The best episodes of Speechless
Ranked by viewer rating, highs first. Lit marks on the season rail place this list across the run. Vote on a placement to back it or contest it.
- 01
Dylan becomes Kenneth’s replacement for JJ when Kenneth also gets sick. Jimmy ends up doing well with Maya’s normal duties, but he tries to keep it from her to avoid her feeling bad. Meanwhile, JJ protects Dylan from a boy she’s interested in. And despite its illness, the family bands together and pulls an all-nighter to finish Ray’s school project.
- 02
Dylan asks Maya not to have their annual birthday party for her, but Maya holds an amazing surprise party anyway and soon learns the real reason why Dylan didn't want to have a party. Elsewhere, Ray is put in charge to watch JJ but panics when his brother has a day of independence at the mall to buy Dylan a birthday present while Jimmy and Kenneth struggle to find something they have in common.
- 03
Maya enlists the family to assist JJ in romancing a girl at school, but it backfires when JJ expresses his feelings to Claire, and they are not reciprocated. Meanwhile, as the DiMeos are always late, Ray has the family practice to get to school in time for his upcoming weekend field trip.
- 04
The family goes on an annual impromptu family road trip, but Ray has something in store, which angers Maya when she finds out what it is. But Maya’s relentlessness proves to be helpful when she takes control of an emergency situation involving Ray’s appendix. Meanwhile, Jimmy attempts to continue his tradition of spending no money on vacation while Dylan becomes anxious after visiting a fortune teller. Back at home, Kenneth has trouble fitting in at school while JJ is away.
- 05
Exploring the city on their own, JJ and Kenneth realize strangers look at them as inspirational. The two push their luck, receiving free food and baseball game admissions. Kenneth lets this get to his head, goes overboard, and things fall apart. Meanwhile, as the family can’t do anything without having to worry about wheelchair accessibility, Dylan and Ray convince Maya to take them paintballing. But can she let herself have fun without JJ?
- 06
JJ meets a new girl at school, an injured gymnast, who must learn to adapt to school life in a wheelchair. JJ shows her the ropes and soon forms a crush. Elsewhere, Ray saves face by claiming a picture of his own nipple on his phone to be a ”sext” from his ”girlfriend.” The plan makes him a hero among the boys at school, but backfires after Maya learns the whole story. Meanwhile, Jimmy teaches Dylan how to properly deal with stress.
- 07
JJ instantly wants to join a sled hockey team made up entirely of people with disabilities, but Jimmy is not thrilled and thinks it’s dangerous. Meanwhile, Maya takes a CPR class with Kenneth, and she sees how popular he is and realizes that she needs to be nicer in order to keep him as JJ’s aide.
- 08
It’s Christmas time at the DiMeos, and Maya surprises everyone by embracing a newfound holiday spirit. But her view is put to the test when the family van is stolen, along with all their holiday gifts. Worrying he won’t get into college, Ray joins the choir and gets a coveted solo. But when a very attractive new teacher is hired, JJ decides to join his brother and takes Ray’s solo.
- 09
Maya attempts to give Jimmy a Valentine's Day gift, with the help of his old roommate and her ex-fiance. Meanwhile, Ray is elated to find out he has a secret admirer and JJ i in charge of distributing candy-grams, which proves challenging for both him and Kenneth.
- 10
The DiMeo plan to avoid another horrible Thanksgiving with Jimmy’s brother’s family backfires when they invite themselves over to celebrate. While Kenneth and Ray destroy the turkey, the rest of the family creates a game, checking off the various instances of annoyance their relatives are known for. When Jimmy and his brother Billy decide to take their competition to the streets, the family discovers that Billy’s family is not as perfect as it seems.
- 11
In order to get on the good side of their insurance agent to get everything JJ needs, the DiMeos have Dylan make a tough sacrifice at her track meet. Meanwhile, Ray wants to use his brother for inspiration while writing for an essay contest at school, but JJ rejects his plan. But when another student lies using the same plan, Ray and JJ team together to outdo the other student.
