The BEST episodes of Amen
Every episode of Amen ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Amen!
One year after the demise of The Jeffersons, Sherman Hemsley returned to television to star in another hit sitcom as Ernest Frye, the lawyer and scheming deacon of First Community Church of Philadelphia, and who intended to keep it under his thumb. Unfortunately, the new minister, Rev. Reuben Gregory, had other ideas and every week he quietly deflated the strutting deacon. Both, of course, really had the church's best interests at heart. Frye's 30-year-old romantically frustrated daughter, Themla, developed a massive crush on the new pastor. Other members of the church board included chattering sisters, Amelia and Casietta Hetebrink and Rolly, the board's wise old voice of reason.
#1 - The Courtship of Bess Richards
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/4/1986
After hearing a beautiful gospel singer sing at a wedding, Deacon Frye decides to woo her so she will join the church and sing in the choir. He flatters her, and wines her and dines her to compel her to come, but his plan backfires when all the attention she is receiving causes her to fall in love with Deacon Frye, and she thinks he wants to marry her. At his wits end, he decides to tell her the truth, unaware of the wrath of a scorned woman.
#2 - Maitre D'eacon
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/29/1986
A woman bequeaths the church members her eatery (a French restaurant) — providing they continue its successful operation. But the church runs into trouble meeting it's next balloon mortgage payment, which is due immediately. So, in order to save the church, they decide to sell the restaurant, but the terms of the will state that as long as it is a success, they can never sell it. What will the church do in order to meet its obligation to the bank?
#3 - Casting the First Stone
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/7/1987
While testifying in the church, Lorenzo admits to having an affair with an unnamed sister in the church, which starts the congregation speculating and gossipping, and turns member against member. In order for the church to get back to normal, and for people to stop speculating, the woman must come forward and also confess her illicit affair with Lorenzo. However, in an uncharactistic move, the congretation gels when the guilty party stands before them.
#4 - Rolly Falls in Love
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/1986
Rolly has his eye on the waitress at the diner around the corner, but he is too shy to approach her. So he asks Deacon Frye to approach her on his behalf. Deacon Frye meets the waitress named Leona and finds out she doesn't even know who Rolly is. But since she's so attractive, he decides to ask her out himself. But while having a romantic get-together at her place, they are surprised by the unexpected return of her husband. Deacon Frye narrowly escapes without getting caught, but when he stops by to tell Rolly what happened, Rolly makes a date with the real waitress he's had his eye on, Hannah. Oddly enough, he doesn't even know who Leona is.
#5 - Sermon from the Cell
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/22/1986
Rev. Gregory is jailed for giving refugees sanctuary, and the Deacon, charged with contempt of court while trying to defend him, gets incarcerated for 1 day. While there, the Reverend realizes that it is the first Sunday he hadn't delivered the sermon in many years, and preaches a rousing sermon to the only person he has available to him, his cellmate Willie.
#6 - Thelma's Choice
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/17/1987
The new man in Thelma's life seems like Mr. Right to everyone, especially Deacon Frye, who thinks he's the greatest. But as they head for the altar, the question becomes: Is Thelma's heart really for Larry, or is it still for Rev. Gregory?
#7 - Dueling Ministers
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/31/1987
Rev. Johnny returns to give a sermon at the church.
#8 - Into the Night
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/21/1987
A date with Frye lands Reuben's aunt in jail.
#9 - The Morning After
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/11/1986
Thelma intoxicates Reverend Gregory with her wine-cooked dinner, and he intoxicates her with a kiss. But the next morning, he has to break the news to her that he is not romantically interested in her, it was the alcohol that affected him. However, Thelma doesn't take the bad news very well, and gives him some charm of her own. Reuben also faces a dliemna with secretarial overstaffing.
#10 - The Deacon Delivers
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/1/1986
A wayward teen wants to be reinstated in the church choir after being away from it for a while. Pastor Gregory is anxious to reinstate her, until he finds out she is pregnant, and not married. Fearing that her example might be a bad one for other teens in the church, he asks her to leave the choir. But things come to a head when she goes into labor during a baby shower at Deacon Frye's house, and the deacon is the only one left to deliver the baby. Meanwhile, the gang is trying to learn to speak Italian.
#11 - The Divorce Lawyer
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/28/1987
A forlorn woman comes to Deacon Frye's office seeking a divorce from her husband who she suspects is cheating on her. Frye sends his undercover detective to follow the man, and is informed that the husband is definitely cheating. However, after being misinformed, Frye tells the woman that her husband is unfaithful. Meanwhile, the church board votes in a new chairman to replace the deacon.
#12 - Yes Sir, That's Your Baby
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/14/1987
After attending the christening of Lynnette and Jerome's child, the Hetebrinks break down and cry because they believe they're too old to have any children of their own. But after the Reverend recommends that they consider adoption, they engage deacon Frye's legal services to adopt a baby son. And with the deacon's usual effectiveness, he arranges a super-quick adoption for a son for the Hetebrinks. But the child turns out to be an 18-year-old. Now the sisters must decide to send the child back or to dig deep and find the love in their hearts to provide a home for their new son Ricky.
#13 - Retreat, Heck!
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1986
The church's planned retreat is not at all interesting to Deacon Frye, until he learns that a former client, whom he caused to spend 5 years in jail, is getting out, and blames him for his jail time. So now, Deacon Frye must join the rest of the church at the retreat so the angry former client can't find him.
#14 - Frye for the Defense
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/10/1987
A fund-raiser at the church takes an unexpected turn when the church gets sued for making someone sick with tainted macaroni salad. During the trial, Deacon Frye takes matters into his own hands to win the case for the church.
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Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/7/1987
Deacon Frye hires a new attractive Sunday school teacher for the church, and Reuben falls for her, angering Thelma.
#16 - The Magician
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/14/1987
Aspiring magician Frye auditions for a children's show.
#17 - Glen Garry Glen Thelma
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/21/1987
Inept Thelma tries her hand at real estate.
#18 - What's Up, Deacon?
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/4/1987
The Deacon turns over a new leaf in an effort to be the church's nominee for a humanitarian award, which could win him and Thelma a trip to the Holy Land.
#19 - Love, Deacon Style
Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/17/1990
On her six-month anniversary, Thelma feels neglected because Reuben is teaching night school.
#20 - Thelma Frye, Dough Girl
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/16/1989
Thelma is home on a weekend pass for the Christmas holiday, which affords her the perfect opportunity to be the perfect hostess, the perfect cook and the perfect wife-to-be for Rev. Gregory.
#21 - Sergeant in Arms
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/6/1989
Fearing he's lost Thelma to Sgt. Burke, Rev. Gregory puts up a fight when she comes home on a weekend pass with the sergeant in tow.
#22 - Date with an Angel
Season 5 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/27/1991
At an auction, an insufferable woman wins a date with Frye.
#23 - You're in the Army Now (1)
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/25/1989
Thelma joins the Army, intending to become one lean, mean fighting machine.
#24 - Thelma's Handyman
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/3/1988
Thelma, at age 34, finds herself in a situation where she has to dissuade a 19-year-old admirer from chasing after her. And because everyone thinks they are having an affair, she tries to halt rumors linking her to the young handyman. The scandalous rumors have not set well with the Reverend, or the young man's girlfriend.
#25 - The Deacon's Donkey
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/10/1988
The animals in the congregation's live Nativity scene include a goat that sends Rev. Gregory up a tree and an ailing donkey that finds a place in the Deacon's heart.