The Best Episodes of Roc
Every episode of Roc ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Roc!
Roc is an American comedy-drama television series which ran on Fox from August 1991 to May 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor.
Top Episode Highlight
The best episode of "Roc" is "Terence Got His Gun", rated 9.2/10 from 23 user votes. It was directed by N/A and written by N/A. "Terence Got His Gun" aired on 1/4/1994 and is rated 0.3 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Car Accident from Heaven".
9.2/10 23 votes#1 - Terence Got His Gun
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 1994-01-04
Roc and Eleanor are outraged when they learn that Sheila's new friend, Terence, carries a handgun to school to defend himself against the violent gang members. Meanwhile, Joey organizes his musician friends to fund their own music school to educate and occupy the neighborhood children.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.9/10 12 votes
#2 - The Car Accident from Heaven
Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 1992-11-15
When Joey escapes serious injury in a car accident, Andrew forsees his own death and buys cemetery plots for himself and Joey, but not for Roc. Roc gets jealous and accuses his father of always favoring his selfish brother. Andrew explains that Roc has Eleanor to love him and bury him and Joey will always be a roving playboy with no one to care for his needs.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.7/10 12 votes
#3 - Roc Throws Joey Out
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 1992-08-24
Roc plans a day of suprises for Eleanor's birthday but the night is ruined when Roc's suprise gifts arrives: a large painted portrait of Eleanor, but the artist has mistakenly painted a white woman instead of Eleanor. Then Roc loses all patience with Joey's irresponsibility and evicts him because he has taken advantage of his rent-free stay at Roc's home.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.7/10 9 votes
#4 - You Shouldn't Have to Lie
Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 1994-05-10
Roc gets a drug dealer to help a young hood; Eleanor learns that a friend's daughter is HIV-positive.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: Richard Dubin
- 8.6/10 11 votes
#5 - A Piece of the Roc
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 1992-02-23
Roc is proud to be chosen by his boss, Mr. Samuels, to supervise a new sanitation trainee. But when he discovers that the new garbageman is a beautiful woman, Angela Kimbro, Roc worries that he'll be too distracted by her looks to work. Angela quickly proves that she's as strong as any male sanitation worker. She also tells the horrified Roc that she's extremely attracted to him. Roc insists he loves his adoring wife, Eleanor. Still, Angela refuses to leave him alone.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.6/10 14 votes
#6 - The Lady Killer
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 1991-03-15
After an evening of satisfying sex, retired railroad porter Andrew Emerson discovers that the woman lying next to him is dead. He interprets this shock as an omen from his long-departed wife, warning him to stay away from other woman. Roc and Eleanor try to cheer Andrew up by arranging a date for him with Helen, an attractive middle-aged nurse. As the four of them share a polite but awkward dinner, Andrew resists a friendship with Helen. He's afraid she'll be the next ""victim"" of this wife's revenge.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: Rob Bragin
- 8.6/10 11 votes
#7 - To Love and Die on Emerson Street (1)
Season 2 Episode 24 - Aired 1993-05-02
When ""The Downtown Divas"" return from a European singing tour, one of the ""Divas"" asks Roc to help prevent a local drug dealer from murdering her brother. Moments after Roc confronts the drug dealer, an unseen gunman shoots the dealer. (Part 1 of 2)
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
- 8.5/10 11 votes
#8 - Nightmare on Emerson's Street
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 1992-03-29
When a gang of drug dealers move into a nearby house, Roc and Elenor try to organize their neighbors into a non-violent protest movement to scare them away. Roc suggests they picket and demonstrate loudly and continuously in front of the crack house, but the frightened neighbors fear retaliation from the gang.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.5/10 11 votes
#9 - To Love and Die on Emerson Street (2)
Season 2 Episode 25 - Aired 1993-05-09
After arresting him for the shooting of a local drug dealer named Andre, Detective Rush tries to force a confession out of Roc. Insisting his innocence until he is released, Roc learns that Andre's gang may be out for revenge. Roc goes to a local night club to warn his goddaughter of the danger. He learns that it was his garbage truck partner Calvin who shot Andre to save the neighborhood from his influence. Though he doesn't approve of Calvin's actions, Roc takes up a collection for Calvin's legal defense. (Part 2 of 2)
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
- 8.5/10 10 votes
#10 - The Concert
Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 1994-02-08
Joey convinces Roc that he's learning to be more responsible when he produces a benefit concert for his new music school. Joey's efforts are threatened by a last-minute emergency, so his family lends him money -- while worrying that the funds might really be going to a bookie.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
- 8.4/10 14 votes
#11 - How to Succeed at Garbage
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 1991-10-13
Roc is promoted to Crew Supervisor, a big step on his way toward an executive position. While Eleanor, looks forward to the extra money every week, Roc's brother and father look forward to spending it on risky investments.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.4/10 12 votes
#12 - Rock According to Roc
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 1992-04-26
When Joey Emerson wins a huge bet on a horse race, his bookmaker, Mickey, can't pay cash. Instead, Mickey offers Joey his contract for the ownership of an amateur singing quintet known as The Fly Guys. Joey's brother, Roc, thinks Joey should demand the money, but Joey convinces Roc to be The Fly Guys' new manager. However, instead of hiring a professional choreographer as Joey suggests, Roc decides to save money and teach the guys dance steps form his own vocal group way back in the 1960's.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/10 13 votes
#13 - Roc Strikes Out
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1992-02-16
