	"King's Ransom"	Jeffrey Hayden	Kim Friese & Carroll O'Connor	January 2, 1990 (1990-01-02)	9814	27.0[38]
The F.B.I. tries to talk an ex-boxer into testifying against a mobster he once worked for, but the boxer sees the situation as an opportunity for blackmail.
41	11	"Epitaph for a Lady"	Vincent McEveety	Steven Baum	January 16, 1990 (1990-01-16)	9805	25.3[39]
A longtime friend of Gillespie makes threats against a doctor he believes is responsible for his wife's death. When the doctor is killed, he becomes the prime suspect. But Gillespie doubts his guilt – even after he confesses.
42	12	"Triangle"	Chuck Bowman	Rick Kelbaugh	January 23, 1990 (1990-01-23)	9818	27.5[40]
Family man John Severance murders his wife Marge and her lover after he catches them in bed together, then flees to a remote cabin with his daughter, who does not know what he has done. Gillespie and his men hope to talk John into surrendering without resorting to violence and reconciling with his son.
43	13	"Hello in There"	Vincent McEveety	Cynthia Deming & William Royce	January 30, 1990 (1990-01-30)	9821	25.3[41]
Bubba refuses to believe that a former teammate embezzled funds from the bank where he worked and sets out to prove that his friend was framed and murdered. Harriet hopes that art therapy can help the man's traumatized and mute son, who becomes a target himself when the killer realizes he witnessed the crime.
44	14	"December Days"	Vincent McEveety	Kim Friese	February 6, 1990 (1990-02-06)	9816	22.3[42]
The Sparta police investigate a suspicious death in a nursing home. Ken Curtis guest stars.
45	15	"A Loss of Innocence"	Paul Lynch	Story by : William Royce & Cynthia Deming & Stephen Schneck Teleplay by : William Royce & Cynthia Deming	February 20, 1990 (1990-02-20)	9823	24.9[43]
D.A. Darnelle plans on indicting a teenager for murder after her father is found in the basement and her mother turns up missing. But Gillespie and his men don't believe she is guilty.
46	16	"Bubba's Baby"	Jeffrey Hayden	Story by : Edward DeBlasio Teleplay by : Cynthia Deming & William Royce	February 27, 1990 (1990-02-27)	9820	27.2[44]
Someone leaves a baby on Bubba's doorstep. The mother, Bubba's distant cousin, is murdered by the alleged (and engaged) father of her baby.
47	17	"Home Is Where the Heart Is"	Leo Penn	Story by : Carroll O'Connor Teleplay by : Edward DeBlasio & Mark Rodgers	March 6, 1990 (1990-03-06)	9822	25.3[45]
Traveling madam Maybelle Cheseboro (Diane Ladd) returns to Sparta with her girls ("nieces") and sets up shop out of Gillespie's jurisdiction. Her return is not without controversy, and soon one of her most vocal critics, a local fundamentalist pastor, is found dead and his wife is murdered afterwards.
48	18	"An Angry Woman"	Winrich Kolbe	Carroll O'Connor	March 13, 1990 (1990-03-13)	9809	25.8[46]
First the mother, then the father of two young children are murdered. Althea takes responsibility for the children, since the mother was a cafeteria worker at Sparta High School. The killings appear to be related to a shady trucking firm.
49	19	"Indiscretions"	Vince Edwards	Story by : Nancy Bond Teleplay by : William Royce & Cynthia Deming	March 20, 1990 (1990-03-20)	9811	24.5[47]
Althea does not realize that an old girlfriend from Philadelphia is hiding a dark secret, nor does Sweet, who has fallen in love with the woman.
50	20	"Night of the Killing"	Chuck Bowman	Mark Rodgers	March 27, 1990 (1990-03-27)	9819	23.5[48]
Racial tensions run high when white cabbie Mike Cystak is murdered and robbed in The Bottoms.
51	21	"Citizen Trundel: Part 1"	Leo Penn	Carroll O'Connor	May 1, 1990 (1990-05-01)	9813	21.2[49]
Harriet's sister Natalie is murdered on the orders of V.J. Trundel, a rich, white business magnate who has a wife - and a secret love child with Natalie named Eric.
