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The Best Episodes of Leave It to Beaver

Every episode of Leave It to Beaver ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Leave It to Beaver!

Leave It to Beaver is an American television situation comedy about an inquisitive and often naïve boy named Theodore "The Beaver" Cleaver and his adventures...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Networks:ABCCBS

Best Episodes Summary

"In the Soup" is the best rated episode of "Leave It to Beaver". It scored 8.8/10 based on 258 votes. Directed by Norman Abbott and written by N/A, it aired on 5/6/1961. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "The Bank Account".

  • In the Soup
    8.8/10258 votes
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    #1 - In the Soup

    Season 4 Episode 32 - Aired 5/6/1961

    Wally is throwing a party and is successful in getting Beaver out of the house, who is planning to spend the night at Whitey's. However, on the way to Whitey's house, him and Beaver get into an argument over a billboard that is advertising for soup and this leads to Beaver falling into the giant soup bowl mounted at the top of the billboard.

    Director: Norman Abbott

    Writer: N/A

  • The Bank Account
    8.6/10228 votes
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    #2 - The Bank Account

    Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/14/1958

    Ward tries to teach Wally and Beaver the importance of saving by giving them a piggy bank. The boys quickly save up a handful of change and are all ready to spend it on some baseball equipment. However, unknown to their parents, they change their minds and decide to spend the money on a most unselfish gift.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly, Phil Leslie

  • Teacher Comes to Dinner
    8.5/10199 votes
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    #3 - Teacher Comes to Dinner

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/28/1959

    Beaver gets a surprise when June invites Miss Landers over for dinner and Larry convinces him that something bad might happen. This leads Beaver to becomes a nervous wreck and tries to make sure his parents don't do anything to embarrass him. Meanwhile, Larry charges a quarter to anyone who wants to spy on Miss Landers eating dinner at the Cleavers.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Dale Eunson

  • Beaver and Andy
    8.5/10187 votes
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    #4 - Beaver and Andy

    Season 3 Episode 20 - Aired 2/13/1960

    An old acquaintance of Ward's stops by and offers to paint the trim on the house. However, June and Ward are both apprehensive about the prospect of an alcoholic coming in contact with Wally and Beaver, despite the fact that he says he's cleaned himself up.

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Wally's Test
    8.4/10170 votes
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    #5 - Wally's Test

    Season 3 Episode 17 - Aired 1/23/1960

    An upcoming test in history, Wally's weakest subject, has Wally studying all weekend and has Larry and Eddie coming up with a plan that will give them good grades on the test.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Wally's Weekend Job
    8.4/10159 votes
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    #6 - Wally's Weekend Job

    Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 11/11/1961

    Wally gets a job at the ice cream parlor leaving a gaggle of girls swooning and Eddie and Lumpy feeling neglected. So to get back at him, Eddie and Lumpy concoct a plan of revenge that involves Mary Ellen Roger's slumber party.

    Director: Norman Abbott

    Writer: N/A

  • The Grass is Always Greener
    8.3/10180 votes
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    #7 - The Grass is Always Greener

    Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 1/8/1959

    Beaver and Wally make friends with the garbage man's kids, Chris and Pete. They quickly learn that they take for granted what they have. Simple things like just having a yard to play in leave Chris and Pete in awe.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: N/A

  • Wally's Haircomb
    8.3/10242 votes
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    #8 - Wally's Haircomb

    Season 2 Episode 34 - Aired 5/21/1959

    Wally begins combing his hair a new way, inspired by a fad started by Eddie that has swept his school. However, June and Ward are aghast at his hairdo and June becomes determined to get Wally to change his hairdo back to his normal style.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Most Interesting Character
    8.3/10152 votes
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    #9 - Most Interesting Character

    Season 2 Episode 39 - Aired 6/25/1959

    Miss Landers assigns Beaver's class to write a short essay about the most interesting character they know. While Judy writes about her dad, Beaver debates over whom he should write about. Beaver finally decides to write about Ward, but Beaver isn't sure if Ward is interesting enough.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Beaver Finds a Wallet
    8.3/10160 votes
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    #10 - Beaver Finds a Wallet

    Season 3 Episode 30 - Aired 4/23/1960

    Beaver and Larry find a wallet that contains $89 while on their way to the grocery store to pick up some groceries for June. Surprisingly, Beaver and Larry decide to turn it in at the police station and Beaver finds himself waiting an agonizing week to see if he can keep the money.

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Wally's Big Date
    8.3/10159 votes
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    #11 - Wally's Big Date

    Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 11/25/1961

    Wally's school is having an exchange dance and Wally and Eddie must take girls from a rival school that they chose out of a hat. Eddie asks to trade with Wally and he agrees, like a shot, after seeing the picture of Eddie's intended in a yearbook. Suspicious, Wally soon quickly discovers why Eddie wanted to trade; the girl is a few inches taller than Wally.

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: N/A

  • A Night in the Woods
    8.3/10159 votes
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    #12 - A Night in the Woods

    Season 5 Episode 36 - Aired 6/9/1962

    Beaver and his friends are all psyched to go on a camping trip with Gilbert's father as an escort. However, when Gilbert's father suddenly has to work and everyone is down in the dumps that is until Wally agrees to take them. Meanwhile, Eddie and Lumpy decide to secretly tag along and scare the boys with animal noises.

