8 Simple Rules
Airing on ABC from 2002 to 2005 , the sitcom8 Simple Rules , also bang by the far more complicated title8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter , went through one of the biggest transition in recent sitcom history midway through its run . primitively , the series chronicle the life of the Hennessy household through the perspective of father Paul Hennessy ( John Ritter ) , a stop at habitation father and editorialist for a local newspaper publisher .
But tragically , at the beginning of the series ' second season in 2003,Ritter passed away , conduct the series to incorporate his overtaking into its own plot line . The show reinvented itself from that point onward , stick in unexampled characters and storylines , for better or high-risk . The show run for a total of three seasons , with some real highlights occur both before and after Ritter ’s release . Here , we ’re looking back at the serial publication ' top ten episode .
“The After Party” (7.7)
Regardless of what time of year the series was in , the Hennessy children acting out and rebelling against their parents was always a usual theme . In special , eldest girl Bridget ( Kaley Cuoco ) was a problem nipper , popular and partying and make herself into trouble more often than not . The third time of year episode " The After Party " is yet another illustration of that .
With promenade go up , Bridget goes against Cate ’s strict forbiddance and rents a hotel room to fox an after - party where the kids can party safely . Of course , chaos ensues , specially when cousin CJ gets involved . The episode also features a noteworthy guest appearance from futureGossip Girlstar Leighton Meester .
“The Doyle Wedding” (7.7)
The first two seasons of8 Simple Rulesmade frequent employment of the neighborhood ’s quirkiest and most annoying family , the Doyles . But it ’s the season one installment " The Doyle hymeneals " that really fans the flames of this difference of opinion heavy relationship , as the Hennessy clan gets rope into taking part in the hymeneals of one of the Doyle daughters .
Along the fashion , another of the series ' key - albeit short - exist - storylines begins , when Bridget at long last meets the post - puberty Donny Doyle - the once nerdy Word of the Doyle clan who has grown up to be quite freehanded and charming .
“Donny Goes AWOL” (7.8)
Speaking of Bridget ’s complicated kinship with Donny , the relationship between the series ' two most dim - witted characters come to a dramatic , memorable terminal in the 2nd season episode " Donny Goes AWOL . " With Bridget tiring of being in a longsighted - length kinship with Donny , who is aside in training for the military , she impulsively breaks up with him via picture message .
In traditional over the top sitcom manner , Donny straightaway goes AWOL upon receiving the video recording , give home in a heroic endeavor to win Bridget back . Surprisingly , the gesture miscarry , as Bridget shows a rare second of learning from her father ’s direction . This also serve well as John Ritter ’s last episode .
“First Day of School” (7.9)
The third time of year premiere " First Day of School " represents one of the many times the series tried to reinvent itself and upend the position quo in its last two season . With a new school year upon them , the Hennessy kids find themselves dealing with major alteration . Kerry want to break up with Kyle , but ca n’t really practice to doing so . Intending to assist her baby out , St. Brigid breaks up with Kyle on her behalf , only for Kerry to realise she never wanted to give out up with him in the first place .
Another major change for the series occur in the sequence , as matriarch Cate is hired as the high-pitched school day ’s new school nurse , which gives her a newfangled determination and role for the balance of the serial .
“Old Flame” (8.0)
It ’s almost always enjoyable when a serial reunites two player who had worked together on a previous serial . The third time of year installment " Old Flame " allows8 Simple Rulesstar Katey Sagal to have a truly sweet , screaming , and poignant reunion with longtimeMarried … with Childrencostar Ed O’Neill , who appears as Cate ’s former bad boy ex - young man , Matt .
The episode allows Cate one of the rare moments in the serial to take time for herself , to exist destitute of the responsibleness of being a female parent and caregiver and nurse , and to take time to emit and feel devoid . It also mostly benefits from O’Neill and Sagal ’s long - perfect chemistry .
“Halloween” (8.4)
Holiday urge episodes are usually either a real hit or a great young lady for serial , disregarding of whether they ’re situation comedy or dramas.8 Simple Rules ' third - time of year installment " Halloween " manages to be a big hit , thanks to its focus on parallel storylines and allowing its quality to get truly silly and in the look of the spooky holiday .
At the high school Halloween party , Bridget struggles with a familiar false identity crisis thanks to some common costumes and a truly useless chaperon C.J. plots to foil Rory ’s prank plot of land to no help . But the episode ’s biggest laughs make out from Grandpa Jim ’s subplot of wage war against trick or treaters .
“The School Nurse” (8.4)
The third season premiere might have set up the newfangled conflict - filled storyline of Cate becoming the high-pitched shoal ’s newfangled shoal nanny , but it ’s the aptly named third instalment " The School Nurse " that finally takes this conflict to a young horizontal surface . Cate ’s first day on the job bring mickle of drama to her human relationship with her girl - and mint of humiliation for both of them , too .
Cate being at the school day with the girls all daylight only increase their tendency to argue and yell at one another , and during one of these heated contestation , Bridget reveals to her mother that so - called good girl Kerry misplace her virginity while trip over the summertime . And thanks to Cate ’s nonperformance , the news is shared with the entire pupil body via intercom .
“Secrets” (8.6)
Miscommunications and poorly kept closed book are somewhat uncouth figure of speech in situation comedy , so it ’s no surprise that one of8 Simple Rules ' intimately - rate episodes is just title " Secrets " and finds the extended Hennessy family cause total muggins out of themselves to keep their shameful secrets hidden .
Among the sequence ’s many secrets include Kerry and Bridget ’s stereotypical teen adventure into using fake ID , C.J. failing to pick up medication Rory needs , Cate ’s romantic life catch interesting , and Rory trying to enshroud the accuracy about his awkward injury .
“Goodbye Part 1” (8.6)
As we previously mentioned,8 Simple Ruleswas changed foreverafter John Ritter tragically passed away in 2004 . Faced with the unthinkable , the serial took two episodes to ante up tribute to the loss of its paterfamilias , and bring forth two of the most profoundly moving and deep emotional episode in sitcom account , starting with " Goodbye Part 1 . "
After learning that Paul passed away while on a trip to the supermarket , the Hennessy family is forced to determine a way to move frontwards , all while contend with the loss in their own shipway . In the first half of the two - parter , each Hennessy go through their pain alone , as Cate struggles to finger at dwelling without Paul , and Bridget blames herself for tell her father she hated him the last time she spoke to him .
“Goodbye Part 2” (8.6)
While each member of the Hennessy family dealt with their pain and loss alone in the first half of the two - part electric discharge , " Goodbye Part 2 " discover the syndicate finally come together again and looking to the future . The episode sport Paul ’s aftermath and allows characters from the series ' first time of year to pay protection to the human being they all knew and loved .
But it ’s the episode ’s windup act , which finds Cate and her three children coming together to take Paul ’s last article , which stands out as the serial ' dependable minute by far . It ’s a beautiful scene , that allows themto honor Paul ’s memory and Ritter ’s memory , to understand the sempiternal nature of his making love for them , and to spike themselves for a future - and a series - without him .
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