The BEST episodes of The Fugitive

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

Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen), wrongly accused of murdering his wife, escapes custody while on the road to prison and must elude the police to continue his quest to find the real killer.

Last Updated: 3/10/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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Landscape with Running Figures (2)
star
9.81
32 votes

#1 - Landscape with Running Figures (2)

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1965

In the conclusion to Part 1 (from last week), Kimble accompanies a temporarily-blinded Mrs. Gerard to a place where she can phone her husband for help. Mrs. Gerard, who is as inquisitive as her husband, continues to pepper Kimble with questions about himself and his life. As she starts to put the pieces together, she realizes that this man may be Richard Kimble. She begins to form a plan to trap him.

Directors: Walter Grauman
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Wife Killer
star
9.78
32 votes

#2 - Wife Killer

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/11/1966

Reporter Barbara Webb spots Fred Johnson, the one-armed man, in a police roundup of suspicious character during a murder investigation. Calling to mind the Kimble case with her publisher boss Herb Malone, Barbara takes a photo of Johnson and publishes it in the local newspaper. The image of the one-armed man draws both Kimble and Gerard to the town. While Gerard waits for Kimble to show up at the police station, the fugitive is outside and sees Johnson in the jail courtyard. But the one-armed man spots Kimble and escapes from the jail and steals a getaway car. Barbara spots Kimble and tells him to get in her car as they chase after the one-armed man. During the chase down a winding mountain road, the one-armed man's car crashes, and Kimble has to tend to Johnson's injuries knowing that he's the only one to clear Kimble of his wife's murder. Unable to speak because of a head injury, Johnson nodds when Kimble asks if he murdered Helen. While Kimble rests, Barbara types a confession paper

Directors: Richard Donner
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Landscape with Running Figures (1)
star
9.72
32 votes

#3 - Landscape with Running Figures (1)

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1965

In Part 1 of a 2-part story, Lt. Gerard and his wife are on a much-needed vacation. When Gerard rushes off to answer the call to duty, an angry Mrs. Gerard decides that enough is enough, and leaves town on the bus. Unbeknownst to her, Kimble is on the same bus. When the bus crashes, Kimble helps her get away from the wreck. Due to a head injury, she is suffering from temporary blindness and doesn't recognize Kimble. Kimble, unaware of who SHE really is, decides to accompany her to a phone where she can contact her husband. Along the way Mrs. Gerard starts asking questions, and is starting to form an image of Kimble, and is intrigued with what she learns. Will she discover his true identity before they reach their destination?

Directors: Walter Grauman
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Trial by Fire
star
9.71
34 votes

#4 - Trial by Fire

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1965

Kimble's sister Donna summons him home with a possible break in the case: a letter from James Eckhardt, a former U.S. Army captain whom also saw the one-armed man fleeing from the Kimble's house on the night of Helen's murder. Kimble meets with Eckhardt who agrees to help the fugitive out. Eckhardt's story seems strong enough to clear Kimble. But unknown to either men, another witness comes forward: a convict in prison for drug dealing, who reveals that he used to sell heroin to Eckhart for a Korean War battle wound and that Eckhardt was on his way to see him that night to buy some drugs, which is more than enough for Gerard to discredit Eckhardt's testimony.

Directors: Alexander Singer
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Ill Wind
star
9.66
35 votes

#5 - Ill Wind

Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/8/1966

Gerard tracks Kimble to a migrant community in South Texas where he finally captures the fugitive who attempts to flee by train. But a violent hurricane strikes the area and forces them to seek shelter in a fragile barn where most of the farm workers are gathered. But when Gerard is badly injured when the roof collapses on him, Kimble, to the astonishment of the workers, actually helps try to save the lieutenant by helping transport him to another building where the fugitive pleads for a blood doner to save Gerard's life whom has weakened by the loss of blood.

Directors: Joseph Sargent
Writer: Al C. Ward
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The End Game
star
9.61
33 votes

#6 - The End Game

Season 1 - Episode 30 - Aired 4/21/1964

A discarded photograph, with Kimble in the background, leads Gerard to Chicago where he assembles a team of detectives where they trap Kimble within an eight-block radius of the city. With Kimble wondering from place to place, and being recognized by whomever he comes into contact with, he flees from both policemen and local citizens, finding refuge in a small house which is the home of two middle-aged men, named Jake Devlin and Sam Reed, whom have long argued over his innocence.

