All Episodes of The Donna Reed Show
Browse all episodes of The Donna Reed Show
Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a retirement bash for a colleague, and finding quality time away from the children.
Season 1
7.6/10115 votesWeekend Trip
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/1958
In the premiere episode, Donna hopes to get away to a ski weekend with her brood, but pediatrician husband Alex's on-call schedule makes this tricky, especially since one of his young patients, Eddie Barclay (played by one of the Corcoran siblings of Disney film and TV fame; sister Noreen was on "Bachelor Father" with John Forsythe), has a mysterious illness and Alex doesn't want to leave him in the care of another doctor.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Phil Leslie
- 7.3/1088 votes
Pardon My Gloves
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 10/1/1958
Jeff gets a black eye from a boy who mocks Donna's acting in a local play. So, Donna tries to teach Jeff how to box.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.5/1072 votes
The Hike
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/8/1958
Donna tries to prove women can outsmart men when Dr. Stone is called away to treat a patient.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Jay Sommers
- 7.6/1065 votes
The Football Uniform
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1958
Jeff wants a uniform for the team picture, but is told he must work for the money to buy it.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.6/1068 votes
The Foundling
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/1958
A baby is abandoned at the Stone’s place.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 7.3/1059 votes
Three Part Mother
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/1958
Donna spreads herself thin, running between three places on the same night, for her family.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.2/1060 votes
Change Partners and Dance
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 11/12/1958
Mary has a crush on the school basketball star, George, who wants to take her to the prom, but hasn’t asked her because he can't dance.
Director: James V. Kern
Writer: Unknown
- 7.2/1059 votes
Dough Re-Mi
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 11/19/1958
Donna tries to get a famous concert pianist to perform at a benefit, and, at the same time, Jeff is trying to raise money for a football tackling dummy. These two seemingly unrelated projects intertwine.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.3/1053 votes
Guest in the House
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 11/26/1958
A problem child takes refuge at the Stone’s house, and Donna tries to get through to him.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 7.5/1055 votes
The Baby Contest
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 12/3/1958
Alex is judge at a Beautiful Baby contest run by Donna's club.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.4/1057 votes
The Beaded Bag
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/1958
When Donna longingly admires a lovely, expensive bag at a store, the saleswoman (along with a female friend of hers) schemes to coax Alex into getting it for her for a birthday gift. But Alex is suspicious that Donna is pulling the strings behind the scenes, instead of being forthright about it.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 6.7/1052 votes
The Busy Body
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 12/17/1958
Charismatic Uncle Fred visits the Stone family and a brouhaha ensues.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 8.2/10112 votes
A Very Merry Christmas
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 12/24/1958
Donna searches for the mysterious person who puts on a Christmas party in the children’s ward at the hospital every year. The quintessential comedian Buster Keaton guest stars.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.3/1052 votes
Mary's Double Date
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 12/31/1958
Mary's Junior prom is imminent, and she has trouble deciding between two boys on the football team who might ask her. She also dangles another nice boy on a string. But, eventually, the resultant consequences of her selfish decisions come to fruition.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.5/1051 votes
Jeff's Double Life
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 1/7/1959
After nosy neighbor Mrs. Wilgus (the inimitable Kathleen Freeman) alerts Donna and Alex about Mary having a noisy party while they were out, the kids get lectured about being the children of a doctor, and that they should behave accordingly. Not too long after this, Jeff takes a ride from Mary's troublemaker friend Tommy Hendricks, who doesn't have a license and has taken his father's car out for a joyride, and they get into a minor accident while fleeing a cop.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.1/1051 votes
Nothing But the Truth
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 1/14/1959
David Barker finagles a return to the Stone’s home for his birthday celebration.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 7.0/1051 votes
It's the Principle of the Thing
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 1/21/1959
Mr. Popkin won't let Alex treat Joey because he has no money. So, Donna hires him to do repairs around the house, but Alex fires him. Then Donna tries another method to help him get the finances he needs.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Jerry Davis
