8 Simple Rules
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.
Seasons
1. Pilot
Air Date: 2002-09-17
As Cate decides to go back to work as a nurse, Paul undertakes the responsibility of watching the kids.
2. Wall of Shame
Air Date: 2002-09-24
Paul is left home alone with the kids while Cate is at a seminar on the day of the big Michigan/Ohio State football game. But much to Paul's dismay, the game soon takes a backseat when Bridget is accused of shoplifting and Kerry gets upset over her latest cause.
3. Bridget's First Job
Air Date: 2002-10-01
After seeing how much money Bridget spends on keeping up with the latest fashions, Paul tells her to go out and get a job to learn how to be fiscally responsible. But when she lands a job at a trendy mall clothing store that offers its workers a 40% discount, Paul and Cate begin to worry that she may not be learning the true value of a dollar.
4. Wings
Air Date: 2002-10-08
Bridget takes drastic measures when an overprotective Paul keeps coming up with excuses to delay her from taking her driver's test. Meanwhile, after convincing a less-than-confident Kerry that she has the talent to enter an art competition, Paul is shocked and Kerry is devastated when her submission is rejected.
5. Son-In-Law
Air Date: 2002-10-15
A sports-struck Paul lets Bridget do whatever she wants when she starts dating Travis, star basketball player and son of baseball legend Steve Smith. Meanwhile Kerry resents the fact that Paul still thinks of her as a little girl.
6. Cheerleader
Air Date: 2002-10-22
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.
7. Trick or Treehouse
Air Date: 2002-10-29
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.
8. By the Book
Air Date: 2002-11-05
In an effort to win back the love and respect that his daughters used to show him when they were young, Paul turns to a parenting book for some quick advice. But when Bridget and Kerry discover Paul's teaching tool, they try to use it to their advantage to get their father to let them go to a rock festival.
9. Two Boys for Every Girl
Air Date: 2002-11-12
After Paul convinces 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.
10. Give It Up
Air Date: 2002-11-19
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.
11. Paul Meets His Match
Air Date: 2002-11-26
Paul becomes quick friends with his new editor Nick when he discovers they both are married fathers of teenage girls. But Paul soon learns that they both have 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.
12. All I Want for Christmas
Air Date: 2002-12-10
Paul tries to find perfect gifts for the family to make up for last year's Christmas fiasco. Kerry finds a stray dog during the holidays. Cate is overjoyed when she is asked to sing a solo at the church's midnight service, but fears that seeing her family there will make her nervous.
13. Rory's Got a Girlfriend
Air Date: 2002-12-17
When a proud Paul lets thirteen-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. Kerry is shocked when Bridget receives a higher score then she did on a state aptitude test.
14. Career Choices
Air Date: 2003-01-07
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.
15. Kerry's Big Adventure
Air Date: 2003-01-21
After Kerry and her boyfriend break up, Paul tries to cheer her up by getting Bridget to take her little sister with her to a party. Meanwhile, Paul and Cate try to discover what is hidden in Rory's secret box.
16. Come and Knock on Our Door
Air Date: 2003-01-28
After discovering that boyfriend Kyle kissed Kerry at a party, 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.
17. Drummer Boy (1)
Air Date: 2003-02-04
Bridget defies the rules of the house after Paul forbids her from going out on a date with Ben, her college-age drum instructor. Meanwhile, Kerry is mad at Cate when her ex-boyfriend confesses that he thinks her mother is pretty.
18. Drummer Boy (2)
Air Date: 2003-02-11
Bridget takes the car and follows her older boyfriend, drum instructor Ben, to his college dorm.
19. Cool Parent
Air Date: 2003-02-18
After a party at Tommy's house is broken up by the police, Paul chastises his friend and unwittingly volunteers to host the next one. But when the party 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.
20. Every Picture Tells A Story
Air Date: 2003-02-25
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.
21. Kerry's Video
Air Date: 2003-03-11
Kerry devotes her school video project to sister Bridget to illustrate the hypocrisy that life is much easier for the 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.
22. Good Moms Gone Wild
Air Date: 2003-03-25
While vacationing in Florida at Cate's parents' home, Paul and Cate catch Bridget and Kerry on the news partying with a group of Spring Breakers. But the news runs archival footage that features a young Cate letting loose in a bar. Meanwhile, a jealous Paul meets Cate's college boyfriend Byron and Rory befriends an elderly gentleman whose stories about World War II turn out to be more fiction than fact.
