In the Heat of the Night is an American television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name starring Carroll O'Connor as the white police chief William Gillespie, and Howard Rollins as the African-American police detective Virgil Tibbs. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 1995. Its executive producers were Fred Silverman, Juanita Bartlett and Carroll O'Connor. TGG Direct released the first season of the series to DVD on August 28, 2012.
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The peak run. Top 40% of seasons by average rating — consecutive, with an average of 8.24.
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Carroll O'Connor
Bill Gillespie
Alan Autry
Bubba Skinner
David Hart
Parker Williams
Hugh O'Connor
Lonnie Jamison
Crystal R. Fox
Luann Corbin
Denise Nicholas
Harriet DeLong
Carl Weathers
Hampton Forbes
All 33 episodes plotted by IMDb rating
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8 episodes • 1988Avg: 8.3Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot (1) | Mar 6, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 2 | Pilot (2) | Mar 6, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Road Kill | Mar 15, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 4 | Fate | Mar 22, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 5 | Blind Spot (1) | Mar 29, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 6 | Blind Spot (2) | Apr 5, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 7 | A Necessary Evil | Apr 12, 1988 | 10.0 |
| 8 | ...And Then You Die | May 3, 1988 | 8.0 |
22 episodes • 1988Avg: 8.2Golden Era
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Don't Look Back (1) | Dec 4, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 2 | Don't Look Back (2) | Dec 4, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 3 | Family Secret | Dec 6, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 4 | The Hammer and the Glove | Dec 13, 1988 | 9.0 |
| 5 | Prisoners | Dec 20, 1988 | 8.0 |
| 6 | Hot Nights | Dec 27, 1988 | 7.0 |
| 7 | Gunshots | Jan 3, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 8 | Country Mouse, City Mouse | Jan 10, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 9 | Stranger in Town | Jan 17, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 10 | Tear Down the Walls | Jan 31, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 11 | A Trip Upstate | Feb 7, 1989 | 10.0 |
| 12 | A.k.a Kelly Kay | Feb 14, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 13 | These Things Take Time | Feb 21, 1989 | 7.0 |
| 14 | Intruders | Mar 7, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 15 | The Creek | Mar 14, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 16 | Sister, Sister | Mar 21, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 17 | Walkout | Mar 28, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 18 | Accused | Apr 4, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 19 | Fifteen, Forever | Apr 25, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 20 | Ladybug, Ladybug | May 2, 1989 | 8.0 |
| 21 | The Pig Woman of Sparta | May 9, 1989 | 9.0 |
| 22 | Missing | May 16, 1989 | 10.0 |
22 episodes • 1989
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rape | Oct 24, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Fairest of Them All | Oct 31, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Murder Most Ancient | Nov 7, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 4 | First Girl | Nov 14, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Crackdown | Nov 21, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Anniversary | Nov 28, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Time of the Stranger | Dec 5, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Vengeance | Dec 12, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 9 | My Name is Hank | Dec 19, 1989 | 0.0 |
| 10 | King's Ransom | Jan 2, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Epitaph for a Lady | Jan 16, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Triangle | Jan 23, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Hello in There | Jan 30, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 14 | December Days | Feb 13, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 15 | A Loss of Innocence | Feb 20, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Bubba's Baby | Feb 27, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Home is Where The Heart Is | Mar 6, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 18 | An Angry Woman | Mar 13, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Indiscretions | Mar 20, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Night of the Killing | Mar 27, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Citizen Trundel (1) | May 1, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Citizen Trundel (2) | May 8, 1990 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1990
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brotherly Love (1) | Sep 18, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Brotherly Love (2) | Sep 18, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Lessons Learned | Sep 25, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Perversions of Justice | Oct 2, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 5 | And Justice For Some | Oct 23, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Hearts of Gold | Oct 30, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Quick Fix | Nov 6, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Homecoming | Nov 13, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 9 | A Problem Too Personal | Nov 20, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 10 | A Final Arrangement | Nov 27, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Family Matters | Dec 4, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Bounty Hunter | Dec 11, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Blessings | Dec 18, 1990 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Shine on Sparta Moon | Jan 8, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Execution of Trust | Jan 15, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Child of Promise | Feb 5, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Paper Castles | Feb 12, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 18 | Laid to Waste | Feb 19, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 19 | First Deadly Sin | Feb 26, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Just A Country Boy | Mar 19, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 21 | No Other Road | Mar 26, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 22 | A Turning | Apr 30, 1991 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1991
