The BEST episodes of McHale's Navy

Every episode of McHale's Navy ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of McHale's Navy!

A lively, light-hearted romp through the Pacific Theater of operations An experienced South Pacific Sea Dog by the name of Quinton McHale, was commissioned as a Lieutenant Commander into the U.S. Navy Reserve at the start of World War II, and made the Skipper of the Torpedo Patrol (PT) Boat #73 stationed at the U.S. Naval Installation on the island of Taratupa in the Southwest Pacific. Assigned to his command were 6 free-spirited, good-hearted swabbies who loved to have fun, but who, though they usually ignored Navy regulations, did their jobs and did them well when duty called. The 73 'Family' included, among others, a con man and amateur Magician, a womanizing hunk, a dedicated Family man, a guitar-playing, moonshine-making Tennessee good ol' boy, and even a deserter from the Japanese Navy, who was an excellent cook. Second in command was Ensign Charles Parker, a young spit-and-polish, by-the-book Officer from Chagrin Falls Ohio, who was somewhat of a klutz.

Last Updated: 3/21/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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H.M.S. 73
star
9.34
41 votes

#1 - H.M.S. 73

Season 1 - Episode 26 - Aired 4/11/1963

Binghamton schemes to get McHale chosen for a Liaison Officer's position, in Sydney, Austrailia. But, when McHale finds out that he will be going alone, and for the duration, he and his crew cook up a plan to get him off the hook.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
One Enchanted Weekend
star
8.77
35 votes

#2 - One Enchanted Weekend

Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/28/1963

Lovely Yvette Gerard has invited Parker to join her for a weekend at her island home. When Binghamton denies him leave, McHale works up a plan for Parker to have a "working vacation" on the island, which winds up with an unexpected bonus.

Directors: Edward Montagne
Portrait of a Peerless Leader
star
8.76
37 votes

#3 - Portrait of a Peerless Leader

Season 1 - Episode 28 - Aired 4/25/1963

A Naval Personnel Officer is coming to check out McHale for a stateside training position. Binghamton leads McHale and his crew to believe that the Officer is coming to check out Binghamton for a promotion, and transfer, so they shape up, so that Leadbottom will ship out. But, when McHale finds out the real reason for the Officer's visit, he and his crew cook up a plan, to get him off the hook.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
The Fugitive Ensign
star
8.75
4 votes

#4 - The Fugitive Ensign

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/11/1966

Parker takes it on the lam after an accident with a machine gun has him thinking that he's killed the Captain. After the furious Binghamton orders an all-out search for Parker and offers a sizeable reward for his capture, McHale and the boys must first find him, then cook up a complicated plan to get him out of trouble.

The Monster of McHale's Island
star
8.72
36 votes

#5 - The Monster of McHale's Island

Season 1 - Episode 35 - Aired 6/13/1963

A Navy transport plane develops engine trouble, and is forced down at Taratupa. One of its passengers is an Admiral's Son, and a strict, by-the-book disciplinarian, as well as a spoiled brat. Binghamton sees to it that the kid is quartered on McHale's island, where he and his "little black book" cause quite a bit of trouble for McHale and his Crew. But McHale is soon fed up with the brat and takes matters into his own hands.

Directors: Oscar Rudolph
Watch Now:Amazon
Alias Captain Binghamton
star
8.67
39 votes

#6 - Alias Captain Binghamton

Season 1 - Episode 31 - Aired 5/16/1963

The 73 gets a new crew member, who turns out to be a trouble-maker. McHale and the 73 crew cook up a wild plan to get rid of him, but, when their plan backfires, they find themselves in hot water again. So, they turn to their new Crewman, and use his special physical qualities to their advantage.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
Who Was That German I Saw You With?
star
8.50
4 votes

#7 - Who Was That German I Saw You With?

Season 4 - Episode 26 - Aired 3/15/1966

During an attempt to impress a famous War Correspondent, Binghamton is taken prisoner by a German patrol who have disguised themselves as American Sailors. After Parker is also captured, McHale and the guys come to the rescue and wind up having their picture on the cover of a popular magazine.

Wally for Congress
star
8.40
5 votes

#8 - Wally for Congress

Season 4 - Episode 30 - Aired 4/12/1966

A big-shot Washington Political Boss, with a reputation for turning war heroes into politicians, is about to pay a visit, and Binghamton must quickly change from a 'desk jockey', into a fearless, battle-hardened Commander in order to try to become the Boss's next project after the war.

Reunion for PT 73
star
8.33
6 votes

#9 - Reunion for PT 73

Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/14/1965

Binghamton has the evidence he needs to court martial McHale and the 73 crew and has summoned the Judge Advocate General to present it. McHale and the crew must then execute a very complicated plan to get Binghamton to reveal the whereabouts of the evidence, so that they can get rid of it before the JAG arrives.

Fire in the Liquor Locker
star
8.33
3 votes

#10 - Fire in the Liquor Locker

Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/4/1966

Gruber and the guys find a way to both make and deliver their homemade liquor when they build a mobile distillery in an old fire engine. But their scheme goes sour when Binghamton confiscates the old engine for the new Voltafiore Volunteer Fire Department, formed as a part of his new civic improvement program.

