Action & AdventureWesternFamilyABC

The Best Episodes of The Rifleman Season 1

Every episode of The Rifleman Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of The Rifleman Season 1!

Binge this in 12h 30m·Peaking at 8.7/10
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons5

All12345

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 16 - The Sheridan Story
    8.7/10(325 votes)

    S1:E16

    When Frank Blandon, a man with only one good arm, wanders onto the ranch, Lucas gives him a job. This leads to major complications later.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Cyril Hume

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 1 - The Sharpshooter
    8.6/10(549 votes)

    S1:E1

    Lucas McCain and his son Mark arrive in North Fork, New Mexico. Looking to start a new life, they come across a ranch to their liking, which is for sale. Lucas enters a Turkey Shoot in hopes of winning the down payment for the ranch. Jim Lewis, the man who runs North Fork, has bet on Vernon, a young gun he brought in, to win. When talk of Lucas' reputation back in the Nations circulates around town, Mr. Lewis gets nervous and he makes trouble for Lucas by threatening Mark's life.

    Director:Arnold Laven
    Writer:Sam Peckinpah

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 4 - The Marshal
    8.5/10(364 votes)

    S1:E4

    Micah Torrance, a once famous lawman, is introduced as a drunken derelict, who stumbles into North Fork. Micah, nursing an arm crippled in a gunfight, is hired by Lucas to help out at the ranch. Three outlaws ride into town looking for revenge against Micah. When they kill the sheriff, it's up to Lucas and Micah to protect North Fork. Micah becomes North Fork's full-time Marshal.

    Director:Sam Peckinpah
    Writer:Sam Peckinpah

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 26 - The Deadly Wait
    8.5/10(204 votes)

    S1:E26

    Dan Nowry, released from Yuma prison, arrives in North Fork intent on getting even with Marshal Torrance,who helped send him to jail.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 8 - The Safe Guard
    8.4/10(256 votes)

    S1:E8

    Floyd Doniger comes to North Fork, looking to start a new life. He's got a steady job as the guard at the new bank and he's entertaining ideas of settling down on a spread of his own. Also arriving in North Fork are three men who followed the bank's new safe, figuring any town needing a safe like that must have money to put into it.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:David Swift

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 9 - The Sister
    8.4/10(269 votes)

    S1:E9

    Rebecca Snipe is returning to North Fork after a long visit away. Before her stage leaves, she overhears a man saying he's going to North Fork to kill a big man with a big mouth. Upon Rebecca's arrival in North Fork, Mark becomes smitten with her and gets it in his head to play matchmaker between her and his pa.

    Director:Montgomery Pittman
    Writer:Montgomery Pittman

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 BEST Episodes of The Rifleman

    READ
  7. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 12 - Young Englishman
    8.4/10(245 votes)

    S1:E12

    Lucas accuses the young foreman of a neighboring ranch of rustling one of his calves.

    Director:David Swift
    Writer:Samuel A. Peeples

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 21 - The Indian
    8.4/10(230 votes)

    S1:E21

    U.S. Marshal Sam Buckhart arrives in North Fork in search of renegade Indians suspected of the brutal killing of a Texas Ranger and his family, but the townspeople are suspicious of him when they discover that he too is an Indian.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Cyril Hume

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 33 - The Money Gun
    8.4/10(210 votes)

    S1:E33

    When his employer begins to suspect him of embezzlement, bookkeeper Asa Manning decides to hire a professional gunman to take care of the problem.

    Director:Sam Peckinpah
    Writers:Sam Peckinpah, Bruce Geller

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 3 - End of a Young Gun
    8.3/10(355 votes)

    S1:E3

    Lucas is forced to give refuge to Will Fulton, a young bank robber, who was injured while saving Mark's life. While staying at the McCain ranch Will gets a taste of a life better than the one he's been leading. He's met a girl and grows tired of a life on the run.

    Director:Jerry Hopper
    Writer:Frank D. Gilroy

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 7 - Duel of Honor
    8.3/10(263 votes)

    S1:E7

    When an Italian Count arrives in North Fork, his strange attire attracts the attention of Groder, a town bully. Groder, trying to have fun with this stranger, destroys some of the Counts currency, mocks him, and tries to humiliate him. Eventually, the Count challenges Groder to a duel and asks Lucas to be his Second.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:Ken Kolb

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 23 - The Second Witness
    8.3/10(206 votes)

    S1:E23

    Lucas puts his life in jeopardy when he agrees to testify in a murder case where the first witness was killed before he could testify, and the killer is still at large.