52	22	"Citizen Trundel: Part 2"	Harry Harris	Cynthia Deming & William Royce	May 8, 1990 (1990-05-08)	9824	20.5[50]
Harriet's efforts to bring V.J. Trundel to trial are fruitless. The Chief does not believe they will ever get enough evidence to get an indictment, so he tries another method to bring Trundel to justice.

Season 4 (1990–91)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
53	1	"Brotherly Love: Parts 1 & 2"	Harry Harris	William Royce (part 1)	September 18, 1990 (1990-09-18)	3805A	23.8[51]
54	2			Cynthia Deming (part 2)		3805B
Virgil goes to Philadelphia to investigate a friend's death. And Bubba (reluctantly) fills in as Althea's Lamaze coach. Virgil is framed for murder and Gillespie travels to Philly to help him clear his name.
55	3	"Lessons Learned"	Mario Azzopardi	Cynthia Deming	September 25, 1990 (1990-09-25)	3802	21.6[52]
Gillespie sends Parker to confirm suspicions that a local truck stop is really a front for a prostitution business. When a young prostitute is found dead, Gillespie is shocked at her father's reaction. Parker is dismayed when he recognizes one of the ladies.
56	4	"Perversions of Justice"	Harry Harris	Robert Bielak	October 2, 1990 (1990-10-02)	3810	21.7[53]
A mild-mannered science teacher is accused of molesting one of his students.
57	5	"And Justice for Some"	Harry Harris	Story by : William Royce & Michael Thurman Teleplay by : William Royce	October 23, 1990 (1990-10-23)	3803	24.6[54]
Gillespie and his officers are outraged when a drug courier (William Shockley) who ran down the son of Virgil's next door neighbor makes a deal with the F.B.I. to avoid prosecution.
58	6	"Heart of Gold"	Russ Mayberry	Mitchell Schneider	October 30, 1990 (1990-10-30)	3815	23.6[55]
Bubba is reunited with his high school sweetheart, but his happiness is short lived after she resorts to murder to silence an attorney who was threatening to prevent her from inheriting her late husband's estate.
59	7	"Quick Fix"	Winrich Kolbe	Julie Friedgen	November 6, 1990 (1990-11-06)	3809	21.5[56]
The investigation into the death of an abandoned infant leads to a mentally handicapped teenager.
60	8	"Homecoming"	Russ Mayberry	Robert Bielak	November 13, 1990 (1990-11-13)	3817	23.8[57]
A lawyer has personal reasons for trying to gain early release for a man who was sent to prison after an accident that he caused while drinking and driving.
61	9	"A Problem Too Personal"	Winrich Kolbe	Matt Harris	November 20, 1990 (1990-11-20)	3819	22.5[58]
Harriet and Eugene are devastated after Eugene's father is arrested for murder, and Gillespie appears apathetic in the prosecution of the man as well.
62	10	"A Final Arrangement"	Leo Penn	David Hamilton & Peter Telep	November 27, 1990 (1990-11-27)	3814	23.8[59]
Sweet is heartbroken when a senior citizen who befriended him is murdered in her bookstore and her husband becomes the prime suspect.
63	11	"Family Matters"	Vincent McEveety	Mitchell Schneider	December 4, 1990 (1990-12-04)	3812	23.2[60]
Virgil's dream of a better relationship with his Aunt Ruda and her son is shattered when his cousin takes part in a string of burglaries that result in murder.
64	12	"Bounty Hunter"	Russ Mayberry	Cynthia Deming & William Royce	December 11, 1990 (1990-12-11)	3818	25.7[61]
Gillespie receives word that a former Spartan is wanted for the murder of a socialite in Houston. But a ruthless bounty hunter, sent by the victim's jealous husband, is already in Sparta and sees the man's sister as a means to locate his quarry.
65	13	"Blessings"	David Soul	Walton Dornisch	December 18, 1990 (1990-12-18)	3826	20.7[62]
In this Christmas episode, the officers share memories with a reporter from the Sparta Herald.
66	14	"Shine on Sparta Moon"	Leo Penn	Robert Bielak	January 8, 1991 (1991-01-08)	3822	24.5[63]
A bottle of spiked moonshine leads to an accident that claims the life of a teenage girl and blinds her boyfriend.
