The BEST episodes of Barnaby Jones
Every episode of Barnaby Jones ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Barnaby Jones!
Barnaby Jones was a retired private investigator, but quickly came out of retirement after his son Hal, who had taken over Barnaby's job, was murdered. Hal's widow, Betty, helped Barnaby try and find her husband's murderer. The murder was solved, but Barnaby decided he wanted to return to investigating full-time and Betty decided to join him.
#1 - Echo of a Distant Battle (Part 2)
Season 7 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/11/1979
When an eager D.A. threatens with a charge of negligent homicide a shattered Barnaby wants to give up the case, but Dorothy asks him to continue. Barnaby uncovers that several soldiers robbed gold in Vietnam and then deserted. Barnaby and J.R. try to figure out how Colby Warner fits into that picture or if he does at all.
#2 - Dead Heat
Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/1/1976
Ray Dixon exchanges the hay fever medicine of swimmer Andy Cavanaugh, a competitor of his son Norm, for amphetamines. Andy dies of an allergic shock and Barnaby is hired to clear his name. Ray puts the blame on coach Sid and kills Gwen who gave him the drugs.
#3 - False Witness
Season 8 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/29/1979
Betty's friend Leslie Jessup is raped near Webster House and identifies the first comer suspect, Eddie Tucker, as the culprit. As Betty believes Tucker is innocent she investigates, searching for more victims and witnesses. But the true rapist places more clues to incriminate Eddie.
#4 - Homecoming for a Dead Man
Season 8 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/8/1979
At the Olympic gymnastic tryouts for young Kim Barnaby recognizes her father Richard Gibson, a man presumed dead after robbing the coin exchange ten years ago. While Barnaby is trying to find a ghost, accomplice Jordan orders Gibson alias Simmons to get rid of the private detective.
#5 - Indoctrination in Evil
Season 8 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/1/1979
While trying to seduce and drug young Jeanny for the white-slavery market Les Harmon and Al De Paris accidentally kill her. Barnaby searches for her, but Mr. Adamson, owner of a lodge, seems to conceal information. Betty, working undercover at the lodge, finds out about a blackmailing.
#6 - Nightmare in Hawaii (Part 2)
Season 8 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/27/1979
After escaping from prison, J.R. enlists the help of Andy's sister, Toni and tries to meet with Andy, but a trap has been set, and Andy is killed. Convinced that J.R. is innocent of her brother's murder, Toni takes J.R. to a small cabin on the property, where J.R. witnesses the harvesting of marijuana and realizes that Toni's older brother Michael is involved in the smuggling of drugs in pineapple boxes.
#7 - The Protectors
Season 7 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/1/1979
Two masked men threaten wealthy business man Charles Abbott. Once he escapes, he hires a highly modern security team called ""Counterforce"". Barnaby is investigating for the insurance company and the head of Counterforce asks Barnaby to help in solving the case.
#8 - Yesterday's Terror
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/1977
Frances Dunslay, married to a successful husband, is confronted with her past as a call girl when Cal Green blackmails her. She steals bonds from her husband's company and even hires Rudy Markham to kill Green. Barnaby and J.R. investigate to find the missing bonds.
#9 - A Desperate Pursuit
Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/11/1979
Shortly after Betty handed over some files to boxing promoter Vince Ferrari he falls to death from his balcony. Betty suspects murder and as a key witness she does not only meet reporter Tom Powers but is threatened by a blonde woman, whom the prime suspect saw at Ferrari's apartment.
#10 - A Gathering of Thieves
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/10/1974
Whit Brewer sells lots at Shadow Lake Estates, but the construction works did not start yet. Claude Meecham discovers the fraud and is killed in a car accident. When Whit tries to get rid of his associates, the two rivaling women Madge and Irene ally.
#11 - Fatal Overture
Season 7 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/8/1979
Betty witnesses the quarrel of a neighbor with two women. On the next day one of them is dead and the man, Peter Kirkland, asks Betty to investigate the apparent suicide. He fears his jealous, unbalanced wife Virginia might have committed a crime.
#12 - The Silent Accuser
Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/13/1980
Judy Corbett works at Radburn School to help her autistic child Jimmy. This dedication ruined her marriage with Roy. Shortly before she can meet her friend Betty she is murdered. The only witness is Darlene, another autistic child. Betty tries to get access to Darlene's world to find out about the murderer.
#13 - The Final Victim
Season 8 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/6/1980
Being on hustler heading unwittingly young Susan Cooper tries to hitch-hike, is mistaken for a prostitute and accidentally killed by judge David Kingsley. Susan's father asks Barnaby to clear her name. During his investigations Barnaby meets ""Chronicle"" reporter Walt Di Angelo, a friend of Kingsley's.
