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The Worst Episodes of 8 Simple Rules

Every episode of 8 Simple Rules ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of 8 Simple Rules!

Binge this in 1d 3h•Peaking at 8.6/10

Paul and Cate are raising their three children -- Bridget, Kerry and Rory -- which is no easy task. Oldest daughter Bridget is traversing the dating scene. Kerry is cute and smart, but she has

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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 23 - Career Woman
    6.8/10(158 votes)

    #1 - Career Woman

    S1:E23

    Paul's job as parental guardian becomes more of a full-time position when Cate is up for a promotion and has to spend more time at the hospital. After Paul introduces Rory to baseball card collecting, Rory trades the cards for something not exactly associated with the sport.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:Rosalind Moore

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  2. 8 Simple Rules Season 2 Episode 7 - The First Thanksgiving
    6.8/10(133 votes)

    #2 - The First Thanksgiving

    S2:E7

    While Cate plans to raise the family spirits with a special Thanksgiving dinner, Rory takes it upon himself to be the man of the house by looking after Bridget and Kerry.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Bonnie Kallman

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  3. 8 Simple Rules Season 2 Episode 18 - Let's Keep Going (2)
    6.8/10(120 votes)

    #3 - Let's Keep Going (2)

    S2:E18

    Upon discovering Cate in the arms of Artie, Bridget and Kerry decide to blow off their planned trip to their grandmother's and take to the open road to sort out their feelings. Meanwhile, Rory continues to pine for Rachel Sharpe, who confesses her true feelings for him.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Martin Weiss

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  4. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 7 - Trick or Treehouse
    6.9/10(182 votes)

    #4 - Trick or Treehouse

    S1:E7

    Paul seems to be the only one looking forward to a family Halloween, as Bridget, Kerry and Rory make plans to spend the spooky evening away from home and with their friends. But Paul's wish to relive the past by having the family get together for one last Halloween campout in the old treehouse may turn out to be the biggest nightmare of the evening.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Bonnie Kallman

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  5. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 20 - Every Picture Tells A Story
    6.9/10(170 votes)

    #5 - Every Picture Tells A Story

    S1:E20

    When Paul is asked by race car driver Carter Tibbits (Jason Priestley, "Beverly Hills 90210") to write a book about him, Paul brings the family to Tibbits' mansion to meet the driving legend and his sarcastically dry-witted butler, Cody (Robert Guillaume, "Benson," "Sports Night") -- who used to be Carter's crew chief. But a misunderstanding leads Rory to steal a photo from Carter's room, and it's Paul who's under suspicion when a security camera catches him trying to return the item.

    Director:Mark Cendrowski
    Writer:David Flebotte

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  6. 8 Simple Rules Season 3 Episode 22 - The Teachers Lounge
    6.9/10(105 votes)

    #6 - The Teachers Lounge

    S3:E22

    Officially a full-time teacher, C.J. is overjoyed to finally get access to the teachers' lounge. But he soon finds himself being bullied out of the room by the school's overzealous Home Ec instructor. Rory wants to impress a girl, so Bridget and Kerry take it upon themselves to give him a full-fledged makeover.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Paul F. Ciancarelli, David DiPietro

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  7. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 2 - Wall of Shame
    7.0/10(215 votes)

    #7 - Wall of Shame

    S1:E2

    Paul is left home alone with the kids while Cate is at a seminar on the day of the big Michigan/Ohio State football game. But much to Paul's dismay, the game soon takes a backseat when Bridget is accused of shoplifting and Kerry gets upset over her latest cause.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Michael Langworthy

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  8. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 12 - All I Want for Christmas
    7.0/10(174 votes)

    #8 - All I Want for Christmas

    S1:E12

    Paul tries to find perfect gifts for the family to make up for last year's Christmas fiasco. Kerry finds a stray dog during the holidays. Cate is overjoyed when she is asked to sing a solo at the church's midnight service, but fears that seeing her family there will make her nervous.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Christy Jacobs White

