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The Best Episodes of Hey Arnold! Season 1

Every episode of Hey Arnold! Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Hey Arnold! Season 1!

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The daily life of Arnold--a fourth-grader with a wild imagination, street smarts and a head shaped like a football.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
    Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 1 - Downtown as Fruits
    7.8/10(438 votes)

    #1 - Downtown as Fruits

    S1:E1

    Not looking forward to performing in Helga's "The Four Food Groups" musical, Arnold and Gerald decide to take the bus a few stops too many, but end up stuck downtown.

    Directors:Larry Leichliter, Tuck Tucker
    Writers:Craig Bartlett, Steve Viksten, Joe Ansolabehere

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  2. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 2 - Eugene's Bike
    7.8/10(325 votes)

    #2 - Eugene's Bike

    S1:E2

    When Arnold accidentally ruins Eugene's new bike, he takes Eugene out on a day of fun, thinking that "every geek deserves his day".

    Directors:Juli Murphy, Kelly James
    Writers:Craig Bartlett, Steve Viksten, Joe Ansolabehere

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  3. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 3 - The Little Pink Book
    8.1/10(350 votes)

    #3 - The Little Pink Book

    S1:E3

    When Helga loses her pink book, full of love poems about Arnold on the bus, it ends up in Arnold's hands. Now Helga must get it back before Arnold figures out who wrote the poems.

    Directors:Don Judge, Bert Ring
    Writer:Craig Bartlett

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  4. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 4 - Field Trip
    7.7/10(308 votes)

    #4 - Field Trip

    S1:E4

    The kids are really looking forward to their field trip to the aquarium - especially when they remember the scary Lock Jaw from their last trip. But, when they get there, they see that Lock Jaw isn't really that scary. Arnold notices how neglected the old turtle looks, and returns later with Grandma to set it free.

    Directors:Steve Socki, Debbie Baber
    Writers:Craig Bartlett, Steve Viksten, Joe Ansolabehere

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  5. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 5 - Arnold's Hat
    7.8/10(304 votes)

    #5 - Arnold's Hat

    S1:E5

    An obsessed Helga steals Arnold's hat to complete her shrine to Arnold, which is hidden in the back of her closet. But, she notices how miserable Arnold is without his hat, and decides to give it back to him.

    Directors:Larry Leichliter, Tuck Tucker
    Writer:Steve Viksten

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  6. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 6 - Stoop Kid
    8.3/10(322 votes)

    #6 - Stoop Kid

    S1:E6

    Arnold's hat lands on the stoop of "Stoop Kid," - a bully who has lived his whole life on his stoop, and is highly protective of it. But, when it's Arnold's fault that Stoop Kid becomes the joke of the city, he must help Stoop Kid face his biggest fear - leaving his stoop for the first time.

    Directors:Juli Murphy, Kelly James
    Writer:Steve Viksten

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  7. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 7 - Helga's Makeover
    8.0/10(271 votes)

    #7 - Helga's Makeover

    S1:E7

    Helga is annoyed when Rhonda doesn't invite her to her slumber party - everybody assumes that "girly" parties aren't Helga's style. So, Helga is determined to prove her wrong, and gets a makeover.

    Directors:Juli Murphy, Kelly James
    Writer:Rachel Lipman

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  8. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 8 - The Old Building
    8.2/10(303 votes)

    #8 - The Old Building

    S1:E8

    Arnold is asked by his Grandma to help save an old building, and then asked by Ernie to help knock the building down! Who will Arnold decide to go along with? How can he get out of this tricky situation?

    Directors:Kelly James, Jamie Mitchell
    Writers:Steve Viksten, Rachel Lipman

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  9. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 9 - 6th Grade Girls
    7.7/10(257 votes)

    #9 - 6th Grade Girls

    S1:E9

    Two girls from the sixth grade who are tired of the way that their boyfriends treat them, decide to take Arnold and Gerald to the school dance, but only to make their boyfriends jealous.

    Directors:Dan Povenmire, Dale Case
    Writer:Steve Viksten

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  10. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 10 - The Baseball
    7.2/10(244 votes)

    #10 - The Baseball

    S1:E10

    Arnold's favorite baseball player is playing his last game, so he decides to go and see his last game. The only problem is that he winds up with terrible seats.

    Directors:Dan Povenmire, Dale Case
    Writer:Joe Ansolabehere

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  11. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 11 - Heat
    9.4/10(660 votes)

    #11 - Heat

    S1:E11

    Arnold has a really bad day - the city is suffering from a heatwave, and whatever he does, Arnold just can't seem to get cool.

    Directors:Tuck Tucker, Juli Murphy
    Writer:Jonathan Greenberg

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  12. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 12 - Snow
    7.4/10(243 votes)

    #12 - Snow

    S1:E12

    Snow hits the city and Arnold can't wait to get out and have some fun... but wait, there's chores to be done... and when there done Arnold has the time of his life playing Hockey with the "crew."

