The Donna Reed Show backdrop
Comedy•Family

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!

Binge this in 5d 17h•Peaking at 9.0/10

Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a retirement bash for a colleague, and finding quality time away from the children.

Airs on
ABC
BestEpisodes
WorstEpisodes
BestSeasons
AllEpisodes

Seasons8

All12345678

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Click to reveal
    The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 5 - The Daughter Complex
    9.0/10(10 votes)

    #1 - The Daughter Complex

    S7:E5

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  2. The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 26 - Guests, Guests, Who Wants Them? (a.k.a.) Guests, Guests, Who Needs Guests?
    9.0/10(10 votes)

    #2 - Guests, Guests, Who Wants Them? (a.k.a.) Guests, Guests, Who Needs Guests?

    S7:E26

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  3. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 36 - Mary's Driving Lesson
    8.4/10(33 votes)

    #3 - Mary's Driving Lesson

    S3:E36

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

    Director:Robert Ellis Miller
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  4. The Donna Reed Show Season 8 Episode 2 - With This Ring
    8.4/10(14 votes)

    #4 - With This Ring

    S8:E2

    No description available

    Director:Lawrence Dobkin
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  5. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 2 - The Mystery Woman
    8.3/10(38 votes)

    #5 - The Mystery Woman

    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's been 13 years."" Donna doesn't recognize her but is polite and too embarrassed to ask her name. Later, Donna realizes she must find out who the mystery woman was.

    Director:Norman Tokar
    Writer:Barbara Avedon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  6. The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 2 - Dad Drops By
    8.2/10(13 votes)

    #6 - Dad Drops By

    S7:E2

    Alex's father drops by for a visit, terrorizing the population of Hilldale by driving recklessly in his antique Duesenburg. Now Donna needs to find a tactful way of getting him to agree to give up driving.

    Director:Gene Reynolds
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of The Donna Reed Show

    READ
  7. The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 15 - Old Faithful
    8.2/10(8 votes)

    #7 - Old Faithful

    S7:E15

    No description available

    Director:Frederick de Cordova
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  8. The Donna Reed Show Season 8 Episode 10 - The Big League Shock
    8.2/10(21 votes)

    #8 - The Big League Shock

    S8:E10

    Jeff's friend Bill was high school valedictorian, but as a freshman in college now is only making B's and C's. How can the Stone family help?

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  9. The Donna Reed Show Season 1 Episode 14 - A Very Merry Christmas
    8.1/10(109 votes)

    #9 - A Very Merry Christmas

    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

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  10. The Donna Reed Show Season 2 Episode 32 - Jeff, the Financial Genius
    8.1/10(34 votes)

    #10 - Jeff, the Financial Genius

    S2:E32

    Jeff starts swapping possessions to pay off his debts.

    Director:Hy Averback
    Writer:Henry Sharp

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  11. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 5 - How the Other Side Lives
    8.1/10(45 votes)

    #11 - How the Other Side Lives

    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 a wild unruly younger brother Jeff at home?

    Director:James Sheldon
    Writer:John Whedon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  12. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 9 - Never Marry a Doctor
    8.1/10(31 votes)

    #12 - Never Marry a Doctor

    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. Could the handyman be a thief? Mrs. Cruikshank thinks so and makes Donna wonder if it's true.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  13. The Donna Reed Show Season 8 Episode 27 - By-Line - - Jeffrey Stone
    8.1/10(17 votes)

    #13 - By-Line - - Jeffrey Stone

    S8:E27

    Jeff and Smitty try to get Leslie Gore, who is appearing in town, to record their new song.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  14. The Donna Reed Show Season 2 Episode 23 - A Night to Howl
    8.0/10(38 votes)

    #14 - A Night to Howl

    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

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  15. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 3 - Donna Decorates
    8.0/10(47 votes)

