The BEST episodes of The Partridge Family season 4
Every episode of The Partridge Family season 4, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of The Partridge Family season 4!
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 - Reuben Kincaid Lives
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/13/1973
Shirley decides the family's been too hard on Reuben lately and they have to start appreciating him a little more. They decide to give him a surprise birthday party and invite his mother. Reuben can't understand why everyone is being so nice to him, even Danny. When he tries to bribe Danny to see what's going on, Danny just says they are appreciating him. Reuben tells the family he believes he's dying, that's why they are being nice to him. There was something in his annual physical that the doctors didn't tell him about and they know the truth. Shirley just about convinces him he's being foolish when Reuben's mother walks in. Now he's convinced he's going to kick the bucket. No amount of talking can change Reuben's mind and he begins to prepare for the hereafter. The family, meanwhile, goes ahead with the plans for the party, hoping that will jar him into realizing the truth. Shirley tricks Reuben into going to the restaurant where the party will be held, and everyone is there, includ
#2 - None But the Onely
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/22/1973
Keith's scheme to meet a new girl at school using Laurie's newspaper advice column backfires.
#3 - Hate Thy Neighbor
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/15/1973
Noise pollution is the issue as the musical Partridges face professional ruin in the fourth-season opener. Seems the new next-door neighbor doesn't dig pop music and has installed a new kind of sound barrier-the law! This episode introduces regular Ricky Segall as the neighbors' four year old son. (1/2 hour)
#4 - Beethoven, Brahms, and Partridge
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/29/1973
Keith meets Rachel Weston, a beautiful classical music student, at his junior college and is surprised when he learns he has never heard of """"The Partridge Family"""" and their music. Keith invites her home to meet the family and hear some of their hits. Rachel thinks their music is nice, but unimportant. She tells Keith that with his talent, he should write something classical. The family's eardrums suffer when Keith begins to compose """"Partridge's First Concerto for Cello in D Major,"""" which is played at the conservatory by the college orchestra. The concerto turns out to be a total disaster, but the family decides to be kind to Keith and help him over his failure. Keith, however, encouraged by Rachel, who loves the concerto, thinks he's on the road to musical immortality. He decides to use his trust fund to pay for a recording session with professionals to preserve his great work for posterity. Shirley, worried about Keith's wasting his money, has Reuben contact Walter Yost, a famous
#5 - Heartbreak Keith
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/10/1973
Keith enrolls in a Sociology class in college and discovers one of his favorite subjects, a beautiful girl, 23-years-old, Dory Kimmel. He maneuvers his way into working on a class project with her. After a study session with Dory at the Partridge home, Keith announces to his mother that he's finally found true love in an older woman, Dory. As their work together continues, Keith becomes completely infatuated and believes that Dory feels the same way about him. But he's totally stunned when he learns Dory is married. An unhappy Keith confides to his mother that he thinks Dory is going to leave her husband for him. When Shirley confronts Dory with this bit of news, it's Dory's turn to be stunned. She likes Keith as a friend but she's truly in love with her husband. She has to find a way to tell him the truth without hurting his feelings. Dory finally decides to invite Keith over for dinner to meet her husband and see how happy they are; Keith arrives for the dinner, expecting Dory's husb
#6 - A Day of Honesty
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/1973
Danny gets caught trying to sneak into a movie theater without a ticket and the police bring him home. Shirley punishes Danny for his dishonesty by taking away his movie privileges for a month. Danny, depressed about his punishment, begins to write down every instance when other members of the family tell a lie or are dishonest. Later he confronts them with his notes. Shirley, trying to teach Danny a lesson, proposes that the family try to be completely honest for 24 hours. As the day of honesty progresses, everyone, including Shirley, gets into trouble when they have to tell the truth. But Danny, seeking revenge, keeps them all in line. Then Danny is faced with the problem of telling Laurie that basketball player Jim Benson has canceled his date with her for another girl and he lies, rather than hurt Laurie's feelings. Danny confides to his mother about his lie and offers to do another 24 hours of honesty. But Shirley feels that Danny has finally learned his lesson about how people's
#7 - The Strike-Out King
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/6/1973
Keith & Laurie tells Shirley that Danny has to hang out with kids his own age. So Reuben suggests little league baseball. But Danny hates the idea. Keith & Laurie later blackmail Danny into joining the team. It turns out that Danny's the ace pitcher of the Dodgers. Shirley & Reuben attended the game & don't like the other parents discouragement towrads their own kids. Shirley tells Danny that he could quit, but Danny wants to stay since the coach likes him. Shirley also gives a lesson to the coach that winning isn't everything. The team beats the Astros & wins the trophy. The epilogue has Danny thinking about joining a football team, & they discouraged that idea instantly.
