The WORST episodes of Step by Step
Every episode of Step by Step ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Step by Step!
Set in Port Washington, Wisconsin, Frank Lambert, a divorced contractor with 3 children, sons J.T. and Brendan and daughter Al, impulsively marries Carol Foster, a widowed beautician who also has 3 children, daughters Dana and Karen and son Mark. Both were residents of Port Washington, but met while vacationing separately in Jamaica. Their children are surprised and angered when they learn of the marriage. Stories depicted typical situations of a new blended family, their differences causing arguments and resentments between them, but the family eventually growing to tolerate and develop loyalty to one another
#1 - The Case of the Missing Diary
Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/29/1994
Cody is writing a 40's style mystery for his creative writing class. He gets an idea when Karen proclaims her diary is missing. His pun-filled story is played out by the Lambert/Foster family. Kitty Meow (Karen), who sings in the famous trio the Andrews step-sisters, lost her diary. The suspects are as follows: the other two Andrew's step-sisters (Dana and Al), the establishment's piano player (Brendan), comic (JT), and other singing act, Miss Honey Dew (Carol). With the help of the lab technician (Mark), Sam Spud (Cody) discovers it was Honey Dew. In real life, Al turns out to be the one who misplaced Karen's diary.
#2 - Dream Lover
Season 7 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/31/1997
After the cancellation of the best Halloween party in town, the clan (JT, Sam, Rich, Dana, Karen, and Al) decides to have a party in an abandoned, haunted house. They clean it up and the party turns out to be a success, and while everyone else is having a good time JT secludes himself to get advice from a ghost. He and Sam then break up yet remain friends. Lilly gets to have the house for her Halloween party and dresses like a sunflower. A friend of hers scares her. Lilly gets advice from Carol on how to deal with being scared and Lilly uses the advice to advise her friend who gets scared at the movie. Teddy T-Rex (Frank) was the life of the party-- he fell down the stairs and was attacked by the kids.
#3 - Birth of a Salesman
Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/11/1994
Urged by his parents to either apply to college or find a job, JT gets a part-time position as an assistant salesman in a used-car lot. Not only does he actually enjoy his new job, but it turns out that he's incredibly good at selling cars. He thanks Carol for getting him off his keister and making him get a job. He dreams of one day owning the car lot and gets in a commercial for the place. Dana is assigned to write an essay for her psychology class. After Mark and Karen's refusals, she has to hire Cody as a subject for her study. She writes that Cody is a nutcase, but her teacher claims that she is close-minded. She gets a ""D"" on the paper and has to do a makeup assignment on one person's dreams for a week, and although Cody volunteers, she refuses.
#4 - Roadie
Season 5 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/1995
Cody could leave town to tour with a rock star. Frank becomes obsessed with the kids' car.
#5 - Road Trip
Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 3/14/1997
JT and Rich convince Frank that they're mature enough to drive down to Mexico. After traveling almost the whole way they finally discover that Dana has stode away in the back seat. After reaching the border town of Tejada, they end up in jail, when Rich gives all his money to Dana and they can't pay for the burritos they just ate. Dana's mouthing off to the officer over what she sees as him trying to take advantage of her, only makes things worse. In the meantime, Carol has a bright idea. Frank should teach Jean-Luc how to drive. But for once he refuses and Carol takes her life in her own hands when she attempts to teach Jean-Luc herself.
#6 - Make Room for Daddy
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/9/1994
Carol and Frank go on a romantic getaway, but Carol can think of nothing but the baby. Mark meets a girl, but is surprised by her appearance.
#7 - Love, Port Washington Style
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/12/1993
Dana has been dumped--AGAIN-- just before Valentine's Day. She acts real moody and volunteers to work a double shift at the 50's cafe, since she is dateless. When a customer does show up, Dana snaps at him and he responds kindly, yet with an irritation of his own. They end up dating, as Dana leaves work early. Carol is so busy in the beauty salon that she solicits Frank's assistance. Frank does his best, which is not good enough. Frank burns a bald spot in some girl's hair. While Carol has to spend hours talking to her parents, Frank's style becomes popular with the high school crowd.
#8 - Don't Ask
Season 5 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/3/1995
Frank and Carol are overwhelmed by caring for everyone. Karen might get her big chance as a singer. Cody receives a surprise when he orders from a Russian mail-order catalogue.
