The Best Episodes of Grounded for Life

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
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   9.0/10(124 votes)

   #1 - Henry's Been Working for the Drug Squad

   S3:E63/7/2003

   From TV Guide: Following his school's drug-awareness day, Henry thinks his family is on drugs and stages an intervention for Sean after he finds a suspicious plant growing in the yard.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Ned Goldreyer

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Ned Goldreyer
2. 

   8.3/10(158 votes)

   #2 - 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
3. 

   8.0/10(109 votes)

   #3 - 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
4. 

   8.0/10(104 votes)

   #4 - Safety Dance

   S2:E153/6/2002

   While Sean and Claudia are chaperoning at Lily's school dance, Sister Helen catches Lily and Dean red-handed with a bottle of liquor while they are making out. Lily insists she is innocent and that the booze is not hers. But it comes as a surprise to both Lily and Sister Helen when the real culprit is revealed. Meanwhile, Eddie has taken to using Walt as his goon to shake down his shady business associates.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
5. 

   8.0/10(100 votes)

   #5 - Swearin' to God

   S2:E184/10/2002

   Sean exploits a nun's foulmouthed slip of the tongue to get Claudia and the kids everything they've ever wanted from St. Finnian's.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff
6. 

   8.0/10(130 votes)

   #6 - Dust in the Wind

   S2:E215/1/2002

   Sean and Eddie plan to honor their late cousin's wishes by scattering his Tupperware-borne ashes over the old water tower; Lily meets a cute guy at the funeral.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
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7. 

   8.0/10(86 votes)

   #7 - Oops!...I Did It Again

   S2:E225/8/2002

   A home-pregnancy test in the trash has Sean convinced Lily is with child, but it may be Claudia who has something unexpected to tell him. Meanwhile, Lily learns the truth about the musical circumstances surrounding her birth; and Jimmy sings the blues about the zit that is taking over his face.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
8. 

   8.0/10(93 votes)

   #8 - Cat Scratch Fever (a.k.a. The Bitch Is Back)

   S3:E312/3/2002

   Things get tense at the bar when Sean hires his high school fantasy girl as the bartender. And Lily freaks out when she tells Dean she loves him at a concert and can't hear his reponse.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Ned Goldreyer

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Ned Goldreyer
9. 

   8.0/10(89 votes)

   #9 - Cuts Like a Knife

   S3:E73/14/2003

   Sean has a hard time fighting off an amorous Claudia after lying to her that he's finally undergone a vasectomy. Meanwhile, Brad gets a chance to hang out with Lily by paying her to tutor him in a subject he already excels at.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Chris Kelly

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Chris Kelly
10. 

    8.0/10(89 votes)

    #10 - Part Time Lover

    S3:E135/16/2003

    When the dump closes, Walt finds himself with an abundance of free time and begins hanging around the house, much to the dismay of Lily, who finds it increasingly hard to get alone-time with Brad. So she schemes to get him a date online... which turns out to be with a drag-queen. Meanwhile, Eddie finds out that his girlfriend has another boyfriend.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly
11. 

    8.0/10(93 votes)

    #11 - Your Father Should Know (1)

    S4:E19/5/2003

    After Sean confronts Brad's father, who's boasting that Lily and Brad have slept together, he confronts Claudia -- and finds out she already knew too. So when Brad mysteriously gets injured by an airborn Christmas decoration, everyone thinks Sean finally lost his temper. Meanwhile, the boys have spent Sean and Eddie's Liberty quarter collection, and Eddie is disgusted. So Eddie takes the boys out to teach them a lesson about stealing from other people -- by stealing a toy machine that Henry loaded with quarters.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
12. 

    8.0/10(84 votes)

    #12 - Ticket to Ride

    S4:E810/31/2003

    After a night of partying, Lily wakes up with a nasty hangover, her car parked on the porch and no memory of how she got home. To teach Lily a lesson, Sean and Claudia decide to sell her car and have her sign a contract that she will call them when she is too drunk to drive. Angry at losing her car, Lily pretends to be drunk night after night in order to make her parents give her a ride home. Meanwhile, Eddie makes a huge profit when he sells Lily's car for Sean.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
13. 

    8.0/10(88 votes)

    #13 - I Think We're Alone Now

    S4:E162/6/2004

    Sean and Claudia try to take advantage of an empty house and spend some alone time together; Lily realizes that Brad is not a good dancer.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
14. 