Directors: Jerry Hopper
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Nemesis
star
9.57
35 votes

#7 - Nemesis

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/1964

Kimble escapes from his workplace at a hatchery just as Gerard and the local sheriff come to arrest him. As Kimble drives off in the sheriff's car, he discovers that Gerard's son is hiding in the backseat.

Directors: Jerry Hopper
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Escape Into Black
star
9.54
35 votes

#8 - Escape Into Black

Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/17/1964

On the verge of closing in on the shadowy one-armed man, Kimble is renderd amnesiac after a freak gas explosion at a roadside diner. While the Fugitive fights to regain his memory, a struggle ensues at the local hospital between Margaret Ruskin, a sympathic social worker whom regonizes Kimble and belives him to be innocent, while a local physician, named Dr. Towne, belives Kimble to be guilty. Meanwhile, the one-armed man slips away, but not before he makes an anonymous phone call to the police and Gerard about Kimble's whereabouts.

Directors: Jerry Hopper
Writer: Larry Cohen
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May God Have Mercy
star
9.54
35 votes

#9 - May God Have Mercy

Season 2 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/16/1965

While working as a hospital orderly, Kimble is recognized by Victor Leonetti and his wife Anne whom hold Kimble responsible for the death of their daughter. Kimble tries to flee, but gets shot and is forced to undergo surgery for the gunshot wounds. But when Victor learns that Kimble was trying to contact a specialist at the time of the girl's death, he tries to make amends by confessing to Gerard, whom arrives at the hospital, that he was the one who murdered Helen Kimble.

Directors: Don Medford
Writer: Don Brinkley
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World's End
star
9.46
35 votes

#10 - World's End

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/1964

Kimble answers a classified ad from a certain Ellie Burnett, the daughter of his former defense attorney. They arrange to meet in Kansas City to discuss the information she received about a one-armed man from a private detective hired by her father. But Gerard sees the ad and knows who wrote it because he and Ellie's father were close friends and that Ellie may be in love with Kimble. While Gerard has Ellie investigated, she and Kimble find out that the one-armed man was killed in a fire only a week before. Kimble is devastated, but vows to confirm it. A little later, Ellie's private detective informs her that the one-armed man whom died in a fire was actually in prison at the time of Helen Kimble's murder. But Ellie withholds this news from Kimble and convinces him that they should leave the country, realizing that this may be her only chance at a life with him.

Directors: Robert Butler
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The End Is But the Beginning
star
9.43
35 votes

#11 - The End Is But the Beginning

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/12/1965

Kimble takes advantage of a deadly car accident as a way to try and convince Gerard that he is now dead.

Directors: Walter Grauman
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The Judgment (2)
star
9.40
43 votes

#12 - The Judgment (2)

Season 4 - Episode 30 - Aired 8/29/1967

In the continuation of this story Kimble and Gerard are on a train for his hometown in Indiana. And Kimble then reveals that the person who sent the bail money is his brother-in-law Leonard Taft. Kimble doesn't think it was him but someone from his hometown did send the money and used his brother-in-law's name. The one armed-man calls the Tafts demanding that they meet with him, someone does go to the meeting but it's not Leonard Taft but the one-armed man assumes that he is, and says that he remebers him. Obviously this was the man who sent the money and the one-armed man is demanding more money which he doesn't have. Kimble and Gerard arrive at the Taft residence and talk to Len, who tells them that someone called claiming the same thing and arranged a meeting, Kimble ans Gerard arrive at the place and find some bullets. But for Gerard there is nothing more that can be done; they then go back to the Taft house so that Kimble can say good-bye to his sister, and it's at that moment tha

Directors: Don Medford
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See Hollywood and Die
star
9.33
42 votes

#13 - See Hollywood and Die

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/5/1963

While working as a gas station attendant in New Mexico, Kimble is taken hostage, along with customer Joanne, by two holdup men, named Miles and Vinnie. Once on the road, Kimble pretends that he is a criminal and is heading towards Los Angels for a ""big job."" At the same time, he lets Joanne know that he's on her side, but she's suspicious to his true motives. Once arriving in L.A., Kimble decides to set up Miles and Vinnie to be arrested. But Miles, not trusting Kimble enough, wants him to kill Joanne to prove himself.