67	15	"An Execution of Trust"	Leo Penn	Mitchell Schneider	January 15, 1991 (1991-01-15)	3823	24.2[64]
A therapist tells Gillespie that one of her patients has confessed to a crime that another man is about to be executed for, but she refuses to divulge his identity.
68	16	"Child of Promise"	Vincent McEveety	Cynthia Deming	February 5, 1991 (1991-02-05)	3820	22.6[65]
A story of two brothers as they struggle to influence their younger brother: one is an honor student that Althea has great plans for, and the other is a dangerous drug dealer.
69	17	"Paper Castles"	Vincent McEveety	Story by : Arthur Bernard Lewis Teleplay by : Joe Gannon	February 12, 1991 (1991-02-12)	3801	22.7[66]
Virgil soon regrets telling an old friend that his new business partners are being investigated by the police, in spite of their alibi being airtight.
70	18	"Laid to Waste"	Vincent McEveety	William Royce & Cynthia Deming	February 19, 1991 (1991-02-19)	3824	21.7[67]
Parker protects a blind woman who heard her neighbor's murder and the body is unable to be located.
71	19	"First Deadly Sin"	Peter Salim	Julie Friedgen	February 26, 1991 (1991-02-26)	3821	19.8[68]
Althea's coworker, English teacher Marcella Allen, is the latest victim of a serial rapist who preys on young, single blonde women living alone. One of Marcella's students, Boyd Gardner (Bryan Dattilo), who is planning to enter the seminary and is privately tutored by Marcella, is the sole witness to her attack, but his attorney father Elliott warns him not to tell the police what he saw for fear that his chances of being accepted into the seminary will be damaged if he comes forward.
72	20	"Just a Country Boy"	Carroll O'Connor	Matt Harris	March 19, 1991 (1991-03-19)	3811	25.1[69]
Bubba travels to Los Angeles to arrest an arsonist. When the man is murdered to keep him from talking, Bubba teams up with a pretty insurance investigator to solve the crime. Concludes on " Unfinished Business".
73	21	"No Other Road"	Paul Chavez	Matt Harris	March 26, 1991 (1991-03-26)	3824	22.0[70]
Harriet tries to keep Eugene from giving up when his father faces the death penalty. And the police search for three suspects in connection to a robbery/murder.
74	22	"A Turning"	Paul Chavez	Carroll O'Connor & Joe Gannon	April 30, 1991 (1991-04-30)	3827	20.2[71]
Althea thinks Virgil needs a new line of work after seeing the aftermath of a shooting at a roadhouse, resulting in the murders of two suspects after a botched drug deal goes sour. Virgil finds himself in danger when the police initiate a setup to catch the killer.

Season 5 (1991–92)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
75	1	"A Woman Much Admired"	Harry Harris	Carroll O'Connor	October 1, 1991 (1991-10-01)	4803	21.3[72]
Gillespie's old flame returns to Sparta to settle some business matters and see Bill. When she is murdered he travels to Gulfport and meets his daughter Lana for the first time.
76	2	"Baby for Sale"	Harry Harris	Story by : Terry Irwin Teleplay by : Mitchell Schneider	October 8, 1991 (1991-10-08)	4809	20.8[73]
After Bubba's cousin adopts a baby her husband is blackmailed by the child's real parents to help them steal the payroll where he works.
77	3	"Obsession"	Russ Mayberry	Mitchell Schneider	October 22, 1991 (1991-10-22)	4814	17.1[74]
A flirtatious schoolteacher is stalked by a madman.
78	4	"Liar's Poker"	Harry Harris	Mitchell Schneider	October 29, 1991 (1991-10-29)	4801	20.1[75]
A game of high-stakes poker ends in murder.
79	5	"Ruda's Awakening"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Bill Taub Teleplay by : Bill Taub & Carroll O'Connor	November 5, 1991 (1991-11-05)	4807	19.7[76]
Virgil's estranged Aunt Ruda is the only witness to a struggle between Bubba and a young robbery suspect that ends in the young man's death. But her prejudice against the police – and Virgil – clouds her memory of the incident.
