The Best Episodes of Grounded for Life

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   7.5/10(2 votes)

   #1 - In My Room

   S1:E21/17/2001

   Sean inadvertently finds a fake ID in Lily's bedroom. Sean and Claudia confront their daughter about her rebellious behavior, but they get few answers. They decide to hack into her e-mail to find out more about Lily's trouble-making friends. While they are checking, an e-mail comes in from a ""SweetandNastee."" Sean responds, pretending to be Lily. SweetandNastee gives Sean an address to a rave party in Yonkers. Sean and Eddie go to the address which turns out to be a dry cleaners. Convinced the rave is really at the dry cleaners, Sean and Eddie try to gain access to the party but end up getting beaten up by the dry cleaners' owner. Back at home, Sean and Claudia confront Lily, but she slams them for invading her privacy. Turns out she knew they broke into her e-mail account because she was online at a friend's house when she saw her name logged in. Lily made up the rave to teach her folks a lesson about snooping.

   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writer:Brad Copeland

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   Director:Paul Lazarus

   Writer:Brad Copeland
2. 

   7.0/10(2 votes)

   #2 - I Wanna Be Suspended

   S1:E31/24/2001

   Jimmy’s science project is late, because his parents made him go with them to a Ramones’ concert. When Sean pleads Jimmy’s case with the principal, he only succeeds in getting Jimmy thrown out of school.

   Director:Ken Kwapis

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff

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   Director:Ken Kwapis

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff
3. 

   7.0/10(2 votes)

   #3 - Devil with a Plaid Skirt

   S1:E41/31/2001

   Jimmy's claim of demonic possession and Lily's skirt length prompt Sean's perceived battle with school head Sister Helen

   Director:Craig Zisk

   Writers:Tom Purcell, Tyrone Finch

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   Director:Craig Zisk

   Writers:Tom Purcell, Tyrone Finch
4. 

   7.0/10(2 votes)

   #4 - You Can't Always Get What You Want

   S1:E62/21/2001

   Lily freaks out when Sean says they can't afford to send her on a ski trip with her classmates. But things get worse when she learns that Sean inherited some money and spent it on a guitar for himself.

   Director:Ken Kwapis

   Writer:Tom Purcell

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   Director:Ken Kwapis

   Writer:Tom Purcell
5. 

   7.0/10(2 votes)

   #5 - Like a Virgin

   S1:E72/28/2001

   Claudia is looking forward to a trip to New Jersey to try to bond with Lily. However, things go from bad to worse when Claudia tells popular cheerleaders from Lily's school that her daughter is still a virgin. Lily takes off, leaving Claudia stuck - with no daughter, no luggage, and no clothes.

   Director:Dennie Gordon

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Dennie Gordon

   Writer:Unknown
6. 

   6.5/10(2 votes)

   #6 - Action Mountain High

   S1:E52/7/2001

   Lily's trip to an amusement park with a group of her friends backfires when she calls Sean to pick her up. He doesn't like what he sees, and when he realizes HE was the one called because everyone thought he would go easy on them, he proceeds to get them all in trouble by telling their parents.

   Director:John Whitesell

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff

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   Director:John Whitesell

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff
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7. 

   1.0/10(2 votes)

   #7 - Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?

   S5:E911/19/2004

   Depressed that she doesn't feel sexy while pregnant, Claudia gets a boost when her cute study buddy, Steve, flirts with her. But her bubble is burst when she finds out that Sean paid him to do it. Meanwhile, Lily helps Eddie write material for his stand-up routine, but it backfires when another comic steals Eddie's jokes. Brad gets a reluctant Jimmy into Sciencenauts and his attitude changes when he finds out that the ""secret"" of every meeting involves porn.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Unknown
8. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #8 - Lily B. Goode

   S1:E11/10/2001

   In a desperate grab for attention, Lily makes out with the nerdish next-door neighbor, Brad O'Keefe, in his car; when Sean catches them, he responds in a rather unorthodox way--by throwing fried chicken at the windshield. Meanwhile, Walt babysits Jimmy and Henry and teaches them how to dig a hole; and Eddie tries to hook up illegal cable so he and Sean can watch softcore porn.