#8 - The Last of Howard
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/27/1973
The family and Reuben board the T.S.S. Fairsea, a cruise ship, to play a singing engagement while sailing to Acapulco. On board, Laurie meets a young man who introduces himself as Howard Wainwright III, the heir to a large fortune. Despite Wainwright's clumsiness and his attempts to impress everyone, Laurie agrees to go out with him. Keith is suspicious of the young man's intentions and enlist Danny's aid in spying on them. A few days later, Howard gifts Laurie with an expensive bracelet that he claims is a family heirloom, but which Keith believes to be the stolen property of a wealthy passenger. He's convinced that Howard is an international jewel thief who is using Laurie to smuggle the stolen bracelet through customs. Keith, Danny and Reuben concoct a scheme to steal the bracelet back and return it to the rightful owner during the ship's costume party. At the party, the idea backfires and the trio is caught.
#9 - Keith and Lauriebelle
Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/2/1974
Laurie wants to go skiing, but is committed to babysit. Her efforts to con Danny or Keith into working in her place are futile. Keith also has a problem. He met a new girl at school, Karen, and invited her to a party, only to learn that she is bringing an escort. Danny suggests that Keith get another date to make Karen jealous. He tries every number in his phone book to no avail. As a last resort, Keith makes a deal with Laurie – if she'll pose as his date, he'll babysit. Danny complicates matters by telling Karen that Keith's date is a beautiful southern belle, Lauriebelle Culpepper. At the party all is going well when """"Lauriebelle"""" slips and calls Shirley """"Mom,"""" bringing Shirley into the charade as """"Mother Culpepper."""" Keith is sure he has been successful when Karen dances with him and invites him to her house – until he learns that the invitation is to her engagement party!
#10 - Morning Becomes Electric
Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/9/1974
Scheduled to appear at a rally for energy conservation, the Partridge family is chagrined when Danny's guitar blows all the fuses in the auditorium. To make amends they decide to be the """"model"""" family, showing everyone how easy it is to cut down on use of electricity. Danny suggests printing the name of """"energy hogs"""" in the local newspaper for all to see. Things go well until two days before the end of the electricity billing period when Danny realizes he has been reading the meter wrong – instead of 270 kilowatts they only have 27 left! To prevent the """"model family"""" from being exposed as """"energy hogs,"""" the Partridge family must spend one day without any electricity at all – including lights, stoves and heat! Sitting around the fireplace toasting marshmallows and singing, they realize the situation isn't really so bad – it's fun and it's brought the family closer together.
#11 - Miss Partridge, Teacher
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/23/1974
Laurie Partridge is appointed student-teacher of Miss Halstead's 7th grade English class, which includes her brother, Danny. Danny takes an apple to school for his new teacher, but after experiencing Laurie's strictness, he eats it himself. Laurie is concerned when Miss Halstead informs her that unless Danny does better, he'll have to repeat the class in summer school – and the Partridges are scheduled for a summer tour. But, in Laurie's harsh judgment, Danny's grades do not improve, despite the fact that he submits a piece of work that actually had been written by Ernest Hemingway at a time when Hemingway was a high school student.