80	6	"Unfinished Business"	Leo Penn	Joe Gannon	November 12, 1991 (1991-11-12)	4802	17.6[77]
Conclusion of "Just a Country Boy". Bubba returns to Los Angeles to testify at a murder trial and is reunited with Pat Day as they try to protect Mike from killers sent to prevent him from testifying.
81	7	"The More Things Change"	Russ Mayberry	Cynthia Deming & William J. Royce	November 19, 1991 (1991-11-19)	4816	17.4[78]
A man murders his business partner and frames the man's illegitimate daughter for the crime in an attempt to gain the man's business and his wife.
82	8	"Sweet, Sweet Blues"	Vincent McEveety	William J. Royce	November 26, 1991 (1991-11-26)	4821	19.5[79]
The lyrics to a blues song recall a murder that happened 50 years earlier. The victim: Sweet's grandfather. And the only people left with the answers are the bluesman who wrote the song and a retired sheriff.
83	9	"Sparta Gold"	Winrich Kolbe	Story by : Bill Taub Teleplay by : Bill Taub and Joe Gannon & Cynthia Deming & William J. Royce	December 3, 1991 (1991-12-03)	4819	19.4[80]
A deputy provides protection for a cotton grower who is running a pot growing operation. But the deputy makes a big mistake when he wounds Bubba's girlfriend.
84	10	"An Eye for an Eye"	Leo Penn	Cynthia Deming	December 10, 1991 (1991-12-10)	4813	20.4[81]
The father of a man DA Darnell prosecuted kidnaps the Darnell's daughter.
85	11	"The Littlest Victim"	Paul Chavez	Gail Liberti-Kennedy	December 17, 1991 (1991-12-17)	4817	21.0[82]
Lonnie makes a heartbreaking discovery about a woman he dated in high school.
86	12	"The Landlord"	Larry Hagman	Carroll O'Connor	January 7, 1992 (1992-01-07)	4818	21.4[83]
A drug-dealing slumlord is murdered by his accomplices. The first of seven episodes of the series to be directed by Larry Hagman.
87	13	"Fool For Love"	Vincent McEveety	Cynthia Deming & William J. Royce	January 14, 1992 (1992-01-14)	4805	20.2[84]
A doctor plots to eliminate both his wife and his mistress.
88	14	"Love, Honor and Obey"	Reza Badiyi	Cynthia Deming & William J. Royce	February 4, 1992 (1992-02-04)	4823	21.6[85]
Parkers investigation into a purse-snatching reveals an abused woman.
89	15	"Odessa"	Vincent McEveety	Denise Nicholas	February 11, 1992 (1992-02-11)	4822	20.1[86]
Racists target a ceremony honoring a civil rights pioneer. The first of six episodes to be written by Denise Nicholas.
90	16	"A Time to Trust"	Winrich Kolbe	Patt Shea	February 18, 1992 (1992-02-18)	4808	22.2[87]
Althea fears for one of her students after her mother's boyfriend is linked to a drug dealing operation that has resulted in the deaths of several truckers.
91	17	"By Means Most Foul"	Russ Mayberry	Joe Gannon	February 25, 1992 (1992-02-25)	4825	22.3[88]
A restaurateur and her mechanic boyfriend plot to eliminate her husband, but their scheme backfires. Gillespie takes heat over a string of mailbox bashings. And Virgil soon regrets ignoring Parker's theory regarding where the vandals would strike next.
92	18	"Trundel's Will Be Done"	Harry Harris	Cynthia Deming & William J. Royce	March 3, 1992 (1992-03-03)	4826	19.6[89]
V.J. Trundel's widow takes Harriet to court to gain custody of Eric. But Harriet is determined that her nephew will not be raised in the home of the man who had her sister Natalie murdered.
93	19	"Moseley's Lot"	Winrich Kolbe	Joe Gannon	March 31, 1992 (1992-03-31)	4815	18.3[90]
Gillespie learns that the son of an old friend is a compulsive gambler. The young man wants his father to pay off his losses. But when two gangsters show up from New Orleans to collect, his jealous sibling sees the perfect opportunity to get rid of his troubled brother.
