8.9/10333 votesLoading...#1 - The Puppy Episode (1)
Season 4 Episode 22 - Aired 4/30/1997
Ellen senses a kindred spirit when she meets a gay woman, who enlightens her to her own sexual identity. Confused by this startling self discovery, Ellen seeks the guidance of a therapist and braces herself for yet another moment of truth: telling her friends.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: Ellen DeGeneres, Mark Driscoll, Dava Savel, Jonathan Stark
- 8.0/10130 votesLoading...
#2 - Emma
Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 11/19/1997
Thanks to Paige, Ellen lands a job as personal assistant to Emma Thompson and discovers that, not only is Thompson gay, but her past contains a truly sordid secret.
Director: Gail Mancuso
Writer: N/A
- 7.9/10106 votesLoading...
#3 - The Puppy Episode (2)
Season 4 Episode 23 - Aired 4/30/1997
Ellen senses a kindred spirit when she meets a gay woman, who enlightens her to her own sexual identity. Confused by this startling self discovery, Ellen seeks the guidance of a therapist and braces herself for yet another moment of truth: telling her friends.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: N/A
- 7.8/1086 votesLoading...
#4 - Roommates
Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 10/8/1997
Ellen's new neighbors offer to introduce her to a friend who is looking for a ""roommate,"" which, according to Audrey and Barrett, is code for ""girlfriend."" Meanwhile, Paige struggles with her mixed emotions about Ellen's lesbianism.
Director: Gail Mancuso
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/1091 votesLoading...
#5 - Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah
Season 4 Episode 24 - Aired 5/7/1997
Ellen deals with the ramifications of telling her parents she's gay.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: N/A
- 7.6/1088 votesLoading...
#6 - Neighbors
Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 2/18/1998
Ellen tries to make friends with her neighbors, but they keep catching her in strange coincidences. After all, why would Ellen and Paige be playing Twister on the roof?
Director: Gail Mancuso
Writer: N/A
- 7.5/1084 votesLoading...
#7 - The Movie Show
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/22/1995
Ellen is thrilled when Paige's first film project shoots at Buy the Book, but her enthusiasm is soon outweighed by her disappointment with Paige's show-biz ways.
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: Tracy Newman, Jonathan Stark
- 7.5/1073 votesLoading...
#8 - Morgan, P.I.
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 1/10/1996
When Buy the Book is robbed, Ellen volunteers to become the bait in a police sting operation designed to catch the ""perp.""
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: Dava Savel
- 7.5/1078 votesLoading...
#9 - Witness
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 2/7/1996
Recruited by Spence to play the key witness in a mock trial, Ellen assumes the role of a stripper, but must perform some fancy footwork when she loses her notes.
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: Alex Herschlag
- 7.4/1095 votesLoading...
#10 - Makin' Whoopie
Season 4 Episode 15 - Aired 1/22/1997
Ellen accompanies Spence to an important party thrown by a surgeon he's trying to impress, but it's Ellen who makes the lasting impression.
Director: N/A
Writer: David Flebotte
- 7.4/1077 votesLoading...
#11 - The Funeral
Season 5 Episode 13 - Aired 1/14/1998
When Laurie's father dies suddenly, Ellen must help her make peace with the family that shut her out when she revealed her lesbianism.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: N/A
- 7.3/1086 votesLoading...
#12 - The Hand That Robs the Cradle
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/27/1994
Ellen feels old and out of it when she starts dating a younger man, but her attempts to be cool leave her date lukewarm.
Director: Andrew D. Weyman
Writer: Mark Driscoll
- 7.3/1079 votesLoading...
#13 - Not So Great Expectations
Season 4 Episode 8 - Aired 11/13/1996
Ellen is distraught when her mother starts dating and follows her and her date to a country/western club, intent on breaking the new couple up.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: Rob Lotterstein
- 7.3/1079 votesLoading...
#14 - Alone Again... Naturally
Season 4 Episode 13 - Aired 1/8/1997
Ellen conquers being alone by doing fun things on her own. Meanwhile, Spence and Joe wreak havoc on Paige's vacant apartment.
Director: Alan Myerson
Writer: Mark Wilding
- 7.3/1084 votesLoading...
#15 - Escape from L.A.
Season 5 Episode 14 - Aired 1/28/1998
Ellen and Laurie take their first trip together, to San Diego. However, a problem arises when Ellen wants to party and Laurie wants to stick to her plan.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1075 votesLoading...
#16 - Ballet Class
Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 2/8/1995
Determined to fulfill a childhood dream, Ellen takes ballet lessons and sets her sights on dancing the lead in her class recital.
Director: Tom Cherones
Writer: Richard Day
- 7.2/1079 votesLoading...
#17 - Gladiators
Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 3/1/1995
Ellen reluctantly becomes a contestant on American Gladiators, then becomes fighting mad when her female combatant, Ice, ruins her budding romance with gladiator Nitro.
Director: David Trainer
Writer: Richard Day
- 7.2/1078 votesLoading...
#18 - The Bridges of L.A. County
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/4/1995
Ellen takes a stand for womanking, rewriting the ABCs of dating after Spence's one-night stand with a member of her reading group.
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: Tracy Newman, Jonathan Stark
- 7.2/1079 votesLoading...
#19 - Hello, I Must Be Going
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/18/1995
Before moving to England for an exciting job opportunity, Adam makes a surprising personal revelation to Ellen, who must deal with the awkward consequences when his trip is postponed.
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1087 votesLoading...
#20 - Salad Days
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/15/1995
Inspired by domestic diva Martha Stewart, Ellen throws an elegant dinner party, but she's the one who's thrown when an unexpected guest arrives.
Director: Robby Benson
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1083 votesLoading...
#21 - The Mugging
Season 3 Episode 27 - Aired 5/21/1996
A reluctant Ellen is persuaded to come forward as the witness to a mugging she never saw.
Director: N/A
Writer: David S. Rosenthal
- 7.2/1078 votesLoading...
#22 - Joe's Kept Secret
Season 4 Episode 14 - Aired 1/15/1997
When Ellen accepts a favor from Joe's wealthy older girlfriend, the repercussions are relentless.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1097 votesLoading...
#23 - Gay Yellow Pages
Season 5 Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/1997
Ellen feels pressured to support gay businesses, but a gay plumber nearly sends her housewarming party down the drain.
Director: Gil Junger
Writer: N/A
- 7.2/1090 votesLoading...
#24 - Just Coffee
Season 5 Episode 5 - Aired 10/29/1997
Ellen goes on a date with her mortgage broker, but starts to think she's the only one looking for romance.
Director: Gail Mancuso
Writer: Maxine Lapiduss
- 7.2/1085 votesLoading...
#25 - Like a Virgin
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 11/26/1997
Laurie has prepared for a big romantic evening with flowers, fine wine and a homemade dinner, but she still needs Ellen to stick around for it.
Director: N/A
Writer: Jane Espenson
The Best Episodes of Ellen
Every episode of Ellen ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Ellen!
Ellen is an American television sitcom that aired on the ABC network from March 29, 1994 to July 22, 1998, consisting of 109 episodes. The...
Genres:ComedyTalk
Network:ABC
Top Episode Ratings Summary
"The Puppy Episode (1)" is the best rated episode of "Ellen". It scored 8.9/10 based on 333 votes. Directed by Gil Junger and written by Ellen DeGeneres, Mark Driscoll, Dava Savel, Jonathan Stark, it aired on 4/30/1997. This episode scored 0.9 points higher than the second highest rated, "Emma".