23. Career Woman
Air Date: 2003-03-28
Paul's job as parental guardian becomes more of a full-time position when Cate is up for a promotion and has to spend more time at the hospital. After Paul introduces Rory to baseball card collecting, Rory trades the cards for something not exactly associated with the sport.
24. Queen Bees and King Bees
Air Date: 2003-04-08
Bridget and Paul are surprised to find themselves in similar situations when they are both alienated in their social circles. But they devise a plan to settle the score, leading Paul to crash a poker game with Tommy to get closer to boss Nick, and Bridget trying to break up ex-boyfriend Kyle and her nemesis Jenna.
25. Bake Sale
Air Date: 2003-04-29
For a health class assignment, Bridget and Kyle have to take care of a sack of flour as if it were a baby. Kerry and Rory bake cookies for the Great American Bake Sale to help put an end to childhood hunger in America.
26. The Doyle Wedding
Air Date: 2003-05-06
After reluctantly inviting socially inept neighbors Fred and Mary Ellen Doyle and their kids over for dinner, Paul and Cate are shocked when the entire Hennessy clan is asked to take part in the Doyles' daughter's wedding. Meanwhile Kerry neglects to inform Bridget that geeky Donny Doyle has grown up to be a hunk, and Rory takes a part in a play as a cross-dresser in order to meet girls.
27. Sort of an Officer and a Gentleman (1)
Air Date: 2003-05-13
Having learned that her sister Maggie is having marital problems, Cate is nevertheless not too thrilled when Paul invites Maggie to stay at the house. Meanwhile, Paul and Cate are impressed with how mature Bridget has become after they agreed to let her go out with neighbor Donny Doyle, who is home from the Naval Academy. Bridget and Kerry wonder if Kyle has ulterior motives when he befriends Rory.
28. Sort of an Officer and a Gentleman (2)
Air Date: 2003-05-20
The rivalry between Cate and Maggie comes to a boiling point when Maggie gets a sexy, new makeover and gives Bridget a water bra as a gift. Tensions between the Hennessy sisters mount when Kerry and Kyle begin dating, while Bridget's popularity takes a nosedive after she dissed her friends for Donny. Paul becomes concerned when he finds an empty pregnancy test kit.
1. Premiere
Air Date: 2003-09-23
Bridget finds her popularity waning because of her exclusive, long distance relationship with Donny, while Kerry's social status skyrockets because of her relationship with Kyle. But Bridget's eyes begin to stray when she meets new kid Damian. Meanwhile, as she waits for the results of her pregnancy test, Cate is stunned when Paul, Bridget, Kerry and Rory seem more concerned about how the baby could disrupt their lives than the blessed event itself.
2. Sex Ed
Air Date: 2003-09-30
Bridget is horrified when Cate is asked to fill in as the sex ed instructor in her daughter's class. But Cate is in for a shock when she tries to answer a student's written question about being pressured to have sex -- and realizes it may be from Bridget. Meanwhile, Paul and Kerry are too embarrassed to look each other in the eye after watching a foreign film together that contains a sexually explicit scene.
3. Donny Goes AWOL
Air Date: 2003-10-07
Donny's parents ask Bridget to be a part of a video message they are sending Donny. They are shocked to discover that Bridget has broken up with their son on the tape. Donny goes AWOL to try and patch things up. Meanwhile, Paul is asked to help give a nickname to a neighborhood prankster who has been terrorizing the block, not realizing that the culprit may be living under his own roof.
4. Goodbye
Air Date: 2003-11-04
Cate receives a phone call that Paul had collapsed and died in the grocery store. Later that evening, Cate's parents arrive to help them through their grief.
5. No Right Way
Air Date: 2003-11-11
Cate is unprepared for the diverse reactions exhibited by Bridget and Kerry on their first day back to school since their father's death. Meanwhile, Jim tries his best to be helpful by making some questionable home improvements to the Hennessy home.
6. What Dad Would Want
Air Date: 2003-11-18
Cate persuades Rory to try out for basketball because that would've made his dad proud.
7. The First Thanksgiving
Air Date: 2003-11-25
While Cate plans to raise the family spirits with a special Thanksgiving dinner, Rory takes it upon himself to be the man of the house by looking after Bridget and Kerry.
