The Fugitive (1963–1967) User Reviews (68)

TV's Most Compelling Drama

[stp43 · 9/10 · 21 November 2002]

It was called "the most repulsive concept ever for television" when Roy Huggins pitched it to ABC in 1960, until Leonard Goldenson of ABC called it the best idea he'd ever heard.

Such summarizes the huge effort Roy Huggins invested to get The Fugitive to television. Teaming with producer Quinn Martin, Huggins' concept was made flesh with the casting of David Janssen as Dr. Richard Kimble and British-born Canadian Barry Morse as his nemesis, Lt. Philip Gerard. Huggins and Martin worked to make a compelling weekly drama via superb scripts, top-notch guest casts, and enticing music by Peter Rugolo, and succeeded perhaps more than they ever dared to hope.

The Fugitive remains compelling television 40 years later. Janssen and Morse imbue tremendous sympathy into their roles and make their characters so compelling that audiences even went too far, assailing Morse by saying, "You dumb cop, don't you realize he's innocent?" It even extended to the one-armed vagrant who was key to the drama, played by stuntman Bill Raisch, who in one incident was even picked up by the real LAPD because they thought he was "wanted for something," before they realized he was just an actor.

If The Fugitive had a drawback, it was because it worked too well - it is emotionally draining watching the show because the sympathy enticed for the characters is so great that seeing them suffer is painful, such as in the two-part episode "Never Wave Goodbye" - the audience is put through the emotional wringer every bit as much as Kimble, Gerard, and the story's supporting players (in this case played by Susan Oliver, Will Kuliva, Robert Duvall, and Lee Phillips).

The series was shot in black and white in its first three seasons, but for the fourth season came the replacement of producer Alan Armer with Wilton Schiller and the switch to color. The quality of the series remained high, but it is a measure of the show's quality that early fourth-season episodes are considered disappointing, and yet are still excellent stories with genuine emotional pull. The fourth-season settled down when writer-producer George Eckstein was brought in early on to help out Schiller, and it helped bring about some of the series' best moments, notably in the episode "The Ivy Maze," where for the first time in the series, all three protagonists (Kimble, Gerard, and Fred Johnson, the one-armed man) confront each other.

The performances and all else within made The Fugitive TV's most compelling drama, then and forever.

Quinn Martin Ultimate

[DKosty123 · 9/10 · 21 September 2007]

This series did not last as long a others Martin produced, but this one set the standard. It is a dramatic standard he would never reach again in any other series. The stories while always the same in formula (Kimble being chased by Gerard), always had good drama surrounding the chase.

The best thing is that they chose to do a finale before it was too late. MAD Magazine was already doing satires about the shows formula before it went off. The formula was rather limiting, but the writers always seemed to find a way to introduce drama.

Part of the reason this show was so popular was that it was reality based, more reality based than Survivor. There actually was a real Doctor who was falsely accused of his wife's murder which the show was loosely based upon. This stimulated the original interest in the series. It kept it going for 4 years & they did one of the first of the great series finales.

David Jansen really did a lot of terrific acting in this show. It landed him another series after this went off- but this show was by far his best work. It is hard to imagine anyone else playing this role so well for so long. Even Harrison Ford who did it in the movies, could only do a little over 2 hours. Lt. Gerard was played very well too. He would go on to do some shows on Martin's The FBI.

This show was excellent in drawing drama out & putting a lot of raw emotions into the forefront. It is a classic.

Fifty Years Later, Still Compelling, Entertaining, With a Satisfying Conclusion

[alan_paul · 8/10 · 7 February 2014]

As I watched this classic series recently, I found myself visiting the Internet Movie Database site frequently. Bruce Dern plays five different roles over the course of the show's four year run. Louise Latham and Diane Baker, two of Dern's co-stars from Hitchcock's film Marnie show up in the series finale. Robert Duvall appears in three episodes playing two unique characters, elevating both otherwise formulaic stories. Dozens of performers return to play new characters throughout the series run (not that unusual for a TV series of this vintage). Watched over the course of four years, viewers might not have noticed the returning actors. Modern binge viewers can check on Internet Movie Database to see how many times Telly Savalas, Shirley Knight, Michael Constantine and Sue Randall will appear (three). Look for Kurt Russell (as Philip Gerard Jr!) early in Season Two, as well as fellow kid stars Bill Mumy and brothers Clint and Ron Howard. A random episode cast: Pat Hingle, Dabney Coleman, Mary Murphy, Tom Skerritt, Dabs Greer, Burt Mustin. In most cases, if they are still alive, they are still working. Each of the four seasons has thirty episodes, with David Janssen on screen as Dr. Richard Kimble (The Fugitive) for most of the hour, often looking appropriately stressed or exhausted, a believable performance perhaps made easier by a frantic work schedule. Barry Morse as Lt. Philip Gerard, Kimble's nemesis, does not appear in every episode. Instead he pops up just enough to keep the main storyline of pursuit going. Series villain Bill Raisch as Fred Johnson (The One-Armed Man) is featured in just ten episodes, and is still (deservedly) ranked as one of TVs all-time greatest villains. Yes, some of the episodes are exceptionally good, others not quite so much, but every episode is watchable, even if you are just admiring the quality of the acting, or simply anxious to get to the end of the series. And the series finale is what sets the entire show apart from so many genre TV shows. The basic premise of the series can be summed up in a few questions. Those questions are answered in the two hour series finale, after a few twists and surprises, with a very satisfying conclusion. What are the cliffhanger resolutions for Flash Forward, Carnivale, Twin Peaks (okay, a great final episode, but it ends with multiple cliffhangers), X-Files, Invasion, Lost In Space, Land of the Giants, Vanished, The Dead Zone, Deception, Kyle XY, Stargate Universe, Alcatraz, Sliders, Las Vegas, The Border, Endgame (and dozens of other past, present and future TV shows)? Fifty years after The Fugitive's first broadcast, the entire series is still worth watching from the intriguing beginning, through an occasionally suspenseful middle, to the rewarding payoff at the end.

