The BEST episodes of Spenser: For Hire season 3

Every episode of Spenser: For Hire season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Spenser: For Hire season 3!

Spenser: For Hire is a mystery/suspense series based on Robert Parker's "Spenser" novels. Spenser, a private investigator living in Boston, gets involved in a new mystery each episode. Using his years of experience, his natural talents for observation and reasoning, and the occasional bit of help from his friend Hawk, Spenser never fails to crack the case.

Last Updated: 4/23/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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Homecoming
star
8.75
4 votes

#1 - Homecoming

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/27/1987

A cop who helped send a gangster's son to prison years ago has been hiding, cause the gangster wants to get him. But now he wants to come home, so he and his father, asks Spenser to act as intermediary. While the gangster is unwilling to settle for nothing less than seeing him dead. Spenser tries to see what he can do. At the same time Spenser has to deal with Susan, who came back to town, and would like to see if they have a future, but this case is taking up all of his time.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Big Fight
star
8.33
3 votes

#2 - The Big Fight

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/6/1988

One of Spenser's old trainers lures Spenser to a deserted warehouse where Spenser is supposed to be killed, to get out from under a gambling debt. Spenser survives, then turns around and protects his trainer from the goons now after him.

Watch Now:Amazon
Hawk's Eyes
star
8.33
3 votes

#3 - Hawk's Eyes

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/26/1988

Spenser investigates the death of a friend apparently involved with white supremicists. Hawk is rendered blind by an explosion.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Siege
star
7.50
2 votes

#4 - The Siege

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/10/1988

Hawk and Susan along with other people are held captive in a post office. Richard Brooks later seen on Law and Order during Season's 1 & 2 plays one of the hostage takers.

Watch Now:Amazon
Arthur's Wake
star
7.50
2 votes

#5 - Arthur's Wake

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/16/1988

Spenser protects an old friend, Arthur, after he's assaulted and robbed. In the course of his investigation, Spenser comes across disturbing information connecting Arthur with racketeering.

To the End of the Line
star
7.50
2 votes

#6 - To the End of the Line

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/23/1988

When Frank's niece dies of a drug overdose, Spenser and Frank go after the men responsible.

Watch Now:Amazon
Play It Again, Sammy
star
7.50
2 votes

#7 - Play It Again, Sammy

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/30/1988

Sammy Backlin calls Spenser for protection when he's being hunted by a 'vicious horde of bloodthirsty assassins'.

Substantial Justice
star
7.50
2 votes

#8 - Substantial Justice

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 3/5/1988

Spenser protects a theater owner from gangsters, but begins to suspect she's not as innocent as she appears.

Watercolors
star
7.50
2 votes

#9 - Watercolors

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/19/1988

Spenser protects a child artist after the child witnesses a mob execution while painting in the forest.

Directors: Winrich Kolbe
Haunting
star
7.00
3 votes

#10 - Haunting

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/7/1988

Spenser investigates an old child kidnapping case when he tries to track down a teenage girl's biological parents.

Directors: David M. Whorf
Watch Now:Amazon
Company Man
star
7.00
3 votes

#11 - Company Man

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/12/1988

Spenser suspects insurance fraud when a building blows up. Susan has a possibly cancerous mass removed.

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My Enemy, My Friend
star
0.00
0 votes

#12 - My Enemy, My Friend

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/1987

A streetwise young kid gets involved over his head in the underworld. Spenser and Hawk try to protect him from would-be killers.

Directors: Virgil Vogel
Watch Now:Amazon
The Heart of the Matter
star
0.00
0 votes

#13 - The Heart of the Matter

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/11/1987

Lt. Quirk faces his mortality when he suffers a heart attack. Spenser and Hawk protect him from revenge-minded villains as he recovers.

Directors: Winrich Kolbe
Watch Now:Amazon
On the Night He Was Betrayed
star
0.00
0 votes

#14 - On the Night He Was Betrayed

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/1/1987

Spenser helps an old friend, an alcoholic priest who tries to help homeless teenagers, when he gets involved over his head.

Directors: David M. Whorf
Sleepless Dreams
star
0.00
0 votes

#15 - Sleepless Dreams

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/1987

Spenser becomes obsessed with an apparently suicidal woman after a chance encounter on the street.

Watch Now:Amazon
Consilum Abditum
star
0.00
0 votes

#16 - Consilum Abditum

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1987

Susan is in trouble when her claims of sexual harassment lead her college counselor to retaliate by hiring a hit man to keep her quiet. Spenser gets arrested for getting involved in a fight.

Directors: Winrich Kolbe
Thanksgiving
star
0.00
0 votes

#17 - Thanksgiving

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/29/1987

Spenser runs into an old friend while visiting a recreation of a Puritan village. Spenser does everything in his power to exonerate said friend when he's accused of a brutal slaying. As he uncovers more and more, Spenser begins to think it might be hard to clear the name of a guilty man.

Watch Now:Amazon
Gone Fishin'
star
0.00
0 votes

#18 - Gone Fishin'

Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/6/1987

Spenser's fishing trip is interrupted when he has to protect a young man who's not allowed to marry the girl he loves.

Watch Now:Amazon
Child's Play
star
0.00
0 votes

#19 - Child's Play

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/20/1987

A sniper takes some shots at Spenser and Susan, and a young boy ends up dead in the crossfire. Spenser sets out to determine why such a tragedy happened and track down the shooter.

Watch Now:Amazon
Skeletons in the Closet
star
0.00
0 votes

#20 - Skeletons in the Closet

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/3/1988

Spenser and Hawk find themselves on opposite sides of the same case. Spenser is hired to retrieve a stolen journal containing information damaging to a judge's career. Hawk is hired by the thief to extort money from the judge.

McAllister
star
0.00
0 votes

#21 - McAllister

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/30/1988

Spenser assists a lawyer in proving the innocence of his client, a Navy seaman accused of murdering the captain's daughter. The only witness is a missing Polish sailor.

Directors: Harvey Hart