#14 - The Killing Point
Season 8 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/17/1980
During his investigations to find millionaire Kirkland's girl friend Ursula P.I. Gannus is shot, because he ""knows too much"". He asks his old friend Barnaby for help. Ursula steals items from Kirkland's art collection and her accomplice Nick smuggles them. Gannus wants to get a piece of the action by extortion.
#15 - Nightmare in Hawaii (Part 1)
Season 8 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/27/1979
At the request of his friend Andy Spencer J.R. flies to Maui, Hawaii, and is immediately caught up in a nightmarish situation: At the meeting-place J. R. is found with a stabbed dope pusher and arrested for the crime. Believing his friend will help clear him, Andy is summoned to the police station, but Andy disavows him. Police Lt. Walt Abbott finds marijuana and money in J. R.'s bag, further incriminating him. Barnaby and Betty arrive in aid of the framed J.R., but due to an old grudge Abbott denies any help. In desperation, JR escapes from jail to try to solve the crime.
#16 - Echo of a Distant Battle (Part 1)
Season 7 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/11/1979
Barnaby is hired by Dorothy Warner to find out whether her missing husband Colby really was a deserter in Vietnam. Trying to locate Warner's war comrade Lee Henderson, Barnaby gets involved in a shooting and a ricochet shot from his gun kills a seemingly innocent bystander. Barnaby and J.R. continue to try and under cover exactly what happened to Colby Warner.
#17 - The Medium
Season 7 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/4/1979
Father Donovan hires Barnaby and J.R. to find his missing sister Julie and requests the help of the young psychic Cleo da Vinci. J.R. befriends Cleo, but at first she is reluctant to use her clairvoyant talent.
#18 - The Coronado Triangle
Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/2/1978
Barnaby and Betty go to San Diego to help Glen Wilcox who suspects that several yachts that disappeared in the ""Coronado Triangle"" were hijacked. Dawn, the only survivor of a recent disaster, claims to have seen a giant whirlpool. She covers for Lloyd, one of the highjackers. J.R. goes undercover as a rich playboy to try and be the next victim of the hijackers.
#19 - The Deadly Charade
Season 5 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/13/1977
Paul Nugent kills his rich cousin Sandra, hurts himself and fakes a jewel burglary. Sandra had a $1000,000 life insurance policy and Barnaby investigates for the insurance company. Suspicion falls on Lassiter since he and his wife were separated. Meanwhile Betty is charmed and starts dating Paul. Barnaby and J.R. must come to the rescue when Betty finds herself in danger
#20 - Dangerous Gambit
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/26/1976
While Frank Dunlap distracts the bank manager, clerk Joyce Elkins hides $250 000 in a false ledger and her colleague Angie locks it in a safe deposit box. Double crossed Jerry Kennedy pursues Joyce, who runs into a car. The driver asks Barnaby to find the witness.
#21 - Double Vengeance
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/7/1975
Brina Douglas kills her older husband in a buggy accident at Dryers Canyon as revenge for her father's death, whom he ruined. Barnaby investigates for the insurance company. Brina also wants to get rid of Ray Greenwald. Gil, a third associate, fakes Ray's murder.
#22 - Bond of Fear
Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/15/1975
Shortly after a quarrel with his wife Florence Harold Armstrong is pushed over banisters and killed. Russ Madden hires Barnaby to prove Florence's innocence. Nora, Harold's mistress tries to blackmail her. Who is the mysterious person disguised as Florence?
#23 - Dead Man's Run
Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/17/1974
Lloyd Kellner fakes a fatal car accident so he can disappear with the money he embezzled from a firm of stockholders. With his wife Bernice he wants to leave the country in a boat and $4 million in diamonds. But Bernice prefers to join a third associate, Stayman.
#24 - Foul Play
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/31/1974
Sanderson, the manager of a basketball team, kills the brother-in-law of his star player Frank Hampton, when he is blackmailed due to Frank's foul play. Sanderson also kills Tony, an unwanted witness. But the blackmailing continues and Sanderson's team loses again.
#25 - Blind Jeopardy
Season 7 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1978
Mrs. Russell hires Barnaby to locate Jenny Hastings, who witnessed a murder that Mrs.Russell's husband is about to go on trial for. Barnaby thinks he has located Jenny in a motel a few miles outside of Colverton and while Barnaby is on the phone having Betty check out the license number, Jenny is abducted by men who are working for Curt Phillips. Phillips wants to make sure that Jenny is not around to testify at the trial. While following them into a forest area Barnaby is wounded by a bullet and left blinded. Escaped Jenny discovers him and both try to flee on foot, pursued by the men. Back at the office J.R. has become concerned since he can't reach Barnaby and he sets out to look for him. J.R. arrives in just the nick of time to rescue Barnaby.