Realistic, Believable and Emotional Drama

[Big Movie Fan · 22 September 2002]

The Fugitive was a top show starring David Janssen as Dr. Richard Kimble. Kimble had been wrongly accused of the murder of his wife and he went on the run pursued by Lt. Gerard (played by Barry Morse). His only method of proving his innocence was to find the one-armed man who had killed his wife.

It was a very realistic drama show and David Janssen drew the audience into his predicament. Whatever pain he was feeling, the audience felt too. He was a man who viewers could empathize with. Each week he travelled from place to place meeting up with people, most of whom sympathized with his predicament. There was tension and drama throughout the entire series run. It was a very believable drama. It's a pity that nobody can produce shows like that any more.

One other thing; I believe this show inspired The Incredible Hulk live action series from the late 70's. In both cases, innocent men were on the run for crimes they didn't commit, both men were pursued (David Banner was pursued by a reporter) and both David Janssen as Kimble and the late Bill Bixby as David Banner drew the viewers into their predicament.

Television at the Peak of Its Abilities

[lonenut2000 · 10/10 · 9 May 2001]

"The Fugitive" is, without a doubt, the finest episodic drama series in the history of television. Who can't feel for Richard Kimble? His son is stillborn, which contributes to making his wife unable to have more children, which turns her into a bitter alcoholic, which strains their marriage, which makes him storm out of the house one evening, which leaves her alone to be murdered by a burglar, which is then blamed on him! Talk about your life going to hell in a handbasket! I think "The Fugitive" holds up so well because of its strict avoidance of schmaltz. The show never degenerates into maudlin soap opera; the characters are fresh and well-defined, the plots are gripping and realistic, and Kimble is a protagonist with whom we can easily identify. He's never presented as being squeaky clean; he's just a basically decent guy trapped in an overwhelming situation and trying to make the best of it.

The Best TV Show Ever Made

[Rocketer · 10/10 · 3 January 2003]

The Fugitive is unique. Although it has been loosely imitated (The Immortal), parodied (Run, Buddy Run) and remade (as a mediocre movie and mediocre TV series) there has never been anything like it on TV, before or since. The acting, production values and especially the writing are as good as it ever gets on television.

If you have never seen an episode you are in for a treat if you ever get the chance to see one. I remember watching the show as a kid when it was first broadcast in the mid-sixties but I didn't really appreciate how very good it is until I started watching it on A&E in the early 90's.

The first three seasons were in black and white and the fourth and final season was in color. Like a lot of shows some of the best stories are in its second season, when the writers and audience are comfortable with the premise and characters but there are still plenty of fresh ideas to fuel the storyline. "Nemesis" and "May God Have Mercy" are typical of the show's high quality.

You can appreciate the show on many levels. It's cerebral yet there's plenty of action. The guest stars are a Who's Who of past (Mickey Rooney, Ed Begley Sr.) and future (Robert Duvall, Telly Savalas, Harry Dean Stanton, Carroll O'Connor and many others) stars. The stories are compelling to watch and instructive to study.

The Fugitive is a gem.

One Of Television's All-Time Best

[aimless-46 · 10/10 · 11 March 2008]

The 120 episodes (90 in B&W, 30 in Color) of the television drama "The Fugitive" originally ran from 1963-1967 on ABC. The broadcast of the final episodes in August 1967 was a national event.

Most likely anyone reading this already knows the perfect premise of the series. The producers took Dr. Sam Sheppard's long running Cleveland murder trial and blended it with Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables". The title character was renamed Dr. Richard Kimble (played by David Janssen who would later star in the detective series "Harry O") and the series began an argument between Kimble and his wife Helen over adopting a child. He storms out of the house showcasing his fury to their neighbors. Upon returning home Kimble sees a one- armed man fleeing the Kimble house. Inside the house he finds the body of his wife.

