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The Best Episodes of Once and Again

Every episode of Once and Again ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Once and Again!

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The series depicts the family of a single mother and her romance with a single father.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Once and Again Season 1 Episode 7 - The Ex-Files
    9.3/10(64 votes)

    #1 - The Ex-Files

    S1:E7

    Being divorced means Karen and Rick must both go to Eli's weekend basketball tournament, creating some awkward moments for them.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 6 - Food for Thought
    9.1/10(31 votes)

    #2 - Food for Thought

    S2:E6

    Jesse is taken to a psychiatrist to find out why she isn't eating. Karen's firm is hired to oppose the building of Miles' building -- the one Rick is designing.

    Director:Edward Zwick
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  3. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    9.0/10(56 votes)

    #3 - Pilot

    S1:E1

    Lily Manning, separated from her husband, and Rick Sammler, divorced for 3 years, meet by chance when her daughter, Grace, injures her ankle in a soccer game. They go out on a date, and are instantly attracted to each other.

    Director:Edward Zwick
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  4. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 22 - A Door, About to Open
    9.0/10(32 votes)

    #4 - A Door, About to Open

    S1:E22

    Lily says that the kids in the two families should meet. So they schedule a night for that. Zoe is concerned about the environment. Grace again has conflicting feelings about Eli. Jennifer reveals to Grace that Cassidy is cheating on Eli. Grace is hesitant about telling Eli this information. Two of Cassidy's friends, Rachel and Lisa, warn Grace not to tell Eli what's going on (or else!). Naomi starts a book group and invites Karen, instead of Lily to be in the group because she feels that she and Lily have been drifting apart. Miles lets it be known to Rick that he doesn't want David involved on his project. Work pressures threaten to unravel Lily's plans for the meeting and they leave Rick on edge. Judy and Karen have a heart-to-heart in the bookstore about their two families. Eli finds out for himself that Cassidy's been cheating on him. Pressure from Miles forces Rick to cancel the dinner. A passage from the book the group is reading makes everything clear to Lily and Rick and Karen

    Director:Dan Lerner
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 4 - Liars and Other Strangers
    8.9/10(35 votes)

    #5 - Liars and Other Strangers

    S1:E4

    After meeting Rick, Judy expresses to Lily her misgivings about Lily's blossoming relationship with him.

    Director:Ron Lagomarsino
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 21 - Moving On
    8.9/10(22 votes)

    #6 - Moving On

    S2:E21

    Rick and his kids start to move their stuff to Lily's and Lily gets a call to sign the divorce papers. Carla tells Eli that she's not going back home because she's convinced that her parents hate her. So Eli asks Grace to ask Lily about staying at Lily's house. Eli gets his reply from the University of Illinois about admittance, and it's not good. Lily's hesitant about Carla staying with them. Eil tells his dad about the letter, at the dinner table, and neither one of them is happy now. Carla is worried that her plans to travel in Europe in the summer might not happen. Lily discovers medicine missing from her cabinet. Suspecting Carla, she goes to Carla's bag and finds them. Carla confesses to Rick about the pills. Lily goes to visit with Carla's stepmother and finds out some reasons for her problems. Carla tells Eli, in the middle of school, that she is leaving town immediately for Portland, Oregon. Eli says he wants to go with her. They plan to meet at the bus station that night. Ric

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Once and Again

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  7. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 9 - Outside Hearts
    8.8/10(31 votes)

    #7 - Outside Hearts

    S1:E9

    While Lily is at a convention, Judy allows Grace (and Rick and Karen allow Eli), to go to a party that ends up with bad consequences.

    Director:Todd Field
    Writer:Alexa Junge

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  8. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 15 - The Mystery Dance
    8.8/10(30 votes)

    #8 - The Mystery Dance

    S1:E15

    Rick and Lily begin to mend their relationship. Judy meets a man who might fulfill her dreams.

    Director:Dan Lerner
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 19 - Cat-In-Hat
    8.8/10(32 votes)

    #9 - Cat-In-Hat

    S1:E19

    Karen pushes herself far beyond her comfort zone when her involvement with Leo becomes more serious. Eli plays his parents against each other in order to get into a bar to see his friends' band play. He gets in trouble when he sees his mother, and she sees him, there. Rick finds out that Karen said no and Eli didn't tell him that, getting Eli in trouble with Rick as well.

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 3 - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down
    8.8/10(25 votes)

    #10 - I Can't Stand Up For Falling Down

    S2:E3

    Parental pressure bears down on Eli to get his act together for college. However, Eli wants to form a music group.

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 16 - Aaron's Gettin' Better
    8.8/10(28 votes)

    #11 - Aaron's Gettin' Better

    S2:E16

    Aaron returns for an extended stay and impresses everyone with his improvement. Grace and Spencer go back to the restaurant to write about their experience there, but Spencer gets nervous (because he was scared then) and goes home. The voices that have haunted Aaron for so long return at dinner and he freaks out. Shelley returns and says that despite the dinner outburst, he is getting better.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 2 - Let's Spend The Night Together
    8.7/10(37 votes)

    #12 - Let's Spend The Night Together

    S1:E2

    Rick and Lily ponder taking their relationship to the next level.

