7.5/10108 votes#1 - An Ensign for McHale
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 10/11/1962
Ensign Charles Parker reports for duty as the new Executive Officer of the PT 73, to a not-so-warm welcome from McHale and The Crew. But McHale is soon impressed by the Ensign, and persuades the boys to shape up, so that Parker can stay on as XO.
Director: N/A
Writer: Gene L. Coon
6.7/1087 votes#2 - A Purple Heart for Gruber
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/18/1962
Lester Gruber has been given the job of laundering Captain Binghamton's uniforms. When a Japanese sub fires on the PT 73, the uniforms are destroyed, and Lester's finger is scratched, prompting him to put in for a Purple Heart.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Danny Arnold
7.0/1075 votes#3 - McHale and His Seven Cupids
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/25/1962
McHale decides that what Ensign Parker really needs is a girl friend. He convinces Parker that he is suffering from an advanced case of battle fatigue so that he can be sent to the hospital, where McHale hopes that he will find Nurse Casey Brown to his liking.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Larry Markes
7.5/1075 votes#4 - PT 73, Where Are You?
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 11/1/1962
Binghamton grants McHale and the 73 Crew a week's liberty in New Caledonia, but they must postpone their trip, when the 73 turns up missing, and they have to scheme to get a replacement.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.2/1073 votes#5 - Movies Are Your Best Diversion
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/8/1962
When McHale and his men are assigned the duty of averting a Japanese attack on a US convoy, they use the soundtracks of movies starring John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, and Errol Flynn to confuse the enemies.
Director: N/A
Writer: Larry Markes
7.4/1068 votes#6 - Operation Wedding Party
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/15/1962
McHale tries to figure out a way for Christy and his true love, Lt. Gloria Winters, to get married, even though it is against regulations for an officer to marry an enlisted man. But the lovebirds have even more problems: Binghamton schedules maneuvers on the evening of the wedding, and the Japanese schedule an all-out battle.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1072 votes#7 - Who Do the Voodoo?
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/22/1962
Chief Urulu demands monetary compensation from the Navy, for destroying the coconut trees on his island, and puts a curse on Binghamton, when he refuses to pay.
Director: N/A
Writer: Gene L. Coon
7.3/1068 votes#8 - Three Girls on an Island
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/29/1962
A plane with the Singing Tyler Sisters aboard is forced down with engine trouble on a deserted island. McHale and The 73 Crew are sent to pick them up, with more than their rescue on their minds, but wind up being quite disappointed.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: N/A
7.4/1065 votes#9 - McHale's Paradise Motel
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/6/1962
Binghamton sends McHale and The 73 Crew on a recon mission to a supposedly deserted island, where they make a ‘Home away from home' to enjoy themselves, away from the base. But, the U.S. Navy, as well as the Japanese, become suspicious, when they observe unusual activity on the island.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: N/A
7.5/1064 votes#10 - The Battle of McHale's Island
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/20/1962
McHale and the boys cook up a scheme to keep Binghamton from building a new Officer's Club on McHale's island.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: N/A
7.9/1073 votes#11 - The Day They Captured Santa Claus
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/27/1962
Mchale decides for Christmas he and the crew of PT-73 will pay a visit to the Sister Monique and the children dressed up in a Santa Claus outfit and elf outfits. Mchale would parachute from a plane first and meet the kids and PT-73 would follow a little while after. Mchale jumps in his Santa outfit but when he lands he finds the island was overtaken by Japanese and was captured. Mchale as usual cons he's why through the itterogation and he claims that a new secret weapon is on it's way, just then PT-73 arrives singing Christmas carrols and dressed in elf outfits. The Japanese commander becomes scared fearing that this was some kind new of physcological warfare and he surrenders.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Larry Markes
7.3/1061 votes#12 - Beauty and the Beast
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/3/1963
A Photo Journalist for the Office of War Information – An extremely unpleasant person, with whom McHale is familiar – Is sent to Taratupa to do a story on PT Boats and their Crews. Through a case of mistaken identity, McHale and the boys are stuck with her, and must scheme to try to get rid of her.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: N/A
7.5/1065 votes#13 - The Captain's Mission
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/10/1963
