My Name Is Earl backdrop
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The Best Episodes of My Name Is Earl Season 1

Every episode of My Name Is Earl Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of My Name Is Earl Season 1!

Binge this in 8h 47m•Peaking at 8.3/10

When petty criminal Earl Hickey wins the lottery, he sets off on a quest to repair his questionable karma.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    8.3/10(1489 votes)

    #1 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Today is the first day of the rest of Earl Hickey's life. After coming into a $100,000 scratch-off lottery ticket and losing it just as fast upon being hit by a car, Earl has an epiphany in the hospital--to make up for all the terrible things he's done in the past. With his brother Randy and a motel maid named Catalina, Earl writes up a list of every misdeed he was a part of. Earl sets out to do just that, starting with #64--Kenny James, a boy he picked on in elementary school.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Greg Garcia

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  2. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 2 - Quit Smoking
    7.9/10(1142 votes)

    #2 - Quit Smoking

    S1:E2

    Earl must make amends to Donny, an intimidating thug who spent two years in jail for a robbery Earl committed. Oddly enough, the only way he can do this is by helping Donny's mom quit smoking. Meanwhile, Joy discovers she's the beneficiary of Earl's will and decides to kill him!

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 3 - Randy's Touchdown
    7.9/10(1042 votes)

    #3 - Randy's Touchdown

    S1:E3

    Back in their high school days, Earl ruined Randy's chance to score a touchdown during a key football game; now Earl must figure out a way to make things right.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:J.B. Cook

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  4. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 4 - Faked My Own Death
    8.1/10(1057 votes)

    #4 - Faked My Own Death

    S1:E4

    When Earl meets a tough biker chick at a Halloween party, it looks like a match made in heaven--but when the costumes come off, the mismatch becomes apparent and Earl takes drastic measures to get out of the relationship. Now, years later, Earl must find a way to make amends for deceiving the girl.

    Director:Tamra Davis
    Writer:Hilary Winston

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  5. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 5 - Teacher Earl
    7.9/10(1007 votes)

    #5 - Teacher Earl

    S1:E5

    Earl decides to teach English as a Second language to cross "Made fun of people with accents" off his karma list. While Ralph an old friend is released from prison, Earl tries to convince him in the ways of karma however Ralph ends up kidnapping Randy trying to get his hands on Earl’s lotto winnings.

    Director:Chris Koch
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 6 - Broke Joy's Fancy Figurine
    7.7/10(1022 votes)

    #6 - Broke Joy's Fancy Figurine

    S1:E6

    In order to replace a fancy figurine that he broke, Earl lends a hand to help Joy's former adversary and her daughter win a mother/daughter beauty pageant . However, Joy enters the pageant also with her "dead" mother trying to win that same figurine, hoping to trade it for a hot tub.

    Director:Lev L. Spiro
    Writer:Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

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    The 20 BEST Episodes of My Name Is Earl

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  7. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 7 - Stole Beer From a Golfer
    8.0/10(995 votes)

    #7 - Stole Beer From a Golfer

    S1:E7

    Earl attempts to help Scott get over his preoccupation with golf--an obsession caused when he and Randy started fixing Scott’s golf game to get free beer. But after becoming so thoroughly entangled in Scott’s personal life that he drives Randy away, Earl realizes that he may be the one with the obsession.

    Director:Chris Koch
    Writer:Michael Pennie

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  8. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 8 - Joy's Wedding
    8.2/10(981 votes)

    #8 - Joy's Wedding

    S1:E8

    Darnell and Joy decided to tie the knot while Earl learns thru Randy’s invitation that he is not invited. To make things worse Joy has scheduled the wedding on Earl’s birthday so that all of their friends will be unable to celebrate with him. A drunken Earl crashes the party accidentally breaking Joy’s nose and now is forced to add “ruined Joy’s wedding” to his list.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Greg Garcia

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  9. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 9 - Cost Dad the Election
    7.6/10(920 votes)

    #9 - Cost Dad the Election

    S1:E9

    Earl tries to cross of number four off his list “Blew dad’s chance to be elected mayor”. Four years earlier, Carl Hickey ran for mayor to redirect a proposed airplane traffic route over his house and away from the wealthy part of town. Earl unfortunately ruins any chances of his father winning when caught in on tape assaulting a police officer. Earl must now help his father get elected and mend his relationship with his father.

    Director:Chris Koch
    Writer:Bobby Bowman

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  10. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 10 - White Lie Christmas
    7.8/10(913 votes)

    #10 - White Lie Christmas

    S1:E10

    As the holiday season comes under way a few secrets are exposed when Earl attempts to cross number seventy-four off of his list: "always ruined Joy's Christmas." Earl, Randy, and Catalina enter a radio contest to win a brand new car for Joy to make up for all of the thoughtless Christmas presents Earl gave her while they were married. While Randy and Catalina vie over the car, Earl finds out that Joy's parents believe that he's still their son-in-law and that he's just returned from the war in Iraq. Joy is afraid to tell her father, an alleged racist, that she is now married to Darnell, so Earl plays the part, afraid of ruining another one of her Christmases.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Timothy Stack

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  11. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 11 - Barn Burner
    7.5/10(895 votes)

    #11 - Barn Burner

    S1:E11

    When trying to enroll her children into the Right Choice Ranch for troubled youth, Joy is denied enrollment because of a barn burning incident at the hands of a younger Earl. Earl, Randy and Catalina travel to the camp to make amends for the barn burning by building a pen for the camp’s ostrich. Earl learns the real reason behind the barn burning incident and decides that every incident on his list after the fire should be shared by Randy.