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Woman Much Admired | Oct 1, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Baby for Sale | Oct 8, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Obsession | Oct 22, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Liar's Poker | Oct 29, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Ruda's Awakening | Nov 5, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Unfinished Business | Nov 12, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 7 | The More Thing's Change | Nov 19, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Sweet, Sweet Blues | Nov 26, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Sparta Gold | Dec 3, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 10 | An Eye for an Eye | Dec 10, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 11 | The Littlest Victim | Dec 17, 1991 | 0.0 |
| 12 | The Landlord | Jan 7, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Fool for Love | Jan 14, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Love, Honor and Obey | Feb 4, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 15 | Odessa | Feb 11, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 16 | A Time to Trust | Feb 18, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 17 | By Means Most Foul | Feb 25, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 18 | Trundel's Will Be Done | Mar 3, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Moseley's Lot | Mar 31, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Family Reunion | Apr 7, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Sanctuary | May 12, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 22 | The Law on Trial | May 19, 1992 | 0.0 |
22 episodes • 1992
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Small War (1) | Oct 28, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 2 | A Small War (2) | Nov 4, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Brother's Keeper | Nov 11, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 4 | A Frenzied Affair | Nov 18, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Discovery | Nov 18, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 6 | Random's Child | Nov 25, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 7 | An Occupational Hazard | Dec 2, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Last Rites | Dec 9, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 9 | When the Music Stopped | Dec 16, 1992 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Flowers from a Lady | Jan 6, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 11 | Private Sessions | Jan 13, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Judgement Day | Jan 20, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Falsely Accused | Feb 3, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 14 | A Step Removed | Feb 10, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 15 | A Deadly Affection | Feb 17, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 16 | The Leftover Man (1) | Mar 3, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 17 | The Leftover Man (2) | Mar 3, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 18 | A Dish Best Served Cold | Mar 17, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Legacy | Mar 24, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Even Nice People | Apr 28, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Lake Winahatchie | May 5, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 22 | A Correct Settling | May 12, 1993 | 0.0 |
24 episodes • 1993Avg: 5.0Valley of Despair
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Child's Play | Sep 16, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 2 | Hatton's Turn (1) | Sep 18, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 3 | Hatton's Turn (2) | Sep 18, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 4 | A Depraved Heart | Sep 23, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 5 | Incident at Brewer's Pond | Sep 30, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 6 | A Love Lost | Oct 14, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 7 | Singin' the Blues | Oct 28, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 8 | Virgil Tibbs, Attorney at Law | Nov 4, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 9 | Every Man's Family | Nov 10, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 10 | A Baby Called Rocket | Nov 25, 1993 | 2.0 |
| 11 | Little Girl Lost | Dec 9, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 12 | Your Own Kind | Dec 16, 1993 | 0.0 |
| 13 | Good Cop, Bad Cop | Jan 6, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 14 | Maybelle Returns | Jan 12, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 15 | The Last Round | Jan 19, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 16 | Ches and the Grand Lady | Jan 26, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 17 | Conspiracy of One | Feb 2, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 18 | The Rabbi | Feb 9, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 19 | Hard Choices | Mar 9, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 20 | Time's Long Shadow | Mar 16, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 21 | Poor Relations | Mar 30, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 22 | Dangerous Engagement | May 4, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 23 | In the Heat of the Night: Give Me Your Life | May 11, 1994 | 8.0 |
| 24 | Give Me Your Life (2) | May 11, 1994 | 0.0 |
4 episodes • 1994Avg: 8.0
| # | Episode | Air Date | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | In the Heat of the Night: A Matter of Justice | Oct 21, 1994 | 8.0 |
| 2 | Who Was Geli Bendl ? | Dec 9, 1994 | 0.0 |
| 3 | By Duty Bound | Feb 17, 1995 | 0.0 |
| 4 | Grow Old Along with Me | May 16, 1995 | 0.0 |
