8.3/10160 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/8/2000
Ed Stevens has just been fired for misplacing a comma in a 500 page contract, which cost his law firm employer millions of dollars. When he arrives home to give his wife the bad news, he finds her in bed with the mailman. He decides to pack it all in and head back to his hometown of Stuckeyville, Ohio. When he runs into Carol Vessey, the girl of his high school dreams who is now an English teacher at Stuckeyville High School, he decides to stick around and purchase the local bowling alley, where he sets up a law practice.
Director: James Frawley
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.9/10135 votes#2 - The World of Possibility
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/15/2000
Carol's childhood diaries prove useful when the town's premier magician, Stuckeyville Stan, sues a competitor for revealing his secrets; Nancy becomes threatened by the baby's nanny.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Rob Burnett
7.8/10131 votes#3 - Just Friends
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/22/2000
Ed goes up against his old law firm in a case involving four friends who wrote up a contract on a bar napkin. At the same time, he must pick a manager for Stuckeybowl and deal with being ""just friends"" with Carol. Nancy and Mike fuss over who takes care of the baby at night.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Jon Beckerman
8.1/10134 votes#4 - Pretty Girls and Waffles
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/29/2000
Ed defends a secretary being sued over a payroll error; Carol decides that she and Nick have to end their relationship; Mike is reviewed by his superior; Molly selects talent over beauty in casting the school play.
Director: Kevin Dowling
Writer: Rob Burnett
7.2/10127 votes#5 - Better Days
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/5/2000
Carol drowns her sorrows over breaking up with Nick with a ""Xanadu"" marathon; Ed represents a jittery bride-to-be who sues her hairdresser over a bad pre-wedding haircut; feeling that her relationship with Mike is in a rut, Nancy decides to spice things up by starting a book club; Ed steps forward and makes yet another bold move to win over Carol's affections, which runs into a snag and causes some misunderstandings.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.8/10124 votes#6 - Home Is Where the Ducks Are
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/12/2000
Carol shocks Ed by announcing that she is leaving Stuckeyville to become a writer; Ed concocts Stuckeyville's first-ever Festival of Ducks to boost the town's reputation; Phil becomes mentor to a young bowler.
Director: Bethany Rooney
Writer: Jon Beckerman
7.2/10123 votes#7 - Something Old, Something New
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/19/2000
On his first Thanksgiving without his wife, Ed decides to start a new tradition and arranges an unconventional Thanksgiving feast at Stuckeybowl for his friends; Phil schemes to resell store bought turkeys as marked up Corinthian birds; Mike dreads spending the holiday with his father-in-law; Ed represents a young man who was hurt while breaking into a man's cabin (on a dare) and is suing the owner.
Director: Lawrence Trilling
Writer: Rob Burnett, Andrea Newman
7.5/10121 votes#8 - The Whole Truth
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/6/2000
When Molly's grandfather hires Ed to write his will, he ends up revealing a shocking secret;; Mike has a new rival at the doctor's office; Phil hosts an open-mike night at Stuckeybowl.
Director: Peter Lauer
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Bob Brush
7.9/10251 votes#9 - Your Life Is Now
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/13/2000
The return of former high football star, Troy McCallum, brings out feelings of resentment in both Ed and Carol. Meanwhile Ed tries to help high school student Warren, whose nerd vs. jock conflict mirrors his own.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett, Mike Schwartz
7.2/10122 votes#10 - Losing Streak
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/20/2000
Ed's visiting parents show their disapproval of his new life in Stuckeyville; Ed defends two men being sued for pulling a prank involving a lottery ticket; Carol becomes coach for the school's losing junior varsity basketball team; Shirley and Kenny stake out a vandal at Stuckeybowl.
Director: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Michele Fazekas
7.7/10117 votes#11 - Opposites Distract
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/17/2001
Ed locks horns with a sassy new D.A. while defending a man charged with breaking the law by putting dimes in parking meters; Molly chides Carol for taking Ed's attention for granted; Phil searches for his own personal catch phrase; Nancy must decide whether she wants to accept a promotion at work.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.4/10121 votes#12 - Hook, Line, and Sinker
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/24/2001
Ed handles a case involving a man being fired if he doesn't make a fish ""sing""; Mike believes the Burton's new nanny has a crush on him; the Stuckeybowl staff tries to come up with ideas to drum up business.