    Director:Lewis Allen
    Writer:George W. George

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 29 - The Hawk
    8.3/10(189 votes)

    S1:E29

    Young Mark manages to capture a hawk, but then falls into danger from a rattlesnake. When a stranger comes to his rescue, the grateful Mark invites the man home, unaware that he is on the run from the law.

    Director:Lamont Johnson
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 31 - The Angry Man
    8.3/10(210 votes)

    S1:E31

    The McCains try to be tolerant of their embittered neighbor Abel MacDonald, who tels Lucas to keep off his land and won't allow his son to become friends with Mark, but they decide he's gone too far when he won't allow his injured boy to get medical treatment.

    Director:Jerry Hopper
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 13 - The Angry Gun
    8.2/10(225 votes)

    S1:E13

    Lucas and Mark return from a cattle sale when their stagecoach is robbed by three outlaws led by sharpshooter Johnny Cotton (Vic Morrow). Lucas sends Mark on in the stagecoach while he goes after the outlaws on foot without his rifle.

    Director:David Swift
    Writer:Samuel A. Peeples

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 14 - The Gaucho
    8.2/10(233 votes)

    S1:E14

    There’s prejudice all around, when Rumson moves away from North Fork, having sold his property to the Argentez family, who are originally from Argentina. Curge, who was outbid for the property, is upset because Rumson sold out to a "peppergut". Meanwhile, Manolo, the son of the Argentinian, has a problem with his sister being with a “gringo”.

    Director:Jerry Hopper
    Writer:Bruce Geller

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 15 - The Pet
    8.2/10(195 votes)

    S1:E15

    Ward Haskins guns down Joe Flecker, who has evidence that could be used to blackmail him. Haskins thinks the information was given to Lucas, since he brought Flecker to the doctor before he died. Later, Haskins rides out to the ranch and is bitten by Flecker's horse, which is now believed to have anthrax.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 18 - The Photographer
    8.2/10(218 votes)

    S1:E18

    Abel Goss, the photographer who took Lucas' wedding photograph, is in North Fork doing a portrait of Mark standing in the street. When Goss sees Colonel Whiteside and his sidekick, Jamison, he recognizes them as the butchers who tortured him, and others, while he was captive in their POW camp.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 25 - One Went to Denver
    8.2/10(184 votes)

    S1:E25

    Lucas welcomes his old friend Tom Birch, who once saved his life, unaware that the man is now a bank robber who is on the run with his gang.

    Director:Lewis Allen
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 27 - The Wrong Man
    8.2/10(172 votes)

    S1:E27

    Young Mark McCain is eager to help lawman Jay Jefferson, who has arrived in North Fork intent on killing an outlaw for the reward, whether he is the right man or not.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 30 - Three-Legged Terror
    8.2/10(199 votes)

    S1:E30

    When a rambunctious teenager wrecks a schoolroom, Lucas McCain, as a member of the North Fork school board, asks the boy's reluctant uncle to pay for the damages.

    Director:William Conrad
    Writer:Palmer Thompson

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 2 - Home Ranch
    8.1/10(371 votes)

    S1:E2

    Two hired hands of a wealthy cattleman, who has been using the ranch for grazing his cattle, demand that Lucas move out. When Lucas refuses, he is beaten and dragged and then the ranch house is burned down. They left Lucas and Mark with the burning house and rode off with Lucas' rifle. Leaving Mark to tend to the animals, Lucas tracks them down and confronts their boss, Mr. Jackford.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Sam Peckinpah

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 17 - The Retired Gun
    8.1/10(216 votes)

    S1:E17

    Wes Carney and his wife Clair want to settle down and they figure North Fork might do fine. Wes is a well known gunfighter, who has promised Clair that he would hang up his guns for good. The Carney's want to live a simple, honest life and the Feed and Grain Store, which is up for sale, seems like it might work for them. Carney's reputation and the news that he's settling down brings troublemakers to North Fork.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 24 - The Trade
    8.1/10(188 votes)

    S1:E24

    Outlaw Sam Morley falls in love with a young woman who has a serious illness, and asks Lucas to turn him in for the reward and then use the money to pay for her medical care.

    Director:Joseph H. Lewis
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. The Rifleman Season 1 Episode 35 - Blood Brothers
    8.1/10(175 votes)

    S1:E35

    Lucas McCain gives blood to save a dying man and is surprised by Marshal Torrance's odd behavior toward the man. Then three men arrive from a nearby town and demand custody of the stranger.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Season 1 Ratings Summary

"The Sheridan Story" is the best rated episode of The Rifleman season 1. It scored 8.7/10 from 325 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Cyril Hume, it aired on January 13, 1959. This episode is rated 0.1 points higher than the second-best, "The Sharpshooter".