MovieChat Forums > In the Heat of the Night (1988) Discussion > Am I the only one who dont like Harriet ...

Am I the only one who dont like Harriet DeLong?

posted 12 years ago by dark_seed81
48 replies | jump to latest

I dont know exctally what it is, but her character really pisses me off most of the time? She seems really stuck up and very much a hypocrite about her views on race!!

And I personaly was never a fan of her and the chiefs love affair. I mean, it was believable that he changed his racist ways to accept blacks as equals but for him to fall in love with a black woman whos kinda anti white lol was a bit of stretch to me! Anyone feel the same??

If that sounds racist, I really dont mean it that way, just cant think any other way to say it!

[–] wtl471629 9 years ago

POSSIBLE SPOILERS

I liked Harriet ok. The only thing was in two episodes I thought she was unreasonable. One was where she didn't want her sister's son to have visitation rights at all with Trundel's wife who had nothing to do with her sister's murder but fortunately the judge did give his wife visiting right even though Harriet disapproved. Also in an innocent meeting between the chief and Maybelle she was also unfair in pouring out good wine (or whatever it was) down the drain that Maybelle had given the chief. Otherwise she was ok.

[–] abajasds 9 years ago

-Also in an innocent meeting between the chief and Maybelle she was also unfair in pouring out good wine (or whatever it was) down the drain that Maybelle had given the chief. Otherwise she was ok.

By that time Bill was the sheriff, not chief, but also Bill got off pretty easy because he had intimacy with Maybelle. Plus him and Harriet were serious at that point living together. It has to be a huge blow that someone you live with has a woman over in the house especially someone like Maybelle who runs a whorehouse spend the evening there.

Harriet was unreasonable in the episode when the first black female officer was killed in a line of duty episode.

My job is to inform, not persuade- Dan Rather

[–] wtl471629 9 years ago

Good point abajasds.

[–] linat9409 9 years ago

Also in an innocent meeting between the chief and Maybelle she was also unfair in pouring out good wine (or whatever it was) down the drain that Maybelle had given the chief.

For us, Bill and Maybelle it was innocent, maybe. But for Harriet? Remember Harriet's ex husband Vic cheated on her. There may be some insecurity issues there. And not only was Maybelle a madam, she has a history with Bill, which just made the idea of her being in their home while Harriet was away all the more insulting for her. And can you imagine if she knew about all that kissing??? 

I think I can cut Harriet some slack for doing that. She actually handled it pretty well. She could have reacted a lot worse.

If there's anything that truly bothered me about Harriet, it was that she always allowed Eugene to get the last word. She never put him in his place. Ever. He caused her so much stress and pain it was ridiculous. Sure she had attitude and was uptight at times, but I can't blame her, really. For the most part, I really liked her. She just needed to chill a tad more...

[–] linat9409 9 years ago

but then the actress playing Ms.DeLong actually wrote a few episodes, which were probably the worst in the shows history.

Looking at the eps she wrote, I have to disagree.

Flowers From a Lady is one of my favorite eps. I can watch that one and Little Girl Lost whenever they're on. Your Own Kind was pretty good too.

The one she wrote with Carroll (Poor Relations) I have mixed feelings about just because it's one of those eps that deviated from the norm. I hate that (like when Bubba went to LA or the eps that took place in Philly). Poor Relations deviated because it was more a comic relief type thing. But I think if you can just enjoy it for what it is and not take it too seriously, it's a cute and well-written episode.

Odessa was...decent. But it kinda dragged for me. It's not an ep I would think to go back and watch on a regular basis. Legacy is my least favorite. I just found it boring. (I was happy to see Renee Jones back on the show, though).

But hey that's 4 out of 6 that I liked. Not bad 

[–] jackbnimbleharvardblue 9 years ago

I liked her character, but I admit that her character was upset a lot and could mean sometimes especially at first. I didn't mind her relationship with the Chief, though they admittedly did not have great chemistry as a couple. I felt her chemistry was best with Tibbs! On the other hand I felt Tibbs and Althea didn't have great chemistry with either. Her chemistry was best with Bubba! I always felt like Tibbs should have been with Harriet, Althea with Bubba, and The Chief should have stayed with Joanne!

[–] PenTheater 9 years ago

I always felt like Tibbs should have been with Harriet, Althea with Bubba, and The Chief should have stayed with Joanne

If the show had continued, that would be some options!
And I wish Parker would have hooked up with the blind girl.
Ephemeron.

[–] blakgard 9 years ago

My #1 wish regarding ITHOTN was that Parker and the blind girl get married and have a kid.

But I loved Harriet with the Chief.

[–] PenTheater 9 years ago

#1 wish, that's a statement.

I loved how they evolved David Hart's character in that one, he had quite a few episodes where he didn't have to play Gillespie's flunky. And that actress was good.
That part was so nice (except they didn't go far) which helped because the crime was so hideous.
Ephemeron.

[–] lizziemodern 9 years ago

I have the show on in the background in the moment, and I just had the same thought! I don't necessarily dislike her character, but I feel like they used her in scenes that weren't even necessary just to put her on the show. She came out of nowhere, and then we were seeing her ALL the time, even though her character shouldn't have really had that much to do with the police station, which the whole show was centered around.

I wasn't really into their relationship either, but only because it became the focus of the last few seasons and the quality of the writing diminished greatly.

[–] carrie45 8 years ago

I liked her, but a romance between Harriet and Carroll O'Connor was an old man's fantasy. That was one beautiful woman.

[–] Eldo7777 8 years ago

Yes

[–] BlackScruggs01 8 years ago

I always liked Harriet. A lot of that may have to do with Denise Nicholas herself. I've always been a fan. She was an angry woman at times, but between dealing with some of the idiots on the City Council, an ex-husband on death row, a prejudiced and disrespectful son, plus the stares and gossiping about her relationship with Gillespie she had a right to be angry for 8 seasons. She did have some tender and vulnerable moments though.

[–] david_weinstock 8 years ago

it's just a tv show. nothing is real. why waste time? if you don't like her, watch murder she wrote

[–] lusious214 (102) 7 years ago

Watching a busybody know it all/murderess is no better, and yeah we know it's just tv. However, I enjoy Heat of the night while disliking Harriet's bossy, always complaining, guard dog of Chief Gillespie's character. As beautiful as she obviously was, what did she have to be so pissed about?!
I also find it quite odd that most of the black women on the show were very fair skinned.