8. The Story of Anne Frank and Skeevy
Air Date: 2003-12-23
After Cate encourages Bridget to participate in extracurricular activities to beef up her college resume, Bridget shocks the family by landing the lead in the high school production of the story of Anne Frank. Rory's obsession with a dummy named Skeevy becomes a little unnerving for the Hennessy clan.
9. YMCA
Air Date: 2004-01-06
Cate orders Kerry, Rory, and Jim join the YMCA where Bridget works.
10. Get Real
Air Date: 2004-01-13
The Hennessy household and Jim are thrown for a loop when Cate's wayward nephew C.J. stops by to pay his respects to Paul and generally keep them company.
11. Consequences
Air Date: 2004-01-27
Rory steals a police dog when he hears about CJ's glory days of stealing his old school mascot, but Cate is shocked when the dog finds marijuana in Kerry's backpack. Meanwhile, Bridget gets brought home by the police for not wearing a helmet on her boyfriend's motorcycle after Cate telling her she has to.
12. Opposites Attract (1)
Air Date: 2004-02-10
In need of a tutor to boost her grades, Bridget hires Jeremy, hoping to make her chance of getting into a good college better. Meanwhile, Kyle treats Kerry to an very un-corporate Valentine's Day celebration. Rory gets pointers about the perfect gift for his new girlfriend Missy. Jim sends C.J. on an errand to get a special drug in Canada.
13. Opposites Attract (2)
Air Date: 2004-02-17
Bridget decides to make a move on her tutor but discovers that he may have his sights set on her debate team opponent. Meanwhile, after accidentally setting fire to C.J.'s van, Jim is not-so-thrilled when Cate forces him to share his basement room with him.
14. Opposites Attract: Night of the Locust (3)
Air Date: 2004-02-24
After being told that she's fickle when it comes to relationships, Bridget is afraid that she may end up hurting Jeremy's feelings when her ex-boyfriend returns to town. Meanwhile, Kerry is outraged and plans revenge when provocative dancing has been banned from the high school formal, which is being chaperoned by Cate and Jim. C.J. partners with Rory to broadcast school scandals over the internet.
15. Daddy's Girl
Air Date: 2004-03-02
On the advice of the family therapist, Cate is encouraged to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. Meanwhile, C.J. and Jim find themselves trying to bond in a bar when Cate encourages C.J. to take his grandfather out after he is dumped by his wife in a letter. Kerry angers Bridget by dying her hair blonde after she complains that the romance is fading from her relationship with Kyle.
16. Mall in the Family
Air Date: 2004-03-16
After Kerry is promoted to assistant manager at a fast food restaurant in the mall, Jim is hired to handle the register. Meanwhile C.J., who has been employed as a mall cop, busts Bridget for sneaking into a movie without paying, and Cate catches Rory selling worthless family items on the internet under false pretenses.
17. Let's Keep Going (1)
Air Date: 2004-03-30
Cate sends Bridget and Kerry to their grandmother's house for a visit after the Hennessys decide against vacationing at the family cabin. But while on their road trip to grandma's, the girls are shocked to find Cate at their father's favorite saloon with a mysterious stranger. Meanwhile, Kerry makes Rory's life miserable when she discovers that he has a crush on her friend, Rachel.
18. Let's Keep Going (2)
Air Date: 2004-04-06
Upon discovering Cate in the arms of Artie, Bridget and Kerry decide to blow off their planned trip to their grandmother's and take to the open road to sort out their feelings. Meanwhile, Rory continues to pine for Rachel Sharpe, who confesses her true feelings for him.
19. C.J.'s Party
Air Date: 2004-04-20
Cate banishes C.J. and grounds Bridget for going to C.J.'s college keg party. Jim has to take a written drivers exam after being pulled over with an expired license.
20. Mother's Day
Air Date: 2004-05-04
After witnessing some strange behavior from Bridget and Kerry, Cate tries to find out what they are up to. Meanwhile, C.J. and Rory doubt Jim's ability to put an engine back together after he falls in love with a classic car.
21. The Principal
Air Date: 2004-05-11
When Bridget is busted over a school dress code violation, Cate is called upon to meet with her new principal. But Cate is in for a shock when she discovers that she went to high school with him. Meanwhile, when C.J. becomes his massage therapist, Jim hurts his feelings when he refuses to admit that his grandson has become good at something.
