The 10 Best Episodes Of Green Acres, Ranked According To IMDb
With its fresh air and farm livin', Hooterville was the setting of the hilarious fish-out-of-water sitcom Green Acres. As an uptight New York lawyer and his wife attempt to adjust to the small-town life, they find that their lives are turned upside down by the denizens of their new hometown.
Stuffed to the gills with memorable characters, both human and animal, Green Acres was a beloved piece of 1960s popular culture. While many of the show's episodes are beloved classics, some earned much higher scores on IMDb.
10 An Old-Fashioned Christmas (S2 E13) - 8.1
Generally regarded as one of the best Christmas episodes in sitcom history, "An Old-Fashioned Christmas" brought the most wonderful time of the year to Hooterville. Oliver doesn't want Sam Drucker's artificial Christmas tree and instead decides that he wants to do things the old-fashioned way. Unfortunately for him, he has to get a permit first before he can chop one down.
The irony of the situation is what makes the episode so funny. Leaving New York behind for a simple life in a small town, Oliver is shocked to find that modernity has followed him from the big city. Though light on plot, the episode shines because it features a lot of familiar holiday imagery and puts the viewer in the spirit for the season.
9 The Beverly Hillbillies (S2 E23) - 8.2
Harkening back to some of the best episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, the Green Acres episode that shares its name is a hilarious romp. When the cast gets sick, the Douglas family is roped into performing in a charity production of The Beverly Hillbillies.
The obvious references to the other successful sitcom only adds to the episode's hilarity, as the cast dons their hillbilly garb. What is most humorous though, is watching Lisa, played by Eva Gabor, attempt to portray Granny with her combination Hungarian/Southern accent.
8 The Birthday Gift (S4 E13) - 8.4
The sitcoms of the 1960s weren't afraid to push things in absurd directions, and "The Birthday Gift" was one of the show's strangest episodes. On Lisa's birthday, Oliver gifts her a brand new horse. Much to the shock of everyone, Mr. Fred the horse is able to talk.
Making a reference to another strange '60s sitcom Mr. Ed, the episode is equal parts parody and an original story. Not only is the idea of a talking horse strange and laughable, but the characters' reaction to their talking equine makes it all the more funny. Green Acres had its fair share of animal characters, but few were as memorable as Mr. Fred.
7 A Prize In Every Package (S4 E16) - 8.4
Crime inadvertently comes to Hooterville, and the big city once again catches up with the Douglases. "A Prize In Every Package" sees a band of Chicago bank robbers stash their loot in a grain shipment. When their jewels wind up in cereal boxes, the residents of Hooterville find expensive prizes in their breakfasts. Thinking the jewels are fake, Oliver takes one to be appraised but is arrested for the theft.
Like most sitcoms, Green Acres episodes often hinged on misunderstandings that get way out of hand. Oliver is put in hot water, and the humor comes from watching everyone's shock when he is revealed to be a criminal. While the mystery is eventually unraveled, it is funny to see the farcical situation get bigger and bigger.
6 A Star Named Arnold Is Born (S3 E29 & 30) - 8.4
Arnold the pig takes center stage and headlines a rare two-part episode of Green Acres. "A Star Named Arnold Is Born" follows the Ziffles' pig Arnold, as he impresses with his performance as a police dog in a stage show. Lisa lines up an audition in Hollywood for the pig, and he is used as leverage to get a reluctant horse to come back to work.
Leaving the familiar confines of Hooterville behind for the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, the episode is an interesting change of pace. Though stardom ultimately wasn't in the cards for the Ziffles' pet, Arnold succeeds at stealing the audience's heart with his cute performance in the episode. Amid the usual cats and dogs, Arnold the pig was one of the most memorable pets in TV history.
5 Never Take Your Wife To A Convention (S2 E20) - 8.4
Though he excelled in the hallowed halls of law, Oliver Douglas often showed that the simple life of farming vexed him. In "Never Take Your Wife to a Convention" Oliver and Lisa meet a gangster-turned-farmer named Charlie who impresses them with stories of his successful farming enterprise. Despite his success, Oliver begins to suspect that Charlie's criminal past isn't behind him.
He may be one of the smartest characters on the show, but Oliver was often woefully behind on the simplest aspects of farm living. Wanting to do things the legitimate way, he is reluctant to be suspicious of Charlie. In the end, though, the entire convention ends up a bust, and Oliver is reminded why he left the big city in the first place.
4 The Confrontation (S5 E20) - 8.5
Silliness abounds in the episode "The Confrontation", and the refined Oliver Douglas finds himself in the middle of a strange fight. After becoming School Board President, Oliver is called upon by the student body to protest the dismissal of the school's mascot, Arnold the pig.
Despite its odd premise, the episode does a terrific job of establishing its conflict, and it is rare to see Oliver's lawyer abilities fail him. Of course, the inclusion of Arnold makes the episode all the more lovable, and his painting abilities is another feather in the talented pig's cap.
3 I Didn't Raise My Pig To Be A Soldier (S2 E3) - 8.5
Hooterville was usually immune to the darker aspects of the outside world, but "I Didn't Raise My Pig to Be a Soldier" reminded viewers about current events. The Ziffle family is distraught when they learn that their beloved pet pig Arnold has been sent his draft notice for the Vietnam War.
While ultimately silly, the episode touched on serious topics which it didn't usually do. Of course, a pig can't be drafted, but the Ziffle's emotions about the possibility mirrored the fear and anxiety of many parents around the nation at that point in time. Amid all of the serious media coverage of the war, Green Acres gave viewers a chance to laugh through their anxiety.
2 A Tale Of A Tail (S5 E4) - 8.5
Proving that there was no such thing as a good thing, many of Green Acres' episodes dealt with the fuzzy pink star named Arnold. "A Tale of a Tail" sees Oliver accompany the Ziffles to Chicago as they argue that Arnold is the rightful heir to a multi-million dollar pork fortune. While there, the pig is treated like royalty while the Douglases are kicked to the curb.
Suffering the indignity of having to work as a lawyer for a pig, Oliver and Lisa show a tremendous amount of restraint despite being mistreated. In their familiar digs of a big city, the Douglases find their usual station has been turned on its ear to hilarious result.
1 The Case Of The Hooterville Refund Fraud (S5 E21) - 8.6
Despite its rather serious-sounding name, "The Case of the Hooterville Refund Fraud" was one of the strangest episodes of the beloved show. Oliver receives his tax return check which inspires many of the Hooterville residents to claim their own, fraudulently.
Using their fraudulent money to build a Monkey racing track, the Hooterville locals manage to embarrass the IRS into becoming partners in the enterprise. Behind all of the goings-on is a flabbergasted Oliver who is the audience's straight-man throughout the entire ordeal. As was usually the case, one silly mistake compounds until hilarity ensues.