94	20	"Family Reunion"	Harry Harris	William J. Royce	April 7, 1992 (1992-04-07)	4812	18.8[91]
An ex-convict attempts to retrieve his loot from his wife and her new husband in this tongue-in-cheek episode.
95	21	"Sanctuary"	Mario Azzopardi	Mitchell Schneider	May 12, 1992 (1992-05-12)	4820	14.0[92]
A political prisoner who entered the country illegally, seeks sanctuary in a monastery. Gillespie and Tibbs find themselves at odds with Sheriff McComb when they try to help the man.
96	22	"The Law on Trial"	Russ Mayberry	Mitchell Schneider	May 19, 1992 (1992-05-19)	4824	15.9[93]
Follow up to "Sanctuary". Gillespie, Tibbs and Father DiMarco must stand trial for harboring a fugitive and obstructing justice. Althea fears Virgil's career could suffer if he is found guilty. Meanwhile the other officers monitor the situation with Lawyer Epp and his mafia associates.

Season 6 (1992–93)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
97	1	"A Small War: Part 1"	Harry Harris	Joe Gannon	October 28, 1992 (1992-10-28)	5802	20.0[94]
Big city crack dealers invade Sparta. Eugene witnesses the drive-by shooting of a friend and his offer to help the police identify the shooters leaves Harriet frightened and angry at Bill.
98	2	"A Small War: Part 2"	Harry Harris	Joe Gannon	November 4, 1992 (1992-11-04)	5803	19.1[95]
The police wage war against the big city drug dealers who have moved into Sparta. Eugene identifies the men who murdered his friend. And Bubba is teamed with and intrigued by a lady police lieutenant from Jackson.
99	3	"Brother's Keeper"	Winrich Kolbe	William J. Royce	November 11, 1992 (1992-11-11)	5809	19.0[96]
Luann's ne'er-do-well brother (Meshach Taylor) returns home after being paroled.
100	4	"A Frenzied Affair: Part 1"	Winrich Kolbe	Mitchell Schneider	November 18, 1992 (1992-11-18)	5814	18.6[97]
Althea places herself in harm's way trying to help one of her students, a disturbed and violent young man, after he is implicated in a murder case. This storyline continues in the following episode.
101	5	"Discovery: Part 2"	Paul Chavez	Story by : Carroll O'Connor Teleplay by : Mitchell Schneider	November 18, 1992 (1992-11-18)	5817	18.6[97]
Conclusion of "A Frenzied Affair". Althea has trouble dealing with the violent death of a student. Young Megan Fowler quickly finds herself yet another dangerous boyfriend and they are soon wanted by the police.
102	6	"Random's Child"	Leo Penn	Carroll O'Connor	November 25, 1992 (1992-11-25)	5812	18.7[98]
Lana Farren comes to Sparta to claim her inheritance, but is stalked by a mobster who dated her mother. Meanwhile, Harriet encourages Bill to talk to his daughter, but Lana doesn't seem to be interested. Officer Randy Goode helps keep the bad guys at bay by playing them a little tune on the guitar.
103	7	"An Occupational Hazard"	Vincent McEveety	Cynthia Deming	December 2, 1992 (1992-12-02)	5806	17.8[99]
A secretary takes drastic measures to protect herself from sexual harassment.
104	8	"Last Rights"	Vincent McEveety	Mitchell Schneider	December 9, 1992 (1992-12-09)	5801	15.9[100]
Virgil fears for his Aunt Ruda's safety after several killings occur in the hospital where she is being treated.
105	9	"When the Music Stopped"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Stephen Schneck Teleplay by : Stephen Schneck & Carroll O'Connor	December 16, 1992 (1992-12-16)	5808	19.2[101]
Singer Eddie Larran (Robert Goulet) returns to Sparta for a concert, but not everyone is a fan. An angry man (Gary Crosby) insists that Eddie owes him money. And their dispute soon ends in violence.
106	10	"Flowers from a Lady"	Russ Mayberry	Denise Nicholas	January 6, 1993 (1993-01-06)	5810	20.3[102]
A city councilwoman becomes dangerously obsessed with Bubba.
