The BEST Episodes of Sanford and Son

The misadventures of a cantankerous old man and his son, partners in the family junk business in Los Angeles' Watts neighborhood.

#1 - Rated X

Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired Mar 16, 1973

After Lamont, Rollo and Fred unwittingly show up at an adult movie shoot, a police raid lands them all in jail.

8.83

47 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Ilunga Adell

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#2 - The Party Crasher

Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired Feb 8, 1974

Lamont and Rollo set up a rendezvous at Rollo's place with two girls that doesn't go as planned, but Fred stops by and saves the day.

8.73

40 votes

Directors: Stan Lathan

Writers: Gene Farmer

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#3 - Fred's Treasure Garden

Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired Nov 29, 1974

With Fred in St. Louis, Grady unwittingly serves a salad to Smitty and Hoppy that may contain marijuana leaves.

8.42

36 votes

Directors: Herbert Kenwith

Writers: Ilunga Adell

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#4 - The Blind Mellow Jelly Collection

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired Nov 16, 1973

Fred donates a collection of Blind Mellow Jelly records to a library for a tax deduction, but after learning of the records' monetary value, he cooks up a scheme to get them back.

8.40

48 votes

Directors: Mark Warren

Writers: Phil Mishkin

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#5 - A Little Extra Security

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired Dec 13, 1974

After Grady receives an extra Social Security check, he gambles the money away in Las Vegas.

8.39

33 votes

Directors: Herbert Kenwith

Writers: Bernie Orenstein, Saul Turteltaub

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#6 - Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired Jan 11, 1974

When Lamont tries to contest a traffic ticket, Fred creates disorder in the court.

8.28

54 votes

Directors: Bob Lahendro

Writers: Gene Farmer

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#7 - Tyranny, Thy Name Is Grady

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired Mar 1, 1974

With Fred away in St. Louis, Grady rules the house with an iron fist.

8.24

33 votes

Directors: Stan Lathan

Writers: Gene Farmer

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#8 - Fred, the Reluctant Fingerman

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired Sep 28, 1973

After Fred witnesses a burglary at Julio's place but refuses to identify the culprits, Lamont and Julio turn the tables to show Fred the value of being a good neighbor.

8.23

62 votes

Directors: Jack Shea

Writers: Gene Farmer

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#9 - Hello, Cousin Emma...Goodbye, Cousin Emma

Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired Mar 29, 1974

Grady's cousin Emma comes to visit and tries to take advantage of his hospitality.

8.20

30 votes

Directors: Hal Cooper

Writers: Bill Manhoff

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#10 - A Matter of Life and Breath

Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired Feb 11, 1972

Lamont forces Fred to quit smoking and visit the doctor, but Fred becomes convinced he has tuberculosis.

8.19

114 votes

Directors: George Tyne

Writers: Aaron Ruben

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#11 - Fred's Cheating Heart

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired Feb 1, 1974

Fed up with all of Fred's fake heart attacks, Lamont forces his father to check into the hospital for tests.

8.16

31 votes

Directors: Stan Lathan

Writers: Ilunga Adell

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#12 - Here Today, Gone Today

Season 6 - Episode 14 - Aired Jan 7, 1977

To reupholster Fred's furniture as a gift, Lamont and Esther convince him the furniture was stolen, but Fred buys tacky new pieces with the insurance money.

8.11

19 votes

Directors: Bill Foster

Writers: Warren S. Murray

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#13 - Have Gun, Will Sell

Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired Nov 3, 1972

When Fred, Lamont and Rollo try to sell a gun at a pawn shop, they are mistaken for stickup bandits.

8.07

60 votes

Directors: Rick Edelstein

Writers: Adell Stevenson

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#14 - Wine, Women and Aunt Esther

Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired Dec 14, 1973

After the death of a friend, Fred and his buddies throw a party to feel young again but run out of gas long before they can make time with a group of younger women.

8.06

50 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Ilunga Adell

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#15 - The Light Housekeeper

Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired Dec 22, 1972

Lamont and Fred hire a maid who'd rather relax than work.

8.05

40 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Aaron Ruben, Lee Kalcheim

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#16 - The Return of the Barracuda

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired Apr 7, 1972

With Fred and Donna once again planning marriage, Lamont cooks up a scheme to drive them apart.

8.02

63 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Aaron Ruben

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#17 - Matchmaker, Matchmaker

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired Sep 20, 1974

After a relative leaves Lamont $7,000 if he weds and has a child, Fred visits a dating service to find Lamont a mate.

8.00

35 votes

Directors: Bill Foster

Writers: Jerry Ross

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#18 - Lamont, Is That You?

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired Oct 19, 1973

After Bubba spots Lamont and Rollo mistakenly entering a gay bar, an incredulous Fred tries to find out if his son has become a homosexual.

8.00

57 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Bob Illes, James R. Stein

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#19 - Pot Luck

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired Feb 23, 1973

Lamont tries to turn a fast buck on a commode that he thinks is a valuable antique.

8.00

35 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Aaron Ruben

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#20 - Fuentes, Fuentes, Sanford & Chico

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired Oct 26, 1973

Convinced that Lamont is abandoning the business, Fred takes a bed at a seedy flophouse.

7.98

54 votes

Directors: Jack Shea

Writers: Gene Farmer

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#21 - Presenting the Three Degrees

Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired Oct 5, 1973

Rollo and Lamont convince Fred to let their three-girl singing act stay at the house, but Fred and his rowdy friends ruin the opening performance.

7.98

48 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Ilunga Adell

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#22 - Whiplash

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired Sep 22, 1972

After getting in an accident with the truck, Fred feigns a whiplash injury to collect damages.

7.98

81 votes

Directors: Rick Edelstein

Writers: Allan Katz, Don Reo

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#23 - Will the Real Fred Sanford Please Do Something?

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired Feb 22, 1974

A confused woman visits the house, insisting that Grady is Fred, the man with whom she had spent a drunken evening.

7.96

28 votes

Directors: Stan Lathan

Writers: Aaron Ruben

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#24 - The Suitcase Case

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired Mar 31, 1972

Fred and Lamont find a large sum of money in an old suitcase but are soon visited by a gunman intent on taking the treasure.

7.96

78 votes

Directors: Peter Baldwin

Writers: Everett Greenbaum, Jim Fritzell

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆

#25 - The Masquerade Party

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired Jan 31, 1975

Fred and his pals don ridiculous costumes to win a prize for Lamont on a TV game show.

7.96

23 votes

Directors: Norman Abbott

Writers: Ted Bergman

Watch on Amazon

Rate This Episode:( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆( )☆