The Worst Episodes of The Pretender
Every episode of The Pretender ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst 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.
Lowest Rated Episodes Summary
The worst episode of "The Pretender" is "Jaroldo!", rated 7.1/10 from 168 user votes. It was directed by Terrence O'Hara and written by Lawrence Meyers. "Jaroldo!" aired on 3/8/1997 and is rated 0.2 point(s) lower than the second lowest rated, "Prison Story".
7.1/10 168 votes#1 - Jaroldo!
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 3/8/1997
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Jarod becomes a TV news cameraman to investigate a gang shoot-out that badly injured another cameraman. Jarod also befriends a man who lost his job and his family. Meanwhile, Sydney and Miss Parker get trapped in a condemned building.
Director: Terrence O'Hara
Writer: Lawrence Meyers
7.3/10 172 votes#2 - Prison Story
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 2/1/1997
MARYLAND OAKFIELD PENITENTIARY - Jarod pretends to be a prison guard who is trying to prove a man on death row didn't commit the crime he's sentenced to death for. Meanwhile, Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots all get a clue that makes them believe they're now one step ahead of Jarod.
Director: Steven Long Mitchell
Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle
7.4/10 181 votes#3 - Mirage
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 1/4/1997
Hudspeth County, Texas - Jarod pretends to be a skydiving instructor looking into the death of a survivalist who died on his annual trip into the desert. Jarod is also visited by Ernie Two Feathers, a man who may (or may not) be a spirit guide. Meanwhile, Miss Parker is given a birthday present from Jarod that leads her to information about her mother.
Director: Ian Toynton
Writer: Tommy Thompson
7.4/10 166 votes#4 - Bazooka Jarod
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 2/8/1997
LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA - Jarod joins the Navy to investigate the drowning of a ship's engineer, but he must outwit a security officer who doubts his credentials. Meanwhile, the latest lead on Jarod pushes Miss Parker to follow clues regarding the children her mother saved.
Director: James Whitmore Jr.
Writer: N/A
7.4/10 156 votes#5 - Exposed
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 11/22/1997
MIAMI, FLORIDA - Jarod takes on the role of a fashion photographer in order to stop a stalker who has already claimed the life of one of his victims. Meanwhile, Miss Parker follows Jarod's clues that lead her to Rock Cove, Maine and uncovers more information about her mother.
Director: Jim Charleston
Writer: N/A
7.5/10 198 votes#6 - Flyer
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/19/1996
Arizona - Sydney and Miss Parker survey a wind farm in Baja, CA where Jarod was last seen testing aerodynamics. Jarod is now flying jets for Skyvionics, which is testing a defense contractor's new computer system, while trying to figure out why a test pilot died during one of the tests. Jarod also befriends Mr. Hollis, a conspirator who was involved in the Manhattan Project.
Director: James Whitmore Jr.
Writer: Juan Carlos Coto
7.5/10 185 votes#7 - A Virus Among Us
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/16/1996
Chicago, Illinois - Miss Parker finds that she just missed Jarod posing as a High School biology teacher, and is then subjected to the flu virus. Jarod now poses as a virologist at an infectious disease laboratory trying to figure out the story behind the disappearance of another virologist. He also befriends Ben, a musician who is trying to prefect his musical talent on various instruments, although his neighbors don't care for it.
Director: N/A
Writer: Lawrence Meyers
7.5/10 180 votes#8 - Better Part Of Valor
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/1997
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - Jarod works as a firefighter while investigating the murder of another smoke-eater; Miss Parker tries to seduce a married man.
Director: Anson Williams
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
7.5/10 177 votes#9 - Bomb Squad
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/18/1997
Detroit, Michigan - Jarod poses as a member of the bomb squad, searching for a serial bomber who left a woman blind from one of his attacks. Meanwhile, the Centre puts Mr. Reines in charge of finding the person who's leaking information to Jarod. By utilizing Angelo, he puts Miss Parker, Sydney, and Broots to the test.
Director: Terrence O'Hara
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
7.5/10 151 votes#10 - Unhappy Landings
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 4/26/1997
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - Jarod takes the role of a U.S. marshal trying to find and protect a vital witness with information about drug bosses connected to crooked marshals. Meanwhile, Miss Parker puts Broots in charge of digging up any information on the children her mother rescued. And Sydney seeks counseling for his rage against Mr. Raines.
Director: James Whitmore Jr.
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Lawrence Meyers, Juan Carlos Coto
7.5/10 155 votes#11 - Baby Love
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 5/10/1997
WYOMING(?) - After a close call with getting caught by Miss Parker, Jarod stumbles upon a baby who was thrown into a dumpster. Jarod takes the child and nurses it until he can find his parents while avoiding sinister authorities. At the same time, Miss Parker, Sydney and Broots all follow clues that Jarod has dug up in reference to the meaning of SL-27.
Director: Joe Napolitano
Writer: N/A
7.5/10 153 votes#12 - Scott Free
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 11/8/1997
MIDDLETOWN, DELAWARE - Jarod intercepts the role of a real safecracker to help a man who's being forced to participate in one more heist. Jarod also starts to feel the need of a father figure and turns to Sydney. Meanwhile, Brigitte tries to take control over Miss Parker's role in the capture of Jarod.
Director: Joe Napolitano
Writer: Tommy Thompson
7.6/10 212 votes#13 - Every Picture Tells A Story
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/1996
San Diego - California. Miss Parker and Sydney once again miss Jarod at the Y.M.C.A., who is now posing as a member of the Coast Guard trying to figure out the truth behind the death of a man who died at sea waiting for rescue. Jarod also befriends a hermit who lives out at sea and refuses to come back to land.