#12 - The Diplomat
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/3/1973
Shirley receives an unexpected invitation to dinner from Howard Lipton, the presidential ambassador and well-known ladies man. It seems he's visiting San Pueblo, on his way to talk in China, and he remembers her from a previous short meeting. On the big night, Lipton shows up two hours late for the date and then spends more than half the evening on the phone with world dignitaries. When Shirley gets a second request for a date, she turns him down, explaining that she really didn't have a very good time. Lipton's ego is crushed. The diplomat showers Shirley with gifts from around the world, trying to make her reconsider her decision. Shirley is being hounded by newspapermen and ostracized by her neighbors, but she refuses to give in unless Lipton visits her in person to ask for a date. When Lipton finally agrees, Shirley sets up the terms for the date – the ambassador must come and spend a quiet dinner in the Partridge home, with no interrupting phone calls. During the evening, Lipton c
#13 - Al in the Family
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/24/1973
Reuben Kincaid's nephew, Alan, comes to live with him to be his assistant. It's evident right from the start that Alan is eager to learn but he's always failed at everything. He suffers from shyness and a total lack of confidence. Keith and Laurie try to build him up and find out what he really would like to do. Alan confides that he wants to be a comedian but he's terrified of audiences. When he does some of his act for them, they discover he's really funny but he's too afraid to try. Alan gets a chance to show he's learned about managing when Reuben can't go with the family on a club date. Alan will manage the family all by himself for two days. Everything goes smoothly, until Alan loses his notebook with all the itinerary written in it. Then the date becomes a total disaster. Alan loses the costumes at the cleaners, fouls up their dinner reservations and then, in a grand finale, turns out the lights during the Partridges' performance. Alan confesses the loss of the notebook to the f
#14 - Maid in San Pueblo
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/8/1973
Shirley, advertising for a maid, has an unexpected applicant, her mother, Amanda Renfrow. It seems Shirley's parents are fighting again and Amanda has decided to move out and become the family's maid. By the end of the week, the family is exhausted because they are trying to get all the work done before Grandma sees it. They decide they have to get the battling grandparents back together again so they can get some rest. Shirley invites her father to dinner but he insults her mother and the war is on again. This time the whole family gets involved as the girls re fighting with the boys on who is the most independent. The women are getting along very well but the men are starving as Grandpa is doing the cooking. Keith and Danny cook up a scheme to have the house invaded by a burglar. The boys will then rescue the women and all will be forgiven, again. They appoint Reuben as the fake burglar. Shirley learns of their scheme and has the police arrest the """"burglar."""" Shirley, now angry over
#15 - Queen for a Minute
Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/2/1974
Laurie's girlfriend, Frankie, tries out for the varsity basketball team and shows a great deal of ability. When the coach turns her down because of her sex, not judging her skill, both girls are indignant. Keith and Danny kid Laurie about it and she argues that men think of women as objects capable only of being cheerleaders of homecoming queens. Laurie becomes even more upset when Reuben suggests she run for homecoming queen. Shirley later convinces Laurie to enter the contest because if she does win, people will listen to what she has to say. Keith and Danny overhear the plan and do a little scheming of their own: they convince handsome Jerry Bishop to run against Laurie. After all, if a girl can try out for basketball, a guy can run for homecoming queen. The night of the contest Laurie wins the title and Jerry is chosen first runner-up. Laurie thanks everyone who voted for her, but declines the honor. She tells the shocked audience that the contest is just another way of turning wom
#16 - Pin it on Danny
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/16/1974
Danny finds a broach and gives it to his mother for her birthday. He is dismayed when he sees a newspaper ad offering a $50-reward for its return. Danny then involves Laurie and Keith in an ill-fated plan to get the broach back from their mother without Shirley's knowledge, and buy her a duplicate with part of the reward money.
#17 - . . . --- . . . (S.O.S.)
Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/23/1974
Shirley's memories of a high school romance are stirred when Navy Captain Charles Corwin arrives in town. She sees the Captain's picture in the paper and recognizes him as "Cuddles," an old flame. Laurie invites the Captain to dinner. He and Shirley are happy to see each other again, and the kids are favorably impressed - except for Danny. He is upset by the Captain's romantic reminiscences. When Shirley and Captain Corwin go out the next evening, Danny and Keith are in hot pursuit in the family bus.
