The Worst Episodes of Grounded for Life

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Worst Episode
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   7.0/10(128 votes)

   #1 - You're So Vain

   S4:E254/16/2004

   Claudia's father, Tony, has returned to the Finnertys for and operation, and the rest of the family is very sympathetic, except for Sean.

   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:John Blanchard

   Writer:Unknown
2. 

   7.1/10(139 votes)

   #2 - Mustang Lily

   S3:E29/24/2002

   Sean blows his shot at snagging a loan from Claudia's dad (Stephen Root) after losing the car he gave Lily for her birthday in a street race. Meanwhile, Henry and Jimmy put the squeeze on their grandfather for some hefty Tooth Fairy funds.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
3. 

   7.2/10(140 votes)

   #3 - Oh, What a Knight

   S3:E125/16/2003

   Sean joins the Knights of Hibernia in order for Lily to compete in their beauty pageant.

   Director:John Putch

   Writer:Erica Rivinoja

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   Director:John Putch

   Writer:Erica Rivinoja
4. 

   7.3/10(127 votes)

   #4 - Communication Breakdown

   S4:E141/23/2004

   Sean forgets to give Claudia an important message from her professor; Jimmy hides the telephone bill to conceal his calls to a 976 number; Lily freaks out when Brad doesn't call her for three hours.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
5. 

   7.3/10(132 votes)

   #5 - 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
6. 

   7.4/10(200 votes)

   #6 - 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
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7. 

   7.4/10(187 votes)

   #7 - 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
8. 

   7.4/10(143 votes)

   #8 - Eddie and This Guy with Diamonds

   S2:E194/17/2002

   Sean winds up in jail for buying some shady diamond earrings for Claudia from Eddie's so-called ""connection""; Lily protests the nuns's donkey-basketball game.

   Director:John Putch

   Writer:Jeremy Hall

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   Director:John Putch

   Writer:Jeremy Hall
9. 

   7.4/10(150 votes)

   #9 - I Fought the In-Laws

   S2:E204/24/2002

   The minor insults of Claudia's visiting parents get so far under an insecure Sean's skin that it starts to look like he's gone out of his mind. Meanwhile, karaoke leads to an unlikely liplock between Brad and Lily.

   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown

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   Director:Unknown

   Writer:Unknown
10. 

    7.4/10(132 votes)

    #10 - 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
11. 

    7.4/10(139 votes)

    #11 - Who Are You?

    S3:E83/28/2003

    Sean and Claudia are shocked to learn that Jimmy has been shoplifting and try to figure out his motivations for stealing. Elsewhere, Lily agonizes over what to wear for dinner with Dean's parents. Brad helps her find the perfect outfit, but Dean's parents turn out to be not so great. Meanwhile, Henry brings home his class's pet lizard.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Jeremy Hall

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Jeremy Hall
12. 

    7.4/10(132 votes)

    #12 - Welcome to the Working Week

    S3:E94/25/2003

    Lily goes on a shopping spree with her ""emergency credit card,"" resulting in her having to pay back the bill by getting a job -- at the bar. Meanwhile, Eddie fumes over a scathing review of the bar; and Henry takes energy preservation to the extreme.

    Director:John Putch

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Putch

    Writer:Unknown
13. 

    7.4/10(133 votes)

    #13 - Claudia in Disguise with Glasses

    S3:E105/2/2003

    Claudia wreaks havoc at a wedding reception after losing her glasses -- though it may not be Claudia who lost them. Meanwhile Lily convinces Eddie to persuade Dean to get her the perfect birthday gift; and Brad begins spending way too much time with Jimmy.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Aron Abrams

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Aron Abrams
14. 

    7.4/10(127 votes)

    #14 - S.A.T. and Sympathy (a.k.a. S.A.T. Out of Hell)

    S4:E610/3/2003

    Lily and Brad stress over their upcoming S.A.T. tests... and Claudia turns the SAT's into a competition. Meanwhile, Sean teaches Henry a lesson in compassion by taking in a homeless guy (Dave Sheridan).

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Aron Abrams

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Aron Abrams
15. 

    7.4/10(133 votes)

    #15 - Smells Like Teen Spirit

    S4:E911/7/2003

    Sean talks to Jimmy about the birds and the bees; Brad accidentally sees Claudia naked.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
16. 

    7.4/10(143 votes)

    #16 - Baby Come Back

    S4:E1011/14/2003

    Sean becomes jealous when Claudia is asked to do some modeling for a fashion photographer. So she storms out, leaving him to deal with a bath products party that she'd organized. Meanwhile Lily recieves her yearbook photos, which are terrible.

    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:Unknown

    Writer:Unknown
17. 

    7.4/10(129 votes)

    #17 - Pictures of Willy

    S4:E212/27/2004

    Eddie persuades Sean to help him break into his ex-girlfriend's apartment to steal embarrassing photographs.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Ned Goldreyer

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Ned Goldreyer
18. 

    7.5/10(220 votes)

    #18 - 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
19. 

    7.5/10(182 votes)

    #19 - 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
20. 

    7.5/10(177 votes)

    #20 - 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
21. 

    7.5/10(143 votes)

    #21 - Mr. Roboto

    S2:E111/30/2002

    Jimmy and his class are having a robot science fair. Sean goes all out to create a ""first place"" robot for Jimmy. When the judge of the fair calls Jimmy's robot ""substantial robot"" and ""you could prop a door wide open with this!"" Sean stands up and admits that he made his son's robot. He requests that the other parents do the same (It's obvious that the other robots were made by the parents.) In the end, Jimmy and his robot, fight Benji (his classmate) and his robot in a robot battle! Benji, who was marvelously acted wins!

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown
22. 

    7.5/10(138 votes)

    #22 - We Didn't Start the Fire

    S3:E19/17/2002

    Claudia learns the results of her pregnancy test and Sean celebrates the news with a major purchase: a bar that Eddie plans to burn down for the insurance money. Meanwhile, Lilly and Brad try their luck at getting liquored-up; and Henry develops a craving for a different kind of watering-hole delicacy.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff
23. 

    7.5/10(134 votes)

    #23 - Drive Me Crazy

    S3:E42/28/2003

    For the second time, Lily has failed her behind-the-wheel exam. But this time it's not her fault, it's Sean's, who went out of her way to sabotage her driving test by teaching her rediculous driving tips, such as the all-important ""W-turn."" In other events, Claudia is having a devil of a time keeping Henry and Jimmy from playing a violent video game condemned by Sister Helen -- but she winds up addicted to it herself.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writers:Bill Martin, Mike Schiff
24. 

    7.5/10(132 votes)

    #24 - 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
25. 

    7.5/10(127 votes)

    #25 - I Just Paid to Say I Love You

    S4:E59/26/2003

    Brad plans a romantic date with Lily in New York City, but because one incident throws them off schedule, the rest of the evening becomes a disaster. Meanwhile, Eddie breaks a window in the sewing room, leaving it wide open for an animal to wander in...an animal which Henry wants to keep as a pet.

    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown

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    Director:John Blanchard

    Writer:Unknown