In the Heat of the Night

TV Series

1988–1995

IMDb RATING

7.4/10

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9 Images

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In the Heat of the Night is an American television series based on the motion picture and novel of the same name starring Carroll O'Connor as the white police chief William Gillespie, and Howard Rollins as the African-American police detective Virgil Tibbs. It was broadcast on NBC from 1988 until 1992, and then on CBS until 1995. Its executive producers were Fred Silverman, Juanita Bartlett and Carroll O'Connor. TGG Direct released the first season of the series to DVD on August 28, 2012.

Creator

Stars

Carroll O'Connor

Alan Autry

David Hart

See production, box office & company info

Episodes146

Top-rated

Thu, 25 Nov, 1993

S7.E10A Baby Called Rocket

A neglected baby stirs maternal feelings in Luann.

2.0/10

Top-rated

Sun, 06 Mar, 1988

S1.E1Pilot (1)

Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta and joins the police force as chief of detectives.His arrival is met with resistance from police chief Bill Gillespie - who resents having an officer hired without his approval.Virgil has trouble adjusting to the small, antiquated police force.Tibbs' first case is a racially charged murder case that is soon complicated when the suspect is murdered in his cell.

Videos1

Trailer
Watch Weekday Action Block - IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT

Photos9

Top cast

Bill Gillespie

Bubba Skinner

Parker Williams

Lonnie Jamison

Luann Corbin

Harriet DeLong

Hampton Forbes

Creator

All cast & crew

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User reviews1

Review

Featured review

8/10

I know, I know, it doesn't really hold a candle to the movie does it? They are sort of two entirely different beasts and this film... well, it has a lot more of a Hill Street Blues with minimal racial commentary in it than something you would expect from "In the heat of the Night." But Carroll O'Connor sort of kicked butt in this. And you can see the change. If they held on to the racial tension that made the movie so good.... that would have gotten old and as preachy as MASH. So they had to eventually form a bond, and when they did it just became a cop show, but a very good cop show. So don't expect the movie, expect Hill Street Blues with better acting.

GenerationofSwine11 Jan, 2023