    #15 - Donna Decorates

    S3:E3

    Donna tries to redecorate the house, but neighbor boy Dennis Mitchell (Jay North) tries to help her...and ends up making things more of a mess. Donna finally calls Dennis' nearer neighbor Mr.Wilson (Joseph Kearns) to ask if Dennis would help him with anything. (I'm sure Mr.Wilson sympathized.) This was a crossover show-with two people from ""Dennis the Menace"" guesting. It turns out both shows are set in the town of Hilldale...but Dennis probably lived in a different neighborhood than Donna.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  16. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 15 - The Lean and Hungry Look
    8.0/10(30 votes)

    #16 - The Lean and Hungry Look

    S3:E15

    Donna can't fit into the dinner dress she bought a few months ago, and she wants to wear it! She decides it's time to exercise and diet the extra pounds off. Then, Alex notices his tuxedo is a little too tight now, so he decides, well, you get the picture! And will Jeff ever repay the money he borrowed from Mary so she can buy that sweater she's been wanting for a long time. And what do you think happens when she finally does get that sweater and tries it on?

    Director:Robert Ellis Miller
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  17. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 31 - Let's Look at Love
    8.0/10(34 votes)

    #17 - Let's Look at Love

    S3:E31

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  18. The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 29 - The Rolling Stones
    8.0/10(8 votes)

    #18 - The Rolling Stones

    S7:E29

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  19. The Donna Reed Show Season 7 Episode 30 - Indoor Outing
    8.0/10(8 votes)

    #19 - Indoor Outing

    S7:E30

    Trisha is sick,so Donna stays home with her for the weekend while Alex and Jeff go on a camping trip.Donna tells Trisha about all the vacations the Stones had took in the past,as there are scenes from previous programs shown.

    Director:Frederick de Cordova
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  20. The Donna Reed Show Season 2 Episode 17 - The Secret
    7.9/10(39 votes)

    #20 - The Secret

    S2:E17

    Mary gets an engagement ring and a phone call from Matt, a freshman at UCLA, but doesn't tell anyone in the family about the ring or why Matt is calling. So what's going on? As Donna says, "Alex, our daughter has a secret."

    Director:Norman Tokar
    Writer:Nate Monaster

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  21. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 7 - Worried Anyone?
    7.9/10(35 votes)

    #21 - Worried Anyone?

    S3:E7

    Like, are we worried about Mary riding in Scotty's car? After all, its only a hot rod made with parts taken from wrecked cars!

    Director:Robert Ellis Miller
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  22. The Donna Reed Show Season 3 Episode 14 - Someone is Watching
    7.9/10(37 votes)

    #22 - Someone is Watching

    S3:E14

    Jeff wants a motor scooter like Gordie just got, but Alex won't agree to that. Gordie shows off his riding skill until he drives the scooter into a tree in the Stones front yard. Gordie proceeds to fake a leg injury that puts him in Jeff's bed overnight, with Donna taking care of him. Why would Gordie do that? Does it have anything to do with his new stepmother or his dad giving him anything he wants? Does Donna have an idea about how to help Gordie's mom with this problem? You bet she does!

    Director:Robert Ellis Miller
    Writer:John Whedon

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  23. The Donna Reed Show Season 8 Episode 1 - Pop Goes Theresa
    7.9/10(22 votes)

    #23 - Pop Goes Theresa

    S8:E1

    Jeff has finally gotten a date with Theresa, a new girl who has an over-protective father. One taste of freedom makes Theresa go wild, and her father puts all the blame on Jeff.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  24. The Donna Reed Show Season 8 Episode 18 - Do It Yourself Donna
    7.9/10(17 votes)

    #24 - Do It Yourself Donna

    S8:E18

    Donna and Alex spend weeks attempting to assemble a complicated stereo set for Jeff's birthday—unaware that Jeff and Smitty sneak in every night to repair the mess.

    Director:Lee Philips
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

  25. The Donna Reed Show Season 1 Episode 23 - The Report Card
    7.8/10(49 votes)

    #25 - The Report Card

    S1:E23

    Donna is worried when Jeff comes home with a report card full of Cs.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

Best Episodes Summary

"The Daughter Complex" is the best rated episode of "The Donna Reed Show". It scored 9/10 based on 10 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 10/15/1964. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "Guests, Guests, Who Wants Them? (a.k.a.) Guests, Guests, Who Needs Guests?".