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The Best Episodes of What's Happening!!

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

Binge this in 23h 50m•Peaking at 8.7/10

Buddies Raj, Rerun and Dwayne come of age in 1970s Los Angeles. The trio have a penchant for mischief and trying to find ways of getting rich quick. Almost always the trio's schemes wind up

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 13 - The Hospital Stay
    8.7/10(96 votes)

    S1:E13

    Raj lands in the hospital and is afraid to face impending surgery. Meanwhile, his roommate is a grouchy ex-baseball player whom Dee befriends and learns that he has kept up a bitter feud between himself and his daughter all because she married a white man.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz

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  2. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 16 - Doobie or Not Doobie (1)
    8.5/10(103 votes)

    S2:E16

    The Doobie Brothers are set to put on a concert at the high school and they leave Rerun to get the tickets. However, by the time Rerun gets to the ticket booth, they're sold out. Later, two shady characters offer Rerun free tickets if he records the concert.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Sally Wade

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  3. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 6 - The Burger Queen
    8.4/10(93 votes)

    S1:E6

    Rerun has his heart set on getting the lead in a hamburger commercial. However, once down at the audition, the producers find Dee better suited despite the fact that she can't stand the taste of them. An even bigger problem arises when Mama's permission is needed, but she's in Phoenix.

    Director:Dick Harwood
    Writers:Bernie Orenstein, Saul Turteltaub

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  4. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 9 - Christmas
    8.2/10(80 votes)

    S1:E9

    With Mama planning to work on Christmas, Raj and Dee agree to have Christmas dinner at Bill's apartment. However, Mama is able to get out of working at the last minute and soon discovers that the kids have plans and finds herself facing a lonesome Christmas.

    Director:Hal Alexander
    Writers:Bernie Orenstein, Saul Turteltaub

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  5. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 17 - Doobie or Not Doobie (2)
    8.0/10(72 votes)

    S2:E17

    The bootleggers force the guys into recording the concert but while everyone is jumping around, the tape recorder falls out from under Rerun's coat and right in full view of the Doobie Brothers.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Sally Wade

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  6. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 4 - My Three Tons
    7.9/10(92 votes)

    S1:E4

    Rerun becomes the new member of a popular dance group and learns the hidden truth of their intentions of him being their latest initiate.

    Director:Alan Rafkin
    Writer:Jim Mulligan

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of What's Happening!!

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  7. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 12 - The Testimonial
    7.9/10(58 votes)

    S2:E12

    Miss Collins is being honored for 25 years of teaching and this prompts Raj to play a trick on her after she gives him detention for being tardy. He soon finds his trick is totally inappropriate and sets out to right his wrong.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Nicholas DeMarco

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  8. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 19 - Raj and the Older Woman
    7.9/10(55 votes)

    S2:E19

    When Raj goes down to a photographer to get his yearbook picture taken, he's instantly smitten with a beautiful model. Raj lies about his identity, that he's a 21-year-old movie star and the girl is instantly taken by him. That is, until, she learns the truth.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Sally Wade

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  9. What's Happening!! Season 3 Episode 15 - Shirley's Fired
    7.9/10(50 votes)

    S3:E15

    Shirley has decided to ask Rob for a raise and he is shocked but he also has a shock for her, he's decided to hire an additional waitress, Liz.

    Director:Danny Simon
    Writers:Levi Taylor, David Tyree

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  10. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 3 - When Daddy Comes Marching Home
    7.8/10(85 votes)

    S1:E3

    After years of being away, Raj and Dee's shady father Bill returns for a short visit with a scheme in mind.

    Director:Jack Shea
    Writers:Marion C. Freeman, Dawn Aldredge

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  11. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 15 - The Firing Squad
    7.8/10(62 votes)

    S1:E15

    When the bank manager arrives at Rob's Place to discuss a loan application, Shirley insults him, which causes Rob to fire her. This leads Raj, Dwayne and Rerun to help Shirley find a new job even though she has very few skills.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Rick Mittleman

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  12. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 14 - Going, Going, Gong
    7.8/10(72 votes)

    S2:E14

    Raj and Dee become managers of a kid's song and dance group and believes they're so good that they may have a chance to get on The Gong Show. Once at tryouts, however, the duo discovers there's some heavy competition.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz

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  13. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 1 - The Runaway
    7.7/10(129 votes)

    S1:E1

    Roger has to babysit Dee and miss the big party at Betty's. But where there's a will there's a way, though there may not be a way to explain to Mama where Dee disappeared to when Raj was gone.