107	11	"Private Sessions"	Russ Mayberry	Cynthia Deming	January 13, 1993 (1993-01-13)	5813	19.8[103]
One of Virgil's classmates from law school (Jason Beghe) is arrested following the death of his former girlfriend, but the man insists that her death was the result of her relationship with her psychiatrist.
108	12	"Judgment Day"	Larry Hagman	Mitchell Schneider	January 20, 1993 (1993-01-20)	5818	17.2[104]
A judge schemes to get rid of his wife after she tries to blackmail him into giving her a divorce and a generous settlement by revealing a secret from his past.
109	13	"Falsely Accused"	Reza Badiyi	Joe Gannon	February 3, 1993 (1993-02-03)	5820	17.1[105]
Sweet is the target of false accusations by two corrupt and racist car salesmen.
110	14	"A Step Removed"	Paul Chavez	Mitchell Schneider	February 10, 1993 (1993-02-10)	5824	15.0[106]
Parker's stepfather Roy (Pat Hingle) threatens his former employer after an altercation. When the boss is murdered, Roy is arrested. Concludes in Season 7' Poor Relations.
111	15	"A Deadly Affection"	Vincent McEveety	Joe Gannon	February 17, 1993 (1993-02-17)	5825	16.9[107]
A woman asks Harriet to help her get an eviction order rescinded. The chief gives Parker a new radar gun - and soon comes to regret it. Sheriff McComb requests that Gillespie and Bubba help investigate a murder. Meanwhile Lonnie and Luann search for the boy who reported the murder.
112	16	"The Leftover Man: Parts 1 & 2"	Larry Hagman	Story by : Gigi Levangie & Mack Anderson Teleplay by : Carroll O'Connor	March 3, 1993 (1993-03-03)	5804	18.4[108]
113	17					5805
A white supremacist politician plans to have his wife's lover murdered and blame it on black radicals.
114	18	"A Dish Best Served Cold"	Reza Badiyi	Cynthia Deming & William J. Royce	March 17, 1993 (1993-03-17)	5823	18.3[109]
A swindlers homecoming upsets his wife and the families of his victims - especially Etta.
115	19	"Legacy"	Paul Chavez	Denise Nicholas	March 24, 1993 (1993-03-24)	5821	17.9[110]
A wealthy man plans to grant a promise made to a black sharecropper many years ago by giving land to the man's descendant. But his greedy son disapproves.
116	20	"Even Nice People: Part 1"	Carroll O'Connor	Carroll O'Connor	April 28, 1993 (1993-04-28)	5822	13.6[111]
Corrupt developers set their sights on Lana's farm. When she refuses to sell they enlist the services of an arsonist to force her out. Concludes on Lake Winahatchie.
117	21	"Lake Winahatchie: Part 2"	Harry Harris	Cynthia Deming	May 5, 1993 (1993-05-05)	5819	15.1[112]
Conclusion of "Even Nice People". Bill discovers the motivation behind a crime syndicates attempt to muscle in on Sparta and the reason they are determined to get Lana's land.
118	22	"A Correct Settling"	Harry Harris	Carroll O'Connor	May 12, 1993 (1993-05-12)	5826	15.3[113]
Eugene hopes a well known minister can save his father from death row. But someone runs the reverend off the road on his way into town and the Sparta police try to protect him and track down his assailant. Meanwhile, Harriet struggles with what her part in her ex-husband's appeal should be and is even more unsettled when Eugene demands that she break up with Bill.

Season 7 (1993–94)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Prod. code	Viewers (millions)
119	1	"Child's Play"	Harry Harris	Mitchell Schneider	September 16, 1993 (1993-09-16)	2806	16.2[114]
Chief Gillespie is fired by the city council and Sparta's new police chief Hampton Forbes arrives in town. Bill's last case with Sparta P.D. is a murder investigation in which a young boy has been implicated.
120	2	"Hatton's Turn: Part 1"	Carroll O'Connor	Carroll O'Connor	September 18, 1993 (1993-09-18)	2809	N/A
Hampton Forbes assumes the office of Chief of Police and Bill becomes the Sheriff of Newton County. Former Spartan Wade Hatton (Stacy Keach) returns to Sparta hoping to make sense of his life and rekindle his relationship with Sarah Hallisey. Bubba and Covey take the new chief on a tour of Sparta and Bill takes Wade to visit some distant cousins. Meanwhile two young criminals involve a mentally handicapped young man in a terrible crime.