   Director:Gary Halvorson

   Writer:Bonnie Kallman

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   Director:Gary Halvorson

   Writer:Bonnie Kallman
9. 

   0.0/10(0 votes)

   #9 - Devil's Haircut

   S1:E83/28/2001

   Sean (Donal Logue) tries to disguise the fact that he cut Henry's (Jake Burbage) hair himself instead of taking him to a barber shop.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff
10. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - Eddie's Dead

    S1:E94/4/2001

    Sean (Donal Logue) tries to keep Eddie (Kevin Corrigan) from hitting on a woman (guest star Julie Claire) Claudia (Megyn Price) is consoling after a break-up.

    Director:Brian Levant

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:Brian Levant

    Writer:Chris Kelly
11. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - Catch Us If You Can

    S1:E104/18/2001

    Sean catches a fly ball that's still in play and loses a game for the Yankees. Claudia's upset when the bachelorette party she's throwing for her girlfriend gets disrupted by Sean, Eddie and the boys, who have been chased home by irate fans.

    Director:Ken Kwapis

    Writers:Jim O'Doherty, David Israel

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    Director:Ken Kwapis

    Writers:Jim O'Doherty, David Israel
12. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Jimmy's Got a Gun

    S1:E114/25/2001

    Walt gives Jimmy a BB gun for his birthday, prompting an all-out war between him and Sean, which ends up with Walt in the hospital, shot in the rump.

    Director:Paul Lazarus

    Writer:Ned Goldreyer

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    Director:Paul Lazarus

    Writer:Ned Goldreyer
13. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - Jimmy Was Kung-Fu Fighting

    S1:E125/2/2001

    To save for a dream vacation to Mexico, Sean and Claudia start working extra shifts at work. This leads to chaos at home, with Eddie raising the kids, Lily getting her tongue pierced, Jimmy becoming a bully, and Henry panhandling and eating out of the garbage.

    Director:Terry Hughes

    Writer:Brad Copeland

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    Director:Terry Hughes

    Writer:Brad Copeland
14. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Loser

    S1:E135/9/2001

    Sean volunteers to referee Henry's soccer team and ends up making an unethical decision in the team's favor. Which in hindsight wasn't a great idea, when Henry gets an inflated ego. So Sean tries to make things right the following week by making an unethical decision in the opposing team's favor. . . Meanwhile, Lily flirts with the cute guy at the concession stand and the conversation leaves her walking on air. But when she starts to obsess over the introduction, she replays the scene over and over in her head, each time thinking that she made a bigger and bigger fool of herself.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Tom Purcell

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Tom Purcell
15. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Mrs. Finnerty, You've Got a Lovely Daughter

    S1:E145/16/2001

    When Lily is miserable because she and her girlfriends have been booed off the stage at the school's talent show, Sean and Claudia have some explaining to do. Meanwhile, the Finnerty's get roped into buying cases of candy bars that the boys are selling for school.

    Director:Kenny Ortega

    Writer:Aron Abrams

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    Director:Kenny Ortega

    Writer:Aron Abrams
16. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #16 - Love Child

    S1:E155/23/2001

    Sean has some explaining to do when Lily’s devastated to discover that she was born out of wedlock.

    Director:Craig Zisk

    Writers:Ned Goldreyer, Chris Kelly

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    Director:Craig Zisk

    Writers:Ned Goldreyer, Chris Kelly
17. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Baby, You Can't Drive My Car

    S2:E19/26/2001

    After the family car goes missing one night, the Finnertys find themselves at an impasse: Sean is in mourning over the loss, while Claudia hopes to gain from a slightly inflated insurance claim. But when the battered remains of the car are towed to the house a few days later, it becomes clear that Lily has been covering her tracks about an ill-fated joyride -- and the reason why her parents have to buy the missing parts from Eddie's maniacal mechanic.

