7.8/10232 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/22/1998
Dejected by his divorce and the state of sports, Casey contemplates leaving "Sports Night". Natalie has a crush on an applicant for an associate producer position.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
8.4/10245 votes#2 - The Apology
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1998
The network is upset when a newly-published magazine interview reveals that Dan is in favor of the legalization of marijuana.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
7.9/10190 votes#3 - The Hungry and the Hunted
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/6/1998
Jeremy gets his first big producing break - a hunting segment. Natalie tries to get Casey interested in Dana during the run-up to one of Luther Sach's dinner parties.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
7.8/10177 votes#4 - Intellectual Property
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/13/1998
Casey's jealousy over Dana and Gordon leaves him kicking fire hydrants and hearing phantom flies. Dan faces repercussions from the network for his birthday present to Casey.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
8.4/10188 votes#5 - Mary Pat Shelby
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/20/1998
Natalie does a pre-interview with a volatile football player and things get out of hand.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Tracey Stern
8.1/10170 votes#6 - The Head Coach, Dinner and the Morning Mail
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/27/1998
A distracted Natalie keeps forgetting things, while Jeremy tries to shield her from her hate mail.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Matt Tarses
8.0/10175 votes#7 - Dear Louise
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/10/1998
Jeremy writes a letter to his sister Louise, flashing back over the day's events, including Dan's problems with writer's block and Isaac's problems with his daughter's new boyfriend.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, David Walpert
- 8.1/10178 votes
#8 - Thespis
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/1998
Dana worries about her Thanksgiving turkey, Isaac worries about his pregnant daughter, and the ghost of Thespis wreaks havoc on the set.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 7.9/10175 votes
#9 - The Quality of Mercy at 29K
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/1/1998
The team anchors a broadcast from Mt. Everest, Dana sees a Broadway show, and Dan tries to find a worthy charity.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Bill Wrubel, Aaron Sorkin
- 8.1/10173 votes
#10 - Shoe Money Tonight
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/8/1998
Dan and Casey are Atlantic City-bound after the broadcast, Natalie and Jeremy have a fight, and Isaac discovers he's shrinking.
Director: Dennie Gordon
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 8.7/10200 votes
#11 - The Six Southern Gentlemen of Tennessee
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/15/1998
Casey appears on _"View, The" (1997)_ and the team follows the story of seven college football players who are suspended for refusing to play under the Confederate flag.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: David Walpert, Matt Tarses, Bill Wrubel, Aaron Sorkin
- 7.9/10155 votes
#12 - Smoky
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/5/1999
Dan decides that it's time Casey started dating again, so long as he stays away from Sally Sasser. Isaac fears for his job.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 8.0/10166 votes
#13 - Small Town
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/12/1999
Dana, Gordon, Casey, and a woman from Gordon's office go on a double-date, leaving Natalie to produce the show and Dan to contend with a replacement anchor.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford
- 8.2/10166 votes
#14 - Rebecca
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 1/26/1999
Dan obsesses over a woman who works in the building, and everyone worries about Isaac's job.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 7.9/10158 votes
#15 - Dana and the Deep Blue Sea
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/9/1999
Gordon invites Dana to go snorkeling, and Dan begs Jeremy to talk him up to Rebecca.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 8.2/10161 votes
#16 - Sally
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/23/1999
Gordon stands Dana up, and Casey's missing his favorite shirt.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Rachel Sweet
- 7.9/10151 votes
#17 - How Are Things in Glocca Morra?
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 3/9/1999
The show is held up when a tennis match goes longer than expected, putting a damper on Dana and Gordon's dinner plans.
Director: Marc Buckland
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Rachel Sweet
- 8.3/10156 votes
#18 - The Sword of Orion
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 3/23/1999
Jeremy's parents are getting divorced, and Dan eagerly awaits Orlando Rojas' return to baseball.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: David Handelman, Aaron Sorkin, Mark McKinney
- 8.4/10178 votes
#19 - Eli's Coming
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/30/1999
Isaac is late coming back from vacation, Bobbi Bernstein returns, and Steve Sisco visits Rebecca.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 7.9/10145 votes
#20 - Ordnance Tactics
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 4/6/1999
A bomb scare clears the building, Jeremy tries to break up with Natalie, and the network starts pressuring Dana.
Director: Alex Graves
Writer: Aaron Sorkin, Paul Redford
- 8.0/10149 votes
#21 - Ten Wickets
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 4/13/1999
Casey is still rattled from the bomb scare, Jeremy tries to understand a cricket story, and Rebecca makes her decision about Dan.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: Matt Tarses, Aaron Sorkin
- 8.0/10148 votes
#22 - Napoleon's Battle Plan
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 4/27/1999
When Dana and Gordon get engaged, Casey has no plan and Dan's compelled to reveal a secret.
Director: Robert Berlinger
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
- 8.5/10170 votes
#23 - What Kind of Day Has It Been
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 5/4/1999
Casey's son comes to visit, and Dana takes a group photo with her new camera. Season One Finale.
Director: Thomas Schlamme
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
The Best Episodes of Sports Night Season 1
Every episode of Sports Night Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Sports Night Season 1!
The offbeat cast and crew of a sports news show deal with professional, personal, and ethical challenges while functioning in a pressure-cooker work environment.
Genres:ComedyDrama
Network:ABC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "Sports Night" season 1. It scored 7.8/10 based on 232 votes. Directed by Thomas Schlamme and written by Aaron Sorkin, it aired on 9/22/1998. This episode is rated 0.6 points higher than the second-best, "The Apology".