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The Best Episodes of The White Shadow

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

Binge this in 2d 6h•Peaking at 9.2/10

The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27 1978, to March 16 1981.

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Seasons3

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 15 - A Day in the Life
    9.2/10(23 votes)

    #1 - A Day in the Life

    S3:E15

    Goldstein, Gomez, Hayward, and Reese all return for an ""alumni"" exhibition game, amid all the troubles the four have encountered in ""real life"" since graduating. Hayward is in college and wants to go to law school, but doesn't believe he'll be given the chance because of his skin color. Goldstein, after a year in the Marines, now believes he has the confidence to ask out a girl he admired while at Carver. Gomez is struggling to make ends meet as a car mechanic with a pregnant wife. And, finally, Reese is bouncing from job to job until he finally finds his niche as a phone counselor at a suicide prevention center.

    Director:Victor Lobl
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 4 - Sudden Death
    9.0/10(32 votes)

    #2 - Sudden Death

    S2:E4

    after a rookie basketball player dies of an anerism coach reeves goes blaming himself for his death

    Director:Victor Lobl
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 11 - Spare the Rod
    8.8/10(41 votes)

    #3 - Spare the Rod

    S1:E11

    Coach Reeves substitute-teaches a P.E. class, loses his temper, and hits a student, Lucius Robinson, who refuses to participate. Reeves feels guilty about the incident, learns of Lucius' troubles, and offers to help him in any way. Reeves then quickly learns that some students can't be helped when Lucius tries to rape Mrs. Buchanan.

    Director:Victor Lobl
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 1 - On the Line
    8.6/10(24 votes)

    #4 - On the Line

    S2:E1

    The second season begins with Jackson, wanting to make some extra money, gets unknowingly involved with sports bookies. Things get especially difficult when they start offering him big money to shave points at Carver's games.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 2 - Reunion (2)
    8.6/10(28 votes)

    #5 - Reunion (2)

    S3:E2

    Coach Reeves heals his strained relationship with his dying father, breaks things off once and for all with Paula, and returns to Carver for the new school year, where some new players have joined the team: Wardell Stone, Mitchell, Rutherford, Paddy Falahey, and Eddie Franklin

    Director:Bruce Paltrow
    Writers:Joshua Brand, John Falsey

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  6. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 14 - Little Orphan Abner
    8.5/10(28 votes)

    #6 - Little Orphan Abner

    S1:E14

    Goldstein's grandmother is hospitalized and his grandfather stays at the hospital with her, so Coach Reeves asks the team to check in on him at home every so often. The other guys aren't too keen on this because Goldstein really doesn't fit in with them, but they agree to check on him and, in the process, take advantage of him and his hospitality. Goldstein threatens to quit the team, and Coach Reeves gives him a lecture on standing up for himself.

    Director:Ernest Pintoff
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of The White Shadow

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  7. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 2 - Albert Hodges
    8.5/10(25 votes)

    #7 - Albert Hodges

    S2:E2

    Coach Reeves begins teaching a class on sex education, but comes under fire when he makes joking comments that Albert Hodges, a new black student who is very racially sensitive, interprets as insulting to blacks. Hodges then tries to rally the black players on the team against Reeves.

    Director:Bruce Paltrow
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 3 - The Offer
    8.4/10(42 votes)

    #8 - The Offer

    S1:E3

    No description available

    Director:Bruce Paltrow
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 6 - Wanna Bet?
    8.4/10(46 votes)

    #9 - Wanna Bet?

    S1:E6

    No description available

    Director:Jackie Cooper
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 15 - LeGrand Finale
    8.4/10(27 votes)

    #10 - LeGrand Finale

    S1:E15

    The team wants to form a singing group, but elect not to include Thorpe, who begins a dating interest with Karen LeGrand, a white girl with an unsavory reputation around school.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 21 - The Hitter
    8.4/10(31 votes)

    #11 - The Hitter

    S2:E21

    Coach Reeves suspects that Gomez is being physically abused at home by his father, but has trouble getting him to admit it.

