The BEST episodes of The Partridge Family season 3

Every episode of The Partridge Family season 3, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Partridge Family season 3!

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.

Last Updated: 12/2/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
Trial of the Partridge One
star
9.50
2 votes

#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.

Directors: Jerry London
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A Likely Candidate
star
8.50
4 votes

#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.

Directors: Herb Wallerstein
Writer: Martin Cohan
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Each Dawn I Diet
star
8.40
5 votes

#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.

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M is for the Many Things
star
8.29
7 votes

#4 - M is for the Many Things

Season 3 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/1972

Shirley is awarded Mother of the Year by a magazine. The family travel by bus to Sacramento to accept the award. Taking the back road leads them to wrong turns, lost wallet, traffic tickets, and other annoyances.

Directors: Lou Antonio
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Swiss Family Partridge
star
8.00
7 votes

#5 - 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.

Directors: Lou Antonio
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Aspirin at 7, Dinner at 8
star
8.00
3 votes

#6 - Aspirin at 7, Dinner at 8

Season 3 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/5/1973

Shirley has a first date with a pediatrician. At dinner, he orders the food so Shirley does not eat fat, cholesterol, salt, or other negative food items. She tries to discourage him from another date, but he is persistent.

Directors: Bob Claver
Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Eleven-Year Itch
star
8.00
3 votes

#7 - 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.

Directors: Richard Kinon
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex... but Couldn't Pronounce
star
8.00
3 votes

#8 - Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex... but Couldn't Pronounce

Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/23/1973

School finals are approaching and Keith has a problem in one course. America's heartthrob is failing Sex Education. The teacher seems to be picking on Keith and it takes some work to find out why it seems like that.

Directors: Bob Claver
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
This Male Chauvinist Piggy Went to Market
star
7.91
11 votes

#9 - 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.

Directors: Richard Kinon
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Princess and the Partridge
star
7.86
7 votes

#10 - Princess and the Partridge

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/29/1972

A princess flies into town with the express purpose of having a date with Keith. They find it difficult to act natural around each other until the princess tells all to relax. Keith & the princess manage to slip away from bodyguards.

Directors: Richard Kinon
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Modfather
star
7.80
5 votes

#11 - The Modfather

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/27/1972

Shirley's parents visit, and they try to find a hidden meaning from every sound and sentence when these are simple every day things. Soon, the Partridge family is finding faults with everything and arguing with each other.

Directors: E.W. Swackhamer
Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
I Left My Heart in Cincinnati
star
7.75
4 votes

#12 - I Left My Heart in Cincinnati

Season 3 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/26/1973

While the Partridges perform several days at an amusement park, Keith meets the public relations host. Keith has a crush on her.

Directors: Bob Claver
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Whatever Happened to Keith Partridge?
star
7.67
3 votes

#13 - Whatever Happened to Keith Partridge?

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/24/1972

A talent agent sees Keith and offers him a screen test for a Hollywood movie. He practices his scene and drives to the studio with the whole family. Keith is offered the part, and as he packs, he finds out he lost the part just that fast.

Directors: Bruce Bilson
Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
For Sale by Owner
star
7.67
3 votes

#14 - 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.

Directors: Russ Mayberry
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
You're Only Young Twice
star
7.40
5 votes

#15 - You're Only Young Twice

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/20/1972

Danny is tired of being a young child. He wants to be included in the grown-up decisions and events. His efforts to show he is mature only annoys his family.

Directors: Lee Phillips
Writer: Susan Silver
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
For Whom the Bell Tolls . . . and Tolls . . . and Tolls
star
7.40
5 votes

#16 - For Whom the Bell Tolls . . . and Tolls . . . and Tolls

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/12/1973

Ruben has a burglar alarm installed in the Partridge home for their security. They keep setting off the alarm accidentally so much that everyone starts to ignore it. When a real burglar breaks in, no one realizes it is a real break in.

Directors: E.W. Swackhamer
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Ain't Loveth Grand?
star
7.33
3 votes

#17 - Ain't Loveth Grand?

Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/1972

Greg, a former childhood friend of Laurie's, returns to town and reconnects. Turns out he is now a minister. They go out together and have a great time catching up on their lives. Laurie starts to fall for him and Shirley is worried.

Directors: Herb Wallerstein
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Bedknobs and Drumsticks
star
7.25
4 votes

#18 - Bedknobs and Drumsticks

Season 3 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/9/1973

A chicken fast food place wants the Partridges to appear in his commercials. Ruben signs the contract. The family agree because the commercial is supposed to be tasteful. However, there is a last minute change that is not so tasteful.

Directors: Herb Wallerstein
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Forgive Us Our Debts
star
7.00
2 votes

#19 - Forgive Us Our Debts

Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/2/1973

Shirley buys a $29 cuckoo clock from the local department store and charges it. When the bill arrives she's being charged $290. She goes to the department store and learns that their new automated system misprinted it. So the man in charge rectifies it. When her new bill arrives it says she owes $2900. She then closes her account at the store. Later someone from the collection agency says she owes the department store $29000. Also everyone whom she's been doing business like the grocery store where she cashes checks and her plumber have been getting word that her credit is not good. She suspects the department stores computer has been spreading bad news about her. So she goes to the department store demanding they rectify it. The owner says they will take care of it. When she comes she finds that her furniture has been seized by the collection agency and they have also seized their fee from their last concert.

Directors: Bruce Bilson
Writer: Skip Webster
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Partridge Connection
star
7.00
2 votes

#20 - The Partridge Connection

Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/9/1973

The Partridges are to be presented an award for the Citizenship Award. Meanwhile, one of Danny's friends goads him on to shoplift something from a store. Danny steals, but then he is guilt-ridden.

Directors: E.W. Swackhamer
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
The Selling of the Partridge
star
7.00
2 votes

#21 - The Selling of the Partridge

Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 3/16/1973

Laurie comes home from school excited because her friend Phyllis asked her to be a campaign manager for student body president. The excitement changes to a constant battle when Keith announces he is running for president - against Phyllis.

Directors: Lee Phillips
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Me and My Shadow
star
6.75
4 votes

#22 - Me and My Shadow

Season 3 - Episode 25 - Aired 3/30/1973

The Partridges attend a lecture given by a mystery writer. The Partridges & author get into a discussion as to whether his stories are realistic. He makes them an offer - they can hide, and he will find them all within 24 hours.

Directors: Jerry London
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Nag, Nag, Nag
star
6.67
3 votes

#23 - Nag, Nag, Nag

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/8/1972

Danny wins a horse and he wants to keep him at home. Shirley explains how impractical it is and Danny keeps arguing why it is a winning proposition. The horse has a problem - it does not sleep.

Directors: E.W. Swackhamer
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Diary of a Mad Millionaire
star
6.50
4 votes

#24 - Diary of a Mad Millionaire

Season 3 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/23/1973

A reclusive millionaire who's a fan of the Partridges pays them to perform for him at his home. And he follows them around buying out every show. Eventually they invite him to stay with them where he tries to keep a low profile.

Directors: Lou Antonio
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
A Penny for His Thoughts
star
6.40
5 votes

#25 - A Penny for His Thoughts

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/1972

Snake, a motorcyclist friend of the Partridges, visits and wants help with the woman he loves. Snake proposed marriage, but he was turned down. Shirley and the family play cupid for Snake.

Directors: Bob Claver
Writer: Dale McRaven
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV