1x1 - Promised Land

September 20, 1985

Spenser is hired to find the runaway wife of a wealthy businessman. Based on a story by Spenser novelist Robert B. Parker.

1x2 - No Room at the Inn

September 27, 1985

Spenser's apartment burns down, but he's allowed to move into an old fire station as thanks for saving a firefighter's life. Meanwhile, Spenser and Hawk are hired to protect the life of grand jury witness. When it starts to look like someone on the inside might be trying to have the witness killed, and that the witness may not be who she says she is, things get convoluted.

1x3 - The Choice

October 4, 1985

A old man whom Spenser and Hawk knows is shot. They discover that the killer are a couple who comes from an affluent background, which they hide behind. It turns into a cat and mouse game for Spenser and Hawk, who are determined to take them down.

1x4 - Children of a Tempest Storm

October 11, 1985

Spenser kills a would-be thief in the course of thwarting a robbery. He and Susan take in the man's two children while investigating his past. Susan discovers she's pregnant.

1x5 - Original Sin

October 18, 1985

Spenser investigates the apparent suicide of a young nun, and stumbles onto a corrupt landlord.

1x6 - Discord in A Minor

October 25, 1985

Spenser's been hired by a conductor to find his daughter who ran away with her boyfriend. When he finds them, she tells him that her father has been molesting her. Spenser then tells her father what she said which he denies. After Spenser leaves, he calls Hawk, who once did a job for him, to do something for him.

1x7 - The Killer Within

November 12, 1985

Spenser is hired to protect a woman's identical twin sister from assassins, only to discover his employer suffers from a split personality.

1x8 - Autumn Thieves

November 19, 1985

Spenser stumbles onto a ring of thieves while investigating a relic stolen from a museum.

1x9 - Blood Money

November 26, 1985

The wife of a kidnapped oil tycoon hires Spenser to deliver million in ransom money to a ring of terrorists while police have the drop-off area surrounded.

1x10 - Resurrection

December 3, 1985

Spenser investigates a crooked vice cop involved in the mugging of one of Susan's friends.

1x11 - Internal Affairs

December 17, 1985

Marital infidelity and suspected involvement in a gambling ring lead to Lt. Quirk's suspension. Belson is shot during a raid. Spenser works to clear Quirk's name and catch Belson's would-be killer.

1x12 - Death By Design

January 7, 1986

Spenser and Hawk blame themselves for failing to protect their respective clients from the clutches of the underworld, and vow to settle the score with a big-time racketeer and his henchmen.

1x13 - A Day's Wages

January 14, 1986

A young ex-con named Louis Harper steals from his boss, John Brady. Brady hires Spenser to prove it and Harper hires Hawk to protect him from leg-breakers. Spenser and Hawk team up to solve Louis' murder.

1x14 - A Madness Most Discreet

January 21, 1986

Spenser tries to protect a former Russian ballerina, when she hires him to help her find stolen papers, but he gets more than he bargained for once he discovers that she is a person of interest to dueling government agents employed by American and Russian forces.

1x15 - Brother to Dragons

February 4, 1986

Spenser is going skiing with Susan, but when he picks her up at Smithfield High School where she works, he finds out one of her students died of a heroin overdose. Spenser gets hired by the superintendent and goes undercover as a teacher at her school to find out where the drugs are coming from. He obviously gets into it with the dealers.

1x16 - When Silence Speaks

February 11, 1986

A deaf woman hires Spenser to find a man she had been corresponding with who had gone missing. As Spenser investigates, he realizes that the missing man is somehow involved with a gang of thieves who are trying to kill Spenser in revenge for busting up their diamond heist.

1x17 - In a Safe Place

February 14, 1986

Spenser searches for the father of an undocumented boy killed by an unhinged unemployed man. The trail leads Spenser into a conspiracy involving the exploitation of undocumented workers on the waterfront.

1x18 - Angel of Desolation

March 4, 1986

Spenser is hired by the fashion model wife of a rich bank owner who says her life is in danger. After multiple attempted murders and one successful murder, Spenser realizes that the wife is not the target. When the wife's past comes to light, the investigation takes a whole new direction.

1x19 - She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

March 11, 1986

Detective Belson's ex-partner is murdered during his daughter's wedding reception. The dead cop is suspected of being involved in criminal activities, so Lt. Quirk asks Spenser to investigate the dead man and find out if Belson is dirty too.

1x20 - At the River's Edge

March 25, 1986

Spenser witnesses an ex convict murder a 19 year girl then kill himself. The girl's wealthy younger sister hires Spenser to find out why her sister was killed. Clues lead Spenser to a crusading preacher that had a secret relationship with the 19 year old.

1x21 - Rage

April 1, 1986

When Spenser is trying to locate a runaway. The girl meets a psychotic man but Spenser saves her but the man escapes. He then wants to get back at Spenser and he starts by holding Susan hostage.

1x22 - Hell Hath No Fury

April 8, 1986

Partnering with an attractive TV news reporter, Spenser investigates the reason a newly constructed building collapsed killing a boy. He suspects the building company after data samples show suspect concrete core strength results.

Robert Urich

Spenser

Avery Brooks

Hawk

Barbara Stock

Susan Silverman

Ron McLarty

Frank Belson