The WORST episodes of McHale's Navy

Every episode of McHale's Navy ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst 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: 9/8/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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36-24-73
star
6.00
4 votes

#1 - 36-24-73

Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 2/22/1966

A regulation-quoting lady Ensign tries to help McHale and the crew make some much-needed money by providing the participants for a beauty contest, and winds up helping them bag a German submarine in the bargain.

McHale's Country Club Caper
star
6.00
4 votes

#2 - McHale's Country Club Caper

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/8/1966

When Binghamton loses $1000 of Navy money to an Italian con man for the construction of a new golf course, he enlists the aid of McHale and the 73 crew in not only getting the money back, but making a fool out of Colonel Harrigan as well.

All Ahead, Empty
star
6.00
2 votes

#3 - All Ahead, Empty

Season 3 - Episode 32 - Aired 4/27/1965

When an MIT-trained electronics wizard comes to the base to convert the 73 into a fully automated, remote-controlled vessel, McHale and the crew fear that they may soon become obsolete. But they're reprieved at the last minute with help from a very unlikely source.

Instant Democracy
star
6.32
37 votes

#4 - Instant Democracy

Season 1 - Episode 29 - Aired 5/2/1963

Gruber does some shady trading with Chief Urulu involving Navy property, and McHale is arrested, and threatened with court martial. But Binghamton drops the charges, when he finds he needs help from Urulu and his tribe.

Directors: Oscar Rudolph
Writer: Howard Leeds
One of Our Engines is Missing
star
6.38
39 votes

#5 - One of Our Engines is Missing

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/14/1963

The 73's engines are dying, and Binghamton uses the situation as an excuse to have McHale and his Crew reassigned. So McHale and the boys must scheme, to try to make the 73 healthy again.

Directors: Oscar Rudolph
The Ensign Gets a Zero
star
6.47
40 votes

#6 - The Ensign Gets a Zero

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

Complications arise, when Gruber falsifies Parker's gunnery score to keep Parker from being shipped out.

Washing Machine Charlie
star
6.55
40 votes

#7 - Washing Machine Charlie

Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/14/1963

A pesky Japanese Pilot - whom the base personnel have dubbed "Washing Machine Charlie" - is wreaking havoc, with his daily strafing runs on Taratupa, and McHale and the 73 Crew have an incentive to bring him down.

Directors: Oscar Rudolph
Giuseppe McHale
star
6.60
5 votes

#8 - Giuseppe McHale

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1965

During his absence from the base against orders, McHale is spared an AWOL charge, with help from his Italian cousin who happens to bear a very strong family resemblance to his American counterpart.

Marryin' Chuck
star
6.60
5 votes

#9 - Marryin' Chuck

Season 2 - Episode 34 - Aired 5/5/1964

Gruber and the guys pick up a few souvenirs during a mission, not knowing that they're valuable items stolen by the Japanese during the battle of Manila. When one of the items, a priceless antique tea set, winds up as a wedding present for an Admiral's daughter, McHale and the crew must make a hasty trip to New Caledonia where Parker must play the part of the officiating Chaplain as part of a scheme to get it back.

Christy Goes Traveling
star
6.60
5 votes

#10 - Christy Goes Traveling

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/15/1964

Complications arise when Christy, desperate to see his daughter on her 2nd birthday, stows away on a bomber bound for San Diego.

The Return of Giuseppe
star
6.60
5 votes

#11 - The Return of Giuseppe

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 12/21/1965

After McHale defies Binghamton's orders and travels to a nearby town to attend his little cousin's birthday party, Binghamton tries to nail him on a desertion charge. But McHale manages to stay out of trouble when he and his look-alike Italian cousin, Giuseppe, assume each other's identities long enough to fool Binghamton and General Grayson.

The McHale Grand Prix
star
6.67
6 votes

#12 - The McHale Grand Prix

Season 4 - Episode 27 - Aired 3/22/1966

McHale and the Crew have a jeep that needs an engine; A local race driver has an engine that needs a car; The Army wants to get hold of one of the Germans' new staff cars - And all 3 are accomplished during the town's annual Grand Prix auto race.

Carpenter in Command
star
6.67
3 votes

#13 - Carpenter in Command

Season 2 - Episode 33 - Aired 4/28/1964

In temporary command of the base while Binghamton recovers from a broken leg, and drunk with power, Carpenter gets the goods on the crew and has them up for Court Martial on several serious charges. McHale and Parker must then scheme to get Binghamton back in command, and the boys off the hook.