121	3	"Hatton's Turn: Part 2"	Carroll O'Connor	Carroll O'Connor	September 18, 1993 (1993-09-18)	2810	N/A
Wade and Sarah try to keep young Henry (Wayne Brady) from being punished for a crime he did not commit and Forbes and his officers search for the two men who are really responsible.
122	4	"A Depraved Heart"	Harry Harris	Cynthia Deming, William J. Royce	September 23, 1993 (1993-09-23)	2805	18.0[115]
The daughter of an old friend of Bubba's asks him to arrest the man who knowingly infected her with AIDS.
123	5	"Incident at Brewer's Pond"	Russ Mayberry	Terry Kay	September 30, 1993 (1993-09-30)	2801	17.2[116]
A night of revelry at a local pond turns deadly.
124	6	"A Love Lost"	Larry Hagman	Joe Gannon	October 14, 1993 (1993-10-14)	2807	12.5[117]
Lana's ex- boyfriend comes to see her and brings a load of stolen rifles with him.
125	7	"Singin' the Blues"	Gail Liberti-Kennedy	Cynthia Deming	October 28, 1993 (1993-10-28)	2813	15.2[118]
Luann moonlights as a singer at a nightclub and finds romance with the club's owner. Her happiness is short-lived when she realizes that the bartender is dealing drugs.
126	8	"Virgil Tibbs: Attorney at Law"	Charles Mills	Mitchell Schneider	November 4, 1993 (1993-11-04)	2812	18.0[119]
Attorney Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta and is soon assigned his first case as a defense attorney.
127	9	"Every Man's Family"	Harry Harris	Cynthia Deming, William J. Royce	November 10, 1993 (1993-11-10)	2815	13.1[120]
Bubba travels to Atlanta to help his nephew after the boy overdoses on drugs. He soon teams up with a street wise cop to take down the drug ring. Based on Hugh O'Connor's real-life struggle with drug addiction.
128	10	"A Baby Called Rocket"	Paul Chavez	Gina Barnett	November 25, 1993 (1993-11-25)	2814	13.7[121]
A neglected baby stirs maternal feelings in Luann.
129	11	"Little Girl Lost"	Larry Hagman	Denise Nicholas	December 9, 1993 (1993-12-09)	2819	15.4[122]
Tragic story of an alcoholic teen who accidentally kills a little girl while she is drinking and driving.
130	12	"Your Own Kind"	Dick Martin	Denise Nicholas	December 16, 1993 (1993-12-16)	2808	14.6[123]
Gillespie and Forbes investigate the attempted shooting of an interracial high school couple. Meanwhile, Harriet holds a fundraiser to raise money for pregnant teens at her art studio.
131	13	"Good Cop, Bad Cop"	Winrich Kolbe	Cynthia Deming	January 6, 1994 (1994-01-06)	2823	17.4[124]
Virgil defends Parker after he is falsely accused of police brutality by a drug dealer. The prosecution's main witness: the man's girlfriend (Victoria Jackson), who was once engaged to Parker.
132	14	"Maybelle Returns"	Russ Mayberry	Joe Gannon	January 12, 1994 (1994-01-12)	2811	13.5[125]
Former traveling madam Maybelle Cheseboro (Elizabeth Ashley) returns to Sparta and sets up her own phone sex business, which is a great success - until one of her girls decides to moonlight as a prostitute and dies while with a client.
133	15	"The Last Round"	Reza Badiyi	Mitchell Schneider	January 19, 1994 (1994-01-19)	2817	15.0[126]
Forbes is delighted when his fiancée Angela comes to see him, but is disappointed when he realizes that they have very different plans for the future.
134	16	"Ches and the Grand Lady"	Vincent McEveety	Carroll O'Connor	January 26, 1994 (1994-01-26)	2818	13.8[127]
Follow up to "Sweet, Sweet Blues". Lonnie must protect his Aunt Cordelia when her cherished friendship with Ches Collins angers one of his cousins.