    Director:Dennis Steinmetz
    Writers:Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz

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  14. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 2 - The Birthday Present
    7.7/10(88 votes)

    S1:E2

    Raj, Dwayne and Rerun set out to get a birthday present for Mama. But it doesn't go as smoothly as they expected and they find themselves in hot water with store security.

    Director:Bud Yorkin
    Writers:Bernie Orenstein, Saul Turteltaub

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  15. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 8 - Shirley's Date
    7.7/10(74 votes)

    S1:E8

    Raj has sold a kid's story to a children's magazine and to celebrate, throws a party. However, Shirley is reluctant to come because she doesn't want to show up without a date. This leads Raj and Rerun to take steps to get her a date.

    Director:Tony Csiki
    Writers:Bob Illes, James R. Stein

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  16. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 10 - Puppy Love
    7.7/10(60 votes)

    S1:E10

    Raj is tutoring Patrice Williams in exchange for one of the puppies that her dog is soon to have. Confusion erupts in the Thomas household, however, when Dee overhears a conversation between Raj, Dwayne and Rerun which leads her to believe Raj has gotten a girl pregnant.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Bill Richmond, Gene Perret

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  17. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 17 - Dwayne's Dilemma
    7.7/10(66 votes)

    S1:E17

    Raj has been dying for a date with a girl but soon finds that in order to go out with her, he needs to find a date for her cousin. Dwayne agrees but soon finds himself to be a corner in a love triangle, when the cousin's pushy ex threatens his well-being if he continues to see her.

    Director:Dick Harwood
    Writer:Jerry Ross

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  18. What's Happening!! Season 3 Episode 1 - Disco Dollar Disaster
    7.7/10(67 votes)

    S3:E1

    A dance contest has Rerun scrambling to get enough money for the entrance fee and has people buying shares in his prospective winnings. However, he finds himself facing stiff competition from a notorious disco dancer and the prospect of two thugs breaking his hands if he doesn't win.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Deborah Pastoria

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  19. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 5 - Saturday's Hero
    7.6/10(82 votes)

    S1:E5

    Rerun joins the floundering football team and becomes an instant hero. This leads to a swelled head and he begins to give Raj and Dwayne the cold shoulder, going so far as to give his two extra Gladys Knight tickets to two of his 'new' friends instead of Raj and Dwayne, as he'd promised.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz

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  20. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 18 - The Tickets
    7.6/10(61 votes)

    S1:E18

    Mama has two tickets to Stevie Wonder and she gives them to Raj. But now, Raj has one tough decision to make, to take Dwayne or Rerun.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Richard Baer

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  21. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 20 - Nice Guys Finish Last
    7.6/10(63 votes)

    S1:E20

    Dee receives a call from her prison pen pal, Judy Crane, who is getting out and needs a place to stay. Dee talks Mama into allowing Judy to stay with them, unknown to all of them that Judy is really on the run.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Carol Gary

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  22. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 8 - Give Me Odds
    7.6/10(61 votes)

    S2:E8

    Dwayne is in a lucky streak with the system he uses to make bets, which leads Rerun to pass along Dwayne's tips to his brother-in-law, Ike, who bets $500 on a football game. It's only after he's made the bet that everyone discovers just what kind of system Dwayne uses.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz

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  23. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 15 - Dee's First Date
    7.6/10(58 votes)

    S2:E15

    Dee's going on her first date with a boy whose sister Raj has made into the object of his affection. His plan is to buddy up to Dee's boyfriend to get close to his sister. However, he quickly finds he has another thing coming.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Joseph Neustein

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  24. What's Happening!! Season 1 Episode 11 - The Maid Did It
    7.5/10(73 votes)

    S1:E11

    Mama is fired from her job as a maid for the Turner household after she's accused of stealing Mrs. Turner's diamond ring. Raj sets out to clear Mama and quickly discovers Mr. Turner may be a far likelier suspect.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writer:Marty Farrell

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  25. What's Happening!! Season 2 Episode 2 - It's All in Your Head
    7.5/10(59 votes)

    S2:E2

    A reluctant friend of Dee's is having problems at home and is too shy to talk to the school counselor, so Dee goes in her place but this leads the counselor to believe that Dee is the one with the problems.

    Director:Mark Warren
    Writers:Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz

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Best Episodes Summary

"The Hospital Stay" is the best rated episode of "What's Happening!!". It scored 8.7/10 based on 96 votes. Directed by Mark Warren and written by Alan Eisenstock, Larry Mintz, it aired on 1/20/1977. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Doobie or Not Doobie (1)".