The BEST episodes of The Partridge Family season 1
Every episode of The Partridge Family season 1, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Partridge Family season 1!
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 - Danny and the Mob
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/6/1970
A mobster thinks that stock-market whiz Danny is after his lady.
#2 - See Here, Private Partridge
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/16/1970
When Danny mistakenly receives a draft notice, he becomes convinced that he will have to join the military.
#3 - Whatever Happened to the Old Songs?
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/9/1970
Shirley's father wants to tour with the family and perform his outdated songs.
#4 - What? And Get Out of Show Business?
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/25/1970
Recent widow Shirley Partridge joins up with her talented children to form a singing group.
#5 - But the Memory Lingers On
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/13/1970
While the family is at a picnic, a skunk wanders onto the bus and creates a big stink.
#6 - Love at First Slight
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/30/1970
Keith is annoyed by the young girls who follow him around and frustrated when he can't break through with the object of his affections.
#7 - A Partridge Up a Pear Tree
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 2/19/1971
Keith has a new possession... a 1952 Hudson... which is his pride and joy. The car is a lemon, however, and Keith has borrowed money from everyone in the family to make payments and fix it. Danny decides to become his business manager and teach him how to handle money. Keith can't bring himself to tell Carol, his girlfriend, that he is broke. Instead, he takes her to a kiddie show and gives her homemade popcorn. She tries to get Keith to tell her the truth, but when he refuses she runs away hurt. As Keith tries to follow her in the car... it breaks down again. 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.
#8 - The Sound of Money
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/2/1970
Reuben and the kids try to expose a man who wants to win a large financial sum from Shirley after a minor traffic accident.
#9 - They Shoot Managers, Don't They?
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/12/1971
The Partridge Family's concern about manager Reuben Kincaid leads them to believe he needs a wife. After one unsuccessful attempt by Danny, Shirley decides to do some matchmaking of her own. She has a barbecue and invites Reuben and Cathleen D'arcy, a wealthy cosmetic manufacturer. For Cathleen and Reuben, it's love at first sight, and it isn't long before they announce their marriage plans to the family. Bad news accompanies the good when Reuben tells them that he'll no longer be able to manage the group because Cathleen wants him to handle all of her affairs. He does, however, set up one last booking for the family and after going over the details, he bids a sad farewell to Shirley and the kids. When the family arrives in Miami Beach for their show, everything starts to go wrong their hotel room is too small, the new press agent never shows up and there's a dispute over their contract.
#10 - This is My Song
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/4/1970
Keith has been having a dry spell; he has not been able to write a new song and the group has a live record date in two weeks. Danny offers to help by knocking out a couple of quick tunes, and everyone laughs at him. To prove he can do it, Danny locks himself in his room and refuses to come out until he has a song. He finally comes up with what he thinks is a new melody, but he is informed that it is the one he heard on TV the night before. The next 'original' song he comes up with just happens to be "Born Free." That night Keith gets a sudden inspiration and begins to work it out on his guitar. The walls are thin between his bedroom and Danny's and as Danny is falling asleep, he hears the melody from Keith's guitar. In the morning Danny hums the notes while Laurie writes them down... and he is convinced he is a genius. He doesn't believe Keith who tells him that his new song is Keith's.
#11 - Why Did the Music Stop?
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/22/1971
Shirley gets the notion that show biz may be robbing the kids of a normal life. Thinking that the hectic grind may be too much of a strain on them, she takes them all for a medical checkup only to find that they're in perfect health. Still convinced that they're missing something, Shirley tells them that she thinks they should quit show business for six months. All are baffled by the announcement except Laurie, because she thinks that the reason for Shirley's sudden decision is handsome, eligible Jim Lucas, Shirley's former doctor. When Laurie tells the others, they agree not to stand in the way of Shirley's happiness, and after consenting to the six month rest, Shirley thinks she was right about her fears. Several days later, the kids are bored to death without their music and, feeling they're sacrificing in vain, Danny plays matchmaker by finding Jim and dropping a not-so-subtle hint that Shirley is always at home.
#12 - To Play or Not to Play?
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/5/1971
When the Partridges arrive at a nightclub called "The Two Hall Inn" Laurie receives a warm greeting from an old friend Marc Baldwin. Marc, who once attended Laurie's high school, is putting himself through college by working at the club. There's barely enough time for introductions when club owner Harry Marino comes out, orders Marc back to the kitchen and the family inside for rehearsals. After Shirley and the kids run through one number, they see Marc come storming out of the kitchen with Marino shouting right behind him. Laurie learns that Marc and the rest of the Marino's employees (all of whom are college students) are going to strike... for better pay and better working conditions since the kitchen is hazardously outdated. Laurie, deciding it would be morally wrong to cross their picket lines refuses to perform. Shirley realizes Laurie's sense of moral obligation, but there's also the family's legal obligation to consider.
