In present-day Fresno, the raisin-growing empire of the once-wealthy Kensington family are locked in a struggle with their former business partner Tyler Cane.

Foreman Juan is charged with getting the prototype raisins to the patent office in Sacramento, but on the way is ambushed by Cane's men, who destroy the shipment.

As Charlotte shows Torch around the ranch, she explains how, 20 years earlier, her late husband Yancey fell out with Cane, and then died in a "bizarre dehydrator accident".

Torch begins to investigate the Kensingtons' affairs, awakening suspicions in Charlotte about Yancey's death, and her interest in finding her real parents.

Nature-loving Kevin finds dead fish floating in Duke Lake, and soon discovers a leaking Acme Toxic Waste drum at the bottom of the river.

Bobbi Jo arrives, but when she learns of Talon's attempt to seduce her husband, she suspects the worst and rejects him.

Fresno was created and co-written by Barry Kemp, Mark Ganzel, and Michael Petryni, and was produced for CBS by Mary Tyler-Moore's MTM Productions.

[3] The miniseries starred Carol Burnett and Dabney Coleman, with Charles Grodin, Teri Garr, Valerie Mahaffey, Bill Paxton, Anthony Heald, Gregory Harrison, Luis Avalos, Jerry Van Dyke, Charles Keating, Pat Corley, and Jeffrey Jones.

[4] The music was composed by John Morris, and the Emmy-nominated gowns worn by the female leads were designed by Bob Mackie.