135	17	"Conspiracy of One"	Joe Gannon	Joe Gannon	February 2, 1994 (1994-02-02)	2820	12.6[128]
Virgil accepts a position at a prominent law firm. But as a former police officer he feels conflicting emotions when he realizes that one of their clients is guilty of murder.
136	18	"The Rabbi"	Winrich Kolbe	David O'Connor, Elyse O'Connor	February 9, 1994 (1994-02-09)	2816	14.9[129]
A rabbi (Jerry Stiller) returns to Sparta after many years. Racists vandalize his synagogue and soon after their Torah is stolen. Forbes investigates but the rabbi refuses to trust Bill because of his inaction while investigating a hate crime many years ago.
137	19	"Hard Choices"	Russ Mayberry	Gina Barnett	March 9, 1994 (1994-03-09)	2802	12.2[130]
Eugene tries to protect a friend who was an unwilling accomplice to a robbery and in doing so endangers his probation – and his life.
138	20	"Time's Long Shadow"	Paul Chavez	David O'Connor, Elyse O'Connor	March 16, 1994 (1994-03-16)	2803	11.8[131]
Harriet tries to stop an arrogant developer from destroying an important archeological site.
139	21	"Poor Relations"	Reza Badiyi	Denise Nicholas, Carroll O'Connor	March 30, 1994 (1994-03-30)	2822	13.5[132]
Follow up to "A Step Removed". Comedic episode in which Parker's ne'er-do-well stepfather (Pat Hingle) returns to Sparta with a new wife, a stolen painting and two inept art thieves who are determined to steal the painting back.
140	22	"Dangerous Engagement"	Vincent McEveety	Mitchell Schneider	May 4, 1994 (1994-05-04)	2821	15.1[133]
Bill and Harriet's wedding plans are interrupted by a sniper who mistakes Bill for Sheriff McComb.
141	23	"Give Me Your Life: Part 1"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Carroll O'Connor Teleplay by : Cynthia Deming, William J. Royce	May 11, 1994 (1994-05-11)	2824A	14.6[134]
Part 1 of a two-part series finale. Bill and Harriet travel to New Orleans for their honeymoon. Forbes learns that a cult which has rented an old school building may be involved in child abuse and other illegal activities. While inspecting the premises Bubba and Dee rescue a frightened young girl. Bubba finds a foster home for the girl but the girl's mother tries to regain custody in court - with Sarah Hallisey as their attorney.
142	24	"Give Me Your Life: Part 2"	Russ Mayberry	Story by : Carroll O'Connor Teleplay by : Cynthia Deming, William J. Royce	May 11, 1994 (1994-05-11)	2824B	14.6[134]
Part 2 of a two-part series finale. Bill and Harriet return home. The cult kidnaps the girl from her foster home. And Forbes and his men arrest a man who has been supplying drugs used to keep the cult members under control. Soon a standoff develops and the officers realize that they have no intention of surrendering. Sarah is taken hostage. As they attempt to rescue the women and children Lonnie and Parker find themselves defusing a bomb and Bubba risks his life to rescue a small child from the building.

TV films (1994–95)

Title	Directed by	Written by	Original release date	Viewers (millions)
A Matter of Justice	Reza Badiyi	Mitchell Schneider,	October 21, 1994 (1994-10-21)	16.7[135]
The daughter of a close friend of Forbes is murdered and the officers must prove that the deranged grandson (Josh Lucas) of a retired judge (George C. Scott) is guilty.
Who Was Geli Bendl?	Larry Hagman	Carroll O'Connor	December 9, 1994 (1994-12-09)	14.8[136]
A famous Italian actress returns to Sparta to take care of some unfinished business and rescue her younger sister from a life of drugs and poverty.
By Duty Bound	Harry Harris	Joe Gannon	February 17, 1995 (1995-02-17)	15.1[137]
Acting Sheriff Gillespie must decide whether he should run for sheriff or retire from law enforcement. It soon becomes apparent that the other candidate is corrupt and dangerous.
Grow Old Along With Me	Winrich Kolbe	Cynthia Deming	May 16, 1995 (1995-05-16)	15.0[138]
Ex-cop John Ryan's happiness with his new bride is threatened by an old flame who sees an opportunity for blackmail.