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The Best Episodes of Santa Barbara

Every episode of Santa Barbara ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Santa Barbara!

Binge this in 89d 1h•Peaking at 7.9/10

Santa Barbara is an American television soap opera, first broadcast in the United States on NBC on July 30, 1984, and last aired on January 15, 1993. The show revolves around the eventful lives of

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 76 - Episode 76
    7.9/10(15 votes)

    S1:E76

    Earthquake! A major earthquake hits Santa Barbara...

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 11 - Episode 11
    7.3/10(27 votes)

    S1:E11

    Cruz arrives to help with the oil rig fire, Kelly asks Peter if he wants to move to New York.

    Director:Rick Bennewitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 1 - Episode 1
    7.1/10(46 votes)

    S1:E1

    This great soap opera begins with a flashback to a party in honor of Channing Capwell Jr. in Santa Barbara, California in 1979. Channing and his older brother, Mason, are entertaining the guests until the butler, Phillip, gives Channing a note. Channing asks the maid, Santana Andrade, if he'll see her tonight. He then follows instructions to go to the Capwell study. When Channing enters the study, it's clear that someone was waiting behind the desk. The person points a gun and pulls the trigger. Seconds later, Channing is lying dead on the floor. ""Santa Barbara"" then cuts five years ahead in time to the San Quentin prison on July 30, 1984.

    Director:Jeffrey Hayden
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 4 - Episode 4
    7.0/10(30 votes)

    S1:E4

    Someone is making a bomb. Santana is about to take a bath when she spots Mason. Naturally, Santana becomes upset and gets Mason to leave. Kelly sees Joe, and Peter notices how if affects her. He thinks something should be done about Joe. C.C. arrives with two thugs, and Joe gets thrown into the water. Thanks to a carrier pigeon, Ted receives a note from Danny and learns that Danny wants to go to Hollywood. Jade pays a visit to the restaurant Danny is working.

    Director:Linda Day
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 36 - Episode 36
    7.0/10(10 votes)

    S1:E36

    Joe finds Dominic at the gazebo, they find Santana & Channing's letters, Lionel watches Augusta & Peter in the presidential suite.

    Director:Rick Bennewitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 78 - Episode 78
    7.0/10(11 votes)

    S1:E78

    There's an explosion at the Andrade's from a gas leak, Kelly trapped - she and Joe get "married", it's revealed Dominic is Sophia.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Santa Barbara

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  7. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 110 - Episode 110
    7.0/10(12 votes)

    S1:E110

    New Year's Eve - Eden & Cruz locked in the museum together, Danny & Jade get stuck in the snow, Kelly wants Joe to marry her today.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 72 - Episode 72
    6.9/10(12 votes)

    S1:E72

    Sophia's "ghost" haunts Lionel at the cemetery, Gina, Brandon, Mason & Santana fly back from France, Lionel thinks Eden is the ghost.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 79 - Episode 79
    6.9/10(11 votes)

    S1:E79

    Kelly, Joe, Lionel, Augusta rescued but Dominic is gone, Gina arrives from LA, Mason promises Kelly he'll drop the charges against Joe.

    Director:Rick Bennewitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 3 - Episode 3
    6.8/10(29 votes)

    S1:E3

    Mason tells Santana that two people saw her with the gun yesterday. He reminds Santana that she had no permit to carry the gun. ""I'm here to help,"" Mason smiles. Santana doesn't trust Mason at all and decides to talk to a lawyer friend. Rosa feels betrayed by C.C. and decides to confront him. She wants to know what happened to Santana's child. C.C. claims he doesn't know and denies that he forced Santana to give up her baby. Rosa thought C.C. trusted her. After all, she started working for C.C. twenty years ago and mothered his children when his wife passed away. C.C. explains to Rosa that he had dreams for Channing and imagined that one day maybe Channing might even be president.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 5 - Episode 5
    6.8/10(24 votes)

    S1:E5

    Laken has a romantic fantasy about Ted. John goes home and is shocked when he sees what happened to his house. Worried about his daughter, John wants Jade to stay with him. Jade refuses to make a choice between her parents, though. At the warehouse, the stranger informs Joe that he's the one who called the fire department tonight after the explosion. Joe reveals to the stranger, whose name is Dominic, that he found Channing dead with a guest at Channing's big party. However, the witness never came forward.

    Director:Rick Bennewitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 9 - Episode 9
    6.8/10(20 votes)

    S1:E9

    Kelly reads some of Joe's letters, Jade arrives in Hollywood, Santana back from Acapulco.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 13 - Episode 13
    6.8/10(22 votes)

    S1:E13

    Peaches gets her purse stolen, Laken arrives in Hollywood, Joe & Kelly meet at the stables, Joe goes to work for Augusta.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 61 - Episode 61
    6.8/10(12 votes)

    S1:E61

    Kelly breaks up with Peter, Lionel accuses the Capwells of sinking the Amanda Lockridge. **First appearance of Charles Bateman (C.C. Capwell)

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 75 - Episode 75
    6.8/10(12 votes)

    S1:E75

    Peter is wounded and Joe is arrested, Ted chases Warren on horseback, Eden and Lionel at the cemetery, Santana and CC fight.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 82 - Episode 82
    6.8/10(12 votes)

    S1:E82

    Lionel follows Dominic to his apartment but finds a woman, Peter about to tell Kelly who he saw in the study the night of Channing's murder.

    Director:Rick Bennewitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 6 - Episode 6
    6.7/10(22 votes)

    S1:E6

    Joe & Kelly argue on the yacht, Peter comes in with a gun, Santana leaves for Acapulco.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 10 - Episode 10
    6.7/10(19 votes)

    S1:E10

    Santana hires a private investigator, Augusta offers Joe a job, Joe breaks into the Capwell house.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 14 - Episode 14
    6.7/10(20 votes)

    S1:E14

    Cruz goes to the Capwell house to rest, Peter and Augusta chat about old times.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 15 - Episode 15
    6.7/10(19 votes)

    S1:E15

    CC has a party on his yacht, Augusta tries to blackmail Peter, Joe breaks into the Capwell house again.

    Director:Rick Bennewitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 32 - Episode 32
    6.7/10(11 votes)

    S1:E32

    Joe and Peter fight at Cruz's, Augusta and Lionel create their circle of truth, David Hasselhoff cameo, Kelly goes to see Joe at Cruz's and gives him the ring back.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 35 - Episode 35
    6.7/10(10 votes)

    S1:E35

    Kelly missing, Dominic breaks into Santana's apartment and steals her letters, Dominic goes to the gazebo.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 39 - Episode 39
    6.7/10(10 votes)

    S1:E39

    Bidding for the property starts - Mason wins, Dominic and Joe each visit the Yucca Dunes Motel, Gina & Brandon arrive. **First appearance of Linda Gibboney (Gina DeMott) and Scott Curtis (Brandon DeMott)

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 41 - Episode 41
    6.7/10(10 votes)

    S1:E41

    Joe takes Kelly to meet Dominic, Ted, Laken, Danny, Jade look at renting the motel for a hangout, Santana meets Gina & Brandon.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Santa Barbara Season 1 Episode 7 - Episode 7
    6.6/10(21 votes)

    S1:E7

    Ted & Danny arrive in Hollywood, Santana talks to the doctor who delivered her baby, Peter gets hurt at polo.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Episode 76" is the best rated episode of "Santa Barbara". It scored 7.9/10 based on 15 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/12/1984. This episode scored 0.6 points higher than the second highest rated, "Episode 11".