#13 - Old Scrapmouth
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/15/1971
Dr. Kessler, the family dentist, tells Shirley that Laurie will have to wear braces. Laurie isn't in the best of moods when Shirley breaks the news because her boyfriend, Jerry, was supposed to ask her to go steady that day but lost his nerve. After hearing about the braces, Laurie is sure Jerry will never ask her. The next day, Laurie returns from the dentist with her mouth full of metal. She broods in her room; refusing to speak unless it's absolutely necessary and then only with her hand over her mouth. Meanwhile, Reuben shows up... proudly announcing that he's set up an appearance on the nationwide Wink Burgess TV Show, which will be taped the following day. The thought of being on coast-to-coast television horrifies Laurie, but she agrees to do the show. The next day, Wink Burgess and his entire crew arrive for the taping. When Burgess tells Laurie to smile for the camera, she storms out of the house in tears and hides in the bus.
#14 - When Mother Gets Married
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/23/1970
Reuben and the kids suspect that Shirley's new love interest is not what he seems.
#15 - A Knight in Shining Armor
Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/19/1971
The Partridge Family and Reuben return home one night after a long trip and are awakened by loud music. To their surprise, they discover a young man, Bobby Conway, playing his tapes in their garage. Bobby explains that he has waited one week for their return so that he could play his music for them. But he doesn't write lyrics and the Partridges don't perform instrumentals. Danny remembers some poems they received in the mail and suggests they try to find the author, Lionel Poindexter, who lives in Denver. The Partridges and Bobby travel to Denver and find Lionel who is a bit strange. He greets them dressed in a full suit of armor; one of his jobs is distributing leaflets on the street for a product called Sir Lancelot Plums. Lionel tells the group that he is tone deaf but will listen to Bobby's tapes to see if he can come up with lyrics. Bobby discovers that Lionel has all his jobs to enable him to give gifts to the orphanage where he was raised.
#16 - Star Quality
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/18/1970
Sheila Faber, a famous syndicated columnist, writes an item about the Partridge Family after catching their performance. However her article singles out Danny – praising him for his "personal magnetism" and "star quality." When Danny reads Sheila's column, all the praise goes straight to his head and that night he dreams he leaves the family act and becomes the biggest star in show business. The next night, he calls Reuben Kincaid and Danny's mysterious urgency has Reuben on the next plane. When Reuben arrives, Danny proceeds to tell him about his plans to leave the act and make it a single, stressing that his only reason for this decision is financial security for his family don't know what to make of Danny's strange behavior or Reuben's unexplained visit. A few days later, Shirley sees children and their mothers heading for the garage. When she goes to investigate, she finds Danny holding Danny holding auditions to find his replacement and Shirley learns of his plans.
#17 - Soul Club
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/29/1971
Booked for a weekend stint in Detroit, the Partridge Family and manager Reuben Kincaid get quite a surprise when they see the club where they are supposed to perform. Called "The Fire House," the club is just an old fire house in the ghetto. Owners Sam and A.E. Simon started the club as an inexpensive place of entertainment for the people living in the black neighborhood... but they're in debt to a loan shark named Heavy, who can't wait to take the club away from them and will use any gangster-tactic in the book to do it. When Shirley learns that The Temptations were supposed to appear at the "Fire House" and not the family and after discussing it with the Simons, it's apparent that Heavy deliberately had the bookings mixed up so that Sam and A.E. wouldn't be able to make their last payment. In an effort to help, Shirley and the kids give a free performance, but Heavy and his boys see to it that there is no audience.
#18 - The Red Woodloe Story
Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/1/1971
For years it has been rumored that Red Woodloe, one of the country's best known folk composers, is dead. Shirley Partridge recognizes the famous composer when passing by an obscure country church and gets Reuben to try to get Red. The old musician, who has been passing the hat after fiddling on street corners, at first seems overjoyed at the prospect of playing with one of the hottest recording groups in the country. Woodloe has visions of Woodstock as Reuben searches around for possible bookings. To the Partridge Family's dismay, no one wants to book Red because he's been away from things for so long. Determined that the famous folk composer be given a chance to be heard, Shirley gets Reuben to book him into their act. Just as he's about to be introduced, Red Woodloe sneaks out a back door and runs out on an audience and a family, the Partridges, who had virtually made him one of their clan.
