The Best Episodes of Father Knows Best Season 2

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   7.5/10(55 votes)

   #1 - Art of Salesmanship

   S2:E18/31/1955

   Jim tries to encourage Bud to take after him in salesmanship.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
2. 

   7.4/10(63 votes)

   #2 - Father's Private Life

   S2:E29/7/1955

   Jim comes home tired one day and is harangued by the kids. So, he and Margaret set up new rules to give him some time to relax—but it ends up backfiring.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
3. 

   7.7/10(61 votes)

   #3 - Lessons in Civics

   S2:E39/14/1955

   A new highway is getting built, and for that the old community hall is going to be pulled down. That's something Jim wouldn't like to see since the hall is a historical monument, and also, memories from his youth are connected with this hall. Everyone from the family sees how much the hall means to Jim, and they use different ways to organize help.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Dorothy Cooper

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Dorothy Cooper
4. 

   7.8/10(58 votes)

   #4 - First Disillusionment

   S2:E49/21/1955

   Bud loses a job to a boy who fakes his resumé, which leads him to believe it is alright to do this himself

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
5. 

   8.4/10(73 votes)

   #5 - Woman in the House

   S2:E59/28/1955

   Margaret is forced to invite a woman over who makes her uncomfortable because she is Jim's friend's wife.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
6. 

   7.7/10(55 votes)

   #6 - New Girl at School

   S2:E610/5/1955

   Bud learns that the girl he likes is dating his best friend.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
TRENDING NOW
The 20 BEST Episodes of Father Knows Best
READ
7. 

   7.7/10(57 votes)

   #7 - Kathy Makes Magic

   S2:E710/12/1955

   Kathy gets a new magic set, from a trade with a friend, and becomes convinced she can truly wield magic.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writers:Roswell Rogers, Herman J. Epstein

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writers:Roswell Rogers, Herman J. Epstein
8. 

   8.1/10(65 votes)

   #8 - Advantage to Betty

   S2:E810/19/1955

   Betty has recently taken up tennis at school and is chosen for a photo shoot for the paper. This causes friction between her and her doubles partner, Eula, who is the team’s best player.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
9. 

   8.1/10(67 votes)

   #9 - The Big Test

   S2:E910/26/1955

   Bud is accused of cheating because he is suddenly getting high grades in class.

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers

   Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

   Director:William D. Russell

   Writer:Roswell Rogers
10. 

    7.3/10(60 votes)

    #10 - Father Is a Dope

    S2:E1011/2/1955

    After commenting on a sitcom (“Father Does It Again”) the family watches together one night, Jim speaks about how TV fathers are often portrayed as dumb in comparison with their families. Later, he plans on going hunting and starts believing that Margaret and the kids are secretly trying to get him to stay.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
11. 

    7.4/10(59 votes)

    #11 - Spirit of Youth

    S2:E1111/9/1955

    When Jim gets an invitation to a dance for his class reunion—class of ‘33—the kids start behaving as if their parents are ancient. Then, when the kids at their alma mater treat them the same, Jim and Margaret deal with the thought of getting older.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Dorothy Cooper

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Dorothy Cooper
12. 

    7.9/10(63 votes)

    #12 - Bud, the Ladykiller

    S2:E1211/16/1955

    Bud gets irritated by a girl (whom he refers to as “Dumb Dora”) who has a crush on him, hurts her feelings when his irritation leads to cruelty, and must make amends.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writers:Sumner Arthur Long, Dorothy Cooper

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writers:Sumner Arthur Long, Dorothy Cooper
13. 

    6.8/10(54 votes)

    #13 - Margaret's Premonition

    S2:E1311/30/1955

    Margaret has a premonition of danger for Jim’s upcoming business trip, and tries to get Jim to postpone it. But Jim believes it’s a bunch of superstitious nonsense, and insists on going anyway.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
14. 

    6.6/10(53 votes)

    #14 - Stage to Yuma

    S2:E1412/7/1955

    Tate Idsen saves a stagecoach from savage Indians in a flashback sequence.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Unknown

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Unknown
15. 

    7.8/10(65 votes)

    #15 - Bad Influence

    S2:E1512/14/1955

    Bud gets in trouble when his latest friend turns out to be a kleptomaniac.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
16. 

    8.1/10(61 votes)

    #16 - Betty Hates Carter

    S2:E1612/28/1955

    Betty is indignant when Jim arranges a date for her with an old insurance salesman buddy’s son, Carter.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
17. 

    7.1/10(62 votes)

    #17 - Jim, the Tyrant

    S2:E171/4/1956

    Jim comes home early from work, after a long, hard day, and expects to gain comfort from his family, but is quickly disillusioned when they all are too absorbed in their own interests and tasks to pay attention to him. This just makes his mood more sour and he declares at dinner that if he must, he will become a tyrant. This leads to unwelcome consequences.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writers:Roswell Rogers, Herman J. Epstein

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writers:Roswell Rogers, Herman J. Epstein
18. 

    7.6/10(56 votes)

    #18 - Betty's Brother

    S2:E181/11/1956

    Bud is having trouble in school and the family are hard-pressed to find out why. Eventually, Jim and Margaret come to the conclusion that, since he’s entered high school, he’s lost his confidence over being constantly compared to Betty and her accomplishments.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Paul West

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Paul West
19. 

    7.8/10(58 votes)

    #19 - Betty Earns a Formal

    S2:E191/18/1956

    Betty gets a job to pay for a new, expensive formal for the Cinderella Ball at the country club.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Paul West

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Paul West
20. 

    8.0/10(63 votes)

    #20 - The House Painter

    S2:E201/25/1956

    Jim has a bet with Betty and Margaret concerning human nature, integrity and the man painting their house—Mr. Everett.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
21. 

    7.8/10(50 votes)

    #21 - Bud, the Wallflower

    S2:E212/1/1956

    Bud seems determined not to go to a Senior/Freshman dance that is Sadie Hawkins-themed.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Paul West

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Paul West
22. 

    8.2/10(67 votes)

    #22 - The Bus to Nowhere

    S2:E222/8/1956

    Betty becomes irritable with her family as she goes through an existential crisis.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
23. 

    7.0/10(49 votes)

    #23 - Kathy, the Indian Giver

    S2:E232/15/1956

    Kathy is taught about fair trading from her father—and ends up trading her doll for a real baby.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Kay Lenard

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Kay Lenard
24. 

    7.9/10(56 votes)

    #24 - The Historical Andersons

    S2:E242/22/1956

    When Bud receives an assignment to write a term paper about a Revolutionary War hero, he ends up researching the life of a relative—Major Nathaniel Oliver Anderson.

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Roswell Rogers
25. 

    7.7/10(62 votes)

    #25 - The Grass is Greener

    S2:E252/29/1956

    Jim’s old college friend, Charlie Bradley, a successful industrial tycoon, is in town. Charlie, along with Jim, were a part of a group known as The Four Musketeers, in college. Of the four, Jim appears to be the least ‘successful.’

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Dorothy Cooper

    Be the first to start the conversation for this episode

    Director:William D. Russell

    Writer:Dorothy Cooper