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Search in a Windy City
star
9.30
40 votes

#14 - Search in a Windy City

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/4/1964

Beliving that the one-armed man is in Chicago, Kimble contacts Mike Decker, a newspaper columnist who defended Kimble during his trial. Kimble and Decker organize a city-wide search for the one-armed man. But things get complicated with the arrival of Decker's alcholic wife, Paula, whom gets nervous of Kimble's presence and falls off the wagon. Meanwhile, Gerard learns about Decker's search for a one-armed man and decides to use the writer to set a trap for Kimble.

Directors: Jerry Hopper
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The Girl from Little Egypt
star
9.27
41 votes

#15 - The Girl from Little Egypt

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/24/1963

In San Francisco, Kimble is nearly run over by a car driven by Ruth Norton, a young flight attendent distraught over discovering that the man she has been dating for the past four months is married with two children. While recuperating in the hospital, a delirious Kimble flashes back to the months leading upto the night of Helen Kimble's murder and Kimble first seeing the one-armed man fleeing from his house. Followed by Kimble's trial, sentence, and escape from the train wreck. Ruth, who has been keeping a vigil at Kimble's bedside, hears him mutter Helen's name. Thinking that he's in some kind of trouble, Ruth takes Kimble (now going by the alias George Browning) to her apartment to recover. Kimble then gives Ruth advice on her relationship with her boyfriend, Paul, and to put her life problems in perspective.

Directors: Vincent McEveety
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The Other Side of the Coin
star
9.25
4 votes

#16 - The Other Side of the Coin

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/10/1967

While working as a clerk in a small grocery store in Ocean Grove, California, Kimble becomes embroiled in a conflict between his co-worker Larry Corby and his father Ben, who's the town sheriff. When Ben refuses to support Larry and his pregnant girlfriend, the boy dons a mask and robs the store. After being shot during the escape, Larry drives off while Ben gives chase. Larry runs off the road and Ben is shocked to find his son as the holdup man. Ben then hides Larry and after recognizing Kimble, makes a bargain: if Kimble can save his son's life, Ben will set him free.

Directors: Lewis Allen
Writer: Sam Ross
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Run the Man Down
star
9.25
4 votes

#17 - Run the Man Down

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/3/1967

While hopping a freight train, Kimble meets a wounded criminal who demands to take him to a rendezvous point in the hills of Southern California. Kimble reluctantly does which is an isolated cabin in the deep woods where they are joined by three more men whom happen to be robbers of an armored car who demand from the criminal their loot. Not believing their accomplice's true story that he lost the money when it fell off the train due to his gunshot injury, the three robbers hold Kimble, a widow named Laura Craig, as well as a park ranger who happens by, while torturing the man for the location of the money.

Directors: James Sheldon
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Crack in a Crystal Ball
star
9.00
3 votes

#18 - Crack in a Crystal Ball

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/28/1965

A scam artist posing as a psychic goes on TV to prove that he knows where Kimble will appear next-with a little help from an accomplice who is traveling with Kimble.

Directors: Walter Grauman
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When the Wind Blows
star
9.00
3 votes

#19 - When the Wind Blows

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 12/28/1965

In rural Wyoming, Kimble seeks refuge from the local constable at a small hotel run by Lois Carter, a young widow whom hires him as a handyman. Kimble soon befriends Lois' son Kenny, a particularly sensitive young boy whom protects Kimble from the police when they arrive looking for him.

Directors: Ralph Senensky
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Approach with Care
star
9.00
3 votes

#20 - Approach with Care

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/15/1966

Kimble meets Willie Turner, a mentaly retarded young man who is accused of hurting a child. Kimble reluctantly hides Willie at a carnival where Kimble now works. Kimble tries to persuade Willie to return to the hospital where his sister had him committed. But naturally, Willie is slow to understand what Kimble means and, on top of that, does not remember hitting the young boy he is accused of hurting. Willie's sister, Mary, as well as an attendant from the psycho ward at the local hospital, arrive searching for Willie and find him. But the attendant recognizes Kimble and calls the police. In trying to protect his new friend, Willie strikes the attendant, badly injuring him, and warns Kimble in which both men, now fugitives, take off in a stolen truck. Kimble hides out with Willie at a nearby auto wrecking lot, where he tries to persuade Willie to return to the hospital, while the sheriff and his men already on their trail.