Binghamton's reputation as a ‘desk jockey' brings on a desire for some real combat experience, so, while McHale is away at New Caledonia, he assumes command of the 73, and goes out looking for action, with disappointing results.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Jerry Davis, Danny Simon
7.2/1071 votes#14 - Send Us a Hero
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 1/17/1963
A U.S. Congresswoman comes to Taratupa, to find a War Hero to take on a Stateside War Bond tour, and Parker and the boys help McHale to get chosen for the job, thinking that they will be going along.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Larry Markes
7.2/1059 votes#15 - The Captain Steals a Cook
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 1/24/1963
Another of Gruber's shady enterprises backfires, when Binghamton gets a taste of the delicious Polynesian cuisine that Fuji has been cooking up, for sale to the base personnel.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.3/1058 votes#16 - The Ensign Gets a Zero
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/31/1963
Complications arise, when Gruber falsifies Parker's gunnery score to keep Parker from being shipped out.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1068 votes#17 - The Big Raffle
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/7/1963
Christy finds out he's about to become a Father, so, while McHale is away in New Caledonia, Parker and the boys come up with a plan to raise money for expenses.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/1060 votes#18 - One of Our Engines Is Missing
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/14/1963
The 73's engines are dying, and Binghamton uses the situation as an excuse to have McHale and his Crew reassigned. So McHale and the boys must scheme, to try to make the 73 healthy again.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.0/1056 votes#19 - The Natives Get Restless
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 2/21/1963
Some local natives – Who depend on McHale and his men for their income – Are up in arms over Binghamton's having made their village off-limits to McHale and his Crew. But Binghamton must re-establish good relations with them, for the upcoming inspection tour of The Undersecretary Of The Navy.
Director: Norman Abbott
Writer: N/A
7.3/1062 votes#20 - The Confidence Game
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/28/1963
Parker requests a transfer, when he feels he's not getting the respect he deserves. So, to change his mind, and build up his self-confidence, McHale puts him in charge of an important test mission.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: N/A
7.5/1059 votes#21 - Six Pounds from Paradise
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 3/7/1963
The Navy has issued a directive stating that all overweight Combat Officers will be shipped out, and, when Binghamton goes all out to see that McHale goes over the weight limit, the boys cook up a plan to keep him with them.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: N/A
7.4/1061 votes#22 - Washing Machine Charlie
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 3/14/1963
A pesky Japanese Pilot – Whom the base personnel have dubbed ‘Washing Machine Charlie' – Is wreaking havoc, with his daily strafing runs on Taratupa, and McHale and the 73 Crew have an incentive to bring him down.
Director: N/A
Writer: Myles Wilder
7.5/1062 votes#23 - Nippon Nancy Calling
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 3/21/1963
When a Japanese radio announcer broadcasts details about Captain Binghamton that only someone close to him would know, Binghamton immediately suspects McHale and The 73 Crew, and enlists Parker's aid in nailing the traitor.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Danny Arnold
7.7/1067 votes#24 - One Enchanted Weekend
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/28/1963
Lovely Yvette Gerard has invited Parker to join her for a weekend at her island home. When Binghamton denies him leave, McHale works up a plan for Parker to have a ‘working vacation' on the island, which winds up with an unexpected bonus.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/1057 votes#25 - The Mothers of PT 73
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 4/4/1963
Trouble ensues, when Parker inadvertently invites three of the 73 Crew's Mothers – Including his own – To visit Taratupa for Mother's Day.
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Writer: Larry Markes
The Best Episodes of McHale's Navy Season 1
Every episode of McHale's Navy Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of McHale's Navy Season 1!
An experienced South Pacific Sea Dog by the name of Quinton McHale, was commissioned as a Lieutenant Commander into the U.S. Navy Reserve at the...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:ABC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"An Ensign for McHale" is the best rated episode of "McHale's Navy" season 1. It scored 7.5/10 based on 108 votes. Directed by N/A and written by Gene L. Coon, it aired on 10/11/1962. This episode is rated 0.8 points higher than the second-best, "A Purple Heart for Gruber".