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  9. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 19 - Cool Parent
    7.0/10(164 votes)

    #9 - Cool Parent

    S1:E19

    After a party at Tommy's house is broken up by the police, Paul chastises his friend and unwittingly volunteers to host the next one. But when the party gets out of control too, the kids think of him as a cool parent, while the neighborhood parents think he's just as unreliable as Tommy.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Paul F. Ciancarelli, David DiPietro

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  10. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 24 - Queen Bees and King Bees
    7.0/10(155 votes)

    #10 - Queen Bees and King Bees

    S1:E24

    Bridget and Paul are surprised to find themselves in similar situations when they are both alienated in their social circles. But they devise a plan to settle the score, leading Paul to crash a poker game with Tommy to get closer to boss Nick, and Bridget trying to break up ex-boyfriend Kyle and her nemesis Jenna.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Martin Weiss

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  11. 8 Simple Rules Season 2 Episode 20 - Mother's Day
    7.0/10(126 votes)

    #11 - Mother's Day

    S2:E20

    After witnessing some strange behavior from Bridget and Kerry, Cate tries to find out what they are up to. Meanwhile, C.J. and Rory doubt Jim's ability to put an engine back together after he falls in love with a classic car.

    Director:Pat Fischer-Doak
    Writers:Robert Spina, Grant Nieporte

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  12. 8 Simple Rules Season 3 Episode 18 - Freaky Friday
    7.0/10(114 votes)

    #12 - Freaky Friday

    S3:E18

    After falling asleep while watching Freaky Friday, Cate awakens to find that she and Bridget have switched bodies. C.J. and Jim have also trade places as well as Rory and his hamster. Only Kerry is spared and enjoys their predicament.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:W. Bruce Cameron

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  13. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 5 - Son-In-Law
    7.1/10(188 votes)

    #13 - Son-In-Law

    S1:E5

    A sports-struck Paul lets Bridget do whatever she wants when she starts dating Travis, star basketball player and son of baseball legend Steve Smith. Meanwhile Kerry resents the fact that Paul still thinks of her as a little girl.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Tracy Gamble, Martin Weiss

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  14. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 17 - Drummer Boy (1)
    7.1/10(169 votes)

    #14 - Drummer Boy (1)

    S1:E17

    Bridget defies the rules of the house after Paul forbids her from going out on a date with Ben, her college-age drum instructor. Meanwhile, Kerry is mad at Cate when her ex-boyfriend confesses that he thinks her mother is pretty.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Bill Daly

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  15. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 22 - Good Moms Gone Wild
    7.1/10(158 votes)

    #15 - Good Moms Gone Wild

    S1:E22

    While vacationing in Florida at Cate's parents' home, Paul and Cate catch Bridget and Kerry on the news partying with a group of Spring Breakers. But the news runs archival footage that features a young Cate letting loose in a bar. Meanwhile, a jealous Paul meets Cate's college boyfriend Byron and Rory befriends an elderly gentleman whose stories about World War II turn out to be more fiction than fact.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Bill Callahan, Philip Wen

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  16. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 25 - Bake Sale
    7.1/10(157 votes)

    #16 - Bake Sale

    S1:E25

    For a health class assignment, Bridget and Kyle have to take care of a sack of flour as if it were a baby. Kerry and Rory bake cookies for the Great American Bake Sale to help put an end to childhood hunger in America.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Kim Friese

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  17. 8 Simple Rules Season 2 Episode 8 - The Story of Anne Frank and Skeevy
    7.1/10(129 votes)

    #17 - The Story of Anne Frank and Skeevy

    S2:E8

    After Cate encourages Bridget to participate in extracurricular activities to beef up her college resume, Bridget shocks the family by landing the lead in the high school production of the story of Anne Frank. Rory's obsession with a dummy named Skeevy becomes a little unnerving for the Hennessy clan.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Tracy Gamble, Bonnie Kallman

