ComedyFamily1958–1966ABC

The Best Episodes of The Donna Reed Show

Every episode of The Donna Reed Show ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of The Donna Reed Show!

Best episode
S4E34 The Caravan
8.739 votes
Worst episode
S4E8 All is Forgiven
5.738 votes
Top season
Season 6
8.0avg
Binge time
5d 17h
275 episodes
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons8

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 34 - The Caravan
    8.7/10(39 votes)

    S4:E34

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The Donna Reed Show Season 1 Episode 14 - A Very Merry Christmas
    8.2/10(112 votes)

    S1:E14

    Donna searches for the mysterious person who puts on a Christmas party in the children’s ward at the hospital every year. The quintessential comedian Buster Keaton guest stars.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 1 - Mister Nice Guy
    8.4/10(38 votes)

    S5:E1

    Mary can't understand why her brother Jeff is being so polite to her - unless there is some ulterior motive behind his good behavior.

    Director:Jeffrey Hayden
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 27 - Once Upon a Timepiece
    8.4/10(37 votes)

    S4:E27

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 6 - My Dad
    8.3/10(44 votes)

    S5:E6

    Alex tries over and over to spend a day with Jeff,but his plans are always interrupted by emergency calls.Jeff later shows that he still loves his father by singing the song,""My Dad.""

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Barbara Avedon

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  6. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 18 - The Chinese Horse
    8.3/10(41 votes)

    S5:E18

    At an auction a mysterious woman asks Donna to buy a huge Chinese horse statue and gives her the money for it, so Donna does buy it and takes it home. Mary, Jeff and Alex all wonder why?

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Donna Reed Show

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  7. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 2 - The Mystery Woman
    8.3/10(40 votes)

    S3:E2

    A lady spots Donna and Mary having lunch in a restaurant, so she stops to say hello. She recognized Donna, even though it had "been 13 years." Donna doesn't recognize her, but is polite and too embarrassed to ask her name. Later, after accepting a dinner invitation, Donna realizes she must find out who the mystery woman was.

    Director:Norman Tokar
    Writer:Barbara Hammer

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  8. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 23 - The Golden Trap
    8.3/10(39 votes)

    S4:E23

    While Donna and Alex are away, Mary's little get-together with a friend somehow turns into open house party.

    Directors:Jeffrey Hayden, Robert Ellis Miller
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 20 - Donna's Prima Donna
    8.2/10(57 votes)

    S4:E20

    Mary decides to forsake college and embark on a singing career.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 36 - Mary's Driving Lesson
    8.3/10(36 votes)

    S3:E36

    Scotty, smitten by Mary, agrees to teach Mary how to drive. Oh boy! Does he have his hands full! Will their relationship last through this experience?

    Director:Robert Ellis Miller
    Writers:Tom August, Helen August

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  11. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 5 - The Monster
    8.2/10(41 votes)

    S4:E5

    First some large animal has trampled Mary's flowers. Now when Alex is out of town, Donna and the kids keep hearing noises late at night.

    Director:Jeffrey Hayden
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 7 - One of Those Days
    8.2/10(36 votes)

    S4:E7

    Alex is in a foul mood, so Donna suggests they take the day off to give him some rest.

    Director:Jeffrey Hayden
    Writer:John Whedon

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  13. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 5 - How the Other Side Lives
    8.1/10(46 votes)

    S3:E5

    Mary's friend Ginny lives in a mansion with a maid, a tennis court, and a swimming pool. Now Ginny is going to spend the weekend at Mary's house. What can Mary do to impress Ginny, with the Stone family having no maid, no pool, no tennis court, and with wild, unruly younger brother Jeff at home?

    Director:James Sheldon
    Writer:John Whedon

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  14. The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 5 - The Daughter Complex
    8.8/10(9 votes)

    S7:E5

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The Donna Reed Show Season 2 Episode 32 - Jeff, the Financial Genius
    8.1/10(37 votes)

    S2:E32

    Jeff starts swapping possessions to pay off his debts.

    Director:Hy Averback
    Writer:Henry Sharp

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  16. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 3 - To Be a Boy
    8.1/10(34 votes)

    S5:E3

    Trying to save enough money to build a boat, Jeff and Smitty make a pact to give up dating. Then Jeff finds Mary's friend Joanne hiding under his bed.

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 9 - Never Marry a Doctor
    8.1/10(32 votes)

    S3:E9

    The Stones' cleaning lady has troubles. Her baby is sick and her husband lost his job due to illness. Alex takes care of the baby's health, and Donna hires the husband to do odd jobs in their house. Now the Stones have troubles. The twenty dollars that Alex left on the counter for Mrs. Cruikshank's charity is missing.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 32 - Man of Action
    8.1/10(32 votes)

    S4:E32

    Jeff and his friend Smitty seem to have Smitty's little brother tagging along with them. They convince Donna to watch him while they go to visit their girlfriends.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 22 - Big Sixteen
    8.1/10(31 votes)

    S5:E22

    On Jeff's 16th birthday he has a big fight with his girlfriend. Then he falls for an older woman.

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Barbara Avedon

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  20. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 3 - Donna Decorates
    8.0/10(49 votes)

    S3:E3

    Donna tries to redecorate the house, but neighbor boy Dennis Mitchell tries to help her...and ends up making things more of a mess. Donna finally calls Dennis' nearer neighbor Mr.Wilson to ask if Dennis would help him with anything. This was a crossover show-with two people from "Dennis the Menace”.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The Donna Reed Show Season 4 Episode 38 - The Father Image
    8.1/10(29 votes)

    S4:E38

    Alex has a patient who needs constant care. Jeff wants his father to help him get his driver's license, and Mary wants him to help repair a pair of shoes she needs for her graduation ceremony.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The Donna Reed Show Season 8 Episode 2 - With This Ring
    8.4/10(13 votes)

    S8:E2

    No description available

    Director:Lawrence Dobkin
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 24 - The House on the Hill
    8.0/10(41 votes)

    S5:E24

    Donna visits a reclusive woman who lives in an old Victorian house.She feels trapped in a haunted house after a while.

    Director:Gene Nelson
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The Donna Reed Show Season 2 Episode 23 - A Night to Howl
    8.0/10(40 votes)

    S2:E23

    Mary gets scared of how people get in ruts and seem to lose their sense of wonder and magic as they get older. She shares this feeling with her parents, who decide to do something spontaneous and go out for the evening.

    Director:Lawrence Dobkin
    Writer:John Whedon

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  25. The Donna Reed Show Season 5 Episode 21 - Three is a Family
    8.1/10(25 votes)

    S5:E21

    Mary learns the joys and pains of having a little sister,as she has to baby-sit Trisha on a night when she'd planned to go on a date.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Caravan" is the best rated episode of The Donna Reed Show. It scored 8.7/10 from 39 votes. Written and directed by Unknown, it aired on May 10, 1962. This episode scored 0.5 points higher than the second highest rated, "A Very Merry Christmas".

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