Roc hopes his union's decision to strike against the city will only last a few days. When the strike enters week three and Roc has spent his small allotment from the union's emergency fund, he takes a job as a hospital orderly, working under the supervision of his wife, Eleanor.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/10 9 votes
#14 - All That Jazz
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 1992-04-05
When temperamental trumpet player Kenny Davis quits his job with the famous Les McCann Band, fellow band member Billy Miller offers an audition to his friend Joey Emerson. Joey plays a superb audition and gets the job. During his first performance with the band, Kenny comes to listen and compliments Joey on his talent. Flattered, Joey loans Kenny his trumpet so he can play a song with the band. However, Kenny enjoys playing with his former group that he stays onstage the whole night.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/10 10 votes
#15 - Up in the Attic
Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 1993-01-24
When the Emerson brothers get a bit drunk, Joey confesses that years ago when young Roc was blamed for wrecking his father's car, it was he that accidentally released the brake causing the car to roll down the hill. For his entire life, Roc has felt guilty over this disastrous accident. He believes that Andrew never truly forgave him for it. Roc realizes that Joey's mischief damaged his relationship with his father, and Roc demands that Joey tell Andrew the truth.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.3/10 9 votes
#16 - Citizen Roc (2)
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 1994-01-18
A contributor to Roc's opponent may be linked to Andrew, who gets a visit from Roc's varied group of supporters. (Part 2 of 2)
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
- 8.2/10 11 votes
#17 - Roc's Secret Past
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 1992-09-06
Attempting to prove her confidence in their marriage, Eleanor invites Roc's former girlfriend Janet over for dinner. When Janet reveals that she rejected Roc's marriage proposal only three months before he married Eleanor, Roc realizes that he never told that secret to Eleanor. Eleanor is furious with Roc because she now feels he married her before he had time to forget about Janet.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.2/10 12 votes
#18 - The Parent Thing
Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 1993-02-14
As Roc is giving boxing lessons to his friend's son, the boy confesses that his father is forcing him to be a boxer when he actually wants to be a ventriloquist. Roc advises his friend that a good father shouldn't force his child to satisfy his own unfulfilled dreams.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.2/10 8 votes
#19 - The Last Temptation of Roc
Season 3 Episode 19 - Aired 1994-02-15
While attending a convention in Miami, Roc is romantically tempted by a former childhood friend, who is now a beautiful woman. After sharing an innocent day visiting local tourist attractions, Diane returns with Roc to the hotel lounge and they exchange a passionate kiss.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/10 29 votes
#20 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 1991-08-24
After a hard day's work collecting garbage, Roc Emerson looks forward to relaxing at home with his family. Instead he argues with his live-in father, Andrew, and finds his wife, Elanor, leaving for her job as a nurse at the local hospital. Worse, his younger brother, Joey, whom Roc hasn't seen for five years, arrives at the door penniless, homeless, and unemployed.
Director: James Burrows
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/10 10 votes
#21 - No Notes Is Good Notes
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1992-01-12
Reverend Hill suggests that Joey Emerson, an unemployed musician, give trumpet lessons to some of the congregation's children. Roc immediately commits his lazy live-in brother to the job, hoping finally to see some money for rent. During the ""lessons,"" Joey makes telephone calls, bets on horse races and gives his students no musical guidance at all. Roc and Eleanor, endure the horrible trumpet noises coming from the living room and hope that the children will improve in time. Then Roc promises Reverend Hill that Joey and his students will play in the churh's next musical recital.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.1/10 12 votes
#22 - 1992 Presidential Election
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 1992-11-01
On the eve of the election, Eleanor, Andrew and Matty try to convince Roc and Joey to cast their ballots before the polls close. Andrew, Matty, and Eleanor each are pulling for a different candadiate and stage a mock debate to help Roc choose who to vote for. However, Eleanor tries not to antagonize Matty because she doesn't want to ruin her chances of getting the promotion at the hospital. Roc and Joey finally realize every vote is important and run out to the polls to vote just before closing time.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: Orlando Jones
- 8.1/10 12 votes
#23 - Ebony and Ivory
Season 2 Episode 20 - Aired 1993-03-07
The Emerson family worries that Joey is being unfaithful to his girlfriend when they discover that he's dating a white woman and a black woman at the same time. His father thinks that Joey should respect his own race and only date black woman. Joey admits he's using the women's friendship to soothe his loneliness for his girlfriend Kim.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 8.0/10 8 votes
#24 - The Roc That Dreams Are Made Of
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 1992-05-03
When Eleanor wakes screaming from a nightmare, the rest of the family try to calm her by confessing the horrors of their own worst nightmares. Joey is afraid he'll lose his musical ambition and become a common garbageman like his brother, Roc. Andrew fears he'll become too senile to communicate and his sons will send him to a retirement home. And Roc is afraid he'll die before he can give Eleanor the beautiful home and family he wants. Alone with Roc, Eleanor tells the truth: she dreamed about the adult neighbor who cared for her when her parents were away. All these years, she has suppressed the memory of being molested as a child.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.0/10 15 votes#25 - Roc Works for Joey
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 1992-09-13
When Joey hires Roc to paint his friend's luxury condominium provided Roc allows him to act as ""the Boss"". Roc is mistaken for a burglar and arrested for what he sees as being a black man standing in a white neighborhood. Rather than try to change the prejudiced ways of the police, after being released, Roc pretends the incident never happened.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A