Kimble is tried and convicted, the one-armed man does not come forward and no one believes Kimble's account of that evening. When the train taking Kimble to prison derails he escapes from the custody of Indiana State Police Lt. Phillip Gerard (Barry Morse).

This begins parallel chases as Kimble pursues the as yet unidentified one-armed man (Bill Raisch) and Gerard becomes obsessed with recapturing Kimble. The beauty of the premise was the total flexibility it allowed the writers with regard to each episodes story and the ease of incorporating legitimate action, tension, and drama.

The series was a Quinn Martin Production (with the same high quality production value as his other television series: "The Invaders", "The Untouchables", "The F.B.I", "The Streets of San Francisco"). Each episode was broken into four acts and they went out with an epilogue- William ("Cannon") Conrad doing the narration. Janssen is excellent in the role and delivers a subtle non-verbal performance consistent with a man on the run who must be extremely reserved to avoid attracting attention.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

The finest dramatic series ever

[ynot-16 · 10/10 · 6 December 2008]

The right concept, the right star, the right scripts, and the right producers and directors all came together at the right time (1963-1967) to create the finest dramatic series ever to appear on television.

Dr. Richard Kimble, played by actor David Janssen, is a pediatrician in Stafford, Indiana. He has an argument with his wife Helen and storms off. While returning his car almost hits a one armed man who darts into the street from the vicinity of his home. He runs into his home past the open front door and sees Helen dead on the floor. Although innocent, he is tried and convicted for murder, and sentenced to death.

Police Lieutenant Phillip Gerard, played by actor Barry Morse, is taking Kimble by train to prison to be executed, when the train derails and Kimble escapes. Kimble travels from place to place, frequently changing his name, taking jobs where he can get them, usually menial, and ever on the alert lest he be recognized and captured. Lt. Gerard and other police are hot on his trail, and even well-meaning civilians can cause his ruin.

While running, Kimble constantly seeks the one armed man so he can prove his innocence. Viewers can certainly believe in his innocence, since in each episode he displays outstandingly good character, frequently putting himself at risk to help another person in need.

Kimble is intelligent, modest, generous, honest, hard-working, strong and trustworthy, an altogether admirable hero, yet also believable. He is no superhero, just an ordinary man placed in extraordinary circumstances that allow his true character to come forth.

But this is not a one note show. Violence, criminality, medical drama, and romance all have a place in the series, but none dominates it.

The fact he must frequently travel puts Kimble in a variety of interesting situations involving people of all different characters from all stations of life. The circumstances of the series allow the writers to place Kimble in just about any situation in any setting, from a migrant labor camp to a hospital to an embassy to a research laboratory, while making important points about morality, hypocrisy, and the flaws of even the best legal system, all against the dramatic background of the struggle to survive of a sympathetic lead character. The parade of talented guest stars adds icing to this tasty cake.

Other efforts to exploit this idea, such as the movie with Harrison Ford and the more recent TV series starring Tim Daly, failed to capture the essence of what made the 60s series so great. So, for those of us who love quality programming, we have little choice but to rely on the original. What a shame that the bosses at the TV networks have been unable to find a place in their schedules for such a magnificent show.

On-The-Run

[StrictlyConfidential · 7/10 · 11 April 2020]

Created by American novelist and scriptwriter, Roy Higgins - "The Fugitive" was certainly one of the better "thriller" TV series from the mid-1960s.

Filmed in stark b&w - This program's 50-minute episodes often had a surprising "noir" edge to them as they followed the erratic trail of Dr. Richard Kimble who was on-the-run (after escaping from the law) for being wrongly accused of his wife's murder.

This Emmy-award winning show ran for 4 seasons (1963-1967). It starred David Janssen as the title character and often included guest stars appearing as pivotal characters in Kimble's desperate quest to find his wife's murderer and, thus, clear his name.

Groundbreaking TV series with an ingeniously simple plot

[hnt_dnl · 10/10 · 18 December 2008]

I wonder how many fans of the relatively recent masterful big-screen adaptation THE FUGITIVE (starring Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones) know that there actually was a pretty masterful TV series that preceded it by 30 years! This 1960s TV series, THE FUGITIVE, tells the story of one Dr. Richard Kimble (played brilliantly by David Janssen). Kimble is arrested and put on death row for the alleged murder of his own wife, Helen. The arresting officer is Lt. Philip Gerard (well played by Barry Morse), the only other major character in this series. Kimble and Gerard carried the show for 4 seasons until Kimble's acquittal of his wife's murder in the series finale in 1967, when it was proved (as Kimble always asserted) that a one-armed man committed the crime.

Kimble escaped from the train that was to take him to jail, thus the series focused on his adventures cross-country trying to find the elusive one-armed man. Basically an anthology series, each episode was self-contained and really focused more on life lessons than on Kimble's predicament. Kimble would drift into some town, get caught up with ne'er do-wells somehow, then actually play detective and solve the crime and help catch the bad guys, then disappear and thus stay one step ahead of Gerard.

