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The Best Episodes of Sanford and Son

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

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The misadventures of a cantankerous junk dealer and his frustrated son.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 14 - Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe
    8.9/10(255 votes)

    #1 - Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe

    S3:E14

    Grady has a a piece of juicy gossip and is just dying to tell everyone. It seems Grip, an old friend, dated Fred's late-wife, Elizabeth, prior to her getting married to Fred. Elizabeth and Grip had been intimate and Lamont is the result. Fred is convinced Grip is nothing but a "jive turkey" and Esther may have the answer to this paternity question.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 15 - Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle
    8.8/10(258 votes)

    #2 - Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle

    S3:E15

    Lamont is disgusted when he receives a traffic ticket for failure to yield on a right turn. Lamont is sure he did the most prudent thing for the situation and lets Fred talk him into fighting the ticket in court. Lamont is prepared to fight for himself but once in the court room he finds himself being represented ... by Fred!

    Director:Bob LaHendro
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 24 - Rated X
    8.6/10(217 votes)

    #3 - Rated X

    S2:E24

    Lamont and Rollo answer an ad that promises them stardom through low-budget movies. Fred gets a hold of the brochure and decides to try out too. When they get down there they quickly discover the low budget movies are X-rated followed by a police raid and Fred, Lamont and Rollo are hauled off to jail.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 10 - The Blind Mellow Jelly Collection (a.k.a.) The Chameleon
    8.5/10(205 votes)

    #4 - The Blind Mellow Jelly Collection (a.k.a.) The Chameleon

    S3:E10

    Lamont advises Fred to donate a collection of Blind Mellow Jelly records to a music library for a tax write-off. After doing so, Fred finds out from an appraiser that the records are valued at five hundred dollars. Fred, with dollar signs in his eyes, has Bubba act as though he were the son of Blind Mellow Jelly in an attempt to get them back.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 6 - Card Sharps
    8.4/10(230 votes)

    #5 - Card Sharps

    S2:E6

    Fred gets a surprise one night when Lamont announces that he's having some friends over to play poker. However, Fred doesn't take Lamont's advice at "getting lost" since he's convinced Lamont's so-called friends are trying to hustle him out of his money.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Sanford and Son Season 1 Episode 14 - The Piano Movers
    8.3/10(280 votes)

    #6 - The Piano Movers

    S1:E14

    A wealthy man wants to get rid of a grand piano and Lamont gets a great deal on it. However, the big problem turns out to be moving it out of the man's apartment.

    Director:Bruce Bilson
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Sanford and Son

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  7. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 16 - A Visit From Lena Horne
    8.3/10(199 votes)

    #7 - A Visit From Lena Horne

    S2:E16

    Fred and Lamont take a tour through the NBC studios and Fred gets a kick out of seeing Johnny Carson's parking spot. However, what Fred really gets a kick out of is seeing Lena Horne's car and sneaks into her dressing room. After meeting her, he tries to trick her into visiting him at his home.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 6 - Lamont is That You?
    8.3/10(195 votes)

    #8 - Lamont is That You?

    S3:E6

    Lamont and Rollo are out on the town one evening and decide to stop in at a new bar for a couple drinks. However, they soon realize they have stumbled into a gay bar. Unknown to them, Bubba just happened to see them go inside. Bubba promptly jumps to conclusions and then proceeds to tell Fred that Lamont is gay. Not believing Bubba's story, Fred decides to get to the bottom of the situation.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 8 - Superflyer
    8.3/10(195 votes)

    #9 - Superflyer

    S3:E8

    Fred gets news that an uncle has died and has left him $1500 in his will. The only thing is, in order to get the money, Fred has to fly to St. Louis to claim it. However, first he must overcome a fear of flying and Lamont is up in arms trying to help him.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 13 - Wine, Women and Aunt Esther (a.k.a.) Leaving the Nest
    8.3/10(168 votes)

    #10 - Wine, Women and Aunt Esther (a.k.a.) Leaving the Nest

    S3:E13

    Fred and his buddies are down over the death of a close friend and Aunt Esther's over-reacting does nothing to help. Thus, Fred decides to throw a cheer-up party and intends to have it in the Sanford home, complete with booze, music and friends of Fast Fanny, a topless waitress.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 11 - Sanford and Son and Sister Makes Three
    8.2/10(206 votes)

    #11 - Sanford and Son and Sister Makes Three

    S2:E11

    Fred's old girlfriend Juanita stops by for dinner with her daughter, Alice. Lamont falls for Alice and thinks of asking for her hand in marriage. However, Juanita tells Fred that Alice is his daughter and Lamont is wining and dining his sister.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 9 - The Members of the Wedding (a.k.a.) The Engagement
    8.2/10(174 votes)

    #12 - The Members of the Wedding (a.k.a.) The Engagement

    S3:E9

    Fred and Donna enjoy an evening out on the town but then Donna breaks the news that she has had another man propose marriage to her. Not wanting to lose her, Fred decides to propose marriage himself and they plan a small wedding ceremony. However, Lamont is totally against the whole thing and has Aunt Esther and family confront Donna and question her intentions.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Sanford and Son Season 6 Episode 23 - Funny, You Don't Look It
    8.2/10(136 votes)

    #13 - Funny, You Don't Look It

    S6:E23

    Fred is tired of everyone walking all over him especially since he proclaims that he built his junk empire to what it is today, thus making him a king of an empire. Bubba suggests that Fred pay money to an agency to have them trace his roots. A couple weeks later Fred is in for a shock, he is a descendant from Jewish African kings.