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: N/A

  • Water, Anyone?
    8.2/10228 votes
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    #13 - Water, Anyone?

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/15/1957

    Wally and his friends are trying to earn enough money to buy baseball uniforms. They put a plan into action by doing their chores at a slow pace in order to maximize their hourly pay. Meanwhile, Beaver, also wanting to be on the team, begins selling water to his family and neighbors.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Clifford Goldsmith

  • The State vs. Beaver
    8.2/10174 votes
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    #14 - The State vs. Beaver

    Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/26/1958

    Ward helps Beaver and Wally build a miniature race car powered by a lawn mower motor and Ward makes the boys promise not to use it without him being with them. Later, Larry talks Beaver into taking it for a spin resulting in being pulled over by a traffic officer.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly

  • Price of Fame
    8.2/10156 votes
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    #15 - Price of Fame

    Season 2 Episode 26 - Aired 3/26/1959

    While staying after school cleaning the chalkboards, Larry convinces Beaver that Mrs. Rayburn keeps a spanking machine in the closest in her office. Later, a curious Beaver sneaks a peek but soon finds himself locked in the principal's office. Beaver's fame doesn't go over well with his family but Beaver has another problem on his hands: he's just gotten his head stuck in an iron fence at the park.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Beaver the Magician
    8.2/10179 votes
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    #16 - Beaver the Magician

    Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 12/19/1959

    Beaver buys a common magic trick but is disappointed by everyone's ""that's nice"" reaction, but he gets a totally different reaction out of Bengie when Larry and Beaver convince him that Beaver has been turned into a rock.

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: Bob Mosher, George Tibbles

  • June's Birthday
    8.2/10158 votes
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    #17 - June's Birthday

    Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 12/26/1959

    June's birthday has Wally and Beaver fighting over what to buy with the five dollars that Ward gave them. Wally buys her a wallet while Beaver buys an ugly blouse that June kindly thanks him for, but she has a hard time bringing herself to wear it.

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Eddie Spends the Night
    8.2/10146 votes
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    #18 - Eddie Spends the Night

    Season 4 Episode 26 - Aired 3/25/1961

    Wally invites Eddie to spend the night. However, during a game of chess, Eddie accuses Wally of cheating and they get into a big argument ending with Wally ordering Eddie to go home.

    Director: Norman Abbott

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Beaver's Report Card
    8.2/10127 votes
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    #19 - Beaver's Report Card

    Season 4 Episode 27 - Aired 4/1/1961

    Beaver gets out of school early to go to the dentist which prompts Gilbert to drop off his report card. However, Eddie and Lumpy get a hold of it and Eddie decides to alter Beaver's arithmetic grade from a D- to a B+.

    Director: Norman Abbott

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • Substitute Father
    8.2/10145 votes
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    #20 - Substitute Father

    Season 4 Episode 39 - Aired 6/24/1961

    Before leaving on a business trip, Ward asks Wally to look after June and Beaver and Wally does indeed. However, when Miss Landers hears Beaver swear at a bully, Beaver turns to Wally to handle the situation and be a ""substitute father.""

    Director: David Butler

    Writer: Bob Mosher

  • The Haircut
    8.1/10252 votes
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    #21 - The Haircut

    Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/25/1957

    After losing his lunch money for three days in a row, Ward gives Beaver one last chance by letting him handle his haircut money. However, when he loses that too, Beaver decides to give himself a haircut just days before he's scheduled to be an angel in a play.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bill Manhoff

  • Beaver's Short Pants
    8.1/10210 votes
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    #22 - Beaver's Short Pants

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/13/1957

    When June goes on a trip to visit her sister, Peggy, June's Aunt Martha steps in and stays with Ward and the boys. Ward and the boys do their best not to hurt Martha's feelings, but Beaver has the hardest time when she buys him a suit, knee socks, a cap, and short pants and makes him wear the outfit to school.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly

  • Voodoo Magic
    8.1/10201 votes
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    #23 - Voodoo Magic

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/3/1958

    June and Ward make Wally and Beaver promise that they won't go to the movies and see a scary movie. However, Wally and Beaver are talked into seeing it, thanks to Wally's so-called best friend, Eddie Haskell. The movie has quite an influence on Beaver, who makes a voodoo doll, names it Eddie Haskell, and sticks it with pins.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly, Bill Manhoff

  • Lumpy Rutherford
    8.1/10208 votes
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    #24 - Lumpy Rutherford

    Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/24/1958

    The local bully, Lumpy Rutherford, has been picking on Beaver and Wally and, thanks to a story Ward tells them, they decide to play a joke on Lumpy. However, their ploy catches the wrong person—Lumpy's father and Ward's co-worker Fred Rutherford, is caught in the trap.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly

  • Train Trip
    8.1/10177 votes
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    #25 - Train Trip

    Season 1 Episode 26 - Aired 4/9/1958

    After a week long visit with their Aunt Martha, Wally and Beaver prepare to head home to Mayfield on a train. After talking Martha into letting them buy their own tickets, they discover they're short the money after spending it on junk food and find themselves wondering how they are going to get home.

    Director: Norman Tokar

    Writer: Bob Mosher, Joe Connelly