The Fugitive Episode Guide - Season 3 Part 2

Grade A

1) Ill Wind (John McIntire & Barry Morse) Gerard captures Kimble while working with a gang of migrant workers, but a Hurricane puts all their lives in jeopardy. A well acted, action packed episode. Flaws: the villain is the standard “white male bigot” and once again Kimble has to save Gerard’s life.

2) Wife Killer (Janice Rule & Kevin McCarthy) The one-armed man is caught in a police magnet and Kimble and Rule kidnap him to exact a confession. A good episode except - AGAIN - St. Kimble has to save a man who’s wronged him. Not Gerard this time, but the one-armed man!

3) This Will Kill You (Micky Rooney & Nina Talbot) An ex- comic (Rooney) on the run from the mob hopes to reconnect with his former wife. More of a standard drama than usual. The acting by Talbot (as the amoral ex-wife)and Rooney make this an “A” episode.

4) The 2130 (Melvyn Douglas & Barry Morse) A prominent doctor contacts Gerard about Kimble. He's convinced a computer can predict Kimble's every move. Another suspenseful, well acted episode. But its a little unclear as to how Gerard has so much data on Kimble’s where abouts or how the computer could predict his next move any better than a human. The old timey computer (2130) is a real hoot, occupying a whole room with punch cards and a staff full of nerds. Its computer power probably didn’t exceed an 1986 IBM PC.

Grade B

5) Shadow of the Swan (Joanna Pettet) While working at a Veterinarians office, Kimble gets mixed up with a troubled, beautiful girl. More of a drama/character study than a Fugitive episode. Joanna Pettet shines as the guest star.

6) Echo of a Nightmare (Shirley Knight) A Policewomen with a violent past tries to take Kimble prisoner but finds the tables turned. Throughout much of the episode Knight and Kimble are handcuffed together. Knight is excellent but her character was too smart to stupidly handcuff herself to Kimble.

7) Chinese Sunset (Laura Devon) Kimble tries to educate a bookies girlfriend while working at a Beverly Hills Hotel. A comedic episode that works.

8) With Strings Attached (Donald Pleasance) Working as a Chauffeur, Kimble begins to suspect his employer (a violin prodigy) is plotting murder. A somewhat silly story made entertaining by Donald Pleasance as the bald, bug-eyed Max and Rex Thompson (a complete Ham).

Grade C

9) A Taste of Tomorrow:(Fritz Weaver) Kimble meets a fellow fugitive and tries to convince him to forgo revenge and turn himself in. Fritz Weaver is excellent as the sick, hate-filled man who’s been wronged. But the episode lacks suspense and believability. Michael Constantino seems very out of place as a Western sheriff.

10) Running Scared (Joanne Linville) When Kimble's father dies, a neglected politicians wife arranges a reunion between Kimble and her Sister. Another curiously un-involving Kimble-visits-his-family story.

11) The White Knight (Steven Hill) Kimble rescues a politician and his mistress from a small plane crash. Kimble tries to remain anonymous but they draw him in to their sordid affairs. A little over-the-top and somewhat silly at times. Steven Hill does well with a character that is a little too evil.

Grade D

12) Not with a Whimper (Laurence Naismith) A visit to his former mentor puts Kimble in the hands of a madman who’s planted bomb. At the end, when cornered by the cops, Kimble pretends he has a bomb, and the cops absurdly let him escape. An underwritten episode. The last 20 minutes are drawn out and padded as Kimble runs around the factory trying to defuse a bomb. The whole episode lacked suspense and was full of gimmicks. The acting is good. A weird conversation at the end that somehow planting a bomb wasn't that bad because Naismith's cause was good. It made me think of the left-wing bombings of the 60s and early 70s.

13) In a Plain Paper Wrapper (Lois Nettleton). Kimble starts a relationship with a young waitress unaware that her nephew and teenage friends are out to capture Kimble. A lackluster episode full of bad child actors.

14) Coralee (Antoinette Bower) .A young diver is drowned and Kimble has to deal with a Boss trying to cover up the accident and a young waitress who’s considered a jinx. A dull episode where everyone -except Kimble- behaves like an idiot. Kimble makes another implausible escape – this time by scuba diving. Also, S.O.P, the “bad guy” is small businessman, the “good guy” a women who falls for Kimble's Basset-hound looks.

15) Stroke of Genius (Telly Savalas & Barry Morse) Tragedy strikes when Kimble hitches a ride with a small town pastor. Telly Savalas is the father of Beau Bridges a troubled young man who snipes at passing cars. This episode had promise and Gerard shows up to add some interest but Savalas is miscast and unbelievable as a simple country tow-truck operator. Also, Bridges overacts & his character is cliche.