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The Best Episodes of The Pretender

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

Raised in a secret facility built for experimenting on children, Jarod is a genius who can master any profession and become anyone he has to be. When he realizes as an adult that he's actually a prisoner and his captors are not as benevolent as he's been told, he breaks out. While trying to find his real identity, Jarod helps those he encounters and tries to avoid the woman sent to retrieve him.

Genres:DramaMysterySci-Fi & Fantasy
Network:NBC

Top Episode Ratings Summary

The best episode of "The Pretender" is "Donoterase (2)", rated 8.9/10 from 161 user votes. It was directed by N/A and written by Craig W. Van Sickle. "Donoterase (2)" aired on 5/22/1999 and is rated 0.2 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "Red Rock Jarod".

  • Donoterase (2)
    8.9/10 161 votes

    #1 - Donoterase (2)

    Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 5/22/1999

    Conclusion from part 1. Jarod and his father plan a rescue the clone created by the Centre's, while Miss Parker must face new truths from inside the Centre and more about her mother's murder.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Red Rock Jarod
    8.7/10 156 votes

    #2 - Red Rock Jarod

    Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 5/2/1998

    DRY RIVER, ARIZONA - Responding to an email he believes was sent to him by Sydney, Jarod finds himself in the hands of someone he once thought dead. Jarod also meets a boy who is in need of a heart transplant. Meanwhile, Miss Parker closes in on Jarod. But she's in for a surprise when she meets his captor.

    Director: Scott Lautanen

    Writer: Juan Carlos Coto

  • Bank
    8.7/10 145 votes

    #3 - Bank

    Season 2 Episode 20 - Aired 5/9/1998

    DOVER, DELAWARE - Jarod tricks Miss Parker to meet him at a bank, where they come face to face with the mysterious Mr. Fenigor. But this arrangement gets complicated when there's a robbery the same day. When The Centre gets news that Jarod is trapped in this hostage situation, they close in and make sure he'll not slip through their fingers this time.

    Director: Michael Lange

    Writer: N/A

  • The Inner Sense (1)
    8.7/10 145 votes

    #4 - The Inner Sense (1)

    Season 4 Episode 19 - Aired 5/13/2000

    Jarod finally locates his sister Emily, just in time to see her nearly assassinated by The Centre. Meanwhile, Miss Parker's search of the secrets behind her mother's death lead her and Jarod to the same place -- and a mysterious young man named Ethan.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Bloodlines (2)
    8.6/10 154 votes

    #5 - Bloodlines (2)

    Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 5/16/1998

    BLUE COVE, DELAWARE - Jarod, along with Angelo (Timmy), try to find a way to rescue the kidnapped child. Miss Parker confronts her father about her discovery that she has a twin. Sydney plots to finally have his revenge against Mr. Raines, but his plan backfires...

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Murder 101
    8.6/10 154 votes

    #6 - Murder 101

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 1/9/1999

    Jarod takes over a criminal psychology class and teaches a lesson in committing a flawless murder before tracking down three suspected killers.

    Director: Scott Lautanen

    Writer: Daniel Truly

  • Donoterase (1)
    8.6/10 155 votes

    #7 - Donoterase (1)

    Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 5/22/1999

    Jarod's reunion with his father is marred by news of the Centre's latest project -- a teenaged clone of Jarod himself. However, assassins from the Centre are hot on their trail.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • 'Til Death Do Us Part
    8.5/10 146 votes

    #8 - 'Til Death Do Us Part

    Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 1/15/2000

    On the anniversary of Thomas' death, Jarod challenges a haunted Miss Parker to resume her hunt for his killer. But the search leads back to her father and Brigitte, who is close to giving birth.

    Director: Craig W. Van Sickle

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Collateral Damage
    8.4/10 153 votes

    #9 - Collateral Damage

    Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 1/3/1998

    LOST HILLS, VIRGINIA - Jarod becomes a Special Forces soldier to help the daughter of a Vietnam veteran get her father's name added to the War Memorial. Back at The Centre, Miss Parker reluctantly babysits Debbie while Broots is in Florida on an assignment.

    Director: Vern Gillum

    Writer: N/A

  • FX
    8.4/10 147 votes

    #10 - FX

    Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 1/17/1998

    HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - Jarod becomes a special effects coordinator to find out why a stuntman was seriously injured during the filming of a beer commercial. Back at the Centre, following clues left by Jarod, Miss Parker begins her search for a Dr. Fenigor and a boy named 'Timmy'.

    Director: Vern Gillum

    Writer: N/A

  • Toy Surprise
    8.4/10 157 votes

    #11 - Toy Surprise

    Season 2 Episode 12 - Aired 3/7/1998

    TURNERS RIDGE, IDAHO - Jarod helps a troubled teenager by becoming an outdoor counselor. But back at The Centre, Miss Parker is grieving the anniversary of her mother's death. The day just gets worst when she's tipped off by Jarod that there's going to be an assassination attempt on her father. With only 2 hours to stop it and trapped in the Sub-levels, Miss Parker has to get to the tower before her father arrives by helicopter.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Juan Carlos Coto

  • Bloodlines (1)
    8.4/10 150 votes

    #12 - Bloodlines (1)

    Season 2 Episode 21 - Aired 5/16/1998

    ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Jarod recieves a letter from an anonymous source and believes The Centre is going to kidnap another boy-genius. Sydney creates a serum that allows Angelo to become a normal person again, provided he takes all the doses at the right time.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Betrayal
    8.4/10 137 votes

    #13 - Betrayal

    Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 11/14/1998

    Jarod teams up with Broots to find the culprit in a shootout at the Centre's Data Annex, a former operative named Damon.

