The BEST episodes of Roc
Every episode of Roc ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Roc!
Roc Emerson, a city garbage collector from Baltimore, balances the pressures of work with the everyday crises of family life in an effort to do what he believes is best for his loving and understanding wife, Eleanor, his live-in dad, Andrew, and his irresponsible brother, Joey.
#1 - The Poker Game
Season 2 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/6/1992
When Roc loses seven hundred dollars in a poker game, he stubbornly refuses Joey's offer to pay the debt for him. Reluctantly, Roc takes Joey's money and Eleanor announces that instead of a loan, they'll accept it as a repayment for all the years that Joey lived with them without paying rent or expenses.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#2 - Nightmare on Emerson's Street
Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/29/1992
When a gang of drug dealers move into a nearby house, Roc and Elenor try to organize their neighbors into a non-violent protest movement to scare them away. Roc suggests they picket and demonstrate loudly and continuously in front of the crack house, but the frightened neighbors fear retaliation from the gang.
#3 - The Concert
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/8/1994
Joey convinces Roc that he's learning to be more responsible when he produces a benefit concert for his new music school. Joey's efforts are threatened by a last-minute emergency, so his family lends him money -- while worrying that the funds might really be going to a bookie.
#4 - A Piece of the Roc
Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/23/1992
Roc is proud to be chosen by his boss, Mr. Samuels, to supervise a new sanitation trainee. But when he discovers that the new garbageman is a beautiful woman, Angela Kimbro, Roc worries that he'll be too distracted by her looks to work. Angela quickly proves that she's as strong as any male sanitation worker. She also tells the horrified Roc that she's extremely attracted to him. Roc insists he loves his adoring wife, Eleanor. Still, Angela refuses to leave him alone.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#5 - Roc Strikes Out
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/16/1992
Roc hopes his union's decision to strike against the city will only last a few days. When the strike enters week three and Roc has spent his small allotment from the union's emergency fund, he takes a job as a hospital orderly, working under the supervision of his wife, Eleanor.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#6 - Joey's First Fan
Season 2 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/13/1992
Joey proudly encourages his musical protege, Devon Brown, until he learns that the young man is involved with Andre Thompson, the local drug dealer. Joey learns that Devon is earning tuition money by delivering drugs for Andre. Pleading with his prized student to stay away from Andre, Joey learns that Devon is addicted to the drugs as well.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#7 - Dear Landlord
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 12/20/1992
When the Emerson's landlord wants to sell all of his rental properties, Roc and Eleanor invest their life savings to become the new landlords. Roc allows Joey to move back in with them if he'll work as Roc's new superintendent. Roc and Joey promise to forget their past disagreements.
#8 - The Second Time Around
Season 2 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/17/1993
On the day that the Emersons are to renew their wedding vows, Eleanor gets upset when she learns that Roc is coaching her brother David on how to be more sexually aggressive. Meanwhile, Joey brings two dates to the wedding and attempts to let neither know that the other exists.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#9 - The Artificial Insemination Story
Season 2 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/11/1992
When tests confirm his low sperm count, Roc asks Joey to donate his sperm . Roc does not want another man's sperm impregnating his wife, but Roc also realizes how passionately Eleanor wants to have a child. When they arrive at the hospital and begin the procedure, Roc suddenly changes his mind. He confesses that he wants to be genetically connected to his son and will continue more tests.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#10 - Million Dollar Brother
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/7/1993
Roc is offered a deal by a rich, white businessman to become partners in a waste management company. Roc later learns, however, that he is about to go into business with a racist who only wants to use Roc for PR purposes. Roc is forced to choose between money and pride.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#11 - The Car Accident from Heaven
Season 2 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/15/1992
When Joey escapes serious injury in a car accident, Andrew forsees his own death and buys cemetery plots for himself and Joey, but not for Roc. Roc gets jealous and accuses his father of always favoring his selfish brother. Andrew explains that Roc has Eleanor to love him and bury him and Joey will always be a roving playboy with no one to care for his needs.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#12 - 1992 Presidential Election
Season 2 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/1/1992
On the eve of the election, Eleanor, Andrew and Matty try to convince Roc and Joey to cast their ballots before the polls close. Andrew, Matty, and Eleanor each are pulling for a different candadiate and stage a mock debate to help Roc choose who to vote for. However, Eleanor tries not to antagonize Matty because she doesn't want to ruin her chances of getting the promotion at the hospital. Roc and Joey finally realize every vote is important and run out to the polls to vote just before closing time.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#13 - Choosing Your Friends
Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/27/1992
While Joey tricks two famous jazz musicians into playing with him. Eleanor worries that Roc is getting too friendly with neighborhood vigilante Ronnie Paxton who's forceful methods 'took care' of the thief that robbed Andrew. Roc defends his right to choose his own friends, but when Eleanor threatens to stop having sex, Roc reconsiders.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#14 - Roc Throws Joey Out
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 8/24/1992
Roc plans a day of suprises for Eleanor's birthday but the night is ruined when Roc's suprise gifts arrives: a large painted portrait of Eleanor, but the artist has mistakenly painted a white woman instead of Eleanor. Then Roc loses all patience with Joey's irresponsibility and evicts him because he has taken advantage of his rent-free stay at Roc's home.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#15 - Rock According to Roc
Season 1 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/26/1992
When Joey Emerson wins a huge bet on a horse race, his bookmaker, Mickey, can't pay cash. Instead, Mickey offers Joey his contract for the ownership of an amateur singing quintet known as The Fly Guys. Joey's brother, Roc, thinks Joey should demand the money, but Joey convinces Roc to be The Fly Guys' new manager. However, instead of hiring a professional choreographer as Joey suggests, Roc decides to save money and teach the guys dance steps form his own vocal group way back in the 1960's.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#16 - The Hand That Rocs the Cradle
Season 1 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/9/1992
When Joey, Andrew and Roc offer a meal to a pregnant homeless woman, Linda, who suddenly goes into labor in the middle of their kitchen. Linda's husband, Donald, confides in Roc, worrying that as a homeless man he can't care for his family. But Donald's fears are groundless, the baby is stillborn. Donald comforts his wife and promises to find work and shelter. Roc is so moved my their courage that he vows to show more concern for people who are less fortunate.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#17 - Musician, Heal Thyself
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 9/22/1991
When unemployed trumpet player Joey can't pay his gambling debts, he begs his older brother for a thousand-dollar loan. Roc refuses to come to the rescue, even though Joey promises to change. As a test, Roc gets Joey a legitimate job with the sanitation department, and promises to pay the debt if Joey can keep the job for two weeks.
