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The Best Episodes of Eight Is Enough

Every episode of Eight Is Enough ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Eight Is Enough!

Binge this in Unknown•Peaking at 8.2/10

Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Eight Is Enough Season 3 Episode 16 - Moving Out
    8.2/10(34 votes)

    #1 - Moving Out

    S3:E16

    Tired of Tom's strict rules, Nancy, Susan, and Joannie look for an apartment of their own because Tom has trouble accepting that his daughters are growing up. David buys a new truck and agrees to sell Tommy his van. Tom is upset when Abby loans the girls the money to get their own apartment.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Eight Is Enough Season 4 Episode 11 - Separate Ways
    8.2/10(32 votes)

    #2 - Separate Ways

    S4:E11

    The furnace is on the blink, causing a cold front in the Bradford house, but Tom dismisses Mary's offer to fix it; Susan's chance for an internship conflicts with Merle's offer to play winter ball in Puerto Rico; Nicholas goes on strike for a raise in his allowance.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Eight Is Enough Season 3 Episode 11 - All The Vice President's Men
    8.0/10(62 votes)

    #3 - All The Vice President's Men

    S3:E11

    Abby's parents are flying in from Pasadena for Thanksgiving.Nicholas is surprised when the Vice-President accepts his invitation to Thanksgiving dinner with the Bradfords. He picks the Bradfords as American's typical family. Tommy puts a deposit on a used car.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Eight Is Enough Season 4 Episode 27 - (Finally) Grad Night
    8.0/10(33 votes)

    #4 - (Finally) Grad Night

    S4:E27

    Tom and Abby agree to let Tommy and a few friends have the house for a small party after graduation. Nicholas and Irving are working on a school project when Irving gets hurt and Tommy ends up spending grad night at the hospital. The party goes on without them as party crashers show up. Officers were called in to finally break up the party and Tom demands an explanation, thinking Tommy was being ignorant.

    Director:Irving J. Moore
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 1 - Never Try Eating Nectarines Since Juice May Dispense
    7.9/10(118 votes)

    #5 - Never Try Eating Nectarines Since Juice May Dispense

    S1:E1

    ""Never try eating nectarines since juice may dispense."" That's how Tom and Joan Bradford remember the names of their childrens: Nicholas, Tommy, Elizabeth, Nancy, Susan, Joannie, Mary, and David.Tired of fighting with his father,David move out of the Bradford house and the youngest Bradford children fight over his bedroom, prompting Tom to learn the importance of having a family relationship.Elizabeth is arrested for possession of narcotics and Tom and Joan have to find 1,500 to pay a lawyer. Nicholas had his tonsils removed.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 4 - Women, Ducks and the Domino Theory
    7.9/10(60 votes)

    #6 - Women, Ducks and the Domino Theory

    S1:E4

    Topsy-turvy at the Bradfords when Tommy has his ""dream girl"" stand him up. Neither David nor Tom wants to go on their annual hunt. Nancy wants to be a cheerleader. Elizabeth gets grounded over curfew.

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Peter Lefcourt

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Eight Is Enough

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  7. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 5 - Turnabout
    7.9/10(63 votes)

    #7 - Turnabout

    S1:E5

    David learns about his life at a party the family throws to celebrates doctor Maxwell's 25th anniversary, as his date and Maxwell don't get along. David helps an older woman stuck in a traffic jam, but his dates seems to cause more trouble with his family than he bargained for.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 17 - Much Ado about Garbage
    7.9/10(39 votes)

    #8 - Much Ado about Garbage

    S2:E17

    With Abby's encouragement, Tom takes a leave of absence to pursue the dream of writing a book about his family. He can't get it published the norman way, but has a special issue done for each member of the family. David goes on a double date with Nancy and they come home with different stories of the same night.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Peter Lefcourt

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  9. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 24 - The Lost Weekend
    7.9/10(34 votes)

    #9 - The Lost Weekend

    S2:E24

    Abby convinces Tom to spend the weekend with her parents in Pasadena, leaving the kids alone for the weekend. While they are away, despite a rule against having any non-Bradfords in the house, the kids throw a party, but then the house is overrun with chaos and the kids barely manage to get things back in order before Tom and Abby return. A distant cousins shows up on the Bradford doorstep for the flower children.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Eight Is Enough Season 3 Episode 20 - Just the Ten of Us
    7.9/10(32 votes)

    #10 - Just the Ten of Us

    S3:E20

    Nicholas tries to avoid a young lady who has a crush on him. Tired of saying goodnight to each other every night, David and Janet decide to live together. Tom is nominated for ""Father of the Year"", but his chance grows slim after David and Janet decide to become roommates.

    Director:Stan Lathan
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Eight Is Enough Season 4 Episode 14 - Mary, He's Married
    7.9/10(30 votes)

    #11 - Mary, He's Married

    S4:E14

    Joannie tries to convince her boss that she is ready for more responsibility at work. Joannie wants to do a documentary on her family. Mary learns that being an adult can be painful when she falls for a resident at the hospital who is unavailable. Eager to earn extra money, Nicholas sells guaca dew, a wrinkle remover, door to door.