Director: Arlene Sanford
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.0/10122 votes#13 - The Music Box
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/7/2001
When Carol's music box is stolen from her car, Ed tries to help in apprehending the thief. Though the music box is valuable, Carol really wants it returned for sentimental reasons (her grandfather gave it to her). During the investigation, Carol lets her jealousy of Bonnie get the best of her and the two butt heads. Finally the culprit is found and with Ed's detective work the man is brought in for questioning. Unfortunately the man has an alibi. Ed investigates the alibi and learns that the man lied. Confronted by Ed, the thief admits that he stole the music box because he was desperate for money because he lost everything while supporting his sick mother. He refuses to admit that in court however until Ed promises to talk the DA into waiving jailtime and putting him on probation. When Bonnie learns about the deal, she becomes furious that Ed used their relationship to his advantage, but she does end up waiving jailtime anyway, to Carol's dismay. Later that night, Ed and Bonnie
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.0/10122 votes#14 - Valentine's Day
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 2/14/2001
Ed represents a priest who is being fired for not increasing the church's congregation; Phil turns love-doctor and tries to make an ordinary man into a ""love machine""
Director: Alan Myerson
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.3/10121 votes#15 - Loyalties
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/20/2001
As Ed and Bonnie grow more comfortable in their relationship, Carol grows more uncomfortable so Ed suggests that they all go out for dinner. Not wanting to be a third wheel, Carol brings an escort along. But dinner is a disaster for everyone when a misundering with her escort forces Carol to betray Molly's confindence and Bonnie drops a bombshell on Ed: she's accepted a job in Washington, DC; Big Rudy, the former owner of Stuckeybowl decides he wants the bowling alley back and resorts to dirty tricks to get what he wants-even enlisting Phil's help. In court Ed represents a singer/songwriter suing her band for the rights to her songs after she was kicked out.
Director: Rick Wallace
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
8.0/10144 votes#16 - Live Deliberately
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/28/2001
A brush with death inspires a local man to change his life and do things he's never done before such as scale a wall, bowl naked, and go out with Molly. Meanwhile, Ed tries to recapture his youth by doing things he did when he was 18, and Warren becomes inspired by Thoreau's call to ""simplify"".
Director: Adam Bernstein
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.7/10124 votes#17 - Exceptions
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/28/2001
Ed and Carol finds themselves on opposite sides when he represents a gym coach who is flunking one of her best students; Dr. Jerome continues to humiliate Mike; Shirley starts working as Ed's legal clerk.
Director: Kevin Dowling
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett, Michele Fazekas
7.3/10122 votes#18 - The Test
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/4/2001
Ed's old high school girlfriend, Kara, tests her husband's fidelity by hiring a friend to come on to him, When the husband fails the test by sleeping with the woman, Ed helps Kara in the divorce settlement. Meanwhile Carol tries to stop the forced retirement of the school's music teacher due to budget reasons. Also Nancy tests the nanny to determine if she's trustworthy.
Director: Tim Van Patten
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.3/10121 votes#19 - Window of Opportunity
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 5/2/2001
Ed is dismayed when a couple decides to marry at Stuckeybowl simply because the man bowled a strike. In court he helps a man get a restraining order against his overzealous brother who is trying to help him stick to his diet; Warren fears that he's missed his chance with Donna.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.4/10118 votes#20 - Mind Over Matter
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 5/9/2001
To ensure that Stuckeybowl outlasts him, Ed seeks to have it declared an historical landmark. Meanwhile in court, he reprresents a man overcharged for a placebo pill; Jeff causes friction between Molly and Carol.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
7.5/10119 votes#21 - Mixed Signals
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 5/16/2001
Ed represents a golfer suing a fan who shouted out while he was making an easy putt-thus costing him the win; Warren can't decide whether to ask reliable Donna or dream-girl Jessica to the prom.
Director: Alan Myerson
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
8.5/10123 votes#22 - Prom Night
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/23/2001
At the same time Ed receives a visit and a job offer from his old collegue, Carol invites him to the Stuckeyville HS junior prom; To avoid the embarrassement of not having a date, Warren seeks out an escort service; Phil attempts a string of comical practical jokes to get on a TV show.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett
The Best Episodes of Ed Season 1
Every episode of Ed Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Ed Season 1!
After his wife leaves him and he's fired from his job at a high-profile New York city law firm, Ed Stevens moves back to his...
Genres:DramaComedy
Network:NBC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "Ed" season 1. It scored 8.3/10 based on 160 votes. Directed by James Frawley and written by Jon Beckerman, Rob Burnett, it aired on 10/8/2000. This episode is rated 0.4 points higher than the second-best, "The World of Possibility".