#18 - Two for the Show
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/19/1974
Reuben has discovered a new singing act, 14-year-old twin brothers Andy and David, and he brings them to live with the Partridges until they cut their first record. The boys have a crush on Laurie and she doesn't want to hurt their feelings and agrees to go out with them. The family thinks Laurie's double-crush is cute and kids her about it. Andy and David become serious and tell Laurie she has to choose which one of them she wants to date. They decide to help her in the decision by not dressing alike anymore and breaking up their singing act to become more individual. Now everyone realizes how serious this has become and Keith and Danny try to help Laurie but the plans backfire. The twins are more in love than ever. Finally Shirley enters the picture and explains to the boys that they will get over their crush but they shouldn't sacrifice their friendship over this. But this time even Shirley seems to fail. Laurie gets up enough courage to confront the boys but they have changed their
#19 - Danny Drops Out
Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/26/1974
Danny announces his decision to drop out of school. He tells Shirley that he's bored at school and, since he knows how to read and write, he can now pursue his chosen profession – song writing. Shirley consults the school psychologist and learns that such feelings are common in children Danny's age. The psychologist advises Shirley to let Danny believe he's dropped out; after a while he'll realize how much he misses and needs school. Shirley reluctantly agrees; Danny can stay home and write his songs. The very first day Danny spends at home alone he is bored. He finds the song writing is not so easy and he misses his friends. He's beginning to get discouraged when he meets millionaire hotel owner Claude Tubble and discovers that Tubble never got beyond sixth grade. Now Danny's all enthused again and wants to become a millionaire. Shirley feels Danny's gone far enough and gives him an ultimatum – he must either return to school or get a job. Danny soon learns that there are no budding e
#20 - Danny Converts
Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/9/1974
Danny Partridge is so smitten with Renee, the daughter of Rabbi Stern, that he pretends to be of her faith. Somehow, however, he can never find the right moment to set the record straight. His alarm grows when Rabbi Stern and Mrs. Stern invite the entire Partridge family to dinner. The Partridge family performs """"I Heard You Singing Your Song.""""
#21 - Art for Mom's Sake
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/12/1974
Shirley Partridge joins an art class and is encouraged by her teacher, Lorenzo Bernard, who says she shows a natural artistic ability. When she shows off one of her paintings to the family, the kids thing it's awful but pretend to like it not to hurt her feelings. When Lorenzo begins coming to the house to give Shirley private lessons, the kids are suspicious about his intentions. They enlist the help of Reuben in getting an expert's opinion on their mother's painting talent. The art expert agrees the painting is bad. But, by now, Lorenzo has talked Shirley into showing her paintings at the annual San Pueblo Art Festival and Shirley is beginning to think she might really have talent. At the art show, the kids devise an elaborate plan to protect Shirley's feelings and not let her see how much people dislike her paintings. Shirley catches them in the act and makes them confess their true opinions of her art work. Shirley decides she's been taking her hobby far too seriously and from now
#22 - Double Trouble
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/20/1973
Keith tries to land a date for the beach party with Johanna, one of the prettiest girls in school, but she turns him down for a member of the basketball team. Laurie offers to get him a date with her friends Sally, who is not exactly Keith's ideal, but he reluctantly agrees. Later, Keith finds out Johanna's date fell through and he eagerly agrees to take her out. Now he's stuck with two dates. Keith confides his problem to Reuben who advises him to take out the sexy one, not the nice one. Later, Shirley and Laurie learn Keith has made two dates for the same evening and tell him he should break his date with Johanna. He tries, but he can't do it. Keith devises a plan. He pretends he has a cold and arranges for his friend Wally to take Sally out to a play. He thinks he's free and clear to go out to the beach with Johanna when Sally sows up with hot soup to nurse his cold. After she and Laurie give Keith a hard time at the beach with Johanna. She knew about the double date all along. Laur