8 Simple Rules

10 Best Episodes of 8 Simple Rules - Season 1

8 Simple Rules is an American sitcom television series originally starring John Ritter and Katey Sagal as middle-class parents Paul and Cate Hennessy, raising their three children. Kaley Cuoco, Amy Davidson and Martin Spanjers co-starred as their teenage kids: Bridget, Kerry and Rory Hennessy. The series ran on ABC from September 17, 2002, to April 15, 2005. The first season focused on Paul being left in charge of the children after Cate takes a full-time job as a nurse, with comedic emphasis on his often strict rules concerning his daughters and dating. The series' name and premise were derived from the book 8 Simple Rules by W. Bruce Cameron. While 8 Simple Rules was renewed for a second season and production had begun, Ritter's sudden death in September 2003 left the series in an uncertain position. After a hiatus, the series returned with killing off his character. James Garner and David Spade later joined the main cast as Cate's father Jim Egan and her nephew C.J. Barnes.

Written by Sophie and last updated on nov 18, 2022.

PS: The following content contains spoilers!

PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!

Advertisement
8 Simple Rules - S1E10

#15 - Give It Up (Season 1 - Episode 10)

When no one can agree on where the family vacation should take place, Paul challenges the Hennessey clan to give up their bad habits for a week and the winner gets to choose the vacation spot. But the family's vices soon get the better of them, and secret collaborations and clandestine alliances threaten to foil the contest.

The episode was rated 7.89 from 105 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E7

#14 - Trick or Treehouse (Season 1 - Episode 7)

Advertisement

Paul seems to be the only one looking forward to a family Halloween, as Bridget, Kerry and Rory make plans to spend the spooky evening away from home and with their friends. But Paul's wish to relive the past by having the family get together for one last Halloween campout in the old treehouse may turn out to be the biggest nightmare of the evening.

The episode was rated 7.89 from 104 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E25

#13 - Bake Sale (Season 1 - Episode 25)

Bridget begrudgingly becomes a mother when she is assigned to take care of a baby made out of a sack full of flour for school. When Kerry and Rory bake cookies for the Great American Bake Sale to help put an end to childhood hunger in America, Bridget begins to notice that her baby is developing a mysterious loss of weight.

The episode was rated 7.91 from 68 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E6

#12 - Cheerleader (Season 1 - Episode 6)

Advertisement

Bridget is ecstatic when the cheerleading squad has an opening for a new member. But after telling Kerry that she is not cut out to be a cheerleader, Bridget is completely dumbfounded when her sister tries out and is chosen for the team. Meanwhile, Paul tries in vain to wean Rory off video games and introduce him to the world of books

The episode was rated 7.92 from 111 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E9

#11 - Two Boys for Every Girl (Season 1 - Episode 9)

Paul's plan backfires when--after telling Bridget to tell Kyle the truth about her date with another boy -- Kyle breaks up with her. Meanwhile, Kerry's first date turns out to be a dream, but she is devastated when the boy doesn't call her back.

The episode was rated 7.93 from 98 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E22

#10 - Good Moms Gone Wild (Season 1 - Episode 22)

Advertisement

While vacationing in Florida at Cate's parent's home, Paul and Cate catch Bridget and Kerry on the evening news partying with a group of Spring Breakers. But before a punishment can be implemented, the news runs archival footage that features a young, wild Cate letting loose in a bar. Meanwhile, a jealous Paul meets Byron (Ed Marinaro, ""Hill Street Blues,"" ""Sisters"") -- the man that Cate went out with during her college sophomore year -- and Rory befriends an elderly gentleman (Tom Poston, ""Newhart,"" ""Mork & Mindy"") whose stories about World War II turn out to be more fiction than fact.

The episode was rated 7.94 from 68 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E21

#9 - Kerry's Video (Season 1 - Episode 21)

Kerry devotes her school video project to sister, Bridget, to illustrate the hypocrisy that life is much easier for the โ€™beautiful people.' But when Bridget discovers that the video makes her look shallow, she takes Paul's advice to enrich her life by taking up tennis again -- and ends up with a broken nose.

