The BEST episodes of Sports Night season 1
Every episode of Sports Night season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Sports Night season 1!
Sports Night ran nearly two full seasons on the ABC network in the US during the '98-99 and '99-00 seasons. Smart, fast-paced, witty and featuring a fine ensemble cast, Sports Night struggled in the ratings from the start, particularly during its second season, when it was routinely pre-empted and moved from night to night. Art imitated life imitating art, as the show took on a consultant, was hired to "tweak" the ratings. The show within a show continued to falter, amidst rumors of the imminent sale of its network and the subsequent gutting of its staff, until it, like its parent Sports Night, simply disappeared from the schedule.
#1 - The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/15/1998
A southern African American football player and five other students refuse to play at a Tennessee college where the Confederate flag is hung. Luther Sachs the owner of CSC and alumnus of the college sides with the college, but Isaac disagrees and says so on the show. Casey goes on "The View" and takes credit for his wardrobe, which he doesn't deserve and this leads Dan and another staffer to teach him that the show is a team.
#2 - Napoleon's Battle Plan
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/27/1999
Gordon has proposed to Dana, and Casey is seething, but tells Dan he plans to ""take the high road' and follow Napoleon's Battle Plan: Show up and see what happens next. Dan reminds Casey that Napoleon lost at Waterloo and died in exile, and announces his intention to ""step in"". So Dan tells Natalie about Gordon's fling with Sally. Natalie runs straight to Dana, who confronts Gordon who, in turn, tells Dana about Casey's fling with Sally. Then Dana confronts Sally, who reveals she has been sleeping with Casey for months. Confused? You won't be on the tonight's episode of . . . oh wait, that's another show!
#3 - Dana and the Deep Blue Sea
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/9/1999
Having been rebuffed by Rebecca, Dan turns to Casey for help in dating her. Casey, still wrestling with his feelings for Dana, refuses. Next Dan turns to Jeremy in his efforts to be ""more than friends"" with Rebecca. Meanwhile, Dana agrees to go snorkeling with Gordon even though she is terrified of fish. Casey: ""Sometimes you just stand there -- hip-deep in pie."" Rebecca [to Jeremy]: ""Is everyone who works on your show deranged?""
#4 - Sally
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/23/1999
When Casey has a one-night stand and does not tell anyone, the entire staff, led by Dan, prods him for details. After Gordon cancels a date with Dana, she questions the status and future of their relationship. Jewish Jeremy, panics when he is set to visit Natalie's parents for a Catholic holiday, he knows nothing of.
#5 - Mary Pat Shelby
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/20/1998
Dana is excited to be getting a notorious football player, Christian Patrick on the show. The staff is not when his lawyers force them to not mention the ex-girlfriend he badly abused, Mary Pat Shelby. When Natalie goes to pre interview him, he assaults her. Dana's decision about whether to break the story is a difficult one, and it is not the same as Dan and Casey's. Also Dan wrestles with whether or not to get a goatee and Dana realizes her absence of a sense of humor.
#6 - Eli's Coming
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/30/1999
Dan's day is not shaping up to be a good one as Bobbi Bernstein returns to the broadcast, and he discovers Rebecca's husband hasn't quite reached ""ex"" status. Meanwhile, Casey and Dana's bickering escalates until news that Isaac has suffered a stroke reaches the staff.
#7 - The Quality of Mercy at 29K
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/1/1998
The team broadcasts an Everest climb, the first one since 1954. Jeremy realizes he's got something to live for, Natalie. Casey searches for food, as Dan searches for a charity to give to. Dana takes her niece to see ""The Lion King"", and discovers a love of the theater.
#8 - Dear Louise
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/10/1998
Jeremy writes a letter to his deaf sister about his new job at Sports Night. In it he describes the last few days there, including Dan's writer's block and the beating of an 80-year-old Negro League ball player, Archibald Russell. He also talks about his love for Natalie. Isaac's mad that his daughter is dating a Republican and Casey tries to annoy Gordon, Dana's new man.
#9 - Ordnance Tactics
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/6/1999
Isaac's in the hospital, the network brass is all over Dana, Jeremy wants to break up with Natalie, Rebecca may go back to her husband and Casey continues to see Sally -- something's bound to explode -- let's hope it's not a bomb in the building!
#10 - What Kind of Day Has it Been
Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/4/1999
Season One Finale. Gordon has an announcement for Dana. Dan helps Casey and his son Charlie with a problem. Dana has a big new camera and she's threatening to use it. Isaac's back!
