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The Best Episodes of One Day at a Time

Every episode of One Day at a Time ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of One Day at a Time!

The misadventures of a divorced mother, two teenage daughters, and new building superintendent in Indianapolis.
Genre:Comedy
Network:CBS

Best Episodes Summary

"Hold the Mustard" is the best rated episode of "One Day at a Time". It scored 8.6/10 based on 99 votes. Directed by Alan Rafkin and written by N/A, it aired on 12/18/1978. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Barbara's Emergence".

  • Hold the Mustard
    8.6/1099 votes
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    #1 - Hold the Mustard

    Season 4 Episode 12 - Aired 12/18/1978

    The pace of Barbara's restaurant job proves to be faster than she anticipated.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Barbara's Emergence
    8.5/10122 votes
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    #2 - Barbara's Emergence

    Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 10/26/1976

    Hoping to attract desirable males, Barbara decides to change her image.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Bob Loves Barbara
    8.5/10116 votes
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    #3 - Bob Loves Barbara

    Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/1/1977

    An insecure boy interested in dating Barbara bolsters his confidence by taking out a notorious classmate first.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Barbara's Friend (1)
    8.5/10122 votes
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    #4 - Barbara's Friend (1)

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 11/29/1977

    While agonizes over whether Cliff Randall will invite her to the Grateful Dead concert, she has to contend with a over-eager girl trying to be her friend. When reality sinks in, she reaches out to Barbara at the last moment.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Schneider's Helper
    8.5/10117 votes
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    #5 - Schneider's Helper

    Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 10/23/1978

    While he's recovering from a back injury, Schneider needs an assistant maintenance man to help out with his work around the building. Barbara suggests that Schneider hire her disabled friend, Jackie. Schneider reluctantly takes on the kid who does his best to prove he can do the job. However, when there is a gas leak in the building, Jackie's competence is put to the test.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Yes, Sir, That's My Baby
    8.5/10116 votes
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    #6 - Yes, Sir, That's My Baby

    Season 4 Episode 6 - Aired 11/6/1978

    Sally, an old school friend of Barbara's shows up for a visit with some news, she's now a mother. Originally, she agreed with the father to give the baby up for adoption but after one look at the baby, decided to keep it. However, the big bombshell is dropped when she mentions that the father is Cliff Randall, Barbara's boyfriend.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • The Broken Nose
    8.5/10101 votes
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    #7 - The Broken Nose

    Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 2/28/1979

    Barbara learns a lesson about beauty after Schneider accidentally opens a door smack into her nose.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Happy New Year
    8.4/10118 votes
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    #8 - Happy New Year

    Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 12/28/1976

    The girls put on a New Year's show at a retirement home.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Ann's Secretary
    8.4/10112 votes
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    #9 - Ann's Secretary

    Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 1/17/1978

    Ann learns that a secretary she just hired is a reputed drug user.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Bob's New Girl
    8.4/10101 votes
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    #10 - Bob's New Girl

    Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 10/16/1978

    Barbara has been steadily dating Cliff and soon finds herself trying to gently discourage Bob from pursuing her. However, Bob is sure he can win her away from Cliff, that's when Ann encourages Bob to perhaps date other women. He does but Barbara's reaction to Bob's new girlfriend is incredibly telling.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Back to School
    8.4/10102 votes
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    #11 - Back to School

    Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 9/30/1979

    Barbara has begun her college education and feels very independent, balancing school work with social activities. Meanwhile, Ann begins to feel undereducated as she hears Barbara's experiences and makes a decision to go to college. The big surprise comes when she is taking the same course as Barbara.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Lovers & Other Parents
    8.4/1098 votes
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    #12 - Lovers & Other Parents

    Season 8 Episode 7 - Aired 11/7/1982

    Barbara's scheme to get her mother and Mark's newly divorced father together at a dinner party gets faster results than she anticipated.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Father David
    8.3/10121 votes
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    #13 - Father David

    Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 3/16/1976

    The girls cajole David into chaperoning a party while Ann is away.

    Director: Howard Morris

    Writer: N/A

  • Barbara's Rebellion
    8.3/10107 votes
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    #14 - Barbara's Rebellion

    Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 1/30/1978

    Frustrated over not getting enough attention at home, Barbara rebells by running away to a Chicago motel room with Bob Morton.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Barbara's Friend (2)
    8.2/10126 votes
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    #15 - Barbara's Friend (2)

    Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 12/6/1977

    Barbara's classmate phones to say she's taken a drug overdose. Conclusion.

    Director: Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Barbara's Crisis
    8.2/1098 votes
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    #16 - Barbara's Crisis

    Season 7 Episode 15 - Aired 2/21/1982

    Barbara fears that her marriage plans will dissolve after she learns that she can't conceive a child.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Buyer's Remorse
    8.2/10105 votes
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    #17 - Buyer's Remorse

    Season 8 Episode 21 - Aired 3/21/1983

    Barbara's newly friend Bob reveals he still has feelings for her.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Jealousy (1)
    8.1/10104 votes
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    #18 - Jealousy (1)

    Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 11/27/1978

    Julie and Barbara become rivals when they fall for the leader of a rock group. First of two parts.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Jealousy (2)
    8.1/10100 votes
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    #19 - Jealousy (2)

    Season 4 Episode 10 - Aired 12/4/1978

    Conclusion. The battle for the band leader continues as Barbara tries to win him back from Julie.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • The Graduation
    8.1/1097 votes
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    #20 - The Graduation

    Season 4 Episode 23 - Aired 3/21/1979

    Barbara's high school graduation has arrived and she's all excited, except for two issues. First, she's unsure if she wants to attend the University of Wisconsin, like her father did and second she's up in arms, trying to make a decision on whether to hang out at a party with friends or one with just family after graduation.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: N/A

  • Ann, the Father
    8.0/1099 votes
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    #21 - Ann, the Father

    Season 3 Episode 24 - Aired 4/3/1978

    Ann's career advice to Barbara's friend leads to hard feelings between the boy and his father.

    Director: Alan Rafkin, Herbert Kenwith

    Writer: N/A

  • Honeymoon's Over
    8.0/10101 votes
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    #22 - Honeymoon's Over

    Season 8 Episode 3 - Aired 10/10/1982

    Barbara tries to adapt to life at Mark's rooming house, where her new husband's friends, including a scantily clad woman, breeze in and out without knocking to use the bathroom, or asking to use the closet and community refrigerator.

    Director: Alan Rafkin

    Writer: George Tibbles

  • Dear Max
    8.0/10101 votes
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    #23 - Dear Max

    Season 9 Episode 11 - Aired 1/8/1984

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Nearness of You
    8.0/10103 votes
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    #24 - The Nearness of You

    Season 9 Episode 20 - Aired 5/14/1984

    Working side by side at the travel agency spawns a growing attraction between Max and Barbara, that becomes impossible to ignore.

    Director: Bonnie Franklin

    Writer: N/A

  • Off We Go
    8.0/10106 votes
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    #25 - Off We Go

    Season 9 Episode 21 - Aired 5/21/1984

    Ann gets a job offer in London and ponders taking it. Despite getting nagged by her mother, she decides to accept the job. This leads her to wonder how she's going to tell the rest of her family that she's leaving.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: George Tibbles