The episode was rated 7.96 from 71 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E20

#8 - Every Picture Tells a Story (Season 1 - Episode 20)

Advertisement

When Paul is asked by race car driver Carter Tibbits (Jason Priestley, "Beverly Hills 90210") to write a book about him, Paul brings the family to Tibbits' mansion to meet the driving legend and his sarcastically dry-witted butler, Cody (Robert Guillaume, "Benson", "Sports Night") -- who used to be Carter's crew chief. But a misunderstanding leads Rory to steal a photo from Carter's room, and it's Paul who's under suspicion when a security camera catches him trying to return the item.

The episode was rated 7.99 from 74 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E18

#7 - Drummer Boy (2) (Season 1 - Episode 18)

Bridget takes the car and follows her older boyfriend, drum instructor Ben (Nick Carter, Backstreet Boys), to his college dorm. Conclusion of a two-part episode.

The episode was rated 8.00 from 69 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E15

#6 - Kerry's Big Adventure (Season 1 - Episode 15)

Advertisement

After Kerry and her boyfriend break up, Paul tries to cheer up his blue daughter by getting Bridget to take her little sister with her to a party. But while talking to Kyle at the party, Kerry is shocked when a spark is ignited and the two share a romantic kiss. Meanwhile, Paul and Cate try to discover what is hidden in Rory's secret box.

The episode was rated 8.01 from 87 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E16

#5 - Come and Knock on Our Door (Season 1 - Episode 16)

After discovering that boyfriend Kyle kissed Kerry at a party (the previous episode, ""Kerry's Big Adventure,"" airing Jan 21), Bridget gives her sister the silent treatment which is anything but quiet for Paul. But real life merges with fantasy when Paul has a dream that lands him in familiar territory, showing Kyle as a swinging bachelor living with Paul's two beautiful daughters in an apartment straight out of the 70s. The set of the classic comedy ""Three's Company"" was recreated down to the last detail for this episode.

The episode was rated 8.02 from 83 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E11

#4 - Paul Meets His Match (Season 1 - Episode 11)

Advertisement

After meeting his new editor Nick, Paul becomes quick friends with the man when he discovers they both have a common bond-being married fathers of teenage girls. But Paul soon learns that he may have something else in common with Nick-having the reputation of being an overprotective ""psycho dad."" Meanwhile, Paul wants to make Thanksgiving a family affair, and forbids Bridget and Kerry from inviting their boyfriends to the festive feast.

The episode was rated 8.04 from 90 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E13

#3 - Rory's Got a Girlfriend (Season 1 - Episode 13)

When a proud Paul lets 13-year-old Rory go out on his first date, Bridget and Kerry accuse him of unfairly changing the rules because they were never allowed to date at that age. Meanwhile Kerry is shocked when Bridget receives a higher score then she did on a state aptitude test.

The episode was rated 8.06 from 85 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E14

#2 - Career Choices (Season 1 - Episode 14)

Advertisement

Paul and Cate are shocked when they are called into the principal's office and informed that Bridget wants to skip her college prep classes in order to become an esthetician. Meanwhile, Paul is so impressed with Kerry's sketches of ""The Incredible Boring Woman"" that he gets the principal to print them in the school newspaper -- not realizing that the principal is the boring woman in question.

The episode was rated 8.20 from 86 votes.

8 Simple Rules - S1E19

#1 - Cool Parent (Season 1 - Episode 19)

When Paul has to pick up Bridget and Kerry from a party that's been broken up by the police -- and "supervised" by co-worker Tommy (Larry Miller) -- Paul chastises his friend and unwittingly volunteers to host the next one. But when Paul falls asleep during the party and it gets out of control too, the kids think of him as a "cool parent," while the neighborhood parents think he's just as unreliable as Tommy.

The episode was rated 8.25 from 72 votes.

Search for TV shows...

About Series with Sophie

Welcome to our community!

We are a community of women who are passionate about our favorite series and want to share that passion with others.

Our mission is to create a space where women can discover new content, connect with like-minded individuals, and engage in meaningful discussions about the series we love.

We believe that everyone should have access to reliable and trustworthy information about their favorite shows, and we strive to be the premier destination for women seeking that information. Whether you're looking for recaps, fan theories, or just want to connect with other fans, we've got you covered.

So join us and be a part of our growing community of series enthusiasts!