You'll notice in watching the series that the same actor would play different characters from time to time, so if you think that is the character you saw before, you'd be wrong. The lady who played Kimble's sister was a recurring character though and she appeared in the last episode when Kimble was acquitted.

I got to see a summertime marathon of this show several years ago and was thoroughly engaged. Janssen was perfect in the role of Kimble. I can't think of another actor who could relay Kimble's reserve, calmness, humanity, and unabashed determination to clear his name. Morse (a very small man in stature) was solid as the cop who was obsessed with bringing Kimble to justice, at times conflicted as to whether or not Kimble really did kill his wife.

THE FUGITIVE is one of those old, forgotten series that gets lost in the shuffle due to modernization and all of the diluted stuff on TV nowadays. But trust me, this classic 60s series is a keeper!

The Hippocratic Oath

[bkoganbing · 7/10 · 7 September 2019]

Noted surgeon Richard Kimble in a character rather obviously based on the real life Dr. Sam Sheppard has been sentenced to die in the electric chair for killing his wife. But as he was being transported to the state death house there was a trainwreck which freed Kimble. He became the protagonist for TV's The Fugitive.

While keeping on the run David Janssen who plays Kimble scrapes by for a meager existence while hunting for a one armed man who Janssen said he saw leaving his house, but whose existence can't be proved.

The Hippocratic Oath that KImble took as a doctor gets him in trouble a lot because every other episode he encounters someone in need of medical assistance. It's hard to stay ahead of the law, especially if the pursuer is Lt. Gerard who is played by Barry Morse.

Good thing The Fugitive ran for only 4 seasons. How many narrow escapes could he realistically have. And Barry Morse was after awhile looking like Wile E. Coyote.

It was a great show while it lasted.

The Fugitive-When Television Meant Something-The All-Time Best ****

[edwagreen · 10/10 · 26 July 2010]

Outstanding television series featuring David Janssen, as Dr. Richard Kimball, falsely accused of murder and running literally for his life as he attempted to locate the one-armed man who was seen running from the doctor's house on the night of the murder.

Barry Morse, the detective, was superb in his relentless search for Dr. Kimball. With outstanding narration by William Conrad, this show had so much going for it.

Each week, there was a new adventure and just when Kimball was getting somewhere, along came Gerard and it was time for him to uproot himself and disappear. Gerard was another Inspector Jaubert, Charles Laughton's brilliant turn in "Les Miserables."

The Luckiest Fugitive in History

[GPS57 · 3/10 · 12 January 2023]

I am utterly amazed at the praise lavished on this series. I was too young to watch it when it originally ran, and have recently watched the first season and a half.

First of all, in my opinion David Janssen is the most overrated actor in TV history. In The Fugitive, he essentially has one facial expression and a monotone voice and delivery that never changes. Every guest star in every episode is far more interesting than he is.

Second, the plots in these episodes are beyond anything remotely believable. This man is wanted by federal authorities for a murder conviction, yet always manages to evade them, usually with the help of strangers who despite knowing who he is, continually help him escape simply because they "believe" him. Even on the occasions when his nemesis, Lt. Gerard discovers his location, he basically arrives alone or with one other man. In real life, the FBI and state police would literally cut off every possible route out of town, yet nothing like that never happens.

Lastly, and perhaps the most amazing plot hole, Richard Kimble goes from town to town, manages to get jobs that apparently don't require anything resembling a background check or even checking references. When he is stopped by police, not once in this series is he ever asked to produce legal identification. He is always seen wearing nice clothes, even though the luggage he carries barely holds a couple of shirts, pants, socks and underwear.

I will admit that the show is entertaining, if for no other reason than to laugh at the ludicrous plot holes.

The Ultimate Dramatic Classic Series That Sets The Example

[rcj5365 · 15 August 2004]

"The Fugitive" was without a doubt the ultimate example of how a dramatic series is suppose to be done and to this day sets the example for other dramatic shows that were to follow. It was simply put one of the greatest television shows of all time,and the greatest drama ever presented in the history of prime time-television. Somehow,this series has a uniqueness about it in its own way,but in the long run was the prototype of many other shows that were to follow it("The Immortal", "The Invaders","Run For Your Life","Run,Joe Run","The Incredible Hulk"). TV Guide once called this series,"the best TV drama of the 1960's". But it became so much more as the series was frankly a combination of drama,and crime events put together along with some breathtaking suspense and cliffhanging excitement as the standard formula for this show,and it did extremely well giving the series several Emmy nominations for its excellent writing and acting for its star of the show:David Janssen. In other words,the best dramatic series of all time. The opening credits give the introduction to the character...........

Dr. Richard Kimble,an innocent victim of blind justice..... Falsely accused for the murder of his wife when a train wreck frees him on route to the death house....FREED HIM...To hide in lonely desperation and to go from town to town toling at many jobs...... FREED HIM...To search for the one-armed man leave the scene of the crime and to go after him for the murder of his wife.... FREED HIM...To run before the relentless pursuit of the Police Lt. who is obsessed with his capture...