    Director:Ken Kwapis

    Writers:Ned Goldreyer, Chris Kelly

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    Director:Ken Kwapis

    Writers:Ned Goldreyer, Chris Kelly
18. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Dream On

    S2:E210/3/2001

    Claudia's dream about Eddie has Sean out to relight his wife's fire, until he goes down in flames during an impromptu visit to her work. Meanwhile, Lily bombs out with a new boy after guzzling Jimmy's spiked cider. (TV Guide)

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
19. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Don't Let Me Download

    S2:E311/21/2001

    Claudia is shocked to find some racy pictures downloaded on Jimmy's computer, and insists that she and Sean confront him about it, but Sean wants to ignore the situation. Later, Sean confesses to Walt that he downloaded the pictures, and its not long before Claudia discovers that Sean is the guilty culprit. Meanwhile, Lily gives Jimmy a picture of Sister Helen which they doctor and use as an e-mail joke. But when the e-mail is sent to Sister Helen, things aren't so funny anymore.

    Director:Dennie Gordon

    Writer:Aron Abrams

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    Director:Dennie Gordon

    Writer:Aron Abrams
20. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Rubber Sold

    S2:E411/28/2001

    Sean freaks out over Lily's attending a bash at Brad's after he spots the nerdy neighbor stocking up on certain sexy party supplies.

    Director:Peter Werner

    Writer:Bob Kushell

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    Director:Peter Werner

    Writer:Bob Kushell
21. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Bang on a Drum

    S2:E512/5/2001

    Sean and Eddie revive their old high school band to play a wedding reception, but Sean gets nervous when Lily seems way too interested in their hot new drummer. Jimmy convinces Henry that the reson he can't find baby pictures of himself is that Henry's a robot.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly
22. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Smoke on the Daughter

    S2:E612/12/2001

    During a stressful day at work, Claudia takes a puff of a co-worker's cigarette which quickly turns into an entire cigarette and then a daily habit. Desperate to keep her smoking habit from Sean and the kids, Claudia tries her best to smoke without being found out, but is busted by Lily. Lily makes a deal with her - she won't say anything if Claudia will get her a cell phone and Claudia agrees. Sean thinks that Claudia's bizarre behavior lately has something to do with him, prompting him to buy her the expensive armoire Claudia was admiring recently at the flea market. When her quest for a cigarette leads to her digging through the trash and landing outside Brad O'Keefe's window, she realizes she has hit a new low and swears off her habit. Meanwhile, after setting a date with Dean on her new cell phone, Lily is humiliated to find out Dean heard her gushing about him when the phone didn't turn off.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Tom Purcell

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Tom Purcell
23. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - I Saw Daddy Hitting Santa Claus

    S2:E712/19/2001

    Sean gets ticked off with Walt, who's playing Santa Claus, when he promises Henry a $350 Astro Jammer Battle Buggy for Christmas. So Sean responds by bringing violence to Santaland. Meanwhile Lily tries to figure out if the blurry giftcard on her boxershorts reads ""from Brad"" or ""from Dean.""

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Brad Copeland

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Brad Copeland
24. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Let's Talk About Sex, Henry

    S2:E81/2/2002

    After Henry unexpectedly catches Sean and Claudia having sex, Sean is determined to handle the inevitable topic of the birds and the bees with Henry in a better way than Walt did with he and Eddie. After having a father/son talk with Henry about sex, Sean feels good about how he handled things. When Sean and Claudia catch word that they have a ""reputation"", they discover that Henry told his entire class about what he caught Sean and Claudia doing, forcing them to do some damage control.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writers:Bob Kushell, Jim O'Doherty

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    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writers:Bob Kushell, Jim O'Doherty
25. 

    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Is She Really Going Out with Walt?

    S2:E91/16/2002

    The Finnertys' plan to push Walt (Richard Riehle) back into the social scene backfires when he's social with a lady they don't like. Meanwhile, Lily fears that her bad behavior has thrust Brad into Kristina's arms.

    Director:Paul Lazarus

    Writer:Brad Copeland

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    Director:Paul Lazarus

    Writer:Brad Copeland