Director: Michael Zinberg
Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle
7.6/10 199 votes#14 - Curious Jarod
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/26/1996
Las Vegas, Nevada - After spending some time studying mathematics and science, Jarod becomes head of security at a the Marquee Casino in Las Vegas. While there, he attempts to solve the mystery behind the death of a showgirl. Jarod also befriends a down-on-his-luck Elvis impersonator. Meanwhile, Sydney and Miss Parker resort to finding Jarod through the mob.
Director: Jesús Salvador Treviño
Writer: N/A
7.6/10 198 votes#15 - The Paper Clock
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/2/1996
Los Angeles, California - Aiming to help a man wrongly sentenced for murder, Jarod becomes a lawyer and goes after the arrogant attorney protecting the real killer. Meanwhile, Sydney is trying to reach an agreement with The Centre to make a trade with Jarod: A piece of Jarod's past for some of the simulations.
Director: Gabrielle Beaumont
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach
7.6/10 194 votes#16 - To Protect and Serve
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/1996
Miami Beach, Florida - Jarod, suspecting corruption in a police department, becomes an officer himself to solve the death of a boy who had recently been reunited with his father. He also befriends an aging lady who's young at heart, but is afraid of losing her wildside due to her fading eyesight. Meanwhile, Miss Parker is spending time in jail for violating criminal code 369.7 - Unlawful Carrying and Possession of Concealed Weapon, thanks to a tip from Jarod. With her in jail, Jarod uses that window of opportunity to hire a private investigator to aid in finding information about his mother.
Director: James Whitmore Jr.
Writer: Tommy Thompson
7.6/10 160 votes#17 - Under The Reds
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 3/22/1997
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - Jarod checks into a fellow paramedic whom he believes is responsible for a graduate student's coma. But he first has to outsmart a pushy, investigative tax official who won't stop digging up everything on Jarod. After their follow-up to a lead on Jarod, Sydney disappears from the Centre. He holes himself up with his twin brother Jacob using a technique Jarod discovered in an attempt to bring him out of his coma. Miss Parker is put in charge of finding Syd and when she does, to make matters worst, Mr. Raines commands her to do eliminate Jacob.
Director: Charles Siebert
Writer: Javier Grillo-Marxuach, Lawrence Meyers
7.6/10 167 votes#18 - Keys
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 4/5/1997
MIAMI, FLORIDA - During a hurricane, Jarod is getting revenge for the deaths of a refugee's parents. He figures no one will pursue him since, after all, he's in the middle of a hurricane. But he's caught off guard when Miss Parker suddenly shows up. Even further caught off guard when his revenge backfires. Meanwhile, Miss Parker recalls the Thanksgiving before her mother's death. But she's blocked out certain details and Jarod makes her confront them.
Director: Terrence O'Hara
Writer: Juan Carlos Coto
7.6/10 160 votes#19 - Back From The Dead Again
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 11/1/1997
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - Jarod morns the death of his brother. He then takes on the identity of a anatomy professor trying to find a boy who has been missing since Halloween of the previous year. Meanwhile, Miss Parker is startled to find that her father has disappeared and has been replaced by a Mr. Lyle. With him comes Brigitte, a myseterious girl who is more thorough in finding Jarod then Miss Parker. And Sydney, at Jarod's request, researches why there's no DSA for the last three weeks of October prior to his escape.
Director: James Whitmore Jr.
Writer: Craig W. Van Sickle
7.6/10 126 votes#20 - Ghosts From The Past
Season 4 Episode 13 - Aired 2/26/2000
Jarod infiltrates a white supremacist group to stop the bombing of a Unity event. Meanwhile, Angelo fights his way through Jarod's past to find the old enemy currently threatening Jarod's life.
Director: Michael T. Weiss
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 151 votes#21 - Over The Edge
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 11/15/1997
SPOKANE, WASHINGTON - Jarod becomes a member of the emergency search and rescue team, trying to figure out the true cause of another member's supposed suicide-attempt. Jarod also tries to reunite him with his estranged mother. Meanwhile, at The Centre, a criminal behaviorist is brought in to interrogate and find the person who shot Mr. Raines' oxygen tank. Finally, Jarod utilizes a sensory deprivation tank to simulate closeness to his mother.
Director: James Whitmore Jr.
Writer: Paul Jackson, Tony Blake
7.7/10 128 votes#22 - Bulletproof
Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 3/28/1998
CINCINNATI, OHIO - Jarod becomes a member of SWAT to find out the truth behind why another member died in the line of duty. Meanwhile, Sydney has Broots do some searching for him after finding a clue Jarod left. But Miss Parker interprets his secrecy as an aid in protecting Jarod and intervenes.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.7/10 141 votes#23 - Someone to Trust
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 11/7/1998
Jarod poses as an arsonist to expose a corrupt attorney, but faces unexpected accusations when the attorney is found dead.
Director: N/A
Writer: Tommy Thompson
7.7/10 129 votes#24 - Unsinkable
Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 2/13/1999
Jarod once again encounters Argyle, who is in need of help. Caught in the middle of a turf war, they work together to pay off Argyle's debt to some loan sharks.
Director: Chuck Bowman
Writer: Juan Carlos Coto
7.7/10 113 votes#25 - Lifeline
Season 4 Episode 12 - Aired 2/19/2000
Jarod becomes a bodyguard to reunite an undercover ATF agent and her daughter. Meanwhile. Miss Parker sets out to prove Raines' religious 'conversion' is nothing of the kind.
Director: N/A
Writer: Juan Carlos Coto