Of course the character of Richard Kimble was loosely inspired by Dr. Sam Sheppard who was convicted and sentenced to 10 years in prison for the 1954 murder of his wife,Marilyn,but was acquitted in a second trial in November of 1966 for a murder he did not commit. The major difference was that Richard Kimble spent four years chasing the real killer who was near the scene of the crime(a one-man armed man)while he was being framed for a murder that he didn't commit,whose wife was brutally murdered in her own home while she was alone,and he was blamed for the crimes....That is basically setting up an innocent man who had nothing to do with the crimes,but also was trying taking his life to hell in a handbasket for something he didn't do! That's wrong! That's blind justice gone astrayed! But the series "The Fugitive" was grand entertainment at its finest hour,and let me explained how......

I.)The Black and White Episodes:Seasons One Through Three:1963-1966

From its premiere episode in September of 1963,"The Fugitive",was grand suspenseful and intriguing entertainment at its finest and with the black and white episodes that came out,it works on many levels,and we are introduced to the character of Richard Kimble(David Janssen),and his adventures going from town to town as he stays one step ahead of the Police Lt. in charge of the manhunt for Kimble,Phillip Gerard(Barry Morse),and the search of the one-armed man who killed his wife,Fred Johnson(Bill Raisch). During the first three seasons of the show,it presented a good decent,and well developed main character and from there evokes emotion from the viewer by having something happening to him that he absolutely doesn't deserved,which evoke genuine emotion,plus he was a character whom viewers can empathize with. Whatever pain he was feeling,the audience felt it too. And each week there was always something happening as Kimble stumbles into each town or city for someone's help or help comes to him,and right away the trouble ensues and the suspicious party that recognizes Kimble's wanted poster from the police bulletin,are right there to call the authorities with by the way,Kimble easily escapes them with just a slip from the cops in the local town and from there drifts into a new venture where he must stay one step ahead of Gerard and to one step toward the lookout for the one-armed man. Kimble eluders his pursuers,gets away for another week while we see him walking backwards down the road,thumbling a ride with a sack over his shoulder. A car passes him,he turns around keeps walking while the legendary William Conrad's voice speaks in the background,"Richard Kimble:Fugitive. Still searching for the one-armed man". "The Fugitive" was an incredible exercise in formulatic writing when nowadays is used as a textbook on

"The Effect Screen writing Of Classic TV Shows",which as of this writing several college campuses and universities are using this format as a part of the TV writing and Journalism courses as a teaching tool for those who are interested in this venture. So college courses show this series as a backdrop on how to write,and produced standard TV shows and it works!(The Black and White episodes of this series) Back to the TV show,"The Fugitive",the show followed the standard Quinn Martin production formula of prologue,multiple,and epilogue--which is basically used in several QM produced shows to follow like,"The FBI","The Invaders","Dan August","Cannon","The Streets Of San Francisco","Barnaby Jones","The Runaways","Harry-O" and so forth.

Here is the summary formula for almost every show: 1. Prologue 2. Act One 3. Act Two 4. Act Three 5. Act Four 6. Epilogue

II.)The Color Episodes:Season Four:1966-1967. In the fall of 1966,"The Fugitive" made the transition from shades of gray(black and white)to color,and from there the show suffered in the ratings,but before the producers(Quinn Martin and Roy Huggins)let ABC bring down the axe of this show,they decided by not risking the series to be cancelled without having a finale. However,the format was basically the same with Kimble staying ahead of Gerard,but the last two episodes of the series were simply put the greatest upset in the history of television. The two-part finale of The Fugitive entitled,"The Judgment",aired on August 27,1967 and the last episode of the series on August 28,1967,after an astounding four seasons and 120 episodes. After four grueling years of chasing and being chased,Kimble finally catches up with the one-armed man,who admits to having been Helen's real killer. In the climax,Kimble chases Johnson on top of the building and from there Johnson is shot and killed by Lt. Gerard,who saves Kimble in the process and is acquitted of all charges. It went on to become one of the highest rated TV finales of all time,and still is in the top ten of the best TV finales ever made.

Greats

[scottbarry-88358 · 10/10 · 6 October 2020]

Remember this from my childhood, superb show so much better then the movie version

21 Year Old HUGE FAN

[tnutty925 · 10/10 · 15 March 2012]

My dad introduced me to when it first came out, must have been around 16 or 17 at the time. Now 21, yet I still can get enough. Absolutely love the show. Every episode just has some kind of thrilling twist. Show isn't about highly cost cameras that can do just about anything these, this is old school. Yet how in depth they get with each character, and certain camera angles really puts this show way past its time. Sad they didn't run the show longer, but there are plenty of episodes and think they did a great job on how they ended it. For anyone looking for good ol' black and white shows, The Fugitive is a must for checking out.

Most suspenseful, gripping TV drama of all time.

[sonya90028 · 10/10 · 22 March 2009]

The Fugitive revolves around Dr. Richard Kimble and his flight from the law, after he's wrongfully convicted of killing his wife. Kimble tells the authorities that he saw a one-armed man fleeing the scene, after discovering his wife's dead body in his living room. Problem is, Kimble could never prove that he didn't kill his wife, before being sentenced to death by execution.