#18 - The Stan Who Came to Dinner
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/18/1992
Roc 's boss Stan had a brief sexual encounter with a woman at a sanitation convention. Now Stan's wife Connie has thrown him out of the house. Roc gives Stan some honest advice and invites him home for dinner. But over the next few weeks, Stan asks Roc for too much emotional support and imposes on the Emersons for a place to sleep.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#19 - No Notes Is Good Notes
Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/12/1992
Reverend Hill suggests that Joey Emerson, an unemployed musician, give trumpet lessons to some of the congregation's children. Roc immediately commits his lazy live-in brother to the job, hoping finally to see some money for rent. During the ""lessons,"" Joey makes telephone calls, bets on horse races and gives his students no musical guidance at all. Roc and Eleanor, endure the horrible trumpet noises coming from the living room and hope that the children will improve in time. Then Roc promises Reverend Hill that Joey and his students will play in the churh's next musical recital.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#20 - A Home, a Loan
Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/10/1991
Arguing the Emersons need a larger home, Joey suggests that they attend a bank auction that is selling homes with defaulted mortgages at bargain prices.
#21 - All That Jazz
Season 1 - Episode 24 - Aired 4/5/1992
When temperamental trumpet player Kenny Davis quits his job with the famous Les McCann Band, fellow band member Billy Miller offers an audition to his friend Joey Emerson. Joey plays a superb audition and gets the job. During his first performance with the band, Kenny comes to listen and compliments Joey on his talent. Flattered, Joey loans Kenny his trumpet so he can play a song with the band. However, Kenny enjoys playing with his former group that he stays onstage the whole night.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#22 - Joey Messes Up
Season 2 - Episode 8 - Aired 10/18/1992
When Joey learns that his new girlfriend just ended her affair with Miles Taylor, the piano player in his jazz band, he tries to prevent the jealous pianist from learning the truth by convincing his brother, Roc, to pose as her new lover. Miles confronts Roc, suspecting that Joey is lying to him. When Roc confessess the truth, Miles vents his anger at Joey and quits the band along with Curtis, the bass player.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#23 - Roc and the Actor
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/8/1992
Ruben Stiles, a popular actor, uses Roc as the model for his role in a new movie. He quickly perfects an imitation of Roc's voice and movements, Roc becomes upset. Ruben apologizes for embarrassing Roc but Roc criticizes him for not caring about his character's inside feelings. Several months later, the Emersons watch the movie on television and admire Ruben's accurate characterization of Roc. But when the character talks about his low sperm count, Roc chases Joey out of the house for revelaing his most private secret to Ruben.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#24 - The Roc That Dreams Are Made Of
Season 1 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/3/1992
When Eleanor wakes screaming from a nightmare, the rest of the family try to calm her by confessing the horrors of their own worst nightmares. Joey is afraid he'll lose his musical ambition and become a common garbageman like his brother, Roc. Andrew fears he'll become too senile to communicate and his sons will send him to a retirement home. And Roc is afraid he'll die before he can give Eleanor the beautiful home and family he wants. Alone with Roc, Eleanor tells the truth: she dreamed about the adult neighbor who cared for her when her parents were away. All these years, she has suppressed the memory of being molested as a child.
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV#25 - Roc Works for Joey
Season 2 - Episode 4 - Aired 9/13/1992
When Joey hires Roc to paint his friend's luxury condominium provided Roc allows him to act as ""the Boss"". Roc is mistaken for a burglar and arrested for what he sees as being a black man standing in a white neighborhood. Rather than try to change the prejudiced ways of the police, after being released, Roc pretends the incident never happened.
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