#19 - Did You Hear the One About Danny Partridge?
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/20/1970
When Danny becomes convinced that he is a comedian, the family can't tell him that he isn't really funny.
#20 - Mom Drops Out
Season 1 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/8/1971
Logan Mayes, a middle-aged concert promoter who tries to dress and act just a little too "cool," arranges a European tour for the Partridge Family but the contract doesn't include Shirley. Logan thinks she won't appeal to a young European audience and doesn't want her in the group. Shirley knows the kids will never accept Logan's contract but she doesn't want them to miss out on a trip to Europe. So, she announces her retirement, telling the kids that she's tired of show business and wants to go back to being the kids that she's tired of show business and wants to go back to being just a mother. The next day, Keith and Laurie go to Logan's hotel room and learn the real reason behind Shirley's sudden resignation. Furious, they try to get their mother back in the group by deliberately messing up a nightclub performance in front of Logan. When that fails, they all decide to quit until Shirley tells them she'll join the group after the tour.
#21 - Not With My Sister, You Don't
Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/5/1971
Tall, handsome Lester Braduck transfers to Keith and Laurie's high school and within two weeks he has taken out half the girls. Keith and the other boys are having fits. Meanwhile, Laurie comes home very excited one day and announces that Lester has asked her out. Keith tells Shirley about Lester's Don Juan reputation at school, but Shirley replies that the rumors could be false. Besides, she has enough trust in her daughter... but Shirley talks to Laurie anyway. Laurie assures her that Lester is very shy and the girls are annoying him. Keith goes up to Lester at school and introduces himself. He asks if Lester would like to double with him and a girl when he takes Laurie out. Lester says yes, but when he hears who the girls are that Keith would invite, he refuses since he has already taken them out. Laurie goes on the date and Keith and Danny follow in the bus.
#22 - A Partridge by Any Other Name
Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/12/1971
Preparing for a Canadian tour the Family must have their birth certificates. The attic produces certificates for all except Danny; his is not to be found. When introduced to the Family, booking agent Marty Burns jokingly refuses to believe Danny is a Partridge, "not with that hair and those ears," and Danny is convinced he is an adopted child. Shirley tries hard to talk him out of his belief, but Reuben and the others, in trying to kid Danny about his origin, only confirm his opinion he is not a Partridge. At the hospital where all the others were born Danny finds there is no record of his birth. Heartbroken, he refuses to believe Shirley's story that he was born unexpectedly while the family was on a picnic and thus missed the "regular" hospital. On a return visit to the hospital Danny learns the name of the one male child born there on his birthday is a son to Mr. & Mrs. Young.
#23 - Road Song
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 2/26/1971
The Partridge family and Reuben are eating in a seedy restaurant in New Mexico when a young girl, Maggie Newton, comes up to them and asks for a ride to Albuquerque. She tells them she is going to see her father who is an archaeologist. After they leave, a patrolman enters the restaurant and asks the waitress if she has seen a young girl. The picture he shows her is of Maggie. When the bus arrives at a hotel, Maggie says goodbye and goes on. The patrolman comes to the motel and tells Shirley he is looking for Maggie and when Shirley and Reuben find Maggie the next day, they ask her why the police are after her. She doesn't tell them the truth but they learn from a sheriff in Kumquist, New Mexico, that Maggie is a runaway she lives with her grandparents in Nebraska but runs away every other week to her father in Albuquerque. Shirley tells the sheriff that she will be responsible for getting Maggie together with her grandparents.
#24 - My Son, the Feminist
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/11/1970
Shirley Partridge receives a call from the school principal, George Clauson, asking her if she and her family are identified with women's liberation. There is a poster in school saying that they will sing at a rally for POW, Power of Women. Shirley tries to find out which member of her family committed them to this appearance. She learns that it is Keith; his new girlfriend Tina Newcomb is very involved in the movement and has taken Keith's maybe for a definite yes. Shirley has to confront angry, hostile parents who are called "Morality Watchdogs." She tries to keep calm in the face of their threats, but she finally blows up and says that her family will definitely appear at the rally. Keith invites Tina to dinner so that his family can finally meet her and they are shocked with what she has to say on the subject of women's lib. Keith is annoyed and when he takes her home, he refuses to walk her to the door or even kiss her. He tells her that if she wants equality, she can have it.
#25 - Go Directly to Jail
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/27/1970
After performing at a penitentiary, the family must stay overnight in a jail cell.