Why ‘The Fugitive’ Series Finale is Still One of TV’s Greatest Endings

Call this a tale of a one-armed man, a two-part finale, four years of delicious suspense and a master-class in how to write the perfect series ender: on August 29, 1967, after four seasons and an epic 120-episode chase, The Fugitive fans got what they had been waiting for — justice for pediatrician Dr. Richard Kimble. Wrongly convicted of murdering his wife, Kimble (played by Richard Diamond, Private Detective star David Janssen) escapes from his train ride to prison and spends life on the lam in search of the real killer, who has a very distinguishing feature. He’s … the One-Armed Man.

So how did The Fugitive end? And what made that heart-pounding finale so good? Let’s explore.