[s1e17] The Fugitive -

In this episode, Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen) finds himself in the ultimate ironic predicament: while hiding out in a small Midwest town, he is to help transport a prisoner. The prisoner, a ne’er-do-well named Bellows (played by guest star Bruce Dern ), is suspected of murdering an elderly couple.

The episode critiques vigilante justice. The townspeople on the bus—including the victims' sons—conspire to kill Bellows because the evidence against him is largely circumstantial. Kimble becomes the primary voice of reason, upholding the legal system that has already failed him personally. [S1E17] The Fugitive

The tension escalates when the local sheriff, Bowers, decides to transport Bellows to the county seat via a school bus. Because of a lack of available deputies, Kimble is forced into service alongside the very witnesses who are eager to see the prisoner lynched rather than face a potentially inconclusive trial. In this episode, Dr