Bill Gillespie is a police chief in a small town in the American South, and later becomes sheriff of the county. As Bill tries to solve crimes and catch criminals, aided by his capable investigator Virgil Tibbs and police lieutenant Bubba Skinner, he must navigate tricky small-town politics. Racial tensions often run high in the South and this theme is frequently explored. Bill's personal life is often portrayed in this TV drama, as well.

Where to Watch In the Heat of the Night • Season 7

24 Episodes

  • Child's Play
    E1
    Child's PlayChief Gillespie is fired by the city council and Sparta's new police chief Hampton Forbes arrives in town.Bill's last case with Sparta P.D. is a murder investigation in which a young boy has been implicated.
  • Hatton's Turn (1)
    E2
    Hatton's Turn (1)Hampton Forbes assumes the office of Chief of Police and Bill becomes the Sheriff of Newman county.Former Spartan Wade Hatton returns to Sparta hoping to make sense of his life and rekindle his relationship with Sarah Hallisey.Bubba and Covey take the new chief on a tour of Sparta and Bill takes Wade to visit some distant cousins.Meanwhile two young criminals involve a mentally handicapped young man in a terrible crime.
  • Hatton's Turn (2)
    E3
    Hatton's Turn (2)Wade and Sarah try to keep young Henry from being punished for a crime he did not commit and Forbes and his officers search for the two men who are really responsible.
  • A Depraved Heart
    E4
    A Depraved HeartThe daughter of an old friend asks Bubba to arrest the man who knowingly gave her AIDS.
  • Incident at Brewer's Pond
    E5
    Incident at Brewer's PondA night of revelry at a local pond turns deadly.
  • A Love Lost
    E6
    A Love LostLana's ex- boyfriend comes to see her and brings a load of stolen rifles with him.
  • Singin' the Blues
    E7
    Singin' the BluesLuann moonlights as a singer at a nightclub and finds romance with the clubs owner.Her happiness is shortlived when she realizes that the bartender is dealing drugs.
  • Virgil Tibbs, Attorney at Law
    E8
    Virgil Tibbs, Attorney at LawAttorney Virgil Tibbs returns to Sparta and is soon assigned his first case as a defense attorney.
  • Every Man's Family
    E9
    Every Man's FamilyBubba travels to Atlanta to help his nephew after the boy overdoses on drugs.He soon teams up with a street wise cop to take down the drug ring.
  • A Baby Called Rocket
    E10
    A Baby Called RocketA neglected baby stirs maternal feelings in Luann.
  • Little Girl Lost
    E11
    Little Girl LostTragic story of an alcoholic teen who accidentally kills a little girl while she is drinking and driving.
  • Your Own Kind
    E12
    Your Own Kind
  • Good Cop, Bad Cop
    E13
    Good Cop, Bad CopVirgil defends Parker after he is falsely accused of police brutality by a drug dealer.The prosecution's main witness - the man's girlfriend, who was once engaged to Parker.
  • Maybelle Returns
    E14
    Maybelle ReturnsMaybelle's new phone sex business is a great success - until one her girls decides to moonlight as a prostitute.
  • The Last Round
    E15
    The Last RoundForbes is delighted when his fiancee Angela comes to see him,but is disappointed when he realizes that they have very different plans for the future.
  • Ches and the Grand Lady
    E16
    Ches and the Grand LadyLonnie must protect his Aunt Cordelia when her cherished friendship with Ches Collins angers one of his cousins.
  • Conspiracy of One
    E17
    Conspiracy of OneVirgil accepts a position at a prominent law firm.But as a former police officer he feels conflicting emotions when he realizes that one of their clients is guilty of murder.
  • The Rabbi
    E18
    The RabbiA Rabbi returns to Sparta after many years.Racists vandalize his synagogue and soon after their Torah is stolen.Forbes investigates but the Rabbi refuses to trust Bill because of his inaction while investigating a hate crime many years ago.
  • Hard Choices
    E19
    Hard ChoicesEugene tries to protect a friend who was an unwilling accomplice to a robbery and in doing so endangers his probation -- and his life.
  • Time's Long Shadow
    E20
    Time's Long ShadowWomanizer Frank Davenport is the general contractor on a large residential project in Sparta that threatens an area of slave artifacts. He is also having a torrid affair with his new secretary, Cindy Jenk, whose father Gus is a protective hot head. There are hard feelings, even fights, among the townspeople who either support or oppose stopping the construction project to save the antiquities. It is a toss-up who will get to Davenport first.
  • Poor Relations
    E21
    Poor RelationsIn a somewhat comical episode, Parker's stepfather returns to Sparta with his new wife and runs Parker out of house and home. Among Roy's possessions is an ornate painting, the value of which Roy is unaware.
  • Dangerous Engagement
    E22
    Dangerous EngagementBill and Harriet's wedding plans are interrupted by a sniper who mistakes Bill for Sheriff McComb.
  • In the Heat of the Night: Give Me Your Life
    E23
    In the Heat of the Night: Give Me Your LifeIn the Heat of the Night: Give Me Your Life is a film directed by Russ Mayberry released on May 11, 1994.
  • Give Me Your Life (2)
    E24
    Give Me Your Life (2)Bill and Harriet return home.The cult kidnaps the girl from her foster home.And Forbes and his men arrest a man who has been supplying drugs used to keep the cult members under control.Soon a standoff develops and the officers realize that they have no intention of surrendering.Sarah is taken hostage.As they attempt to rescue the women and children Lonnie and Parker find themselves defusing a bomb and Bubba risks his life to rescue a small child from the building.
  • Carroll O'ConnorBill Gillespie / Producer
  • Alan AutryBubba Skinner
  • David HartParker Williams
  • Hugh O'ConnorLonnie Jamison
  • Crystal R. FoxLuann Corbin
  • Denise NicholasHarriet DeLong
  • Carl WeathersHampton Forbes
  • Fred SilvermanProducer
  • John BallCharacters

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