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The Best Episodes of The Virginian

Every episode of The Virginian ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Virginian!

Binge this in 3d 20h•Peaking at 8.8/10

The Shiloh Ranch in Wyoming Territory of the 1890s is owned in sequence by Judge Henry Garth, the Grainger brothers, and Colonel Alan MacKenzie. It is the setting for a variety of stories, many more

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Virginian Season 2 Episode 1 - Ride a Dark Trail
    8.8/10(135 votes)

    #1 - Ride a Dark Trail

    S2:E1

    The Virginian accidentally comes upon, and is held at gunpoint by, young Lon Mortison (Buzz Martin). The boy had been searching for a gambler who he thinks is responsible for his father's suicide and had already shot and wounded a man who interfered. In order to convince the boy to give himself up, the Virginian recounts in flashback how Trampas first came to Shiloh Ranch. He came seeking revenge on Judge Garth who had been forced to kill Trampas' father (Sonny Tufts) in self-defence. This object lesson serves to get Lon to realize the error of his actions and convince him to surrender to the Sheriff.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 17 - The Holocaust
    8.7/10(70 votes)

    #2 - The Holocaust

    S8:E17

    An eastern combine wants to take over the Wyoming cattle market with Shiloh in the middle of their sights. A burned Shiloh and delayed cattle drive leads to a loss on the sale of cattle resulting in all the Shiloh hands being laid off.

    Director:Jeannot Szwarc
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 22 - The Sins of the Fathers
    8.7/10(80 votes)

    #3 - The Sins of the Fathers

    S8:E22

    The Virginian and Shiloh money are rescued by a lone man who he rewards with a job at Shiloh. He rubs the other men the wrong way, works hard, but is obviously a gunman. Clay Grainger soon realizes who he is but won't let him be fired.

    Director:Walter Doniger
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Virginian Season 1 Episode 13 - The Accomplice
    8.6/10(457 votes)

    #4 - The Accomplice

    S1:E13

    The Rocky Point Bank is robbed by two men who shoot its President. One of the men is captured and claims Trampas, with whom he has a grudge, was his accomplice -- so Trampas is arrested. His identification as the robber is supported by a spinsterish bank teller, Delia Miller (Bette Davis), who has recognized the real robber and is protecting his identity in order to blackmail him. The Virginian tries to prove Trampas innocent and expose the real criminal by falsifying Delia's story.

    Director:Unknown
    Writers:Howard Browne, William P. McGivern, Winston Miller

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  5. The Virginian Season 4 Episode 9 - Show Me a Hero
    8.6/10(101 votes)

    #5 - Show Me a Hero

    S4:E9

    While returning to Shiloh Trampas injures his horse saving a man with a runaway team. He is forced to stay a few days in a small town with the man as an old friend arrives to force the town to sign over its gambling rights to him.

    Director:Leon Benson
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 1 - Long Ride Home
    8.5/10(82 votes)

    #6 - Long Ride Home

    S8:E1

    Holly finds two cowboys who are looking for work. The younger hand Jim looks up to Ben as the only father he has ever known as the two roam around looking for a place to settle. Ben isn't ready to settle down but Jim may have found a home.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Virginian

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  7. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 5 - The Family Man
    8.5/10(76 votes)

    #7 - The Family Man

    S8:E5

    Jim becomes farmhand, midwife and friend to a pregnant teenager whose husband is on the lam from the law. Anna: Darlene Carr. Obie: Frank Webb. Jim: Tim Matheson. Rigby: John Pickard. Trampas: Doug McClure. Sheriff: Ross Elliott. Virginian: James Drury.

    Director:Joseph Pevney
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 4 - A Killer in Town
    8.4/10(110 votes)

    #8 - A Killer in Town

    S2:E4

    A bounty hunter named George Wolfe (Broderick Crawford) comes to Medicine Bow, having been summoned by a now dead informant who told Wolfe a fugitive is in town. Although the informant had left a letter revealing the fugitive's identity in a lock box at the bank it can not be accessed until the circuit judge can return and issue a court order. Trampas, who had accidentally become involved with some felons two years before, thinks he is Wolfe's quarry and Wolfe is suspicious of him. Before matters can come to a head, however, an outbreak of typhoid fever intervenes.

    Director:John English
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 23 - The Intruders
    8.4/10(106 votes)

    #9 - The Intruders

    S2:E23

    Judge Garth is hosting a meeting at Shiloh Ranch between a US Army General and the Chief of the Sioux (Iron Eyes Cody) as someone is trying to stir up trouble between the Indians and Army. He manages to send most of the hands away to keep the meeting secret. Four men arrive including Trachsel (Darren McGavin) and the Utah Kid (David Carradine), and they take the remaining residents hostage intent on killing the Sioux Chief when he arrives. However, the criminals did not reckon on the abilities of Judge Garth and Betsy's visiting friend, young Chicago newspaper reporter Eddie Tighe (David Macklin).

