In the Heat of the Night (1988)
Creator: James Lee Barrett
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.
Where to watch
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Amazon Video
Apple TV Store
Trailer
Creators
James Lee Barrett
Cast
Carroll O'Connor
Bill Gillespie 
Alan Autry
Bubba Skinner 
David Hart
Parker Williams 
Hugh O'Connor
Lonnie Jamison 
Crystal R. Fox
Luann Corbin 
Denise Nicholas
Harriet DeLong 
Carl Weathers
Hampton Forbes User Reviews (1)
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.