My Son, the Skipper
star
8.33
3 votes

#11 - My Son, the Skipper

Season 4 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/1/1966

Thinking that McHale has been shipped out and fed up with the power-drunk Parker, Gruber, Virgil, Tinker, Christy, and Willy all put in for transfers. But when they find out that McHale's absence is only temporary, Parker and the crew must come up with a plan to get the Captain to tear up the transfer papers.

An Ensign's Best Friend
star
8.33
3 votes

#12 - An Ensign's Best Friend

Season 4 - Episode 28 - Aired 3/29/1966

Concerned about Parker's unusual behavior, McHale and the guys investigate his situation, and are a bit shocked when they find that he's involved with a cute young thing named Angelina who happens to be in a family way.

Watch Now:Amazon
McHale's Floating Harem
star
8.25
4 votes

#13 - McHale's Floating Harem

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/1964

Ordered to provide a safe haven for a Sultan and his three daughters, Binghamton is forced to send McHale and the 73 Crew to rescue the royal family and bring them to Taratupa. But when Virgil sneaks one of the Princesses away for a romantic boat ride, Parker must become her stand-in while the guys hustle to return the real princess before the Sultan and the captain discover that she's missing.

The Stool Parrot
star
8.20
5 votes

#14 - The Stool Parrot

Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/5/1965

Binghamton’s “No-Fraternization” policy forces McHale and the boys to find a secret location for a big party they’ve planned with the Nurses. But Gruber’s pet parrot spills the beans to Binghamton.

Secret Chimp 007
star
8.20
5 votes

#15 - Secret Chimp 007

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/15/1966

After learning that German spies are operating in the area, Binghamton arrests McHale and Parker for espionage, thinking that they are working with a mischievous monkey who has stolen an important document.

The Day They Captured Santa Claus
star
8.17
12 votes

#16 - The Day They Captured Santa Claus

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/27/1962

Mchale decides for Christmas he and the crew of PT-73 will pay a visit to Sister Monique and the children dressed up in a Santa Claus outfit and elf outfits. Mchale would parachute from a plane first and meet the kids and PT-73 would follow a little while after. Mchale jumps in his Santa outfit but when he lands he finds the island was overtaken by Japanese and was captured. Mchale as usual cons his way through the interrogation and he claims that a new secret weapon is on it's way, just then PT-73 arrives singing Christmas carols and dressed in elf outfits. The Japanese commander becomes scared fearing that this was some kind new of physiological warfare and he surrenders.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
The Balloon Goes Up
star
8.11
9 votes

#17 - The Balloon Goes Up

Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/14/1964

Binghamton is offered a promotion and transfer up to Fleet HQ, but must first reconcile a shortage in the base's equipment inventory. After all is accounted for, except for one item, a barrage balloon, McHale and the crew must race against time in order to locate it and bring it in, in time for Binghamton to be shipped out.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Battle of McHale's Island
star
8.07
14 votes

#18 - The Battle of McHale's Island

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/20/1962

McHale and the boys cook up a scheme to keep Binghamton from building a new Officer's Club on McHale's island.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Marty Roth
Watch Now:Amazon
The Confidence Game
star
8.05
37 votes

#19 - The Confidence Game

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/28/1963

Parker requests a transfer, when he feels he's not getting the respect he deserves. So, to change his mind, and build up his self-confidence, McHale puts him in charge of an important test mission.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
The Captain Steals a Cook
star
8.00
11 votes

#20 - The Captain Steals a Cook

Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/24/1963

Another of Gruber's shady enterprises backfires, when Binghamton gets a taste of the delicious Polynesian cuisine that Fuji has been cooking up, for sale to the base personnel.

Directors: Oscar Rudolph
Little Red Riding Doctor
star
8.00
3 votes

#21 - Little Red Riding Doctor

Season 4 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/8/1966

In the midst of the town's 500th anniversary celebration, Binghamton tries to arrange to have a visiting psychiatrist declare the 73 crew unfit for duty, forcing the newly-crowned 'King of The Festival' to come up with a plan to keep his crew together and turn the tables on the Captain.

Watch Now:Amazon
Senator Parker, Suh!
star
8.00
6 votes

#22 - Senator Parker, Suh!

Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/17/1964

After Parker is passed over again for a promotion, Gruber devises a way for him to vent his frustrations, which winds up landing the Ensign in the brig, pending Court Martial. Then when they find out about an upcoming visit by the head of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee, whose name just happens to be Parker, McHale and the boys work up a scheme to get their XO off the hook.

Return of Big Frenchy
star
8.00
5 votes

#23 - Return of Big Frenchy

Season 2 - Episode 28 - Aired 3/24/1964

The French thief and con-artist first talks Binghamton out of a load of Navy supplies, then cons Parker into helping him get them to New Caledonia. McHale and the guys must then follow, rescue Parker, and recover the supplies.

The Happy Sleepwalker
star
8.00
5 votes

#24 - The Happy Sleepwalker

Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/3/1963

Happy's sleepwalking leads Binghamton to ship him out of the combat zone.

Six Pounds from Paradise
star
8.00
7 votes

#25 - Six Pounds from Paradise

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/7/1963

The Navy has issued a directive stating that all overweight Combat Officers will be shipped out, and, when Binghamton goes all out to see that McHale goes over the weight limit, the boys cook up a plan to keep him with them.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Martin Roth