"The Fugitive" is, without a doubt, the finest episodic drama series in the history of television. Who can't feel for Richard Kimble? His son is stillborn, which contributes to making his wife unable to have more children, which turns her into a bitter alcoholic, which strains their marriage, which makes him storm out of the house one evening, which leaves her alone to be murdered by a burglar, which is then blamed on him! Talk about your life going to hell in a handbasket! I think "The Fugitive" holds up so well because of its strict avoidance of schmaltz. The show never degenerates into maudlin soap opera; the characters are fresh and well-defined, the plots are gripping and realistic, and Kimble is a protagonist with whom we can easily identify. He's never presented as being squeaky clean; he's just a basically decent guy trapped in an overwhelming situation and trying to make the best of it.