#9 - Take This Job and ...
Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/10/1997
JT loses his fourth job of the month and can't even afford a date with Sam. JT convinces Sam to get her boss to hire him as an apprentice mechanic. JT is terrible and Sam is forced to fire him on the second day after he nearly kills the boss, twice. JT is frustrated and angry, but the only sympathy he gets is from the people who lost the pool (of how many days he would last at this job). Carol advises JT to not lose Sam because he is too proud to say, "I'm sorry." After JT apologizes to Sam, he gets a job that he is good at-- as a giant weiner. Meanwhile, Frank is delighted when he receives a dilapidated boat in lieu of payment on a job. He spends every free, waking hour fixing the boat. He annoys the whole family, and even though Carol supports him in front of the kids, she is concerned. Frank explains to Carol that his dream at one time was to buy a really nice boat and go sailing on the weekend. While he loved all seven kids, the only opportunity for
#10 - I'll Be Home for Christmas
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/16/1994
It's christmas time at the Lambert/Foster's and J.T. decides he's to old to spend Christmas with the family and he wants to go skiing with his buddies.Frank doesn't want him to, but doesn't object.J.T. realizes the minute they arrive at the cabin that he made a mistake and would rather go home.He calls Cody and confesses, but refuses to call Frank.Cody talks Frank into going to see J.T. and he admits he would rather be home with the family and Frank says he wants him home too.
#11 - The Big Date
Season 6 - Episode 13 - Aired 5/30/1997
Al's in for a disappointment when she discovers that her blind date is overweight-- and carrying an even heavier chip on his shoulder. Meanwhile, Carol's ""worry meter"" jumps off the scale when Dana, Rich, JT, and Sam check into a Chicago Hotel unsupervised.
#12 - Where Have You Gone, Joe DiMaggio?
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/28/1995
JT and Frank make a bet with Dana and Carol to wear a pregnancy outfit to see if they can cope and see how it is to be pregnant for 48 hours, but JT and Frank soon learn it's not easy being pregnant. They lose the bet and must get down on their knees and kiss Dana and Carol feet while they repeat that men are the weaker sex. Meanwhile, Brendan is stunned when his favorite baseball player turns out to be a ""dilweed.""
#13 - Shear Madness
Season 6 - Episode 22 - Aired 8/1/1997
Jean-Luc is asked to cut Hillary Clinton's hair and is so nervous he wants to decline the opportunity. He is finally able to decipher(through a conversation with Carol) that it all stems from his depression from his divorce. Frank disapproves of yet another of Al's dates. He then meets a guy just like him who he goes shopping with and sets up him up with Al. Al goes on a date with him, but afterward makes Frank agree to not interfere with her date life. She does, however, let him chase off a particularly bad date.
#14 - How the West Was Won
Season 6 - Episode 10 - Aired 5/9/1997
Frank's disappointment over the kids not cleaning up the house leads him to dream he's in the wild west, circa 1880. Here, it's up to the inebriated Sheriff Frank to clean up an rid the town of the vile, French gunslinger, Black Bart (aka Jean-Luc), who has a mind for trouble and his eyes on the sheriff's girl -- the lovely Miss Kitty (aka Carol).
#15 - Secret Admirer
Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/9/1996
Frank buys Carol a fake Swiss Rolet watch (for Valentine's Day) and pretends it is the real thing. Carol feels so bad about Frank spending too much money that she tries to return it, and gets thrown in jail. When Frank bails her out, she tells him that she loved the watch because it was from him, and that the most important thing is honesty. Frank sweeps Carol off her feet with one of Cody's letters, but Carol is even more impressed that he tells the truth about it. Dana gets dumped just before Valentine's Day and turns into the man-hater she can be. Cody writes her ""Secret Admirer"" love letters to help lighten her up, hence improving her personality. It works perfectly and allows Dana to get a boy that she really likes.
#16 - Animal House
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/1994
Cody joins a college fraternity (Delta Delta Beta),to be cool.But finds the way they treat woman disgusting after Karen attends a party with him. Meanwhile joins the schoolband.