    Director:Marshall Herskovitz
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  13. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 4 - Feast or Famine
    8.7/10(28 votes)

    #13 - Feast or Famine

    S2:E4

    It's Thanksgiving and that means both the Sammler's and Manning's get together for dinner, whether they want to be there or not. It turns out that the two mothers get along quite well. It's Rick and his mom that have issues. She questions whether Rick knows that his children aren't doing as well as he would like to think. Barbara sees her son Aaron for the first time since Phil's funeral.

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  14. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 10 - Thanksgiving
    8.6/10(27 votes)

    #14 - Thanksgiving

    S1:E10

    Lily's father decides to invite Jake to Thanksgiving at Lily's house against her wishes. Her father has difficulty in deciding whose side of the divorce to support.

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 12 - The Gingerbread House
    8.6/10(32 votes)

    #15 - The Gingerbread House

    S1:E12

    Lily tells Jake she wants a divorce, and tells Rick about her one-night stand with Jake. Rick can't forgive her, putting their future in jeopardy.

    Director:Dan Lerner
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 18 - Strangers and Brothers
    8.6/10(27 votes)

    #16 - Strangers and Brothers

    S1:E18

    Aaron proves to be a source of comfort and renewal for the Manning family; Lily gains ground in the divorce proceedings.

    Director:Marshall Herskovitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 11 - Thieves Like Us
    8.6/10(23 votes)

    #17 - Thieves Like Us

    S2:E11

    Jessie's glitter is missing, and Grace and Carla are the prime suspects. Rick discovers some unsettling news about both sides of his project with Miles. Evidence is discovered concerning Jessie's progress in therapy.

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 3 - The Scarlet Letter Jacket
    8.5/10(37 votes)

    #18 - The Scarlet Letter Jacket

    S1:E3

    Rick and Lily's families gather at the school carnival. Lily and Karen, who don't know of each other at this point, are paired to work together in a booth there.

    Director:Dan Lerner
    Writer:Marshall Herskovitz

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  19. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 5 - There Be Dragons
    8.4/10(33 votes)

    #19 - There Be Dragons

    S1:E5

    Rick introduces Lily to his kids under awkward circumstances.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 14 - Sneaky Feelings
    8.4/10(35 votes)

    #20 - Sneaky Feelings

    S1:E14

    Eli feels tempted to cheat on Jennifer. Karen feels attracted to a younger co-worker.

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 21 - Letting Go
    8.4/10(29 votes)

    #21 - Letting Go

    S1:E21

    When Judy's continuing affair with Sam is discovered, she takes steps to prevent any more pain from entering her life. Lily realizes just how much she's taken Rick for granted when he's sick in the hospital. Grace continues to have difficulty with accepting her father's past infidelity.

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Alexa Junge

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  22. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 20 - Won't Someone Please Help George Bailey Tonight (2)
    8.4/10(22 votes)

    #22 - Won't Someone Please Help George Bailey Tonight (2)

    S2:E20

    Miles gets indicted and work on the Atlantor project is indefinitely suspended. Rick is invited to appear on a local talk show to tell his side of the story. But instead, he gets ambushed by the host on the air and leaves in the middle of the interview. The DA working on the case does everything but say that he is interested in Karen. They steal a ""moment"" at an awards dinner they both attended. After drinking a lot a a bar with co-workers, Rick comes home and get into an argument with Lily. Rick goes to Miles' suite and angrily confronts an obviously dying Miles. Rick rambles on to Lily about why she shouldn't marry him, but Lily tells him that she does want to marry him - faults and all.

    Director:Dan Lerner
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  23. Once and Again Season 2 Episode 2 - Booklovers
    8.3/10(23 votes)

    #23 - Booklovers

    S2:E2

    Judy turns the bookstore into a ""book club for singles."" This attracts an interesting clientele, including Jake (who's tiring of his girlfriend Tiffany) and Lily's boss Christie. Judy isn't sure of her attraction to the handyman who's fixing up the store.

    Director:Dan Lerner
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 13 - Mediation
    8.2/10(27 votes)

    #24 - Mediation

    S1:E13

    Jake and Lily begin mediating their divorce, and the future of the house hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Rick struggles with a demanding client, complicating his partnership with David. At Jennifer's insistence, Grace fills in as an English tutor for Eli, and the two discuss Lily and Rick's recent breakup. Rick arrives at a decision regarding his future with Lily.

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Once and Again Season 1 Episode 16 - Daddy's Girl
    8.2/10(27 votes)

    #25 - Daddy's Girl

    S1:E16

    Lily hires a divorce attorney. The last straw is after Jake reneges on his promise not to max out their credit card. She finds this out after it's rejected at a store. Grace meets a boy who seems to think like her.

    Director:Barnet Kellman
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Ex-Files" is the best rated episode of "Once and Again". It scored 9.3/10 based on 64 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/2/1999. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Food for Thought".