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8 Episodes 1988 - 1988
Episode 1
Sun, Mar 6, 198860 mins
Philadelphia police lieutenant Virgil Tibbs and his wife Althea have returned to Sparta to attend the funeral of Virgil's mother. While in town and unknown to Chief Bill Gillespie, Virgil is offered the position of Chief of Detectives. At the same time, a white girl is found murdered in the Bottoms, which allows Virgil the opportunity to begin work. The police force is rife with racism and devoid of proper police procedures. An African-American man, Willie Jones, is brought in on flimsy evidence. Before Virgil can investigate, Jones is found hanged in his cell. Gillespie and Tibbs are at complete loggerheads over how to proceed with the investigation and institute measures to clean up the department.
Episode 2
Sun, Mar 6, 198860 mins
Continuation of Episode #1.1. "Pilot: Part 1" Nan Woodall, the murder victim in the previous episode, is buried and the community is devastated. While investigating Nan's and Willie Jones' murders, Virgil is badly beaten by redneck thugs. Surprisingly, Chief Gillespie is sympathetic and cooperative, and he dresses down every police officer who is reluctant to work with Virgil Tibbs. The case leads into the seamy side of life in Sparta, including orgies and pornographic videotapes. Working together, Tibbs begins to carve out a place in the department, and Gillespie turns out to be a superb, insightful investigator.
Episode 3
Tue, Mar 15, 198860 mins
Shots are fired at night from a moving pickup, rousing all the gun control advocates. Sonny Mims has a gun store, which belongs in reality to his wife Margaret who is a drunk. Sonny is having an affair with Margaret's cousin, Pauline Slade, and vows he will ask for a divorce. Pauline persuades Sonny to kill Margaret under the guise of a random shooting, which he does. Chief Gillespie, Virgil Tibbs and Bubba Skinner have a shouting match over details of the investigation. Pauline plays up to Bubba to get information, which makes Sonny jealous. Evidence points to Joe Ed Thaxton, who fired the original shots from his pickup, but the lead goes nowhere. Pauline and Sonny set their sights on slow-witted Gilmore Hodges, which leads to a deeper quagmire.
Episode 4
Tue, Mar 22, 198860 mins
When an affluent married white woman has an affair with a black businessman from New York, racial tensions reach a breaking point in Sparta. Also, Detective Tibbs isn't too thrilled when Chief Gillespie gets his help in searching for Bubba's cousin who is a suspect in a moonshining operation.
Episode 5
Tue, Mar 29, 198860 mins
Chief Gillespie and Miss Dee are having a quiet dinner with Virgil and Althea Tibbs when a fight breaks out. Barbara Giles and New Yorker Steve Vincent are interrupted by Buddy Trent, Barbara's erstwhile boyfriend, and three ruffians. Gillespie and Tibbs break up the mêlée. Vincent represents Ritchie Epman, a wealthy businessman, in a new enterprise in Sparta. Meanwhile, Wallace Posey and Eddie Lee, two locksmiths working at Epman's estate, discover a large shipment of uncut cocaine. They try to sneak out with a bag of coke, but two thugs, Logan and Bass, spot the men and open fire, killing Lee. Searching for the cocaine,the thugs critically wound Wallace's uncle, John Reeves, a long-time friend of Gillespie. Trying to leave Sparta, Wallace sets up a meeting with Virgil, but the two are ambushed by Logan and Bass.
Episode 6
Tue, Apr 5, 198860 mins
Continuation of Episode #1.5. Virgil Tibbs was not injured in the ambush by Logan and Bass, but Wallace Posey was killed. Chief Gillespie "calls in a favor" from Rattler, a flamboyant African-American drug dealer, through unusual methods of intimidation not found in police manuals. The favor leads to the investigation of Ritchie Epman for wholesale drug trafficking and murder. In a desperate effort to tie up loose ends, Bass tries to kill John Reeves in the hospital. Bass attacks Althea, who is visiting Reeves. The climax at the hospital and at Epman's estate is powerful. Even Buddy Trent get in his licks on the side of the good guys.
Episode 7
Tue, Apr 12, 198847 mins
Henley Davenport is arrested for drunk & disorderly, and his sister Eugete wants him released into her custody. Elmyra Carroway, Henley's intended, argues that he should be in her care instead. James Jeffson's wife accuses him of bigamy. However, the charge escalates to polygamy when six women claim to be Mrs. James Jeffson. Things turn serious when Jeffson dies in his cell of arsenic poisoning.
Episode 8
Tue, May 3, 198846 mins
Convict Lester Sprode and his girlfriend, Audine Higgs, rob and kill store owner Miss Elnora. The crime is witnessed by Elnora's young grandson Scooter. Chief Gillespie and Detective Virgil Tibbs investigate as Althea Tibbs attends the boy. Lester and Audine go on a crime spree, robbing and killing shop owner Mr. Randall, shooting a customer at the store, and murdering a car owner when they switch cars. Lester and Audine hole up in a remote cabin. At the lake, Althea counsels Scooter as Lester and Audine take them hostage and steal Althea's car. Police road blocks force everyone back to the cabin. At Althea's urging, Audine and Scooter escape but Althea is recaptured by Lester. Gillespie and Tibbs search for clues, and Bubba Skinner steps up to the plate.