#11 - How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/9/1999
A televised tennis match heads into overtime, delaying the start of Sports Night and forcing Dana to choose between canceling a date with Gordon and handing the show over to Sally. Meanwhile, Jeremy uses the delay to write to Louise; and Dan's charms are beginning to work on Rebecca.
#12 - The Apology
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1998
Dan is misunderstood on his opinion over marijuana and the law. When Luther Sachs reads this, he demands an on-air apology; Isaac seconds it, as does Dana. But no one will answer as to whom he should be apologizing to. Casey worries about why he is not considered ""cool"" like Dan is. Dan is stalked by one of the CSC fitness show stars.
#13 - Intellectual Property
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/1998
Casey spins out of control, due to jealousy when Dana starts seriously dating Gordon. He swats flies that no one else can see, kicks fire hydrants and other odd behavior. Dana, Natalie, and Jeremy wonder where all their ""good"" ideas went and CSC has to pay royalties after Dan sings Casey ""Happy Birthday"" on the air.
#14 - Rebecca
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/26/1999
Rumors spread about Isaac's job status when the Wall Street Journal reports the recent trouble between Luther Sachs and Sports Night. J.J. begs Isaac to let him forward messages to Luther instead of Isaac doing it himself. This leads Isaac to realize that J.J. is the only one to gain if there is turmoil between the show and company. Maybe J.J. is starting trouble? Dana is nervous that Gordon is going to dump her because she is so preoccupied with work. Dan feels he should apologize for not calling Rebecca after he met her in the elevator. She doesn't remember him, though.
#15 - Smoky
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/5/1999
Certain employees try to position themselves for a promotion when rumors of Isaac's leaving start to circulate.
#16 - The Head Coach, Dinner and the Morning Mail
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/27/1998
This episodes title represents it three main themes. "The Head Coach" involves Casey's harsh treatment on a coach's bad decision. "The Dinner" is about Jeremy's major decision about where to take Natalie on their first date. And the morning mail is about the hate mail Natalie receives after the events of last week's episode.
#17 - The Sword of Orion
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/1999
Hit hard by the news of his parents' impending divorce, Jeremy pushes himself to solve the mystery of a yachting disaster. This will be his first feature length story. Meanwhile, romance is in the air when Rebecca agrees to watch a baseball game with Dan.
#18 - Ten Wickets
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/13/1999
Jeremy can't figure out how to report a great story no-one understands. Natalie doesn't accept Jeremy's attempts to break up with her. Rebecca gives Dan her decision. Dana starts losing things and Casey doesn't want to stop the Jerry Falwell jokes.
#19 - Shoe Money Tonight
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/1998
It's snowing in Pittsburgh so, the anchors of the 2 AM West Coast Update are stuck and the staff have to stay to do the show. Instead of going to Atlantic City, Dan and Casey and the staff have a poker tournament. Natalie is angry with Jeremy because he skipped an outing with her to go play tennis with an old girlfriend who is now an actress. Casey approves a rundown from the 2AM producer, Sally without consulting Dana, making her feel very angry and unappreciated. Isaac is shrinking.
#20 - The Hungry and the Hunted
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/6/1998
Jeremy gets the ""call"" from Isaac and Dana, to go out on assignment for CSC's hunting show. While he wants to move up, he has a problem with hunting animals. Natalie tries to orchestrate romance between Casey and Dana, during one of Luther Sach's parties. Technical errors occur on the set.
#21 - Small Town
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/12/1999
It's Dana and Casey's night off, and neither wants to take it. They decide to double date, Dana with Gordon and Casey with Lisa a lawyer who's on a blind date. Natalie is left to produce the show for the first time, and has to handle an 11th hour trade, which in its chaos, Isaac and Jeremy question her authority. Casey's replacement is Bobbi Bernstein a psychotic woman who thinks that Dan slept with her in Spain and never called.
#22 - Thespis
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/1998
November 23rd marks the birthday of Thespis, the Greek God of Theater. A legend states that on his birthday he has been known to haunt live productions, and for the first half-hour of it, Sports Night is targeted. This date also is the anniversary of Dan and Casey's first broadcast, and Casey can't remember. Issac worries over his expecting daughter, and Dana worries about making Thanksgiving for her mother.
#23 - Pilot
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/1998
Already at odds with the network over Casey's recent lack of professionalism, the team is struggling to get the go-ahead to air a human interest feature on an African runner who's about to compete in his first major race since recovering from a potentially career-ending leg injury. Natalie finds herself attracted to Jeremy, a nerdy but knowledgeable applicant for an opening on the production team