    Director: Terrence O'Hara

    Writer: N/A

  • At the Hour of Our Death
    8.4/10 141 votes

    #14 - At the Hour of Our Death

    Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 2/27/1999

    Jarod and Miss Parker recall a childhood incident where they and Angelo met a dying girl at the Centre.

    Director: Steven Long Mitchell

    Writer: N/A

  • Wake Up
    8.4/10 137 votes

    #15 - Wake Up

    Season 3 Episode 18 - Aired 5/1/1999

    Thomas is brutally murdered in Miss Parker's home by an unknown assailant; Jarod finds clues leading to a drug addict who later dies of an overdose.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Tommy Thompson

  • The World's Changing
    8.4/10 138 votes

    #16 - The World's Changing

    Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 9/25/1999

    Once again a prisoner of the Centre, Jarod discovers a plot to murder a team of nuclear researchers, giving him even more motivation to escape. Meanwhile, Sydney and Broots try to find Miss Parker and Miss Parker tries to find her father -- and figure out who to trust.

    Director: James Whitmore Jr.

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Road Trip
    8.4/10 160 votes

    #17 - Road Trip

    Season 4 Episode 5 - Aired 11/13/1999

    Jarod finds himself on a road trip to help a mysterious young woman, whom he falls for. Meanwhile, he tells Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots to 'follow the yellow brick road'.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Daniel Truly

  • The Dragon House (2)
    8.3/10 168 votes

    #18 - The Dragon House (2)

    Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 5/17/1997

    UPSTATE NEW YORK - Jarod discovers more about his family through Harriet, and decides that he must return to The Centre to free his brother Kyle. Meanwhile, Miss Parker convinces Broots and Sydney in helping her find the answers to her mother's death and believes Kyle may be the key. Finally, Jarod gets the opportunity to reunite with his family, including his sister. But The Centre becomes aware of the rendezvous and intends to stop it.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Unforgotten
    8.3/10 151 votes

    #19 - Unforgotten

    Season 2 Episode 14 - Aired 3/21/1998

    LOCATION UNKNOWN - During the intervention of his current pretend, Jarod is caught off guard and beaten, resulting in the loss of his memory. Jarod is then rescued by Argyle, a smooth-talking con-artist. But his savior soon starts to wonder how this situation could benefit him. Meanwhile, back at The Centre; Miss Parker, Sydney, & Broots are put before a T-Board. There, they are interrogated to see just how dedicated they are in their search for Jarod.

    Director: Steven Long Mitchell

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Stolen
    8.3/10 144 votes

    #20 - Stolen

    Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 5/2/1998

    SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA - After taking down a corrupt doctor, Jarod unexpectedly gets involved in a kidnapping when the father of the kidnapped ends up in the hospital. Back at The Centre, Miss Parker sides with Mr. Raines on the fact that Sydney is becoming too attached to Jarod. To the point, even, that it's complicating the search for him.

    Director: Scott Lautanen

    Writer: Tommy Thompson

  • Once in a Blue Moon
    8.3/10 128 votes

    #21 - Once in a Blue Moon

    Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/31/1998

    To save a teen-age victim, Jarod learns the skills of criminal behaviorists and comes face-to-face with the Blue Moon Killer.

    Director: Chuck Bowman

    Writer: Daniel Truly

  • Flesh and Blood
    8.3/10 126 votes

    #22 - Flesh and Blood

    Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 1/2/1999

    Jarod takes on the role of a tracking expert to help find four teachers, including Sydney's son, Nicholas, who are taken hostage in the Appalachian hills.

    Director: Rodney Charters

    Writer: N/A

  • Past Sim
    8.2/10 142 votes

    #23 - Past Sim

    Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 12/13/1997

    BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - While watching the news, Jarod finds that one of his old simulations he preformed has just been utilized in kidnapping a witness in a murder trial against the Yakuza clan. Outraged, Jarod sets out to reverse the outcome of the situation he's created. Meanwhile, Miss Parker suspects the sale of the simulation came from Mr. Lyle, and begins to apply pressure in hopes of finding any other connections to Jarod.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: Tommy Thompson

  • Crazy
    8.2/10 145 votes

    #24 - Crazy

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 10/17/1998

    PLEASENT WOOD INSTITUTE, MARYLAND - Jarod becomes a mental patient to uncover the truth behind the mysterious murder of another patient. Miss Parker researches the identity of her twin.

    Director: Steven Long Mitchell

    Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle

  • Pool
    8.2/10 142 votes

    #25 - Pool

    Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 2/20/1999

    Jarod challenges a pool hustler to get evidence linking the man to the murder of a young woman's father; Miss Parker tries to prevent Brigitte's marriage.

    Director: N/A

    Writer: N/A