22. Final Parts Un & Deux
Air Date: 2004-05-18
Kerry gets in the art program in Europe in the summer, but Cate forgot to submit her medical records in time. Together they appeal to principal Gibb. C.J. falls for Missy's big sister Sissy and Gramps for a woman he has a car accident with.
1. First Day of School
Air Date: 2004-09-24
Knowing that Kerry is dragging her feet over breaking up with Kyle, Bridget takes it upon herself to do it for her sister. Meanwhile, Cate is offered the position of school nurse and Rory's first day of high school proves embarrassing when he has to hit the showers after gym class.
2. Changes
Air Date: 2004-10-01
The kids question Cate's motives when they return from their summer getaways and discover that she has bought a new bed and changed her hairstyle. Meanwhile, after traveling through Europe over the summer, Kerry met and had a fling with a boy - which leaves Bridget jealous and Kerry wondering what to do about boyfriend Kyle; new high school Student Body President Bridget is convinced even further that life is a popularity contest after taking a trip to Washington, DC over the summer; and after a depressed Jim fails to win back the affections of his wife in Florida, Rory attempts to help him quit smoking -- which is complicated by Jim's discovery that C.J. was responsible for their irreconciliation.
3. School Nurse
Air Date: 2004-10-08
After Cate accepts the position of school nurse, Bridget and Kerry are convinced that she only took the job to spy on them. Rory is ecstatic that his mom might be able to protect him from a school bully.
4. Out of the Box
Air Date: 2004-10-15
Kerry is livid when Bridget unintentionally makes a mockery out of her art project at the mall. But she forgets about Bridget when a fellow artist asks her out on a date. While C.J. finds himself striking out at speed dating, Jim discovers that he's a hit with the ladies.
5. Car Trouble
Air Date: 2004-10-22
Kate gives Bridget and Kerry the keys to the minivan, provided they drive Rory wherever he needs to go. But when the girls repeatedly fail to drive him, he attempts to drive himself, wrecking the car in the process.
6. Halloween
Air Date: 2004-10-29
Kerry doubts Bridget's ability to put together the school's Halloween party as part of her Student Body President duties. C.J. is hired as the party's security guard and sets his sights on catching Rory pulling off a prank. Jim finds himself under attack by the neighborhood kids when he refuses to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters.
7. Coach
Air Date: 2004-11-05
Bridget is psyched to join the high school tennis team when she develops a crush on Coach Scott. But her infatuation soon turns to disgust when she learns that Scott has a crush on Cate. Meanwhile, Kerry and Rory begin to question the authenticity of Jim's war stories while rummaging through his war chest.
8. Secrets
Air Date: 2004-11-12
Everyone fears the ringing of the phone when they all keep secrets from each other. Rory refuses to divulge the identity of the student responsible for beating him up at school. Bridget and Kerry use fake IDs to get into a club, where Bridget gives her phone number to guy, unaware that he's a police officer. Cate doesn't want the family to know that Coach Scott tries to get her to go out with him. C.J. is distracted and forgets to pick up Rory's pain medication.
9. Thanksgiving
Air Date: 2004-11-26
While the family prepares Thanksgiving dinner for Cate to give her some much needed time off, she's left with nothing to do until she brings home an unexpected guest while on an errand. While C.J. deep-fries the turkey, Bridget and Kerry spar over pie recipes. Jim disassembles the TV in an attempt to repair it.
10. Vanity Unfair
Air Date: 2004-12-03
After Bridget is turned down for a role in a sports car commercial, Jim discovers that the head of the modeling agency who rejected her is an old flame. When he tries to persuade her to reconsider his granddaughter, Jim soon finds himself reminiscing over old times. Kerry and Rory discover a secret about C.J.'s past modeling experiences.
11. Princetown Girl
Air Date: 2004-12-10
Bridget is ecstatic when she learns that tennis scouts from Princeton are coming to her school to watch her play for a possible scholarship. But when Bridget's school forbids her to play because of a poor grade, Cate has to decide whether to use her clout as school nurse to help her daughter out. Meanwhile, Jim promises a nervous C.J. that he'll give up his room if he can spend one night alone in the attic.
12. A Very C.J. Christmas
Air Date: 2004-12-17
To keep C.J. from spending Christmas alone in Las Vegas, the Hennessy household bends over backwards to recreate one of Cate's first holiday memories to entice him to stay. Meanwhile, Rory decides to break up with his wealthy girlfriend when he fears that he won't be able to buy her a Christmas gift worthy of her upper class status.