Directors: William Hale
Writer: Lee Loeb
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Concrete Evidence
star
9.00
4 votes

#21 - Concrete Evidence

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/24/1967

Kimble finds work as a construction worker in Nebraska where he is recongized by building contract; the unscrupulous Alex ""Pat"" Patton, who once built a theater in his home town. But a wall of the theater collapsed due to faulty construction which killed three children. Although exonerated of manslaughter charges, the townspeople have been irate to him ever since. Now two years later, Pat's company faces financial ruin, yet Pat pours his own money into a mysterious ""motel"" his crew is now building. Pat approaches Kimble and tells him that he knows who he is from a wanted poster he keeps in his office. He tells Kimble about his plight and that he has one month to live because he's dying from a heart condition. Pat wants Kimble to keep him alive long enough to finish the ""motel"" and if Kimble refuses to do so or flees, Pat will turn him in to the local authorities.

Directors: Murray Golden
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Goodbye My Love
star
9.00
4 votes

#22 - Goodbye My Love

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/28/1967

Kimble becomes romantically involved with former recording star Gail Martin, unaware that she know his secret, and the $10,000 reward for his capture. Gail and her other lover, Alan Bartlet, are plotting to kill Alan's wealthy wife Norma, a former golf pro now confided to a wheelchair, and put the blame on Kimble so they can capture him and collect the reward money, and Norma's vast wealth.

Directors: Lewis Allen
Writer: Lee Loeb
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The 2130
star
8.86
35 votes

#23 - The 2130

Season 3 - Episode 27 - Aired 3/29/1966

While working as a chauffeur in Denver, Colorado, Kimble reluntantly covers for teenager Lauire Ryder after she dents her father's car. But Kimble flees after discovering that Laurie was involved in a hit-and-run. After learning Kimble's idenity, Laurie's father, Dr. Mark Ryder, summons Gerard (along with the entire Kimble file) to Denver where he introduces Gerard to the 2130, a computer that can help capture the fugitive by determining a pattern to his travels. As the 2130 makes progress, Kimble's new travels all over the country end with one close escape after another with the police.

Directors: Leonard J. Horn
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Wings of an Angel
star
8.83
35 votes

#24 - Wings of an Angel

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/14/1965

Kimble is riding on a bus when the police stop it, not to arrest Kimble, but to capture an escaped convict who takes a woman hostage. Kimble disarmes the man, but gets stabbed during the struggle while the convict is shot dead. Not knowing his true identity, the police treat Kimble as a hero and transport him to a hospital for treatment, the prison hospital. When two inmates recognize Kimble in the prison infirmary, they threaten to reveal his identity unless he assists them in their drug smuggling scheme by stealing morphine from the medicine cabinet. Kimble goes along with it, but the drugs get discovered by a guard. One of the prisoners, a innocent orderly named Mickey Deming, gets accused being involved with the smuggling. Kimble recovers and is released. But he risks his freedom when he returns to try to clear Mickey of the charges.

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Man in a Chariot
star
8.79
34 votes

#25 - Man in a Chariot

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/15/1964

Kimble happens to watch a TV debate in which a once-renowned attorney, named G. Stanley Lazer, claims that he could reverse Kimble's criminal conviction if the case went back to trial. Lazer once a respected lawyer, had his license revoked after getting into a car accident years before while driving drunk in which his wife was killed. Lazer now spends his days teaching law at a small college in Harrisburg. Kimble travels to Pennsylvania and meets with Lazer and his assistant, Nancy Gilman, to enlist their help. To prove his theory, Lazer decides to conduct a mock trial with his students playing the prosecutor, defense lawyer, and jury in front of a live TV audience. But while the mock trial continues, Kimble becomes aware that Lazer is really putting himself on trial for his past misdeeds.

Directors: Robert Butler
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