The BEST episodes of The Partridge Family
Every episode of The Partridge Family ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Partridge Family!
In 1970, the Partridge Family was among the top-selling recording acts, not to mention one of the top-rated TV shows of its time. Either way, it made David Cassidy a successful teen idol until the show's cancellation in 1974. The Partridge Family consisted of Shirley Partridge (keyboards, vocals) and her five kids: Keith (lead vocalist and guitar), Laurie (keyboards, vocals), Danny (bass guitar, vocals), Chris (drums), and Tracy (tambourine). Rounding out the cast was their manager, Reuben Kincaid.
#1 - Trial of the Partridge One
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/19/1973
Classmate Cindy gives Laurie an envelope to give to a teacher. When Laurie does, the teacher says it is the stolen exam answers for math and blames Laurie for taking them. Laurie hopes that Cindy will confess it was her that took them.
#2 - A Likely Candidate
Season 3 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/3/1972
A politician running for office asks the Partridge family to perform at one of his rallies. Shirley goes out with him to discuss political views and they form a close bond. Keith is jealous and work for his campaign to keep an eye on him.
#3 - Each Dawn I Diet
Season 3 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/6/1972
Danny wants to lose weight to impress a girl. Shirley puts him on a diet. After a week, he weighs more because of cheating. Ruben teases him about no will power so they decide to tackle their own vices - Danny's food and Ruben's smoking.
#4 - Who is Max Ledbetter and Why is He Saying All Those Terrible Things?
Season 2 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/17/1972
The Partridges hire a psychic performer for Tracy's birthday party. Keith and Danny keep asking for predictions about their lives, so the psychic asks them to help his failing business from a foreclosure.
#5 - Hate Thy Neighbor
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/15/1973
During a practice session, a young boy walks into the garage. He & his family just moved into the neighborhood. The mother does not like show business and calls the police every time the family practices. A battle of wills ensues.
#6 - This Male Chauvinist Piggy Went to Market
Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/15/1972
Its role reversal time in the Partridge household as Keith takes home economics and Laurie takes auto shop. Keith's struggles with cooking make him the target of barbs from the school bully, and things really heat up when Laurie gives the tough a Judo flip. Keith is then challenged to a fight, and must face up to the bully even if it means getting his face turned to hamburger.
#7 - A Man Called Snake
Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/1971
Keith gave an interview for a magazine and revealed that Laurie has a crush on a classmate, Harry Murphy. Laurie is upset and says it is the wrong name anyway. A motorcyclist, Harry Murphy, comes to visit Laurie to see who she is as a joke.
#8 - I Am Curious Partridge
Season 2 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/28/1972
Danny gets a job writing articles about the Partridge Family for the local newspaper. To be sure his article is a success, he embellishes the truth about the family.
#9 - Swiss Family Partridge
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/10/1972
The Partridge Family perform at a ski resort. After their two week tour, they head for a vacation at a secluded rustic cabin in the mountains. Their days of relaxation turns into mud slides, constant rain, and gloom.
#10 - The Eleven-Year Itch
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/2/1973
Shirley's recent boyfriend, the politician, comes to town. He brings his daughter along. While Shirley and Dick enjoy being together, his daughter has a crush on Danny and he cannot escape her.
#11 - None But the Onely
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/1973
Keith wants to date the new girl in school, but she does not want to go with him because he has a love 'em and leave 'em reputation. He wants Laurie to convince Dina to go out with him.
#12 - Heartbreak Keith
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/10/1973
At college, Keith enrolls in a sociology course. He is partnered with an older woman to work on a paper. He finds himself attracted to her despite the fact that she is not only older, but also married.
#13 - Al in the Family
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/24/1973
While Ruben is out of town, his nephew takes over managing the Partridges. He is not cut out for the job.
#14 - Danny and the Mob
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/6/1970
Danny gives stock advice to a very attractive cocktail waitress during the family's engagement in Las Vegas. However, the girl's very jealous boyfriend sends a couple of his goons to rough Danny because he thinks Danny is a much older man trying to steal his girl. A frightened Danny then runs away in terror thinking that he is about to be rubbed out by the mob.
#15 - See Here, Private Partridge
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/16/1970
Danny receives a letter from the Draft Board that he's been drafted into the United States Army. Shirley contacts he Draft Board and tries to convince them that Danny is 10, but they won't listen to her; on top of that, they say the Draft Board doesn't make mistakes, and he is to report. Now the family has to try once again to convince the Army that Danny is too young to serve - and so he reports as ordered.
#16 - Waiting for Bolero
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/21/1972
Keith wants his own apartment so he can have some peace and quiet to write music. Shirley reluctantly agrees to let him move into a room in the house next door. Having his own place is not what he expects.
#17 - My Heart Belongs to a Two-Car Garage
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/4/1972
Chris and Tracy invite a street worker into their home. He says he is a world-class Russian painter and says he can paint a work of art on their garage door. The completed picture is a nude woman that all the neighbors complain about.
#18 - A Knight in Shining Armor
Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/19/1971
The Partridges meet Bobby Conway, a composer who plays beautiful music and who is looking for a lyricist. They introduce him to Lionel Poindexter, whose poetry could provide excellent lyrics for Bobby's music but Lionel's many eccentricities may drive Bobby away instead.
#19 - Forty-Year Itch
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/19/1971
Shirley's father visits and announces he left home and plans to go to Big Sur. Minutes later, her mother shows up and says she ran away. Both parents are determined to split up. The Partridges must find a way to bring them together again.
#20 - Beethoven, Brahms, and Partridge
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/29/1973
Keith's newest girlfriend is a cellist in the school band. Rachel thinks Keith is wasting his talent on rock and roll songs, and convinces him to write a piece of classical music.
#21 - A Day of Honesty
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/1973
Danny goes to see a movie but sneaks in without paying. He is caught, and Shirley imposes a punishment on the whole family by having everyone be totally honest for 24-hours.
#22 - They Shoot Managers, Don't They?
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/12/1971
Ruben meets a woman and it seems like love. They talk of marriage, but she wants Ruben to stop managing the band. Shirley tells him the Partridges can find another manager and to follow his heart. Then the Partridges realize they need Ruben.
#23 - A Partridge Up a Pear Tree
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/19/1971
Keith has a new, albeit junk, car. He keeps putting money into restoring the car and make car payments. Out of money, Keith turns to Danny for help. Danny puts Keith on a tight budget so he can have money for the car and to go to the prom. Shirley suggests that Keith get a job to make extra money. He first becomes a trainee to a plumber, but can't quite get the knack of plumbing. Then he tries to learn to become a salesman of a vegetable slicer, but ends up buying the slicer for his mother. His attempt at a newspaper route ends disastrously when he sees a beautiful girl walk by.
#24 - This is My Song
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/4/1970
When Keith is worried that he may not be able to write songs anymore because he's "written out", Danny decides that it's time for him to become the group's songwriter.
#25 - For Sale by Owner
Season 3 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/29/1972
The Partridges start looking at new homes, but first have to sell their current home. Shirley keeps making it difficult for prospective buyers to buy the house so they take it off the market. Ruben accidentally signs a contract to sell.