Creature from McHale's Lagoon
star
6.67
6 votes

#14 - Creature from McHale's Lagoon

Season 2 - Episode 16 - Aired 12/31/1963

Gruber and the guys try to make some money with some phony pearl oysters, but their scheme backfires, when a greedy Binghamton takes over their operation. Then, when Chief Urulu muscles in on Binghamton's business, McHale and The Crew put a stop to the whole operation, by taking advantage of an old native superstition, and some Japanese technology.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
Will the Real Admiral Please Stand Up?
star
6.71
7 votes

#15 - Will the Real Admiral Please Stand Up?

Season 3 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/6/1965

Parker takes full advantage of his situation when he's temporarily promoted to Admiral, so that he can fill in for Admiral Rogers in negotiations for the drilling rights in an oil-rich island nation.

By the Numbers, Paint
star
6.75
4 votes

#16 - By the Numbers, Paint

Season 3 - Episode 26 - Aired 3/16/1965

Major complications develop when Gruber and the guys, desperate to raise $300 for a tonsillectomy for Christy's little girl, try to pass off a 'paint-by-numbers' portrait as a genuine 'Claude Gauguin', supposedly painted by the brother of the legendary French Artiste.

The Ghosts of 73
star
6.75
8 votes

#17 - The Ghosts of 73

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/15/1964

When Binghamton discovers how superstitious McHale and the crew are, he devises a plan to scare them into transferring out. But when McHale and the boys find that they've been duped, they cook up their own plan to scare Binghamton into cancelling their transfers.

All Chiefs and No Indians
star
6.75
4 votes

#18 - All Chiefs and No Indians

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/9/1965

When Binghamton learns that all Chief Petty Officers are to be shipped out, he talks all the guys into taking the exam for CPO, then fixes the results to see that all of them pass. Now without a Crew, the 73 is to be scrapped, and McHale and Parker are to be reassigned. But a very determined Ensign Parker takes it upon himself to keep the 73 in business.

The Wacky WAC
star
6.75
4 votes

#19 - The Wacky WAC

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 1/18/1966

After Binghamton arrests an AWOL WAC Corporal and jails her on suspicion of espionage, Parker must play the part of a WAC MP as part of McHale's plan to free her and reunite her with her boyfriend, before her unit ships out to North Africa.

Fuji's Big Romance
star
6.80
5 votes

#20 - Fuji's Big Romance

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 12/29/1964

McHale and the boys take Fuji along to a big luau on a nearby island, where he falls for a lovely native girl who has a boyfriend with a bad attitude.

The Missing Link
star
6.83
6 votes

#21 - The Missing Link

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/22/1964

Parker is in Binghamton’s dog house again, but gets off the hook when Leadbottom’s niece, an anthropology student on a brief stay at Taratupa, wants to keep Parker around as a study subject.

The Captain's Mission
star
6.90
10 votes

#22 - The Captain's Mission

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/10/1963

Binghamton’s reputation as a “desk jockey” brings on a desire for some real combat experience, so, while McHale is away at New Caledonia, he assumes command of the 73, and goes out looking for action, with disappointing results.

Directors: Sidney Lanfield
Binghamton, at 20 Paces
star
7.00
5 votes

#23 - Binghamton, at 20 Paces

Season 4 - Episode 29 - Aired 4/5/1966

A trigger-happy Italian Count challenges Parker to a duel, and while McHale and the guys try to help him out of the situation, Binghamton tries to use it as a way to get rid of both Parker and McHale.

The Boy Scouts of 73
star
7.00
3 votes

#24 - The Boy Scouts of 73

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 12/28/1965

Parker tries unsuccessfully, to set 3 young Italian thieves on the straight and narrow with some good old-fashioned Boy Scout training. But after McHale and the crew are arrested and jailed for the gang's crimes, the boys set out to help their Scoutmaster and his Crew, and wind up nailing Binghamton in the bargain.

A Star Falls on Taratupa
star
7.00
6 votes

#25 - A Star Falls on Taratupa

Season 3 - Episode 35 - Aired 5/18/1965

In response to a letter from Gruber and the guys, a glamorous movie star makes the trip to Taratupa with a plan to create some publicity for herself. But her scheme soon goes awry and someone else winds up grabbing all the headlines.