- 7.1/1050 votes
Jeff vs. Mary
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 1/28/1959
Jeff becomes jealous and insecure about his parent’s love—feeling that they care about Mary more than him.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.5/1054 votes
Have Fun
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 2/4/1959
When Mary comes home utterly dejected from a terrible first date, Donna and Alex each, in “Rashomon”-style, tell her about their first date.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 6.6/1051 votes
Donna Plays Cupid
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 2/11/1959
Donna decides that Alex’s obstetrician friend, Beau, is a lonely bachelor in need of a mate, so she tries to pair him and her good friend Celia (who has recently broken up with her boyfriend) up.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 6.3/1052 votes
Love Thy Neighbor
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 2/18/1959
Donna and Alex help celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wilbur & Celia Wilgus, only for Donna to get caught up in a misunderstanding later.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.9/1051 votes
The Report Card
Season 1 Episode 23 - Aired 2/25/1959
Donna is worried when Jeff comes home with a report card full of Cs.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.4/1048 votes
Boys Will Be Boys
Season 1 Episode 24 - Aired 3/4/1959
David Barker is brought to Alex to be treated for rabies, and is invited to stay the night. Later, Jeff is left in charge of David, as everyone else will be gone.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 7.6/1052 votes
The Ideal Wife
Season 1 Episode 25 - Aired 3/11/1959
Donna keeps getting praised for being an excellent wife and mother—so much so, that she, illogically, becomes a bit paranoid that people really mean something negative about her beneath the surface of their words, and fears her kids are taking advantage of her.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 6.9/1053 votes
Mary's Campaign
Season 1 Episode 26 - Aired 3/18/1959
Mary drives her family crazy, and worries her mother, in her quest to win the class vice-presidency.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 6.9/1045 votes
The Flowered-Print Dress
Season 1 Episode 27 - Aired 3/25/1959
Donna and Alex dine at a young couple’s home. The couple are still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage, and the experience gives Donna pangs of nostalgia.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.5/1054 votes
April Fool
Season 1 Episode 28 - Aired 4/1/1959
When Buzz Barry, teenage idol (played by James Darren), comes to Hilldale to sing at a concert, he falls ill with the measles and the concert is canceled, leaving Mary and her friends devastated. Then he ends up staying at the Stone’s home to recuperate, causing unexpected complications.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Jerry Davis
- 6.9/1045 votes
The Parting of the Ways
Season 1 Episode 29 - Aired 4/8/1959
Mary’s friend Babs confides in her that her parents are having troubles and may be divorcing soon. And, though she’s exaggerating, Donna is unaware of this and problems ensue in their family as a result.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 7.2/1050 votes
The Hero
Season 1 Episode 30 - Aired 4/15/1959
Alex's roommate, Biff Jameson, comes to Hilldale, and though he charms the family and dazzles Jeff, Alex confesses to Donna that his old pal seems to be off from what he used to be.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 6.7/1045 votes
Do You Trust Your Child?
Season 1 Episode 31 - Aired 4/22/1959
Donna gives a speech, at a PTA meeting, on parent/child relationships urging parents to trust their child. Her advice, of course, ends up being tested.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Jerry Davis
- 6.3/1043 votes
Grateful Patient
Season 1 Episode 32 - Aired 4/29/1959
Alex takes advantage of a tip on the market, and Donna and the kids start making plans for the expected profit.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 6.7/1046 votes
The Testimonial
Season 1 Episode 33 - Aired 5/6/1959
Donna plans a testimonial dinner to honor Dr. Jason, a long-time denizen of the town and a beloved doctor, who finally intends to retire.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.3/1048 votes
Miss Lovelace Comes to Tea
Season 1 Episode 34 - Aired 5/13/1959
The family searches for a compatible housekeeper to help around the house while Donna manages a charity campaign.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 7.0/1044 votes
Tomorrow Comes Too Soon
Season 1 Episode 35 - Aired 5/20/1959
After a particularly long week, Donna and Alex long for a weekend alone without kids. But when they get it, it’s not quite how they imagined it would be.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Unknown
- 6.4/1042 votes
Advice To Young Lovers
Season 1 Episode 36 - Aired 5/27/1959
When Mary and George get in a fight over him and her best friend Babs, Donna advises her on how to handle the situation.
Director: Unknown
Writer: John Whedon
- 7.1/1041 votes
Operation Deadbeat
Season 1 Episode 37 - Aired 6/3/1959
Alex insists Jeff pay back money he owes to develop good character for when he is an adult. Meanwhile, Donna decides to try to get the past due money owed to Alex by his patients.
Director: Unknown
Writer: Seaman Jacobs