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The Worst Episodes of The Onedin Line

Every episode of The Onedin Line ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Onedin Line!

The Onedin Line is a BBC television drama series which ran from 1971 to 1980. The series was created by Cyril Abraham. The series is set...
Genre:Drama

Worst Episodes Summary

"The Honeymoon" is the worst rated episode of "The Onedin Line". It scored 6.3/10 based on 12 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 9/21/1980. This episode scored 0.5 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Cry of the Blackbird".

  • The Honeymoon
    6.3/1012 votes
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    #1 - The Honeymoon

    Season 8 Episode 4 - Aired 9/21/1980

    James marries Margarita and they sail to Sumatra to establish trade in the East Indies, staying with Dutch ship-owning brothers Max and Theodore Van der Rheede. The brothers are not happy to learn that James has undercut them on a tobacco contract and the dominant Max suggests to his younger brother that they sell up and return to Europe. On the voyage home Margarita intercedes on behalf of a sailor she believes to be harshly-treated, influencing Baines to show him leniency. Back in Liverpool they find that Max has moved there ahead of them but his brother has drowned himself.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Cry of the Blackbird
    6.8/1031 votes
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    #2 - Cry of the Blackbird

    Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/7/1972

    No description available

    Director: Gerald Blake

    Writer: Bruce Stewart

  • Bloody Week
    7.1/1027 votes
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    #3 - Bloody Week

    Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/1972

    No description available

    Director: Gerald Blake

    Writer: David Weir

  • The Price of Pride
    7.1/1012 votes
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    #4 - The Price of Pride

    Season 8 Episode 6 - Aired 10/5/1980

    Captain Baines leaves the Onedin Line and, with Tom aboard, collects his first cargo as owner of the 'Sea Spray'. James suffers as some clients will only trust their freight to his old ship-mate and the vengeful Van Der Rheede - who is out to break him - calls in the debt sold on by Samuel, who returns from New York with a wealthy American bride. To compound matters Charlotte arrives back in Liverpool as a music-hall singer. Ultimately, though, it is Captain Baines who pays the price of pride as his ship blows up, killing Tom.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • No Smoke Without Fire
    7.3/1013 votes
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    #5 - No Smoke Without Fire

    Season 6 Episode 1 - Aired 7/16/1978

    Fearing unrest in South Africa Daniel asks James to bring home a large amount of gold from the country - unofficially. James naturally wants his cut. Tim, a young crew member, is subjected to a crossing the line ritual during which a man falls overboard and drowns. A cargo of wool on the ship catches fire, after which it is discovered that the gold has been stolen. Tim is responsible and speaks up to Onedin about inequality. In Liverpool Robert's son Samuel returns home whilst Elizabeth's son William declares his intention to be the richest man in the port in five years' time.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Paddy Westers
    7.3/1014 votes
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    #6 - The Paddy Westers

    Season 7 Episode 3 - Aired 8/5/1979

    William's death causes a rift between Charlotte and Samuel, not helped when they learn that William left his son twenty thousand pounds. Seth Burgess is duped by the infamous tavern-keeper Paddy West into paying him for a crew to sail to New York with James. However they are not seamen but largely European immigrants, including a Count and his pregnant wife. James is reluctant to put them ashore on Ellis island but changes his mind after the count saves him from an attack by a fugitive murderer. Captain Baines recovers the money from West by arm -wrestling him.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • A Hard Life
    7.4/1014 votes
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    #7 - A Hard Life

    Season 5 Episode 7 - Aired 8/7/1977

    William makes his peace with his parents but assures them that his interest in developing steam engines supersedes his desire to inherit the shipyard. James's failure to listen to William results in the engine blowing on the ship he is using to take Polish emigrants to New York and he puts in to Liverpool for repairs. Maritsa, one of the emigrants ,is a talented lace-maker, and Robert wants to employ her in his sweat-shop but a sympathetic Samuel advises her she would be better off going on to New York. Unfortunately another accident with the steam engine leads to the ship lurching violently, trapping Maritsa's fingers in a door and requiring two to be amputated.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Plain Sailing
    7.5/1038 votes
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    #8 - Plain Sailing

    Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/22/1971

    No description available

    Director: Paul Ciappessoni

    Writer: Cyril Abraham

  • Mutiny
    7.5/1032 votes
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    #9 - Mutiny

    Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/24/1971

    No description available

    Director: David Cunliffe

    Writer: Ian Kennedy Martin

  • Fetch and Carry
    7.5/1024 votes
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    #10 - Fetch and Carry

    Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/8/1972

    No description available

    Director: Ben Rea

    Writer: Alun Richards

  • The Stranger
    7.5/1019 votes
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    #11 - The Stranger

    Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 10/28/1973

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Ice and Fire
    7.5/1019 votes
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    #12 - Ice and Fire

    Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 12/16/1973

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • A Proposal of Marriage
    7.5/1020 votes
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    #13 - A Proposal of Marriage

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 12/23/1973

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • A Cold Wind Blowing
    7.5/1019 votes
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    #14 - A Cold Wind Blowing

    Season 4 Episode 2 - Aired 5/2/1976

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Gamble
    7.5/1016 votes
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    #15 - The Gamble

    Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 6/20/1976

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • When Troubles Come
    7.5/1015 votes
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    #16 - When Troubles Come

    Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 6/26/1977

    Five years have elapsed. Onedin is a prisoner in a settlement in South America from where he is rescued by Captain Baines, and they return to Liverpool. Macaulay, a wealthy Australian, keen to invest in the shipping trade with South Africa, does business with the Onedin's but when the bank crashes, the Onedin's lose out as their collateral is taken. Robert loses his shop and James's ships are forfeited but he manages to get them out of port before Macaulay claims them.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Passage to Pernambuco
    7.6/1029 votes
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    #17 - Passage to Pernambuco

    Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/26/1971

    No description available

    Director: Darrol Blake

    Writer: Cyril Abraham

  • Jonah’s Luck
    7.6/1015 votes
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    #18 - Jonah’s Luck

    Season 8 Episode 5 - Aired 9/28/1980

    Defying the superstition that it is bad luck to set sail on a Friday, James travels to Africa and outwits a local witch doctor to establish a trading post on the Niger. However he falls out with Captain Baines, who now has his own ship, 'The Sea Spray', in the process. Back in Liverpool Margarita is mugged whilst exploring the city alone and Samuel uses his uncle's debt to pay Van Der Rheede for a warehouse in New York.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Other Points of the Compass
    7.7/1036 votes
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    #19 - Other Points of the Compass

    Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/29/1971

    No description available

    Director: Moira Armstrong

    Writer: Alun Richards

  • The Ship Devils
    7.7/1020 votes
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    #20 - The Ship Devils

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 10/21/1973

    No description available

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • The Hostage
    7.7/1012 votes
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    #21 - The Hostage

    Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 8/14/1977

    James and Captain Baines sail to Palermo to pick up emigrants for America. Whilst James is ashore with his Sicilian agent Benito, several Mafia bandits led by local don Ranocci take over the ship and in the subsequent gun-battle the mate is killed and Captain Baines and the crew taken hostage. They will be released if James gives Ranocci the money taken from the locals for their voyage but James has other ideas and leads the oppressed Sicilians against the Mafia. At home Letty goes into business and William is as disapproving of his parents' relationship as they are of his intense friendship with Charlotte.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Running Free
    7.7/1012 votes
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    #22 - Running Free

    Season 7 Episode 6 - Aired 8/26/1979

    Seth Burgess obtains a contract to take China clay to Jamaica but whilst James is transporting it Burgess elopes with Charlotte and her Onedin line shares. Whilst Samuel shows no interest in pursuing them James offers a reward for their apprehension. Having found a baby left on her doorstep, which she hands onto the orphanage, Letty plans to open her own home for waifs and strays with the money obtained from Samuel for the sale of her factory. With Daniel now permanently in London, Elizabeth meets Charles Marston, wealthy heir to a colliery and steelworks, with whom she strikes up a business deal.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Guilty - In All Innocence
    7.7/1011 votes
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    #23 - Guilty - In All Innocence

    Season 8 Episode 8 - Aired 10/19/1980

    Charlotte is reunited with her father after visiting him in jail. Margarita and Samuel pursue the man suspected of planting the necklace on James' ship, only to find he is dead. However a letter arrives from Betsy, addressed to Letty, who was good to her, outlining how Van Der Rheede used her to get the necklace. Furthermore Captain Baines, now anxious to help Onedin, establishes that Van Der Rheede planted it in a chart he knew that the captain was returning to James' ship. The family confronts the Dutchman and force him to confess, whilst Elizabeth hears that Daniel is returning home to be reconciled with her.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A

  • Yellow Jack
    7.8/1026 votes
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    #24 - Yellow Jack

    Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/1972

    No description available

    Director: David Sullivan Proudfoot

    Writer: Alun Richards

  • Survivor
    7.8/1024 votes
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    #25 - Survivor

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 10/22/1972

    No description available

    Director: Roger Jenkins

    Writer: Peter Graham Scott