Things look grim for Dr. Kimble, when he's in the custody of Lt. Phillip Gerard after his conviction, and on his way via train to being executed. The hand of fate steps in, however. Kimble manages to escape from Lt. Gerard's custody, after the train transporting them wrecks. From that moment on, Dr. Kimble must run for his life, traveling from town to town. Whenever Kimble arrives in a new place, he must assume a whole new identity, to keep from getting caught by Lt. Gerard.

Kimble can never rest easy for long, since Lt. Gerard is always in piping-hot pursuit of Kimble. Gerard makes it his personal mission in life to capture Dr. Kimble, and have him executed, despite the fact that Kimble is innocent. And Gerard is unwilling to accept that Kimble's wife might have been killed by the one-armed man, despite Kimble's insistence that he's innocent of murdering his wife.

While keeping one step ahead of Gerard, Dr. Kimble is also hunting for the one-armed man, in hopes of capturing him. If successful, Kimble then has a chance of being able to prove that the one-armed man was his wife's murderer. Kimble knows that getting the one-armed man, is his only hope of proving his innocence.

David Janssen does a splendid job, in his portrayal of the painfully desperate, besieged Dr. Kimble. Barry Morse also gives an excellent performance, as Lt. Gerard. Barry does great at conveying Lt. Gerard's almost pathological obsession, with capturing Dr. Kimble. I also thought that the narration at the start and end of very episode by actor William Conrad, was a nice touch.

Over the years, there have been many 'chase' dramas on TV, including The Pretender, The Immortal, The Prisoner, etc. These were all good shows. But none of them could match the gripping, nail-biting suspense of The Fugitive. It's now on DVD, and I highly recommend giving it a look, if you haven't yet. Once you do, you'll be hooked on this drama series.

Another opinion on the final episodes (The Judgment)

[mfiedl · 10/10 · 5 June 2010]

If you followed the show for 4 years, you would have thought they could have come up with a better end than this; it seemed so quick and convoluted. There were threads throughout the 4 years that they could have wove into the finale and made a good episodes (s) out of.

One that probably wouldn't have went over was based on an interview with David Janssen in TV Guide. He was asked what he thought the ending should be like and this is what he said "...after the one armed man is caught and killed, they cut away to sometime in the future where Dr. Kimble is walking on a beach alone, and he takes off his one arm and throws it in the ocean." That would be rather ironic, wouldn't it. Probably more like some of the shows today.

The Start of The Chase and The Anniversary Of The End

[happipuppi13 · 10/10 · 8 April 2017]

***Again, this review DOES contain spoilers. Only read if you have no problem with that.***

As someone for whom this series 'predates', I'm proud to say I've finally been able to watch this series I had only heard about.

When I was young in the 1980s, the re-running of 1 hour dramas, just really wan't done and in the case of "The Fugitive", it was really not a candidate for syndication at all. Why? It's been said that, because the finale wrapped everything up, why would anyone watch the reruns. (Sounds like a very weak reason.)

Despite being only 4 seasons, it's taken some time for me to get through the series but that's okay, it's worth the wait. As fans know, the show is about Dr. Richard Kimble (pediatrician mainly) , a man falsely accused & convicted of killing his wife.

He and the stoic, nearly emotionless but professional Lt. Gerard are taking a train (in the original opening credits) where at the end, Kimble would be executed in the electric chair. A train derailment leads to the beginning of Richard's flight from the law and the 4 years of pursuit.

David Janssen's portrayal of Richard Kimble is mostly low-key. As he's portraying a man who, until maybe recently, may have had 100% faith in the criminal justice system. He's soft spoken, tries to force a smile when he's basically trying to talk his way out of something, although he does have legitimate reasons to smile 'sometimes'.

Kimble though is a determined man. Determined to prove his innocence by evading Lt. Gerard and the law long enough to find the elusive 'One Armed Man' he saw fleeing from his home, as he was returning in his car. That after the fight he'd had with his wife.

Now it would have been easy to make it the Doctor vs. the Lt. 'every' week, but as early shows (in my opinion) indicate, this would get old very quickly. As much as seeing the one armed man every week would.

Instead, Kimble encounters a wide variety of people and quite possibly all levels of humanity around the U.S. & elsewhere. From good people who only wish to help him or need his help in some way, to the lowest kind of people, who seem to use blackmail (turning him in) to further themselves. (Especially in the final season when he is now wanted AND with a $10,000 reward for capture.)

On occasion, the good Dr. does encounter women who truly find him attractive & even fall in love with him. (..and he with them).

It's only vaguely alluded to, but in some shows, Kimble has had some 'one night stands' (or longer) with some of these ladies. Some help him, some turn on him for not sticking around. Kimble always let's it be known, he may not be around long. In the end, he must run again as he can't afford attachments..