13. The Sub
Air Date: 2005-01-07
Cate is shocked to discover that Principal Gibb has hired C.J. as a substitute teacher. When C.J. catches Rory cheating on a test, he is torn about reporting it as Cate tries to persuade him to look the other way. Meanwhile, when Bridget breaks her leg because of Kerry's blunder, she makes her little sister's life a living nightmare.
14. C.J.'s Temptation
Air Date: 2005-01-07
While Cate finds herself becoming jealous of Principal Ed Gibb's new girlfriend, C.J. is asked by Ed to help tutor Cheryl for her GEDs -- and finds himself unwittingly being hit on by her. Meanwhile, Rory feels awkward after Cate accidentally interrupts him during a private moment.
15. Old Flame
Air Date: 2005-01-14
After sending an email to former college flame Matt to see how he's been doing over the years, Cate becomes fed up with the unreasonable demands of her family and locks herself in her room for some alone time. But she's shocked when Matt shows up at her window and whisks her off to re-live some adventurous, old times.
16. Closure
Air Date: 2005-01-21
When Cate and C.J. discover that Kerry has been e-mailing Bruno, they secretly try to snoop in her computer to find out what the two have been up to. Unbeknownst to them, Bruno is hiding in the attic, while Bridget tries her best to talk Kerry out of doing something she may regret. Meanwhile, Jim discovers Rory's clandestine poker game and decides to deal himself in to teach Rory and his friends a lesson.
17. Volleybrawl
Air Date: 2005-01-28
Cate's alleged antics at Kerry's volleyball game threaten to make her team forfeit the match. Meanwhile, C.J. has a crush on Kerry's volleyball coach and Bridget becomes upset when one of her friends begins dating her ex-boyfriend.
18. Freaky Friday
Air Date: 2005-02-04
After falling asleep while watching Freaky Friday, Cate awakens to find that she and Bridget have switched bodies. C.J. and Jim have also trade places as well as Rory and his hamster. Only Kerry is spared and enjoys their predicament.
19. Torn Between Two Lovers
Air Date: 2005-02-11
Valentine's Day finds C.J. in a predicament when he commits to two different Valentine's Day dates. Meanwhile, Bridget's excitement over being elected to the court of the Valentine's Day dance quickly turns to shock when she discovers that Cheryl is also in the running.
20. C.J.'s Real Dad
Air Date: 2005-02-18
C.J. is shocked and delighted when he meets his biological father for the first time. But Jim doesn't trust the man and thinks he may have ulterior motives for the visit.
21. The After Party
Air Date: 2005-03-04
After turning down Bridget's request to throw an after-prom party in a hotel room, Cate decides to throw a school- sanctioned party at the house which totally embarrasses her kids. Meanwhile, Kerry tries to make a political statement by inviting a girl to the prom, and Rory is overjoyed when a hot senior asks him to the dance.
22. The Teachers Lounge
Air Date: 2005-04-01
Officially a full-time teacher, C.J. is overjoyed to finally get access to the teachers' lounge. But he soon finds himself being bullied out of the room by the school's overzealous Home Ec instructor. Rory wants to impress a girl, so Bridget and Kerry take it upon themselves to give him a full-fledged makeover.
23. The Sleepover
Air Date: 2005-04-08
After Principal Gibb and Cate fall asleep at the house while watching a movie, the family catches them and falsely assumes that the two are having a relationship. Bridget, Kerry, Rory and C.J. are forced to go ice-fishing with Jim in order to spend quality time with their grandfather. But Jim would much rather be left alone and is forced to keep up a happy façade.
24. Ditch Day
Air Date: 2005-04-15
After C.J. discovers that Cate may be starting a relationship with Principal Gibb, he blabs it to Bridget. An angry Cate has Gibb put C.J. in charge of the student detention on Ditch Day, and C.J. gets even by detaining Bridget. Because she is stuck in detention and can't complete the Ditch Day prank herself, Bridget convinces Kerry and Rory to steal the rival school's mascot.
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Rating
6.7/10
Release Date
2002-09-17
Episodes
74 (3 seasons)
Status
Ended
Cast
Videos
Production Companies
Shady Acres Entertainment
Flody Co.
Touchstone Television
Tracy Gamble Productions