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Dean Riesner

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  10. The Virginian Season 4 Episode 5 - The Awakening
    8.4/10(119 votes)

    #10 - The Awakening

    S4:E5

    A destitute former Minister, David Henderson (Glenn Corbett), who has had a crisis of faith, comes to Medicine Bow just as a dispute breaks out at a local mine over safety issues. Emmett Ryker entreaties Judge Garth to try and find a solution to the problem. When an accident occurs at the mine David's assists in a rescue attempt but hurts his leg. He is taken to Shiloh where Betsy Garth nurses him and they become romantically involved. David's actions gain him the respect of the miners, he becomes their leader, and he calls a strike over the working conditions. Despite an attempt to intimidate the miners by importing scab labour, with Judge Garth's help the owners and miners manage to reach an agreement. David rediscovers his calling and asks Betsy to marry him. They are married at Shiloh Ranch and head off to start a new life at a parish David has been assigned in Pennsylvania.

    Director:Leon Benson
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 11 - The Fatal Journey
    8.3/10(108 votes)

    #11 - The Fatal Journey

    S2:E11

    After she calls for the President to bring in the army to rid the badlands of outlaws, newspaper editor Molly Wood, the Virginian's love interest, is murdered by four of those outlaws: O'Dell (Steve Ihnat), Horn (John Milford), Denver (Berkeley Harris) and their ruthless leader, Colonel Calhoun (Robert Lansing). The Virginian joins a posse but while the other posse members give up he eventually locates the villains' badlands hideout. He poses as a prison escapee, joins the gang and exacts his revenge.

    Director:Bernard McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 13 - Siege
    8.3/10(109 votes)

    #12 - Siege

    S2:E13

    Trampas wins $1,000 at poker in Medicine Bow and heads to his old stomping grounds of Logan, New Mexico to repay several debts. There he has a run in with comancheros, led by Pedro Lopez (Joseph Campanella), who virtually run the town and have the town leaders under their thumb. Trampas discovers that some of the commancheros have murdered his old friends and turns them over to the Marshall (Ron Hayes) to hold for trial. However, Pedro threatens the townsfolk and they cave under and force the marshall to release the murderers. Pedro and his men then come gunning for Trampas.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 19 - The Drifter
    8.3/10(130 votes)

    #13 - The Drifter

    S2:E19

    This episode recounts in flashback how the Virginian came to Shiloh Ranch. The Virginian comes to Medicine Bow and first works for Miles Peterson (Leif Erickson) whose spread is run by ranch foreman Hugh Stager (Michael Forest). Stager tries to gain control of the ranch by romancing Peterson's daughter Maria (Mariette Hartley) and plotting to remove Peterson and blame it on Judge Garth. However, he has not reckoned on the Virginian and his growing friendship with Judge Garth.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 20 - First to Thine Own Self
    8.3/10(107 votes)

    #14 - First to Thine Own Self

    S2:E20

    A young drifter named Randy (Randy Boone) camps with Silas (Frank Maxwell) and his young daughter Melanie (Claire Wilcox) near Medicine Bow. Silas reveals he has been mining and that he found gold nuggets. Silas is murdered, the gold stolen and Randy is accused of the crime. He hides out with Melanie who knows him innocent and with help from Betsy Garth and the Virginian is eventually able to expose the real killers.

    Director:Earl Bellamy
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 22 - Smile of a Dragon
    8.3/10(111 votes)

    #15 - Smile of a Dragon

    S2:E22

    Trampas is the sole survivor of a stagecoach robbery but he is wounded and wanders off in a daze. The local Sheriff (Richard Carlson) finds him and accuses him of being one of the robbers, hints the townspeople will lynch him and even tries to kill him. Trampas escapes and takes refuge with Kim Ho (Miyoshi Umeki) who learns of his innocence. Meanwhile Steve Hill heads for the area thinking Trampas is dead. Trampas tries to find the real guilty parties to clear himself and in the end is saved by the arrival of Steve Hill.

    Director:Andrew V. McLaglen
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 24 - Another's Footsteps
    8.3/10(123 votes)

    #16 - Another's Footsteps

    S2:E24

    The Virginian's friend, young Dan Grant (Paul Petersen), is killed in a bank robbery. The three robbers escape a posse but the Virginian is more persistent and tracks them to Montana. Two of the robbers are captured and the Virginian tracks the third (Johan Agar) to a farmstead occupied by a young boy and his mother (Sherree North), and suspects the absent husband is the third gunman. As he waits for the husband to return he bonds with the boy and becomes romantically involved with the wife. However, the robber returns and the inevitable showdown occurs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Virginian Season 4 Episode 3 - A Little Learning
    8.3/10(94 votes)