    Directors:Steve Socki, Bert Ring
    Writers:Craig Bartlett, Rachel Lipman

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  13. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 13 - Operation Ruthless
    7.8/10(245 votes)

    #13 - Operation Ruthless

    S1:E13

    At the Annual Cheese Fair, Helga tries her best to keep Arnold well away from Ruth - a girl who Arnold has a crush on.

    Directors:Larry Leichliter, Kelly James
    Writers:Steve Viksten, Rachel Lipman

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  14. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 14 - The Vacant Lot
    7.6/10(225 votes)

    #14 - The Vacant Lot

    S1:E14

    Arnold and friends decide to clear out a vacant lot to play baseball on, but the adults take over it, and use it for their own reasons.

    Directors:Larry Leichliter, Mark O'Hare
    Writer:Josephine Nericcio

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  15. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 15 - The List
    8.9/10(388 votes)

    #15 - The List

    S1:E15

    Arnold attempts to do something that no other kid has done before - completing the entire list of a kid's perfect Saturday! But, unfortunately, things don't go quite to plan.

    Directors:Larry Leichliter, Mark O'Hare
    Writer:Joe Ansolabehere

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  16. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 16 - Haunted Train
    7.8/10(236 votes)

    #16 - Haunted Train

    S1:E16

    When the kids complain of being bored, Grandpa tells the story of the Haunted Train. So, the kids decide to go and see if the train exists for themselves.

    Directors:Tuck Tucker, Juli Murphy
    Writer:Josephine Nericcio

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  17. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 17 - Mugged
    7.3/10(214 votes)

    #17 - Mugged

    S1:E17

    When Arnold gets mugged in the street, Grandma teaches him how to defend himself, but the training and fighting starts to get to his head.

    Directors:Tuck Tucker, Jamie Mitchell
    Writer:Craig Bartlett

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  18. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 18 - Roughin' It
    7.5/10(218 votes)

    #18 - Roughin' It

    S1:E18

    Grandpa, Arnold, and Gerald are all going on an old fashioned camping trip... until Big Bob, Helga, and Phoebe show up with luxurious camping equipment.

    Directors:Alan Smart, Sherm Cohen
    Writer:Jonathan Greenberg

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  19. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 19 - Door #16
    7.7/10(220 votes)

    #19 - Door #16

    S1:E19

    All of the boarders get very curious to what is inside the very personal Mr. Smith's package.

    Directors:Stark Howell, Dale Case
    Writer:Rachel Lipman

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  20. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 20 - Arnold as Cupid
    8.0/10(274 votes)

    #20 - Arnold as Cupid

    S1:E20

    Oskar gets kicked out of Suzie's room when they get into an argument, so Arnold tries to get them back together when Oskar moves into Arnold's room.

    Directors:Dan Povenmire, Dale Case
    Writer:Steve Viksten

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  21. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 21 - Arnold's Christmas
    8.3/10(3 votes)

    #21 - Arnold's Christmas

    S1:E21

    While Helga tries to find the perfect gift for Arnold, Arnold tries to find Mr Hyunh's long-lost daughter.

    Director:Jamie Mitchell
    Writer:Steve Viksten

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  22. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 22 - Benchwarmer
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #22 - Benchwarmer

    S1:E22

    Arnold has trouble with the basketball coach and his favored son.

    Directors:Steve Socki, Stark Howell
    Writer:Jonathan Greenberg

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  23. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 23 - Cool Jerk
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #23 - Cool Jerk

    S1:E23

    An older cool guy befriends Arnold, but Arnold realizes that he is really a shoplifter.

    Directors:Larry Leichliter, Robert Porter
    Writer:Joe Ansolabehere

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  24. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 24 - Das Subway
    7.0/10(1 votes)

    #24 - Das Subway

    S1:E24

    Arnold and the gang have no choice but to take the subway home after dark.

    Directors:Tuck Tucker, Steve Socki
    Writer:Christopher Simmons

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  25. Hey Arnold! Season 1 Episode 25 - Wheezin' Ed
    8.0/10(1 votes)

    #25 - Wheezin' Ed

    S1:E25

    Arnold and the gang set out on a quest to find the hidden treasure of the mysterious "Wheezin' Ed" on Elk Island.

    Directors:Dan Povenmire, Juli Murphy
    Writers:Craig Bartlett, Steve Viksten, Rachel Lipman

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Season 1 Ratings Summary

"Downtown as Fruits" is the best rated episode of "Hey Arnold!" season 1. It scored 7.8/10 based on 438 votes. Directed by Larry Leichliter, Tuck Tucker and written by Craig Bartlett, Steve Viksten, Joe Ansolabehere, it aired on 10/7/1996. This episode is rated 0.0 points higher than the second-best, "Eugene's Bike".