8.2/1086 votesLoading...#1 - Semper Fidelis
Season 4 Episode 13 - Aired 2/1/1989
Boner flunks out of college and joins the Marines.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
8.0/1097 votesLoading...#2 - Second Chance
Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 4/12/1989
Carol's boyfriend is injured drinking and driving.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
7.8/1085 votesLoading...#3 - Reputation
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/25/1986
Mike writes test answers on his shoe soles.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
7.8/1063 votesLoading...#4 - Dance Fever (2)
Season 3 Episode 20 - Aired 3/2/1988
Great expectations turn sour at the Dewey High dance after Mike hears Lydia's voice; and Ben and Stinky find themselves in a seedy diner eyeing a pinball machine that pays real money.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.7/1078 votesLoading...#5 - The Kid
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 12/16/1986
Ben invites a street girl home for the holidays.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.7/1066 votesLoading...#6 - A Reason to Live
Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 12/8/1987
A troubled student named Jill (Kellie Overbey) volunteers to work on a school project with Mike (Kirk Cameron) and Boner (Josh Andrew Koenig). This, however, is a subterfuge: Jill has been contemplating suicide due to some very serious problems at home, and she hopes to get some free counseling from Mike's psychiatrist dad Jason (Alan Thicke). But as it turns out, Jason is presently weighed down with a few self-pity issues of his own.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.6/1074 votesLoading...#7 - Thank God It's Friday
Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 2/10/1987
Mike and his friends go to a college party and have to decide whether to use drugs or not.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: Steve Marshall
7.6/1051 votesLoading...#8 - Eddie, We Hardly Knew Ye
Season 6 Episode 17 - Aired 1/30/1991
Maggie's dad drops in for an unexpected visit, with news of his imminent death.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.5/10109 votesLoading...#9 - Springsteen
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/1985
Jason embarrasses Mike at a Bruce Springsteen concert when they are interviewed together.
Director: John Pasquin
Writer: David Kendall
7.5/1078 votesLoading...#10 - Fast Times at Dewey High
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 10/21/1986
A new school year brings boredom, bullies, and romantic mix-ups.
Director: N/A
Writer: David Kendall
7.5/1057 votesLoading...#11 - This is Your Life
Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 11/17/1987
During a tonsillectomy, Ben has an out-of-body experience, dreaming that he escapes with a friendly cabbie, only to find a new Ben has replaced him at home.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
7.5/1062 votesLoading...#12 - Dance Fever (1)
Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 3/1/1988
At the school dance, Mike gets a girl and Carol gets raked over the coals. Meanwhile, Ben's adventure goes awry.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.5/1066 votesLoading...#13 - In Carol We Trust
Season 4 Episode 11 - Aired 1/18/1989
Carol sneaks out of the house for a date.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.5/1065 votesLoading...#14 - Ben and Mike's Excellent Adventure
Season 5 Episode 13 - Aired 12/13/1989
Mike takes Ben girl chasing.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: Rob Bragin
7.4/1083 votesLoading...#15 - Standardized Test
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/5/1985
Mike doodles on his aptitude test and winds up with an IQ score of 27.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/1078 votesLoading...#16 - Charity Begins at Home
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/18/1986
Ben gives Jason a very expensive birthday present, causing speculation on how he can possibly afford it.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: Steve Marshall
7.4/1078 votesLoading...#17 - Extra Lap
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/13/1986
Mike's practical-joker uncle Bob visits from the hereafter.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.4/1064 votesLoading...#18 - Long Day's Journey Into Night
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 10/28/1986
A cheerleader befriends Carol solely to meet Mike.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
7.4/1061 votesLoading...#19 - The Long Goodbye
Season 2 Episode 21 - Aired 5/5/1987
Maggie wants Jason to fire the elderly handyman he hired to fix the furnace, but he refuses because the man is a friend.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
7.4/1072 votesLoading...#20 - Fool for Love
Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 10/19/1988
Ben gets spooked at the prospect of asking a girl to a Halloween party; Jason becomes a disruptive force at Lamaze class.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.4/1058 votesLoading...#21 - Mandingo
Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/1989
A travel snafu strands Julie with Mike.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: David Kendall
7.3/10106 votesLoading...#22 - Mike's Madonna Story
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/5/1985
Mike's infatuation with a Madonna look-alike worries Maggie.
Director: John Pasquin
Writer: N/A
7.3/1088 votesLoading...#23 - Weekend Fantasy
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/12/1985
Jason and Maggie want to go to a mountain lodge for a weekend, but are reluctant to leave the kids alone.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: Arnold Margolin
7.3/1055 votesLoading...#24 - Graduation Day
Season 3 Episode 26 - Aired 5/4/1988
At Mike's high-school graduation, family members recall moments when it seemed like his graduation would never take place.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: Steve Marshall
7.3/1051 votesLoading...#25 - The Nanny
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 1/4/1989
The Seavers hire a nanny for Chrissy.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Growing Pains
Every episode of Growing Pains ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Growing Pains!
Fatherhood has taken on a whole new meaning for Jason Seaver, who has assumed the chores of cooking, cleaning and minding the kids so that...
Genre:Comedy
Network:ABC
Best Episodes Summary
"Semper Fidelis" is the best rated episode of "Growing Pains". It scored 8.2/10 based on 86 votes. Directed by John Tracy and written by David Kendall, it aired on 2/1/1989. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Second Chance".