    Director:Irving J. Moore
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 2 - Schussboomer
    7.8/10(75 votes)

    #12 - Schussboomer

    S1:E2

    Matilda, Mary's very pregnant, unmarriage, friend stays in the Bradford house while she is between apartment, but her attidude toward marriage upsets Tom. She learns the joys of parenthood and paternal Tom helps deliver her baby. Tom is upset that Susan wants to spend the weekend with her bofriend at Square Valley.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 6 - Quarantine
    7.8/10(65 votes)

    #13 - Quarantine

    S1:E6

    Togetherness can be really funny when the whole Bradford household is quarantined, including Nancy's blind date,after Mary's boyfriend comes down with a mysterious ailment. David has to run errands for his quaranteened family. Nicolas hides some toys he brought into the house without buying them. Cabin fever eventually drives the family crazy.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 9 - The Gipper Caper
    7.8/10(51 votes)

    #14 - The Gipper Caper

    S1:E9

    Tom is challenged to a family touch football game by his dentist. He learns that winning is not the only thing that counts. Elizabeth worries about Maria in Columbia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Eight Is Enough Season 3 Episode 10 - War Between the Bradfords
    7.8/10(35 votes)

    #15 - War Between the Bradfords

    S3:E10

    The male Bradfords refuse to attend a speech that Abby was selected to give. War erupts between the Bradfords men and woman when the woman feel they are not respected by the men. Nancy gets a job pumping gas in a sexy uniform in a local filling station.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Eight Is Enough Season 4 Episode 13 - Brotherhood, Sisterhood
    7.8/10(30 votes)

    #16 - Brotherhood, Sisterhood

    S4:E13

    Tom talks David into hiring Tommy as a construction worker but Tommy has to prove himself to his fellow workers by standing up to them on his own. Nicholas needs to write a speech about Tom and follows him around for a day at the office to get material. Elizabeth is looking for advice on how to meet men in college.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Eight Is Enough Season 4 Episode 18 - The Commitment
    7.8/10(33 votes)

    #17 - The Commitment

    S4:E18

    Tommy is upset when Jill's idea of a commitment is not the same as his and then misinterprets signals from Mary's friend, Kerry, and gets deeper into trouble. Tommy presents Jill with a class ring. Abby and the girls plan a surprise baby shower for Susan. Nicholas plays go-between for Marvin but ends up with the girl instead.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Eight Is Enough Season 1 Episode 7 - V is for Vivian
    7.7/10(56 votes)

    #18 - V is for Vivian

    S1:E7

    Tony's sister shows up for a visit and turns the Bradford house upside-down when the encourages the kids to pursue their dreams and goals. David gets laid off and Vivian gets him a job as an architect. Mary gets ""C' in Introductory Philosophy. Joanie considers traveling in an acting company if she gets accepted by the director.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 2 - Trial Marriage
    7.7/10(54 votes)

    #19 - Trial Marriage

    S2:E2

    This episode introduces Betty Buckley in the contract role of Sue "" Abby"" Abbott. At first she was a special guest star. Tommy breaks his ankles at a touch football game and will miss school for five weeks. Mary moves in with her boyfriend, a young psychiatry students [Doug] . Sandra Sue Abbott is sent to tutor Tommy while he is absent from school.

    Director:Philip Leacock
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 5 - Mortgage Burnin' Blues
    7.7/10(45 votes)

    #20 - Mortgage Burnin' Blues

    S2:E5

    Tom throws a party to celebrates paying off the mortage on the Bradford house. Unfortunately, the kids get into a melee when Susan punches a heckler at David and Tommy's singing appreance and Tom has to remortage the house to pay the damages as seven of his children were arrested after a fight in the nightclub. David waits for the results of his contractor's exam. Nicholas felt left out since he was never arrested.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 13 - Yes Nicholas, there is a Santa Claus (1)
    7.7/10(58 votes)

    #21 - Yes Nicholas, there is a Santa Claus (1)

    S2:E13

    The Bradfords celebrate their first Christmas without their late mother,Joan. Nicholas mistakenly assumes the man he finds in the house on Christmas Eve is Santa Claus and lets him steal the Christmas presents, putting Christmas temporaily on hold.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 14 - Yes Nicholas, there is a Santa Claus (2)
    7.7/10(58 votes)

    #22 - Yes Nicholas, there is a Santa Claus (2)

    S2:E14

    The kids convince Tom to shoiw some Christmas spirit by bailing Sam out of jail and inviting him to the house for Christmas dinner as they celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. Tommy receives a special Christmas present from his mom.

    Director:Harry Harris
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Eight Is Enough Season 2 Episode 18 - Dear Ms. Dinah
    7.7/10(38 votes)

    #23 - Dear Ms. Dinah

    S2:E18

    Abby is upset about when David gives Nicholas a BB gun. Tom's column about garbage causes a controverty when he writes a tongue-in-cheek column. That's when his troubles start to pile up, along with his garbage. Tom is prepared to go to jail rather than reveal his source for his column.

    Director:Irving J. Moore
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Eight Is Enough Season 3 Episode 3 - Here We Go Again
    7.7/10(30 votes)

    #24 - Here We Go Again

    S3:E3

    Abby has her own problems when she thinks sha may be pregnant and is relucant to tell Tom. Tom panics when he finds out he is going to be audited by the I.R.S, and the family pitches in for help. Nicholas plays post office for the first time.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Eight Is Enough Season 3 Episode 18 - Inlaws and Outlaws
    7.7/10(28 votes)

    #25 - Inlaws and Outlaws

    S3:E18

    Abby's mother arrives for a visit and Abby is upset to learn that her parent are breaking up. Abby's father arrives shortly, and musical rooms becomes the name of the game. The girls want to move back home after their rent is raised but are afraid to tell Tom. Tom is picked up by the police after the kids rack up $170 worth of parking tickets on the station wagon

    Director:Vincent McEveety
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Moving Out" is the best rated episode of "Eight Is Enough". It scored 8.2/10 based on 34 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/3/1979. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Separate Ways".