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  18. 8 Simple Rules Season 2 Episode 19 - C.J.'s Party
    7.1/10(124 votes)

    #18 - C.J.'s Party

    S2:E19

    Cate banishes C.J. and grounds Bridget for going to C.J.'s college keg party. Jim has to take a written drivers exam after being pulled over with an expired license.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Martin Weiss

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  19. 8 Simple Rules Season 3 Episode 17 - Volleybrawl
    7.1/10(100 votes)

    #19 - Volleybrawl

    S3:E17

    Cate's alleged antics at Kerry's volleyball game threaten to make her team forfeit the match. Meanwhile, C.J. has a crush on Kerry's volleyball coach and Bridget becomes upset when one of her friends begins dating her ex-boyfriend.

    Director:Barnet Kellman
    Writer:Hayes Jackson

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  20. 8 Simple Rules Season 3 Episode 20 - C.J.'s Real Dad
    7.1/10(114 votes)

    #20 - C.J.'s Real Dad

    S3:E20

    C.J. is shocked and delighted when he meets his biological father for the first time. But Jim doesn't trust the man and thinks he may have ulterior motives for the visit.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Rob Hanning

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  21. 8 Simple Rules Season 3 Episode 24 - Ditch Day
    7.1/10(134 votes)

    #21 - Ditch Day

    S3:E24

    After C.J. discovers that Cate may be starting a relationship with Principal Gibb, he blabs it to Bridget. An angry Cate has Gibb put C.J. in charge of the student detention on Ditch Day, and C.J. gets even by detaining Bridget. Because she is stuck in detention and can't complete the Ditch Day prank herself, Bridget convinces Kerry and Rory to steal the rival school's mascot.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Jeremiah Leibowitz

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  22. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 3 - Bridget's First Job
    7.2/10(200 votes)

    #22 - Bridget's First Job

    S1:E3

    After seeing how much money Bridget spends on keeping up with the latest fashions, Paul tells her to go out and get a job to learn how to be fiscally responsible. But when she lands a job at a trendy mall clothing store that offers its workers a 40% discount, Paul and Cate begin to worry that she may not be learning the true value of a dollar.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Bill Daly

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  23. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 4 - Wings
    7.2/10(189 votes)

    #23 - Wings

    S1:E4

    Bridget takes drastic measures when an overprotective Paul keeps coming up with excuses to delay her from taking her driver's test. Meanwhile, after convincing a less-than-confident Kerry that she has the talent to enter an art competition, Paul is shocked and Kerry is devastated when her submission is rejected.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Bill Daly, Bonnie Kallman

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  24. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 6 - Cheerleader
    7.2/10(182 votes)

    #24 - Cheerleader

    S1:E6

    Bridget is ecstatic when the cheerleading squad has an opening for a new member. But after telling Kerry that she is not cut out to be a cheerleader, Bridget is completely dumbfounded when her sister tries out and is chosen for the team. Meanwhile, Paul tries in vain to wean Rory off video games and introduce him to the world of books.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writers:Paul F. Ciancarelli, David DiPietro

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  25. 8 Simple Rules Season 1 Episode 11 - Paul Meets His Match
    7.2/10(173 votes)

    #25 - Paul Meets His Match

    S1:E11

    Paul becomes quick friends with his new editor Nick when he discovers they both are married fathers of teenage girls. But Paul soon learns that they both have the reputation of being an overprotective psycho dad. Meanwhile, Paul wants to make Thanksgiving a family affair, and forbids Bridget and Kerry from inviting their boyfriends.

    Director:James Widdoes
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Career Woman" is the worst rated episode of "8 Simple Rules". It scored 6.8/10 based on 158 votes. Directed by Mark Cendrowski and written by Rosalind Moore, it aired on 3/28/2003. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The First Thanksgiving".