Kimble seems to come out of tough situations (for lack of a better phrase) 'on top' but also more wary & cautious of what or whom he gets himself involved with. When confronted each time by Lt. Gerard, it looks like it's all over but someone or something seems to help our 'anti-hero' escape by the end.

The Lt. seems to be driven by his own failure to stop Kimble after the train incident, along with his own ego. Truth is, Gerard is so 'by the book' , his only goal is to bring Kimble back in.

Kimble 'was' found guilty under the law and as a law officer of this level, Gerard is 100% emotionally detached & will not believe the story about a one armed man. Still, we see his frustration with every failed attempt to successfully snare fugitive Kimble.

As for our one armed man, this is truly one of the sleaziest TV villains. A man who has no regard for others. He takes what he wants and violently kills if anyone is in his way.

At first Kimble only 'saw' him here and there but in later episodes, their confrontations are TV legend. Usually ending with our villain eluding capture from Kimble after a one on one confrontation.

On the series' acting, production and directing ....for a TV series of it's time, everything here is first rate. The music score is anywhere from haunting to that of 'nail biting excitement'. Certainly those scenes where Kimble shows he can fight back as well as run .

There is great camera work (especially after the show goes to color.) and everyone involved seems to know their part and how to play it, which goes right along with great directing.

True, nothing can be done about the 'green screen' driving/riding in a car but that's a minor thing. As there was no way, without some risk, to film it for real then.

As the series goes from the late JFK era & into post Beatles 1964-1967 ...the stories try to be more relevant to what was going on in the world then. (Sure wish there'd been many more shows like that.)

50 years ago on August 22nd & 29th, 1967 over 2 consecutive Tuesdays. With the highest pair of TV ratings ever achieved at that time, America bade farewell to the Richard Kimble saga.

Ten stars all around for this series.

Give it a look on DVD, start to finish, it's worth your time. Revisiting or to get acquainted with one of the best dramatic TV series of it's time. ...and it is still as great now (END)

The Fugitive-Best dramatic series ever

[pova51-1 · 10/10 · 11 December 2009]

While I agree that this show probably tops the list of great TV dramas, it wasn't perfect. There was a tendency to repeat plot as is common with virtually all shows and the final episode was disappointing to say the least. At a gathering in LA sponsored by the The Museum of TV and Radio to honor Roy Huggins, he was asked about the final episode. He said that he had to, because of demands by ABC execs, show that the one armed man was without a doubt the guilty party. He knew that it was overkill to have the one armed man admit to the killing and to have Gerard then kill him in the episode wasn't great writing either. He said that the difficulty in getting the show on the air due to having a purported wife-killer as the hero of the piece was almost impossible, yet, he insisted on it and we all thank him for creating the finest drama TV has ever seen. Considering his other productions and that actors such as James Garner from Maverick shared the stage that night with Mr. Huggins, it amazed me that virtually all questions from the audience concerned The Fugitive. It truly says something about the staying power of the show. It is one to be watched and savored.

Stellar idea, in and of itself, but actually quite boring on screen

[tiffanie_says_stay_in_your_lane · 4/10 · 6 March 2024]

I love thrillers, especially if they were made during the 50s or 60s, but for some reason, no matter how many times I've tried to watch this show, it never held my interest. It's probably one of the few vintage crime dramas that makes me feel so bored to the point that I'll start looking at my phone, or opening other browser windows on my computer to surf the net, and checking back periodically to see what's happening in an episode, but honestly not caring. If I'm watching with another person, I'll start talking about miscellaneous stuff, and I'll probably annoy them, because they'll be trying to follow what's going on, but my brain checked out a long time ago. I always get drawn into programs that have complex storylines, fascinating characters, and impassioned acting, so when I get distracted by my surroundings, or my mind starts wandering, that's a major indication it's a lackluster show.

The concept sounds suspenseful: a doctor, Richard Kimble (David Janssen), is wrongly accused and convicted of murdering his wife. They were experiencing problems with trying to conceive, but killing her was just completely unthinkable for him. When he's driving home one night after having left to cool down from an argument, as he's approaching his house, a man runs out, stops in front of his car (which was very creepy and unsettling), and then takes off running again. He's sentenced to death. He manages to escape police custody after the train he was riding on en route to death row derails, and makes it his mission to track down the man he saw running out of his house, who was the real perpetrator, leading him on a cross-country search. What ensues is Kimble chasing after the killer, and the authorities chasing after Kimble. He meets different people along his journey, with a variety of backstories, not always making his problems the main focus. It was adapted into a film in 1993, with Harrison Ford playing Kimble.

So why is this boring, you may ask? In my opinion, I think it has a lot to do with the acting performances, most notably by David Janssen. He was like one of those actors whose face was always stuck on the same expression. I don't think a man who lost his wife from homicide and was subsequently apprehended by the police is going to be so blank all of the time. Don't know if that was Janssen's acting style, or if the director wanted him to be stone-faced. Nonetheless, it makes for a dull story when the main character has a limited range of emotions. I'm sorry, but the popularity of this show is baffling. It is somewhat entertaining, which is why I gave 4 stars, but it's not addictive or intriguing like other crime dramas from that time period.

where "Quality TV" isn't an oxymoron...

