The Fugitive (TV Series) Trial by Fire (1965) User Reviews

Just when things are going swell, out pops Girard to ruin everyone's good time!

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 14 April 2017]

The timing of this episode is odd. Three seasons into "The Fugitive", it comes out that there MIGHT have been a witness who also saw the same one-armed man the night when Richard Kimble's wife was murdered. It sounds too good to be true...and Kimble is naturally not putting too much stock in this. But this means Kimble getting a lawyer and possibly opening up the case again...and Girard is breathing down their necks at the same time! In other words, he MIGHT get a new trial but he definitely is going to get caught by Girard if he stays in this town. And, will this testimony be enough to clear him any way?

This is an important episode in that it reminds the audience of the original case and is a way to familiarize newer viewers as well. Well written and enjoyable...you KNOW that regardless, the show continued for four seasons and so some of the suspense was mediated because ultimately you KNOW that Kimble cannot be exonerated in this particular show...but still worth watching.

Plot summary

[ynot-16 · 8/10 · 26 October 2006]

Kimble's sister Donna (well played by actress Jacqueline Scott) hires a lawyer to help him. The lawyer has good news. A witness (actor Charles Aidman) who now lives in Chicago happened to be driving through Stafford just before he moved to Europe. He saw Kimble driving and almost run down a one-armed man that ran into the street. He did not come forward earlier because he did not know of any murder, it not being covered in the European papers.

The court agrees to hold a hearing, but not until Kimble turns himself in and submits to the jurisdiction of the court. Much of the story deals with Kimble's own investigation and his mixed feelings about coming in.

The story features actress Marion Ross (Mrs. Cunningham on Happy Days) as the wife of the witness, and actor Tommy Rettig (from Lassie) as the son.

10/5/65 "Trial By Fire"

[schappe1 · 14 July 2015]

After a couple of weak episodes, the series comes back strong with a memorable one. A witness emerges who saw the one-armed man. Played by the always sickly and sad looking Charles Aidman, he was in the military service and shipped out the next day without knowing about the murder. He was badly injured in Germany and spent a long time hospitalized. Now he's back and he's heard about Kimble's case and wants to testify that he saw the one-armed man.

Jacqueline Scott returns as Donna Kimble who has hired a lawyer, (Frank Aletter), who gets Kimble a hearing that will determine if he can get a new trial. Aidman testifies and can't be shaken by the prosecutor. It looks good. But Kimble has to turn himself in. He isn't sure it could all work out that simply. I don't blame him: would a witness who saw the one-armed man be enough to get him off?

Still, he agrees to come in on a bus and turn himself in at the court house. Meanwhile, a guy turns up who knows a dark secret about Aidman, one that will compromise his testimony. Donna, the attorney and Aidman try to get word to Kimble. There's a dramatic scene where the bus stops in front of the court house with a small army of policemen and another one of reporters and photographers waiting to see Kimble step out. Gerard, with his poker face, is also waiting.

When Kimble doesn't appear, the Lieutenant seems almost glad, (he allowed Kimble's attorney to see what they had on Aidman when he didn't have to). Is he starting to have doubts? He denies it with his final line but you have to wonder.

A witness comes forth

[jsinger-58969 · 10/10 · 5 January 2023]

Dick learns from Donna that the family has been contacted by someone who says he saw one-arm running from the house that fateful night. Seems the guy, an Army Captain named Ekhart, had to catch a plane to Germany the next day and didn't know anything about the case until he read about it at a barbershop last week. He was driving behind Dick and saw what he saw. So Donna gets a lawyer and they set the wheels in motion. Dick visits the guy and he seems legit. He's married to Marion Ross and Tommy Rettig is his son, surly because Lassie ran away. Gerard gets wind of what's going on, and Dick has to stay one step ahead of him. Things look promising about getting a new trial, but Kimble is conflicted because he's not ready for the show to end. But, and there's always a big but in there, Elkhart has a bit of a past. He developed a jones for morphine because of a leg wound. Lucky that never happened to Kimble after the 8 times he was shot on the show, let alone what may have happened to him in Korea. Ekhart's dealer has been made known to the police, probably ruining his testimony. Kimble doesn't know about that part when he agrees to turn himself in, but word gets back to Ekhart and he and his son intercept Kimble's bus before it gets to a waiting Gerard. It's not clear why Ekhart couldn't have given Dick a ride, but if he had then he would have missed the news about his dealer. So I guess that's why. Anyways, he explains the drug thing to his son on the drive, and Timmy gains new respect for Dad. This would turn out to be somewhat ironic, as Rettig would grow up to have his own drug problems. The bus arrives and Dick's not on it, but Gerard is secretly happy that the show is not yet over. Dick is slightly annoyed with Ekhart for not telling him about his morphine habit, but Timmy sticks up for the old man, so Dick is happy about that. And also that the show gets to continue. It's not stated, but Ekhart probably buys his son another dog.

Oh how I hate Gerard!

[Christopher370 · 10/10 · 4 August 2023]

I do like the actor who plays him, but it's just Gerard that I hate.... This episode made it clear to me that Gerard wants Kimble captured and fried in the chair regardless of his innocence and it's really sick and twisted. When a witness comes forward to say he saw the one armed man fleeing the Kimble home the night of the murder, Gerard doesn't care about it and waves it off. And this was all even before he got the phone call from the drug dealer in the prison that discredited the witness.

It's like he wants to strap Kimble into that electric chair himself no matter that he may be innocent. And you'd think when a witness comes forward like this, that as an officer of the law he would want to see justice done and pay attention. But he doesn't do that and instead prefers to cling to that jury verdict which is extremely unprofessional of him. I kept wondering why Gerard so adamantly refused to believe the witness from the get go. Why can't he face the possibility that Kimble may be innocent even when a witness comes forward? It's just so baffling. And then he actually SHOOTS at an unarmed Kimble in an alleyway when he sees him. This tells me it's personal with this psycho cop because he had absolutely no reason to shoot his gun at an unarmed Kimble. The man is crazed.

It's still a solid 10 star episode even with my Gerard hate. I love whenever Kimble's sister makes an appearance because of how she cares for her brother so much and I think Jacqueline Scott portrayed Donna Kimble so wel throughout the seriesl. And it was a treat to see a young Marion Ross who was famous for portraying Marion Cunningham on Happy Days a decade later.

A hope at last

[lor_ · 10 July 2023]

This unusual episode of the series not only features Barry Morse as Lt. Gerard, in close pursuit of the fugitive Richeard Kimble, but plot twists that directly advance his case.

He travels to Chicago, where a new witness who will testify that he saw the mysterious one-armed man near the crime scene has surfaced, but there are complications before he can appear to testify on Kimble's behalf. Gerard is cloning in and suspense mounts as Kimble's whereabouts have been discovered at last.

Instead of Kimble hiding out somewhere and making new friends (with the immense human interest generated thereby on a weekly episode basis), here his chance for a new trial is dangled, and more of a police procedural format is used. Since the how mus to on, it's a foregone conclusion that the fugitive will soon be on the run once more.

It's nice to see Jacqueline Scott offering solidarity for our hero, along with his lawyer, raising audience hopes -at least for the nonce.