    Director:Ken Whittingham
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 12 - O Karma, Where Art Thou?
    8.1/10(934 votes)

    #12 - O Karma, Where Art Thou?

    S1:E12

    When Earl and Randy try to return a stolen wallet they find out taking the money had cost two newlyweds their honeymoon. In an attempt to make things right Earl takes over for the groom at his fast food restaurant. After time Earl finds out the boss is a jerk and Earl wonders how such a man with a luxurious house and beautiful wife could not be affected by the only thing he believes in, Karma.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Greg Garcia

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  13. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 13 - Stole P's HD Cart
    8.0/10(876 votes)

    #13 - Stole P's HD Cart

    S1:E13

    Earl crosses another number off the list when he returns Pops’ Weiner Hot Dog cart he and Ralph stole in his youth. The good deed does not last long as Ralph, who works for a competing franchise sets fire to Pops cart. Earl now must set things right with a bizarre plan while recruiting Randy, Joy, Catalina and Darnell to assist him.

    Director:Chris Koch
    Writer:J. B. Cook

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  14. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 14 - Monkeys in Space
    7.6/10(847 votes)

    #14 - Monkeys in Space

    S1:E14

    Earl tackles number eighteen on his list when one of his old friends is arrested. Remebering that he told an inappropriate story at his birthday party he must give him one great day to make up the the terrible one before he was sent to prison.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Greg Garcia

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  15. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 15 - Something to Live For
    7.7/10(860 votes)

    #15 - Something to Live For

    S1:E15

    Earl takes his car troubles as a sign that it is time for him to redeem himself for a long run of stealing gas out of a complete stranger's car.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writers:John Hoberg, Kat Likkel

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  16. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 16 - The Professor
    8.2/10(901 votes)

    #16 - The Professor

    S1:E16

    Earl's nervous about returning a laptop computer he stole from a college professor, mostly because he's uncomfortable around smart people. When the professor turns out to be a beautiful woman, he feels even more ill at ease, until she flatters him and asks him to speak about his list in front of her class. Meanwhile, Randy experiences fraternity life---and absolutely loves it.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Danielle Sanchez-Witzel

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  17. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 17 - Didn't Pay Taxes
    7.6/10(844 votes)

    #17 - Didn't Pay Taxes

    S1:E17

    Earl attempts to cross off another deed of his list. This time trying to repay the government after failing to pay his taxes in the past.

    Director:Craig Zisk
    Writer:Michael Pennie

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  18. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 18 - Dad's Car
    8.2/10(918 votes)

    #18 - Dad's Car

    S1:E18

    It's Mother's Day again when Earl remembers that he has never given his mother a Mother's Day gift Just as he and Randy are about to finish carrying out his long overdue gift his mother decides her repayment should include Earl doing something for his father.

    Director:Chris Koch
    Writers:Brad Copeland, Barbara 'Barbie' Adler

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  19. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 19 - Y2K
    8.3/10(941 votes)

    #19 - Y2K

    S1:E19

    When Earl is attempting to cross number 24 ("Stole a red 'Take-a-number' machine” ) off his list, Randy tries to get Earl to back down by trying to make him remember, through a flashback, how they got the machine around New Year’s Eve 1999. Darnell convinces the gang to believe that Y2K will signal the end of the world and they, happily, will be the last people on Earth.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Hilary Winston

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  20. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 20 - Boogeyman
    7.5/10(818 votes)

    #20 - Boogeyman

    S1:E20

    Earl decides to cross off "made a kid scared of the boogeyman" from his list. Earl soon discovers just what kind of lasting affect he had on the little boy.

    Director:Eyal Gordin
    Writer:Vali Chandrasekaran

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  21. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 21 - The Bounty Hunter
    8.0/10(895 votes)

    #21 - The Bounty Hunter

    S1:E21

    Number forty-five "Ditched Jessie to Marry Joy" is next on the list when Jessie, Earl's ex-girlfriend returns to town seeking revenge. Earl must protect Joy in a lakeside retreat while Randy fights not to reveal their location to Jessie.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Hunter Covington

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  22. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 22 - Stole a Badge
    7.9/10(811 votes)

    #22 - Stole a Badge

    S1:E22

    Earl tackles No. 127 on his list by making amends for pilfering a police officer's badge. When he discovers that the theft resulted in the cop's demotion, he tries to get the officer reinstated.

    Director:Marc Buckland
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 23 - BB
    7.5/10(782 votes)

    #23 - BB

    S1:E23

    Earl attempts to cross out number 147 on his list "Shot Gwen Waters with a BB Gun." To make things right he must reunite Gwen with her estranged father which Earl finds increasingly difficult.

    Directors:Victor Nelli, Jr.
    Writers:John Hoberg, Kat Likkel

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  24. My Name Is Earl Season 1 Episode 24 - Number One
    8.3/10(872 votes)

    #24 - Number One

    S1:E24

    In the season finale, Earl decides to cross off the first number on his karma list, “Stole ten dollars from a guy at the Camden Market.” Earl to his dismay finds out that he owes much more than ten dollars, in fact he must surrender all his lotto winnings. Earl now ponders when karma is going to help him with his misfortunes.

    Director:Greg Garcia
    Writer:Greg Garcia

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "My Name Is Earl" season 1. It scored 8.3/10 based on 1489 votes. Directed by Marc Buckland and written by Greg Garcia, it aired on 9/20/2005. This episode is rated 0.4 points higher than the second-best, "Quit Smoking".