- 12
Jimmy is upset the kids no longer want to participate in the family tradition of dressing up for Halloween. Maya tries to cheer up Jimmy by allowing him to do things he loves by taking things off the family “Dead to Me” list. Meanwhile, Ray recruits Dylan to help work the school’s haunted mansion while Kenneth is scared of losing his job when JJ gets drunk at a party. Even though Maya is furious, she is thrilled to see JJ having a “normal” life.
- 13
JJ gets into an argument with Kenneth over their time together while Dylan decides she must “parent-trap” them both so they can get back together. Meanwhile, the family gets a chance to be members of a country club for a week. Ray sees it as a chance to live the high life while Maya jumps at the chance to spend mother-and-son time
- 14
When the Dimeos throw their annual Oscar party with other special-needs families, Maya feels threatened by new mom Becca, who seems a little too perfect. Meanwhile, Jimmy encourages the fathers at the party to let loose while Ray tries to impress a girl by pretending to be someone he is not.
- 15
Maya DiMeo moves her family to a new, upscale school district when she finds the perfect situation for her eldest son, JJ, who has cerebral palsy.
- 16
Maya struggles as Kenneth takes over as JJ’s full-time aide. Loving his new freedom, JJ avoids attending a physical therapy appointment, and Maya automatically blames Kenneth, using any excuse to confirm her misgivings and moves to fire him. Meanwhile, Jimmy struggles to teach Dylan the family way to not be so neighborly.
- 17
While JJ finds success at school with a group of friends, Maya forces the cancellation of the homecoming bonfire, concerned that the beach location is not wheelchair accessible. Soon, the students speak out against JJ. But when Maya realizes she was wrong, the two stage a fake prank to encourage his classmates to have a change of heart. Meanwhile, Jimmy helps Ray settle into the new home.
- 18
While JJ was at summer camp, Maya decided it’s time the family no longer use JJ’s disability as an excuse to let their lives fall through the cracks. Maya, Jimmy and Dylan make dramatic changes, but a smug Ray decides he will spend the summer watching his family likely failing at their attempts. When JJ comes home, Kenneth finds a love note in JJ’s luggage from Alexa, a girl he met at camp, who wants to give JJ his first kiss. The family chucks their self-improvement projects and hits the road to find Alexa.
- 19
F-I– FIRST S-E– SECOND F– FIRST DAY
When Maya encourages the parents of the new special needs kids at Lafayette High to demand full-time aides, the school administrators tell her anything the new students get will spell losses for her beloved JJ. Meanwhile, Dylan develops a hooky habit, unprepared as she is to return to the same school for a second year; JJ pushes Kenneth toward romance with his teacher; and Jimmy endeavors to enjoy a long-awaited uninterrupted shower.
- 20
Jimmy takes JJ camping to give him “the talk,” Maya trains a ragtag group of new aides, and sparks fly between Dylan and Ray’s bully.
- 21
Ray gets in over his head when he makes up a fake charity to impress his girlfriend; Maya gives Jimmy tips on being the boss; and Dylan demands Kenneth get out of her space.
- 22
As the family readies for their flight to JJ’s camp, Maya gets a surprise at the airport. Ray sees the summer as an opportunity to reinvent himself while Jimmy and Dylan turn the trip to camp into a father/daughter bonding moment.
- 23
It’s prom night, and all three DiMeo kids are going, which leaves Maya and Jimmy with a rare night to themselves. Kenneth is shocked to learn that they like to spend their nights without the kids to bring up past arguments they have bottled up or ignored in the past.
- 24
With the school year over, Maya is excited to spend the summer with JJ, but he and Kenneth have other plans. Meanwhile, Jimmy gets special treatment at the most unlikely of places while Dylan’s identity in the family is threatened.
- 25
N-I–NIGHTMARE ON D-I–DIMEO STREET
The DiMeo kids mistakenly eat old Halloween candy that causes feverish dreams of horror and wish fulfillment, and Kenneth agonizes over which era of Michael Jackson to dress as for Halloween.
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