    #17 - A Little Learning

    S4:E3

    After release from prison, Bert Kramer (Bruce Dern) comes to Medicine Bow to find his estranged wife who is the new school teacher, Martha Perry (Susan Oliver). A Shiloh hand, Rafe Simmons (Albert Salmi), tells the Virginian he is quitting. He goes to town, get a job in the harness shop and gets Martha to teach him to read. Bert Kramer arrives in town and is spotted by Emmett Ryker who recognizes him as a hired gun. Rumours are spread that Rafe and the schoolteacher are having an affair. A local barber, Cal Beeson (Harry Townes), who has had a run in with Rafe, and Bert Kramer plot together to ambush the harness shop worker. However, Rafe manages to get the upper hand. In a struggle over a gun, Bert is killed but Rafe is cleared by the actions of the Virginian and Martha who get Beeson's young son to own up to the plot.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Virginian Season 4 Episode 10 - Beyond the Border
    8.3/10(92 votes)

    #18 - Beyond the Border

    S4:E10

    On a trip to Mexico with Trampas to pick up six palominos The Virginian becomes sick. He is forced to stay at a lonely saloon and inn tended by the girl friend of a local outlaw. As he recovers she decides she would prefer life with him.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Virginian Season 4 Episode 23 - Ride a Cock-Horse to Laramie Cross
    8.3/10(102 votes)

    #19 - Ride a Cock-Horse to Laramie Cross

    S4:E23

    Trampas becomes knight errant when he takes on two children trying to reach their mother in Laramie. They are being chased by a group of outlaws who want to return them to Mexico. A woman he adds on the way makes it feel like a family.

    Director:Anton Leader
    Writer:Clair Huffaker

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  20. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 5 - The Evil That Men Do
    8.2/10(157 votes)

    #20 - The Evil That Men Do

    S2:E5

    In cooperaton with a progressive warden, Judge Garth gets a man named Matthew Cordell (Robert Redford), who had been in orphanages or prison most of his life, paroled into his custody to work at Shiloh Ranch for a year as a blacksmith. Cordell who had been mistreated his whole life, remains aloof and has several run-ins with the ranch hands. He saves Betsy Garth's horse and she begins to fall in love with him but he is more interested in Rita Marlow who owns the local dress shop. Trouble occurs when an old prison friend of Cordell's, Deke (Don O'Kelly), arrives and tries to get him to help rob Judge Garth.

    Director:Stuart Heisler
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Virginian Season 2 Episode 9 - Run Quiet
    8.2/10(136 votes)

    #21 - Run Quiet

    S2:E9

    Steve Hill befriends a dishevelled deaf mute named Judd (Clu Gulager) and convinces the Virginian to gives him a job at Shiloh ranch. Judd is accussed of murdering a gambler, runs off and is befriended by spinster farm owner Ruth Ferris (Gail Kobe). Steve Hill manages to track down Judd, tells him to give himself up and then sets off after the real perpetrators. The murderers try to kill Steve but he is saved by the arrival of Judd who then returns to the waiting Ruth with whom he has fallen in love.

    Director:Herschel Daugherty
    Writer:Ed Adamson

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  22. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 2 - A Flash of Darkness
    8.2/10(92 votes)

    #22 - A Flash of Darkness

    S8:E2

    During a cattle drive, a rattler startles the Virginian's horse while he is chasing a stray, and he is thrown and hits his head on a rock causing temperary blindness. As he wanders in the darkness, he stumbles upon a young lady who lives with her father (James Whitmore)and brother, whom the Virginian had just fired. The daughter wants to help the Virginian though the men protest. The two men tell her that they are returning the blind man to his friends but actually plan to kill him. After leaving the house, the Virginian somehow manages to escape and makes it back to the house where he wanders into the corral and is nearly trampled by the horses until Trampas and Jim Horn rescues him from the corral and the two men.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 13 - A Woman of Stone
    8.2/10(78 votes)

    #23 - A Woman of Stone

    S8:E13

    A white woman and her son are forced to leave the Shoshone reservation when her Shoshone husband dies. She is found sick on Shiloh. Unknown to everyone her white husband and now engaged daughter live in Medicine Bow thinking she is dead.

    Director:Abner Biberman
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 18 - Train of Darkness
    8.2/10(73 votes)

    #24 - Train of Darkness

    S8:E18

    On a train to Cheyenne, Grainger, Elizabeth and Jim become involved in a fellow traveler's efforts to escape a vengeful family. Jed: Dennis Weaver. Lotte: Charlotte Stewart. Neeley: John Larch. Grainger: John McIntire. Elizabeth: Sara Lane. Jim: Tim Matheson. Evangeline: Barbara Werle.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. The Virginian Season 8 Episode 24 - Gift
    8.2/10(73 votes)

    #25 - Gift

    S8:E24

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Ride a Dark Trail" is the best rated episode of "The Virginian". It scored 8.8/10 based on 135 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 9/18/1963. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Holocaust".