The BEST episodes of Black Gold

Every episode of Black Gold ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Black Gold!

Wildcatters and their crews race each other from location to location as they try to be the first to tap into some of the last remaining oil reserves in Texas. The stakes are higher than they've ever been with the dwindling supply of oil and the risk involved in striking oil in Black Gold.

Last Updated: 2/8/2024Network: truTVStatus: Ended
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Digging Deep
star
8.62
42 votes

#1 - Digging Deep

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 7/2/2008

There's big trouble on the rigs this week. Gerald's Longhorn crew is about to hit the pay zone, when suddenly, a crisis forces them to pull all their pipe out of the ground. Danger strikes Wayne and the Viking crew and one of his roughnecks could be down for the count. On the Big Dog rig, Driller Justin tries to show his rookie Derek the ropes, but the good times don't last long.

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Hitting Bottom
star
8.44
43 votes

#2 - Hitting Bottom

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 7/30/2008

Long-burning fuses come to a head in the pressure cooker of the West Texas oilfields. In last place, Driller Justin is reaching his boiling point trying to train his difficult rookie, Derek. The young, inexperienced crew of the Longhorn rig must deal with a poisonous, and deadly, gas leak. And just when things start looking good for the high-tech Viking rig, Wayne and his crew face a crisis that could destroy their well.

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Enough Is Enough
star
8.31
70 votes

#3 - Enough Is Enough

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 7/16/2008

The West Texas oilfields unleash their fury in tonight's episode. Good-guy driller Wayne can do nothing as his crew is taken out by injuries. The powerful Big Dog rig is ground to a halt and driller Justin's job is on the line. On the Longhorn rig, no-nonsense driller Gerald is pushing his crew past their breaking point and winds up paying the ultimate price for it.

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A Boom in West Texas
star
8.13
88 votes

#4 - A Boom in West Texas

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 6/18/2008

In the West Texas oilfields, three crews of roughnecks hit the ground running in the race for Black Gold, but all three face disaster on day one. The Viking rig has all the advantages that come with being state-of-the-art, but the crew can barely get the system started. On the tried-and-true Longhorn rig, the smallest roughneck, Peanut, gets crushed by a piece of equipment. And one crew leader will not survive the end of the first week.

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Keep It Drilling
star
7.92
111 votes

#5 - Keep It Drilling

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 6/25/2008

The race heats up in the oilfield. Longhorn Driller Gerald has his team in the lead but when a no-show puts the crew in jeopardy, the no-nonsense driller explodes. Wayne and the Viking crew work 'round the clock to go from dead last to neck and neck with the Longhorn men. Driller Justin takes over the powerful Big Dog rig, only to find out he's up against the toughest challenge he's ever faced: "The Well from Hell."

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A Score to Settle
star
7.89
9 votes

#6 - A Score to Settle

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/10/2010

The roughnecks scramble to hit oil as the lease on Peggy's land is about to expire. Tank tries to settle the score with Cheston.

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Rookie Mistake
star
7.83
41 votes

#7 - Rookie Mistake

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/26/2009

Veteran Gerald makes a rookie error that could cost everyone their jobs. Meanwhile, Pee Wee is pulling out all the stops to get Cheston to quit. And, things on the night crew get testy when Brandon makes a huge mistake that brings drilling to a screeching halt.

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Oscar the Grouch
star
7.82
38 votes

#8 - Oscar the Grouch

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/2/2009

The crews of Big Dog 28 are on edge as they race to finish the second of four wells in 50 days. When Tool Pusher Freddy may have pushed the crews too far, as driller Oscar threatens to quit on him. Meanwhile, Worm Cheston makes a mistake that threatens the lives of everyone on the rig, and Gerald uses the opportunity to put himself in the running for driller Pee Wee's job.

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Do Or Die
star
7.60
10 votes

#9 - Do Or Die

Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/7/2009

The roughnecks have only three days left to finish the final hole when all hell breaks loose. Two of the most troubled roughnecks swap shifts; one of the most experienced hands takes a pipe spinner to the head and is rushed to the hospital; and an unscheduled drug test sends panic through one roughneck's veins. As if that isn't enough, rig owners lose confidence and contemplate handing out pink slips.

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There's A Storm Brewing
star
7.50
10 votes

#10 - There's A Storm Brewing

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/28/2011

Cheston tries to get his job back but Brandon is reluctant to rehire him. Meanwhile, a $50,000 bit goes missing and drilling is shut down, but Oscar has an idea of who took it; and there's an instance of roughneck betrayal that causes problems.

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The Aftermath
star
7.38
8 votes

#11 - The Aftermath

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/3/2010

Peggy fires her gun at a roughneck's truck. And, still reeling from his fight with Tank, Cheston may quit the rig.