#17 - Double Date
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/21/1993
Carol sets up Karen with Freddy, who is a 153 on Karen's grading scale. Karen, however, prefers Jeffrey (a 195). Despite disappointing Carol, Karen accepts a date with Jeffrey and dumps Freddy by lying to him. She sneaks out of the house to go with Jeff and they win Perfect Couple right after Freddy confronts Karen. She refuses the award and finishes the evening with Freddy. Carol does not like the way Frank organizes his money. She tries to make him use a male purse, but he refuses. He concentrates his efforts on putting an alarm on Lucille because Cody had his stereo stolen out of it. The alarm was so good Frank got stuck in the van demonstrating it.
#18 - Back to School
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/3/1995
JT realizes that he can not find a good job, unless he goes to college. He struggles to study and fails his first test, but with the help of Mark and Cody discovers that he has dyslexia. Carol wants to get the future baby into The Sutton Academy, a prestigious pre-school, and sets up an appointment with a couple of representatives from that school. They insult the Lamberts, and Frank and Carol throw them out. Mark and Gabrielle have a hard time controlling themselves while playing Ping-Pong and even while walking.
#19 - Maid to Order
Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/27/1995
J.T. hires a beautiful model to clean the house. Carol exposes her competitive nature when Karen competes to be head cheerleader.
#20 - The "L" Word
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 4/4/1997
Frank and Jean Luc go camping to do a little ""Male-Bonding"". Frank tells Jean Luc not to tell anyone he's a contractor, beccause he doesn't want everyone asking him to fix this and that.So Jean Luc tells the couple next door there certainly not hairstylists,but there brain Surgeons.Turns out the lady is pregnant and she goes into labor just as her husband goes fishing.So Frank and Jean Luc have to deliver the baby. Meanwhile, back at home Dana begins to question her relationship with Rich when an old friend from high school, now attending Harvard, tries to woo her away. Rich gets jealous and forbids her to see him,which only makes Dana laugh.She then accepts an invitation to go with her friend for the weekend to visit the Harvard campus.Rich shows up and things get crazy.
#21 - Just Say Maybe
Season 6 - Episode 4 - Aired 3/28/1997
The kids all head off to Rockfest 97, causing Carol (as usual) to worry they might misbehave. Just as she had feared they are tested. when Al's morals are put to the test when she's tempted to try marijuana. Meanwhile, when Patti, Carol's friend from high school, finds herself being ignored by her husband, she develops a crush on Jean-Luc.
#22 - Absolutely Fabio
Season 6 - Episode 11 - Aired 5/16/1997
Jean-Luc keeps the kids in suspense when he tells them he's cutting the hair of a popular celebrity. Fabio guest stars as himself. Meanwhile, Rich and Dana try to control, unsuccesfully, Lilly's birthday party.
#23 - Reality Bites
Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 4/25/1997
When JT and Rich squander their money and can't pay the rent on their new apartment, they are evicted by their landlord -- Frank. Meanwhile, because his daughter, Danielle, is in France and her birthday is drawing near, Jean-Luc spoils Lilly with an abundance of gifts to ease his pain over not being able to be with his daughter. In the end Carol works it out so Danielle can come stateside and see her father.
#24 - A Star is Born
Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/26/1997
After explaining to the guys the various virtues of getting the role in the next Jeremy Beck movie; Karen, Dana, and Al audition for the part. Karen and Dana are not quite what the producers want, but Al is just what they are looking for. Al also has great acting talent and does a fantastic job. She does so well that they rewrite the script to include her in another scene. Al loves it and decides to quit school and move to Hollywood. Frank and her agree that she can join the drama club and, if necessary, move to Hollywood afterward. Lilly is having a bake sale so she and Carol are making cookies. When Lilly's friend, Traci, and her mother make fun of the Lambert duo and their cookies. Carol takes it personally and makes a dessert that is loaded with alcohol that will knock the socks off of Traci and her mother's dessert. Then Lilly doesn't want to use it because she didn't help and they use the cookies after all.
#25 - Feeling Forty
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/25/1994
Worried about turning forty, Carol exercies and diets with Karen. When Karen steps out, Carol sees a commercial for Skinny Tabs and orders them. She loses three pounds, but possesses so much energy that she drives everybody crazy and is constantly talking and working. Frank tells her that he loves her for who she is, not just her body. Al has to write a report on Abe Lincoln, but all the books on him are checked out. Cody takes her to Madame Sonya and he encounters Lincoln. Al does not believe and therefore, she does not see Abe, but she has a great idea for her report-- Abe in the 20th Century. Cody gives Abe's golf scorecard to Carol for her birthday.