    8.0/10(89 votes)

    #14 - Tombstone Blues

    S4:E202/27/2004

    Claudia refuses to include Brad in the family portrait; Claudia's father-in-law (guest star Richard Riehle) gives her plot to his dead cat.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly
15. 

    8.0/10(94 votes)

    #15 - Pressure Drop

    S4:E264/23/2004

    Claudia tries to alleviate Sean's hypertension and high blood pressure by running the household all by herself but everything goes awry. Jimmy gets suspended from school, which causes a set of problems all its own, and Lily and Brad break her bed so they steal the family car... and get it impounded.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Eric Kentoff

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Eric Kentoff
16. 

    8.0/10(90 votes)

    #16 - Get a Job

    S4:E274/30/2004

    Lily is less than thrilled about Brad's new job, which is taking up all of his time. Meanwhile, Walt's having problems finding work, so Sean and Eddie offer him a job at the bar... but they soon find that he takes over. Jimmy's at the age where he finds his mother to be an embarrassment, so Claudia sets out to bond with him.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
17. 

    8.0/10(94 votes)

    #17 - Space Camp Oddity

    S4:E285/7/2004

    Lily has her doubts when Brad tells her about a girl he once had a relationship with at space camp named Lana. But Brad, tired of Lily thinking this, changes his Summer plans and boards a bus to space camp with a very cute, and very real, Lana.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly
18. 

    8.0/10(99 votes)

    #18 - The Policy of Truth

    S5:E19/17/2004

    Brad, after admitting he hooked up with his space camp buddy, Lana (guest star Mila Kunis), begs for forgiveness from Lily until he learns of her infidelity.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly
19. 

    8.0/10(93 votes)

    #19 - Man, I Feel Like a Woman

    S5:E29/24/2004

    Sean's feeling sick, and Eddie convinces him that he has sympathetic pregnancy syndrome. Brad and Lily decide to just be friends but their hormones get the best of them. Jimmy tries to impress the new neighbor girl by pretending to be a sports fanatic. Eddie resumes his relationship with his ex, Faye, who's become more bitter and angry than ever.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
20. 

    8.0/10(87 votes)

    #20 - Day Tripper

    S5:E410/8/2004

    Eddie moves into the Finnerty basement after being evicted from his apartment. Claudia is not happy and tells him if he screws up he's out. Lily is jealous of Taya, Brad's new girlfriend, after she becomes the first girl on the Football team at school. Claudia's pregnancy interferes with her motherly duties.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
21. 

    8.0/10(89 votes)

    #21 - I'm Looking Through You

    S5:E711/5/2004

    Sean's old friend Dave is in town, a children's performer who goes under the name ""J.J. Bodybuddy"". He lets Dave stay at his house...but it isn't entirely altruistic. He's promised the school that he can get J.J. Bodybuddy to do a show for the kids. The problem is, Dave--a recovered alcoholic who hasn't touched the stuff in ten years--gets too drunk to do the gig, and Sean has to put on the Bodybuddy leotard hismelf. Meanwhile, Lily is jealous of the new baby, and is letting her feelings be known vociferously.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Ned Goldreyer

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Ned Goldreyer
22. 

    8.0/10(89 votes)

    #22 - Tom Sawyer

    S5:E101/7/2005

    Lily becomes insecure when she learns that she's ""not school smart."" So when Brad snags an interview at Yale, she becomes jealous and connives to land her own interview. Sean takes a second job as a limo driver, to avoid doing work at home. Claudia tries to convince her neighbor, Arianna, that the Finnerty clan is not trash. Jimmy seeks advice from his uncle Eddie for his debut in the school production of Tom Sawyer.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Chris Kelly
23. 

    8.0/10(89 votes)

    #23 - The Letter(s)

    S5:E111/14/2005

    Sean becomes infuriated after receiving letters from the Home Owner's Association telling him to clean up his house, while Claudia is happy about the positive changes to the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Lily insists that Brad buys her an anniversary gift from a list that she's made... but he defies her wishes and gets her a sexy nighty... that he can't enjoy because he's busy picturing Sister Helen, who he ran into at the lingerie store. And Jimmy shocks the family by making an unusual lifestyle choice -- he announces that he's a vegetarian.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
24. 

    7.3/10(138 votes)

    #24 - 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
25. 

    7.3/10(123 votes)

    #25 - 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