    Director:Russ Petranto
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Sanford and Son Season 1 Episode 2 - Happy Birthday, Pop
    8.1/10(282 votes)

    #14 - Happy Birthday, Pop

    S1:E2

    Lamont buys Fred a new hat for his birthday and then tries to take him out on the town to celebrate. However, a visit to a fancy bar, a movie theater to see Fiddler on the Roof and dinner at a Chinese restaurant are far from a celebration for Fred.

    Director:Bud Yorkin
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 8 - The Puerto Ricans Are Coming!
    8.1/10(183 votes)

    #15 - The Puerto Ricans Are Coming!

    S2:E8

    Fred gets a new next door neighbor and is shocked to learn that he is Puerto Rican and planning on opening a junk business of his own. Fred gets upset about the competition and contrives a plan to get the city to condemn his property especially since, Julio has a pet goat.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 17 - Lamont Goes African
    8.1/10(212 votes)

    #16 - Lamont Goes African

    S2:E17

    Lamont goes totally African. He starts to wear African clothing, and yearns to learn more about the culture. At the same time, Fred thinks that the whole thing is ridiculous, that is until a woman from Nigeria visits and explains to Lamont how sacred listening to your father is in African culture and how you should respect him.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Sanford and Son Season 4 Episode 11 - Fred's Treasure Garden
    8.1/10(167 votes)

    #17 - Fred's Treasure Garden

    S4:E11

    With Fred in St. Louis, Grady has been put in charge of taking care of his garden. Grady quickly notices a strange plant growing and assumes that it's wild parsley. However, Rollo is convinced it's marijuana and Lamont decides to turn it into the police. However, when Smitty and Hoppy arrive, the plants are gone but Grady has made dinner for everyone, a nice big salad for everyone.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Sanford and Son Season 1 Episode 3 - Here Comes the Bride, There Goes the Bride
    8.0/10(282 votes)

    #18 - Here Comes the Bride, There Goes the Bride

    S1:E3

    Engaged, Lamont is excited about his impending nuptials but on the wedding day he quickly finds himself the only one who is. The bride dumps him at the altar and he finds his relatives begging to get back their wedding gifts.

    Director:Bud Yorkin
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Sanford and Son Season 1 Episode 9 - Coffins for Sale
    8.0/10(245 votes)

    #19 - Coffins for Sale

    S1:E9

    Lamont purchases two coffins from an auction to try and get a profit if he sells them to a funeral parlor. In the process, Fred becomes paranoid by having the coffins in the house and refuses to sleep in the house with the coffins. Lamont doesn't think much of it, until he begins hearing strange noises at night.

    Director:Charles S. Dubin
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Sanford and Son Season 1 Episode 12 - The Suitcase Case
    8.0/10(206 votes)

    #20 - The Suitcase Case

    S1:E12

    While collecting junk, Lamont runs across an old suitcase and decides it could be worth something. However, once he gets it home, Fred makes a shocking discovery when he opens the case to discover that it is stuffed with money. Lamont wants to turn the money in and Fred wants to keep it and locks in a safe. Just then a gunman shows up wanting the money.

    Director:Peter Baldwin
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Sanford and Son Season 2 Episode 13 - Fred & Carol & Fred & Donna
    8.0/10(188 votes)

    #21 - Fred & Carol & Fred & Donna

    S2:E13

    Fred and Donna's on again off again relationship is back on and he invites her to dinner. Later, Fred gets a visit from a saleslady who peaks his interest and he blindly invites her to dinner, forgetting all about Donna. Thanks to Lamont's manipulations, he makes sure Fred has to juggle the dates around, keeping up appearances.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Sanford and Son Season 3 Episode 11 - A House is Not a Poolroom
    8.0/10(161 votes)

    #22 - A House is Not a Poolroom

    S3:E11

    For a birthday present, Lamont buys Fred a pool table. But things get out of hand when Fred invites his buddies over for some friendly games. They quickly overstay their welcome and eat and drink Fred and Lamont out of house and home. Lamont quickly regrets ever buying the pool table for Fred and tries to convince him that the house is not a pool hall.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writer:Winston Moss

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  23. Sanford and Son Season 4 Episode 1 - The Surprise Party
    8.0/10(157 votes)

    #23 - The Surprise Party

    S4:E1

    Fred returns from his extended trip to St. Louis and Lamont, Donna, Aunt Esther, Bubba, Rollo and Grady have planned a surprise party for his return. Fred no more than steps in the door and Aunt Esther and him are at each other's throats. However, the real problem comes when Fred does some eavesdropping on Lamont and Grady.

    Director:Norman Abbott
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Sanford and Son Season 4 Episode 16 - The Stand-Ins
    8.0/10(171 votes)

    #24 - The Stand-Ins

    S4:E16

    Lamont comes home one evening and discovers Fred preparing a gourmet dinner and learns it's to celebrate the arrival of an old friend of Fred's, Bowlegs, a musician, who's visiting. Bowlegs' act is to be put on at a nightclub but when his partner strains his back, Fred and Lamont must fill in to fulfill the nightclub's requirements.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Sanford and Son Season 1 Episode 5 - A Matter of Life and Breath
    7.9/10(235 votes)

    #25 - A Matter of Life and Breath

    S1:E5

    Lamont comes down hard on Fred to try to get him to quit smoking and has him go to the doctor for a chest x-ray. Later, the results are sent in the mail and Fred becomes convinced he has tuberculosis.

    Director:George Tyne
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Mama's Baby, Papa's Maybe" is the best rated episode of "Sanford and Son". It scored 8.9/10 based on 255 votes. Directed by Jack Shea and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/4/1974. This episode scored 0.1 points higher than the second highest rated, "Fred Sanford, Legal Eagle".