[occupant-1 · 27 September 2001]

With each passing decade, we seem to descend further into lower and lower literary standards in prose, film, everything. Jumping back thirty or forty years, we see that even television could be deep at times. This and many other shows of the first twenty years or so of TV actually had believable premises, developed characters and strong supporting roles as foil to the lead (Barry Morse's lawman here). The good news is that cable will continue to unearth gems from the past such as "Fugitive" due to sheer need of programming.

None Better

[robtday · 10/10 · 13 July 2006]

A few years ago, one of the cable channels ran a marathon of The Fugitive. I actually watched every, single episode for something like 3 days straight! I had loved it as a kid but seeing all the episodes again made me appreciate it that much more. At the time of the marathon, they were promoting a new series starring Tim Daly from Wings as Kimball. I knew it wouldn't work out and it didn't. I think today's audiences (kids mostly) are too impatient to watch a show that they don't think will ever end. I can remember the original airing of the finale -- boy we were glued to our sets. I hadn't seen anything like it since Wilma Flintstone had Pebbles! Can you imagine? In any event, I think Jannsen's brooding portrayal was just perfect. It was always a treat when he'd let a little smile crack through but that was almost never. And even though we knew he'd always have to keep on the run at the end of every show, you still held out hope that maybe, this time that nasty old Girard wouldn't show up and give this guy a break. The movie had a lot of the same suspense but for my money, the original series will always be tops.

A great dramatic series that was ahead of its time

[AlsExGal · 8/10 · 23 November 2014]

If "All in the Family" was the beginning of modern comic television, then "The Fugitive" was certainly the beginning of modern dramatic television. Premiering in 1963, it was ahead of its time in so many ways - showing that the law was capable of making a mistake that could cost a man his life, that a member of law enforcement could be partially driven by darkness in his own personality that he mistook for a pure quest for justice, and realistically depicting the angst between family members and the quiet desperation in middle America in general. The first three seasons of this series' four season run is absolutely splendid. It did lose something in the fourth season, if my memory serves me correctly, when it went to color TV in its final year.

If I have any criticism of the show at all it is for a failure in the overall story arc. First - WARNING SPOILER AHEAD. I won't say who did actually commit the murder of Dr. Kimble's wife, but I will tell you who didn't and who the writers originally intended the murderer to be - Dr. Kimble's brother-in-law. The network suits - yes, they did exist and cause trouble even in the 1960's - decided that viewers would be completely turned off by the idea of a member of Kimble's family being both the culprit and also cheating on his own wife with a member of his own extended family - Dr. Kimble's wife. After four years of challenging the audience with ground-breaking stories about the civil rights movement, family violence, and small-town corruption, and the audience favorably responding to that challenge, the network executives should have had more faith.

At any rate, the first three seasons are fantastic, I'll talk just a bit about one of my favorite episodes in season one - "Home is the Hunted". In that episode Kimble returns to his hometown when he learns his father has had a heart attack. Knowing what I do about who the killer was originally intended to be makes this episode all the more powerful, especially since it is Kimble's sister and brother-in-law who take him in and hide him and who are both so sympathetic to him. Plus the confrontation between Dr. Kimble and his brother Ray in this episode is great drama.

I highly recommend the series.

The greatest tevision show made to date.

[bletcherstonerson · 9/10 · 13 November 2015]

T.V. doesn't get any better. This is not an overstatement nor is it false praise. This show had everything and dealt with it in a manner that was not handled with the normal pseudo intellectual writing other television shows made their mainstay. Understated and played with a gritty realism that would make any noir film envious. The greatest part about this show is the one that never gets mentioned by critics, or is missed by them is that the complete series is based on a chess game, the writers give a nod to the game of chess inadvertently and with subtle cues. Even in the last episode, there are 3 players left on the board. The performances by the supporting actors and the lead, Jansen are impeccable. If you need to get a feel for the show and aren't sure about whether or not this show is for you, watch episode 30,,"End Game". It is a good metric for the series. The nice points to this show are the camera work and the music, along with writing that is smart and honest, you won't find feel good clichés or wacky characters for comic relief, just high wire suspense. I could binge watch this series from beginning to end, if there was a way to do it. You can find episodes on VHS, or on Youtube, but there is no DVD collection. I have looked everywhere and I am just amazed that the greatest show that ever aired was never preserved or capitalized for a new audience. The movie with Harrison Ford was a weak sister and a pale imitation to this cinematic art. The show dealt with issues of race, class disparity, homelessness, the media, poor parenting, and yes, even a subtle nod to the LGBT issues. The main lesson that the viewer walks away from after viewing this show is the illusion of projecting ones own view of reality and the misconceptions that arise from that. This show is so layered that its a chess game 14 moves out. Made in 1964 this program was years ahead of the television programming that airs today.