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File:The Mississippi (TV series).jpg

Promotional Picture The Mississippi

The Mississippi is an American legal drama television series which ran for 2 seasons from 1983 to 1984 on CBS. The series consisted of 24 episodes: 1 pilot, 6 first-season episodes and 17 episodes in the second season. The series was written by Aubrey Solomon and starred Ralph Waite, Linda Miller, and Stan Shaw.[1]

Plot[]

Ralph Waite played Ben Walker, a successful criminal attorney who, after retiring his law practice, sought a simpler life on the Mississippi River as the captain of a stern wheel river boat. Conflicting with his desire for an easy retirement from legal practice, he'd find at every port someone who needed a good attorney, and he would end up defending him or her. His “crew” consisted of Stella McMullen and Lafayette 'Lafe' Tate, both of whom were more interested in helping people, fighting crime, and becoming attorneys than in running the tug.

Filming occurred in several cities along the Mississippi River including Natchez, Mississippi, and Memphis, Tennessee.

Cast[]

  • Ralph Waite as Ben Walker
  • Linda Miller as Stella McMullen
  • Stan Shaw as Lafayette "Lafe" Tate

Episodes[]

Season 1: 1982–83[]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
00 The MississippiRichard C. SarafianDarryl PonicsanJune 14, 1982 (1982-06-14)
Series pilot
11 Murder at Mt. ParnassusLee H. KatzinJerry ZiegmanMarch 25, 1983 (1983-03-25)
 
22 Edge of the RiverLee H. KatzinShel WillensApril 1, 1983 (1983-04-01)
 
33 Beyond a Reasonable DoubtRuss MayberryTerry Louise FisherApril 8, 1983 (1983-04-08)
 
44 We Remember, We RevereLeo PennStory by : John Wilder & Paul Savage
Teleplay by : Paul Savage
April 15, 1983 (1983-04-15)
 
55 Mardi GrasRalph WaiteJeffrey LaneApril 29, 1983 (1983-04-29)
 
66 Old Hatreds Die HardLeo PennStory by : John Wilder & Paul Savage
Teleplay by : Paul Savage
May 6, 1983 (1983-05-06)
 

Season 2: 1983–84[]

No.
overall
No. in
season
TitleDirected byWritten byOriginal air date
71 There Is a Tiger in the TownJeffrey HaydenRobert CraisSeptember 27, 1983 (1983-09-27)
 
82 Cradle to GraveLeo PennPatricia GreenOctober 4, 1983 (1983-10-04)
 
93 The Trial of Ben WalkerDavid ShawDavid ShawOctober 11, 1983 (1983-10-11)
 
104 The Last Voice You HearAlex MarchDavid KarpOctober 18, 1983 (1983-10-18)
 
115 The ShootingGeorg Stanford BrownSidney EllisOctober 25, 1983 (1983-10-25)
 
126 Peace with HonorRobert SallinPatricia GreenNovember 1, 1983 (1983-11-01)
 
137 JoeyAlex MarchIrv PearlbergNovember 8, 1983 (1983-11-08)
 
148 Crisis of IdentityHarry HarrisDavid ShawNovember 15, 1983 (1983-11-15)
 
159 A Town Without PityOz ScottSteve Greenberg & Aubrey SolomonNovember 22, 1983 (1983-11-22)
 
1610 G.I. BluesLeo PennStory by : Preston Marshall Ransone & Art Eisenson
Teleplay by : James M. Miller
November 13, 1983 (1983-11-13)
 
1711 Between Fathers and SonsJohn PattersonChris ManheimDecember 13, 1983 (1983-12-13)
 
1812 The Big LeaguesLeo PennIrv PearlbergDecember 27, 1983 (1983-12-27)
 
1913 Going Back to HannibalAllen ReisnerAlan BrennertJanuary 10, 1984 (1984-01-10)
 
2014 Wheels of JusticeWilliam WiardDavid Shaw,
Ed Waters
January 17, 1984 (1984-01-17)
 
2115 Informed ConsentOz ScottRogers TurrentineJanuary 24, 1984 (1984-01-24)
 
2216 AbigailAlex MarchIrv PearlbergFebruary 7, 1984 (1984-02-07)
 
2317 Home AgainAllen ReisnerAlan BrennertMarch 6, 1984 (1984-03-06)
 

US television ratings[]

Season Episodes Start date End date Nielsen rank Nielsen rating
1982–83 6 March 25, 1983 May 6, 1983 15 19.3[2][lower-alpha 1]
1983–84 17 September 27, 1983 March 6, 1984 66 13.6[3][lower-alpha 2]

Awards[]

The episode "Old Hatreds Die Hard" was nominated for a 1983 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.[4]

Notes[]

  1. Ted with 9 to 5
  2. Tied with Mama's Family and Automan


References[]


External links[]

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