The BEST episodes of Family Matters season 1

Every episode of Family Matters season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Family Matters season 1!

The Winslows, a middle-class Black family living in Chicago, deal with various misadventures — many of which are caused by their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel.

Last Updated: 9/4/2024Network: CBSStatus: Ended
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The Mama Who Came to Dinner
star
7.48
523 votes

#1 - The Mama Who Came to Dinner

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/1989

Mother Winslow moves in and immediately begins to usurp Carl's authority. Eddie wants to go out with his friends, but he has a strict curfew that complicates things with Carl.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Big Fix
star
7.42
151 votes

#2 - The Big Fix

Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/9/1990

Eddie persuades Laura to date a guy he's indebted to.

Directors: Richard Correll
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Baker's Dozens
star
7.38
106 votes

#3 - Baker's Dozens

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/12/1990

Thanks to Rachel's brainstorm, Carl could become the "king of tarts" if he shares his secret recipe for lemon tarts, which were a big hit at a local restaurant.

Directors: James O'Keefe
Writer: Ken Kuta
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
In a Jam
star
7.35
125 votes

#4 - In a Jam

Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/16/1990

Eddie wants to do the right thing when faced with protecting Steve from a bully who threatens to beat him up, which could get Eddie creamed as well.

Directors: Richard Correll
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Two-Income Family
star
7.28
331 votes

#5 - Two-Income Family

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1989

Hariette loses her job to automation, forcing the family into austerity measures while Carl stews over the family debts.

Directors: James O'Keefe
Writer: Robert Blair
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Rachel's First Date
star
7.27
242 votes

#6 - Rachel's First Date

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/1989

The Winslows finally get to be alone together when Rachel accepts a date with a man from the church choir.

Directors: John Bowab
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Candidate
star
7.26
122 votes

#7 - The Candidate

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/23/1990

Eddie places image over integrity in his class president bid when image-maker Laura offers a thousand points of light to illuminate his campaign.

Directors: James O'Keefe
Writer: Barry Gold
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Body Damage
star
7.25
126 votes

#8 - Body Damage

Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/10/1989

Rachel takes an unauthorized spin in the classic automobile that Carl plans to drive in the Columbus Day Parade.

Writer: Ken Kuta
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Short Story
star
7.21
257 votes

#9 - Short Story

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/6/1989

Rachel writes a short story with characters that seem all too familiar; Carl becomes obsessed with the family's out of proportion water bill.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Watch Now:Apple TV
False Arrest
star
7.18
169 votes

#10 - False Arrest

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/1/1989

The Winslows are aghast to discover that their TV idol has been arrested for assaulting a police officer - Officer Carl Winslow.

Directors: Peter Baldwin
Writer: Barry Gold
Watch Now:Apple TV
Laura's First Date
star
7.17
212 votes

#11 - Laura's First Date

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/15/1989

Laura wants to go to an upcoming dance with a good-looking boy. Carl and Eddie try to find Laura a date. Carl asks Steve Urkel to take Laura to the dance, while Eddie asks one of his friends to take her out. When Laura finds out what happened, she is humiliated.

Directors: Richard Correll
Watch Now:Apple TV
Straight A's
star
7.16
199 votes

#12 - Straight A's

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/20/1989

Eddie comes home with straight A's on his report card and the whole family is proud of him. Rodney comes over and tells him that he changed the grades on the report cards on the school computer. Eddie doesn't want to tell the truth because he fears that he will hurt Carl's feelings.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Mr. Badwrench
star
7.15
149 votes

#13 - Mr. Badwrench

Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/1989

Self-proclaimed handyman Carl decides to install a shower in Mother Winslow's quarters while she's out of town.

Directors: John Bowab
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Quilt
star
7.12
172 votes

#14 - The Quilt

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/8/1989

Laura sells a quilt Grandmother Winslow considered an heirloom.

Directors: Peter Baldwin
Watch Now:Apple TV
Bowl Me Over
star
7.11
149 votes

#15 - Bowl Me Over

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/13/1990

The men vie with the women in a bowling match and Carl's philosophy about accepting defeat gracefully ends up in the gutter when Hariette aces him out.

Directors: Richard Correll
Writer: Robert Blair
Watch Now:Apple TV
Man's Best Friend
star
7.09
201 votes

#16 - Man's Best Friend

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/5/1990

Carl has a rule he intends to enforce not pets in the house until he meets a big, playful puppy who follows the kids home from school.

Directors: Richard Correll
Writer: Robert Blair
Watch Now:Apple TV
Basketball Blues
star
7.03
189 votes

#17 - Basketball Blues

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/3/1989

Carl's efforts to get Eddie psyched for a pro basketball career is enhanced by a visit from basketball star Bolton.

Directors: James O'Keefe
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Big Reunion
star
7.02
160 votes

#18 - The Big Reunion

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/19/1990

Carl decides to lose weight before going to his high-school reunion.

Directors: Richard Correll
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sitting Pretty
star
7.01
93 votes

#19 - Sitting Pretty

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/16/1990

Laura's babysitting service floods the house with children at a bad time on the night Carl has invited his captain over.

Directors: Richard Correll
Writer: Ken Kuta
Watch Now:Apple TV
Rock Video
star
7.01
151 votes

#20 - Rock Video

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/27/1990

When Eddie's big ego threatens to disband his group during the making of a rock video for a contest, the rest of the Winslows offer some ideas.

Directors: Richard Correll
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Party
star
6.94
122 votes

#21 - The Party

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/2/1990

A "No Guests" rule spells no fun for Eddie, who's left in charge of the house while the adults are away for the weekend.

Directors: Richard Correll
Writer: Ken Kuta
Watch Now:Apple TV
Stake-Out
star
6.92
166 votes

#22 - Stake-Out

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/24/1989

After Carl is on an all-night stakeout with his attractive new partner, Harriette finds a room key to Louie's Love Grotto in his pocket.

Directors: James O'Keefe
Watch Now:Apple TV