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Tanks for the Memories
star
7.33
9 votes

#12 - Tanks for the Memories

Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/9/2009

Cheston pushes Pee Wee to his breaking point, and even Gerald's had enough of the rig's worm. Meanwhile, Ron's evening crew loses a roughneck to another company and is forced to break in a new hand who calls himself "Tank." Plus, the roughnecks are faced with "The Hole from Hell."

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The Big Strike
star
7.24
41 votes

#13 - The Big Strike

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 8/6/2008

It's do or die time in the West Texas oilfields. The tension between Big Dog's driller, Justin, and his rookie, Derek, comes to a head, and only one is left standing. On the Longhorn rig, the young driller and his crew get reckless and pay the ultimate price. Wayne and his hard-working Viking crew make an unexpected discovery that could turn a common gamble into a huge fortune.

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Hotheads and Hair Triggers
star
7.22
9 votes

#14 - Hotheads and Hair Triggers

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 12/14/2011

The long arm of the law catches up with Brandon Watson, and the Big Dog driller could face hard time. Brandon finds trouble on the job too when a slacker crew sent to help with the rig move mouths off - forcing him to challenge them to an afterhours fight.

Drilling Lessons
star
7.20
10 votes

#15 - Drilling Lessons

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 1/9/2013

Cheston walks a fine line between loyalty and self preservation when Brandon lets him down yet again, and he must seek out the help of a rival driller - behind his best friend's back. Brandon is put on final notice by Oscar when his own job is threatened. And, a worm's butterfingers might cost the rig big time, as a small mistake halts drilling - and could spell a stack out for the rough necks.

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Brandon's Battle
star
7.17
12 votes

#16 - Brandon's Battle

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 1/4/2012

In the most dramatic episode of Black Gold yet, Brandon's demons catch up with him, leaving Aaron Wheeler a victim of a brutal assault. With felony assault charges looming overhead, Driller Brandon Watson is forced to turn himself in to the Federal Marshalls.

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Meet the New Boss
star
7.15
41 votes

#17 - Meet the New Boss

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/8/2010

The roughnecks of Rig 28 are back and taking on their riskiest mission yet as they're forced to drill on untested land, with a new boss in town - the hot-tempered, meddling lady rancher who owns the land.

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Banged Up and Run Off
star
7.13
8 votes

#18 - Banged Up and Run Off

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/23/2009

Driller Pee Wee may find himself without a job after pushing the rig too hard. Plus, veteran Gerald makes a poor decision that could change the course of his life. Then, when Ron takes things too far with Travis, the roughneck walks off the job and it could be for good. And, Tool pusher Jerry takes over for Freddy, but when he goes to lend a hand on the rig floor, he literally comes face-to-face with the force of the spinning chain.

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The Waterboy
star
7.12
41 votes

#19 - The Waterboy

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/22/2010

A driller quits and the roughnecks vie for his job. Brandon fights with a repair technician; Freddy and Josh clash over the promotion of the new driller.

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The Test
star
7.03
39 votes

#20 - The Test

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/20/2010

First, a promotion shakes things up on the rig. Then, a drug test may end Tank's career. And, Freddy and Jerry's power struggle explodes into an all out fight.

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Favor for a Favor
star
7.01
71 votes

#21 - Favor for a Favor

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/29/2010

First, Freddy tries to bribe landowner Peggy. Then, Tank goes to the airport to get his wife back before it’s too late. Plus, Cheston is the victim of a terrifying accident.

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Double Cross
star
7.00
7 votes

#22 - Double Cross

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/16/2013

A deadly gas build up threatens the crew, and it's up to Brandon to soar high above the rig to try and relieve the pressure. Things turn tense when Freddie comes by for an impromptu rig inspection, and the friction between the boys builds up at couples therapy.? They try at let loose with some lakeside R&R, but the law is not far behind.?

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Home Sweet Homelessness
star
7.00
10 votes

#23 - Home Sweet Homelessness

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/26/2012

Brandon does not show up for work and is kicked out by his girlfriend; the crew gets some much needed reinforcement.

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Cheston vs the Wheelers
star
7.00
11 votes

#24 - Cheston vs the Wheelers

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 12/7/2011

Tension rises between Cheston and the Wheeler twins, and after a long day of arguing, things get physical. While on his way to a DWI class, Brandon has a run-in with the law, which could land him in jail

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Judgment Day
star
6.95
38 votes

#25 - Judgment Day

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/13/2010

It's Judgement Day for Rig 28, and the threat of being shut down has the roughnecks at each other’s throats. Plus, Gerald trespasses on private property, and faces Peggy the landowner's wrath.

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