Fear in a Desert City

I grew up watching The Fugitive, but did not see the first episode of this superb series until years later. It's incredibly suspenseful, right from the start...beginning with William Conrad's opening narration which dances perfectly with David Janssen's always subtle body language. The musical score augments the tension in every scene.

In this first episode, which is my personal favorite, Kimble is working as a bartender in a Tucson nightclub under the pseudonym, Jim Lincoln. Vera Miles, who portrays a depressed pianist there, becomes understandably attracted (as do most women in the series) to our shy though always supportive hero. The problem is that she's being stalked by her estranged, though possessive cowboy husband, performed perfectly by Brian Keith...who also owns half the state and apparently has significant influence with the local police.

Being a physician with keen clinical acumen, Kimble is quick to pick up on the husband's dangerous paranoia, but is confronted with an internal moral conflict to flee in the interest of self-preservation versus to stay out of Hippocratic devotion to the desensitized pianist and her son. This turns out to be a recurring theme throughout the series, and exemplifies just how much doctors were deified in those days. Ultimately, there is a climactic and unnerving confrontation between Kimble and the psycho husband. (Janssen actually broke a couple of ribs in this scene, which is a testimony to its realism.)

In the epilogue, Phillip Gerard, "the police lieutenant obsessed with his capture" (as he is described in the opening credits), interrogates Miles' character on the whereabouts of Kimble. Now convinced of his innocence regarding the murder of his wife, she provides no clues to the perennially frustrated Gerard.

At the end of Fear in a Desert City, the viewer is left with mixed feelings of relief and sympathy for the good doctor, as well as a compulsive desire to follow Dr. Richard Kimble's plight to its end...4 years and 120 episodes later.

While one certainly doesn't have to see the pilot it would add to the impact of the first episode. The basics: Kimball's running from a death sentence by what, indeed, the show calls "fate's big hand" which has given Kimball his escape. The running has a means to its end which is beyond surviving the wrongful death sentence. Kimball is actively looking for the real murderer, the "one-armed man" which he sees as justice for his wife and, now, his own life.

QM Productions have high standards, often inserting top-shelf actors/actresses on their way up. Here it is Vera Miles and Brian Keith. The rest of the cast is also much better than average. Of course to get by Kimball needs to hide his real identity while taking on work. He has chosen the name of Jim Lincoln. Working at a local Tucson neighborhood watering hole as a bartender makes good sense in that he can be relatively anonymous while keeping his eyes and ears open hoping for the miracle of any information on the man with one arm. We are immediately aware of Kimball's character: intelligence, humbleness, and empathy is, perhaps, his achielles heel too in a world where those possessing the opposite traits rise up. Miles plays the role of a wickedly oppressed estranged wife from her wealthy and powerful husband played by Keith. Keith is a very visible stalker seeking out his wife with no regard to the estranged nature of their separation. He is going to have her and if any one comes between that he will do whatever it takes to make sure the person is eliminated. This is exactly the kind of volatile situation Kimball doesn't need as Lt. Gerrard's constant pressure is quite palpable. Even so, the good man who is Kimball inserts himself as Mile's protector and possible love interest all while Kimball knows the later can never be.

This is the winding road beginning for Richard Kimball. One that will repeat many more times in the coming 120 episodes. What keeps it vital is the human element Kimball seems so perfect crafting. He personifies the best of humanity along with his heavy burden of constant fear. Playing this out in what almost seems like a travelog of the very different and impressive locales in the American landscape, along with memorable co-stars and characters, is the final part of a masterpiece of TV drama. In my estimation the best, if not at least, one of the top two or three TV series of all time.

This classic series begins with an extended version of its eventual opening as we see Richard Kimble handcuffed to Lt. Gerard in a train, on his way to the death house, (today he'd be on his way to death row for decade or more). The train derails and we see Kimble escaping with the now broken handcuffs. Then we jump 6 months later and Kimble is in Tucson, Arizona. William Conrad's narrator, (sounding much like Mark Hellinger in the 1948 movie of Naked City), tells us it's 6 months later and describes Kimble's plight , traveling the country looking for the one-armed man he thinks killed his wife while avoiding Gerard, who is obsessed with recapturing him. "Another journey, another place. Walk neither too fast nor too slow. Beware the eyes of strangers. Keep moving."

Kimble finds a job as a bartender where he develops a relationship with a piano player (Vera Miles) and a very unwanted feud with her possessive and abusive husband, (Brian Keith). Keith is rich and influential and totally crazy, the last thing Kimble needs in his life. Miles is pretty and sensitive, which is something he does need, but scared. She also has a son who is scared for his mother. Kimble tries to leave with them but fate, of course, moves its huge hand.

I think Kimble sees in this woman and her son the family he could have had, making it particularly poignant. That's why I would like to have seen them return for the finale four years later. I would also like to have heard more of the narration from Conrad, highlighting the story and giving voice to Kimble's thoughts, instead of just describing the beginning and end of episodes, as does for most of the series.

As an initial episode, the Fugitive series couldn't have generated a better start. Of all the women Dr. Kimble came across over the course of his life on the run, the one most perfectly suited for him IMO was Monica Welles played superbly by actress Vera Miles.

As a finale, I would have loved to see Kimble go back to the very beginning of his journey and rediscover the love he found with Monica and her son. It would have been a fitting ending.

The plot for this first show has been well covered by others so just a couple of comments.

This episode shows three themes that will be hallmarks of this show's four-year run. First, as with all QM productions, the guest stars are always first rate. This is not only true with the main characters portrayed by Brian Keith and Vera Miles, but also the supporting characters acted out by Harry Townes, Dabbs Greer, and Barney Phillips. All were well established actors and probably cost a little more than other lesser-known performers, but QM always maintained these standards.

Second, the standard Fugitive plot device of Kimble helping out people when he would be better served to run is first seen here. Despite the bad guy have influence with the police and a deteriorating situation, Kimble doesn't run but stays and helps. We will see that about a hundred more times over four years.

Third, women falling for Kimble will be another situation we will see many times. Of course, it is created by the writers, but I give David Janssen lots of credit here. He is a likeable guy with a bit of vulnerability mixed in. If you read many of the comments made by co-stars over the years, he was a nice guy in real life too. Many reviewers, me among them, had wished the producers had brought back one of the many women that Kimble had meet along the way for the two part series finale rather than create a new character just for the ending. I had opted for Suzanne Pleshette or Janice Rule but Vera Miles would have been a great choice. Having her there at the beginning and the ending would have been nice symmetry.

A great start to a superb series. Enjoy!