    Director:Marc Norman
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 13 - Cops
    8.4/10(26 votes)

    #12 - Cops

    S3:E13

    An elderly woman is mugged on the street at night by two big, tall black men, and the description she gives the police matches both Coolidge and Franklin, who happen to be out on the town that night. The police apprehend the two with Thorpe looking on. Thorpe observes what appears to be police brutality, reaches into his pocket to get a pen to write the cops' car number, and is shot by one of them.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 7 - Globetrotters
    8.3/10(20 votes)

    #13 - Globetrotters

    S2:E7

    The basketball team is on a winning streak and proceeds to showboat and run up the score on their latest opponent, prompting a tongue-lashing from Reeves. With their newfound success gone to their head, the team gets cocky with the workers at a local car wash and challenges them to a pickup game at the Carver gym. The boys are unaware that the car wash workers are really members of the Harlem Globetrotters doing a benefit and Reeves has arranged for them to show the team they're really not as good as they think.

    Director:Bruce Paltrow
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 9 - Needle
    8.3/10(29 votes)

    #14 - Needle

    S2:E9

    No description available

    Director:Victor Lobl
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 11 - Delores, Of Course
    8.3/10(30 votes)

    #15 - Delores, Of Course

    S2:E11

    a former girlfreind a jacksons comes to los angeles saying that shes fashion model but is really a hooker

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 14 - Artist
    8.3/10(30 votes)

    #16 - Artist

    S2:E14

    a nagging art teacher thinks that thorpe should go to art school but thorpe has no interest in it what so ever

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 14 - Burnout
    8.3/10(25 votes)

    #17 - Burnout

    S3:E14

    Carver's baseball coach, who also teaches English, begins to experience teacher burnout. He begins handing out free grades, which hurts Rutherford, who works hard in his class. Vitaglia, too, is disappointed in his attitude because he wants to try out for the baseball team.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 2 - Here's Mud in Your Eye
    8.2/10(50 votes)

    #18 - Here's Mud in Your Eye

    S1:E2

    Coach Reeves and the team discover liquor in Jackson's locker, and fear he may have a drinking problem.

    Director:Jackie Cooper
    Writer:Bruce Paltrow

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  19. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 4 - Bonus Baby
    8.2/10(44 votes)

    #19 - Bonus Baby

    S1:E4

    No description available

    Director:Jackie Cooper
    Writer:Bob DeLaurentis

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  20. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 10 - Sliding By
    8.2/10(29 votes)

    #20 - Sliding By

    S2:E10

    No description available

    Director:Victor Lobl
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 6 - No Blood, No Foul
    8.2/10(25 votes)

    #21 - No Blood, No Foul

    S3:E6

    Salami faces possible jail time after breaking an opposing team's player's jaw during an on court brawl.

    Director:Thomas Carter
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 9 - B.M.O.C
    8.2/10(22 votes)

    #22 - B.M.O.C

    S3:E9

    Coolidge starts having problems stemming from his abnormal height and size, such as normal clothes not fitting. He gets self-conscious and defensive until Coach Reeves, who has dealt with the same problems, takes him under his wing and tries to let him know he's not alone. NBA Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell guest stars.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. The White Shadow Season 3 Episode 10 - Trial and Error
    8.2/10(17 votes)

    #23 - Trial and Error

    S3:E10

    Coach Reeves threatens to kick Falahey off the team when he suspects that he is missing practices and faking injuries. However, the coach himself looks like a hypocrite when he is summoned for jury duty and he tries to lie his way out of it.

    Director:Victor Lobl
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. The White Shadow Season 1 Episode 1 - (pilot)
    8.1/10(56 votes)

    #24 - (pilot)

    S1:E1

    Ken Reeves, a forward with the Chicago Bulls, is forced to retire after suffering a serious knee injury. His old friend and high school teammate, Jim Willis, who is principal of Carver High near L.A., drops by to offer him a job as basketball coach. Reeves is reluctant, but agrees. Among the challenges he faces with the school and the team include a female vice principal who doesn't like him and a player, James Hayward, who has a lot of potential, but also is fatherless and may have to drop out of school to go to work and take care of his mom and little brother.

    Director:Jackie Cooper
    Writer:Bruce Paltrow

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  25. The White Shadow Season 2 Episode 3 - Cross-Town Hustle
    8.1/10(21 votes)

    #25 - Cross-Town Hustle

    S2:E3

    A rival coach from a predominantly white high school in the area tries to convince Reese to transfer.

    Director:Mark Tinker
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"A Day in the Life" is the best rated episode of "The White Shadow". It scored 9.2/10 based on 23 votes. Directed by Victor Lobl and written by Unknown, it aired on 3/16/1981. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Sudden Death".