All 52 original Magic School Bus episodes ranked

This time, I'm going to be counting down all episodes of The Magic School Bus from my least favourite to my most favourite. This should be interesting, especially considering I've finished reviewing the original series. I won't be including any episodes of The Magic School Bus Rides Again because I haven't reviewed any of those episodes, and I still haven't decided if I will or not.

Now, I'm going to go back and take chances, make mistakes, get messy! Seatbelts everyone! I'm ready to count down all the original episodes of The Magic School Bus from my least favourite to most favourite. Blog, do your stuff!

52. Makes a Stink. (Smell)

Yeah, this is my least favourite of the original series. Even though it came close to being bad, due to Janet's hesitant cheating, what made up for it was The Magic School Bus destroying the smell molecules. Also, it did show that Carlos' puns can be gross sometimes, especially considering the snot pun he made here. 

51. Meets the Rot Squad. (Decomposition)

This one's a close second among my least favourites. It was pretty illogical of Wanda to phone Larry  before seeing what lives in the rotting log, although it did help that Wanda learned her lesson, and feeding all the rotten stuff to the tree she won for the most rotten food contest at the beginning.

50. Getting Energised. (Energy)

This episode came up with one strange source of energy, and that is rock power, to power the Ferris wheel. Just be lucky there's no such thing as rock power, especially if it's a dishwasher. Carlos getting booed by impatient Ferris wheel goers was pretty entertaining though, and I will also give it props for introducing Carlos' brother Mikey.

49. Gets Programmed. (Computers)

This episode would be pretty outdated for today's kids, especially considering The Magic School Bus turned into a floppy disk. I mean what kid of today would know about floppy disks? I will give this episode props for bringing back Mikey, especially considering he's a tech wiz. Hmm....could've been the perfect moment to have introduced Jyoti in the old series rather than holding her off for the new series, but I digress. And the school going nuts was pretty entertaining though, and who would've thought Walker Elementary would have their own Yorkshire Willie?

48. Goes Upstream. (Salmon Migration)

While this episode did show an interesting migration of salmon, it did come pretty close to teaching sex ed, since the male salmon fertilised the salmon eggs. Also, Ralphie did come up with great ideas, but even if Wanda did agree, they ended up failing. Interestingly, the class decided to serve fish made of potatoes rather than real fish, as they explained to Janet.

47. Gets Eaten. (Food Chains)

While it was interesting to see the class team up to do a report together, and to see The Magic School Bus get eaten, I feel a shark could've appeared too and eat the tuna. And I also find it strange that Keesha just took off Arnold's shoe when she could've scraped off the scum and put it in a resealable bag like she kept her tuna sandwich in. And that Tim would bring in a picture of a rock to go with Wanda's mussel rather than a real rock, but I guess it makes sense he'd bring in a picture since he's the artistic member of the class.

46. Gets Ants in its Pants. (Ants)

Some of you may know I dislike ants as pests, but that won't affect my views on this one. I did like all those ant puns I will admit, and how Keesha tried to do her ant film, only to end up quitting later, only to see a mudslide. I also find it strange that they didn't cover any of the ants considered pests. And what Dorothy Ann said at the beginning was true. Where you find one ant, there's usually heaps. And there was a kiss scene in this one, at the end of the Producers segment, Liz kissed the Tim-like producer.

45. Goes on Air. (Air)

This was an interesting way to learn about air, and it had a confused cat too. Plus, it showed how well Keesha could do a somersault, and she and Ralphie teamed up in the end. And one strange thing about this episode is that Dorothy Ann's ponytails stay in place even when she removes her hairbands. Of course, who could forget Keesha using Arnold's catchphrase. Would've been funny if Keesha did stay home in this one.

44. Rocks and Rolls. (Erosion)

The first anniversary themed episode on this list. It's an interesting way to see how rocks erode overtime, and it was funny to see various kids use catchphrases of other kids, like Dorothy Ann making puns, and Ralphie using Arnold's catchphrase. And who could forget Carlos' pun being a metaphor for the ending when Captain Walker's nose broke! No nose is good nose. It would've been funnier if Ralphie did stay home in this episode. I also recommend this to fans of Pokémon, mainly those who are curious as to why Rock-type Pokémon are weak against Water-type moves.

43. In a Pickle. (Microbes)

The first appearance of the Microbe Gang. Some might see this as pointless because of what really happened to Keesha's cucumber, but I thought it was a good way to learn about microbes, and how they pickle vegetables. Liz eating Arnold's rotten tomato was a good laugh, and I could feel the taste of that tomato in my mouth upon seeing Liz eat it. And the bus got into a pickle, literally. And Ralphie immediately suspecting Keesha blaming him for stealing her cucumber was a good moment.

42. Takes a Dive. (Coral Reefs and Symbiosis)

If this episode was made to end the original series, I say it was a good one at that. Showing us how specific sea creatures team up to protect each other from predators, and Wanda acting like a weaselly wimp, being Dorothy Ann's partner. And who would've thought Keesha would make a pun? And fortunately for the class, they found the treasure. So yeah, it was a great way to see Dorothy Ann and Wanda's friendship.

41. Goes to Seed. (Seeds)

What is interesting about this is that we go to Phoebe's old school, humorously called "Phoebe's Old School", and meet Archibald Seedplot, voiced by none other than Robby Benson (better known for his role as Beast on Beauty and the Beast). Phoebe's embarrassment was kind of funny, probably her best moment to have stayed home as suggested by Arnold. And Carlos desperately wanting to be famous may have foreshadowed him getting famous on the internet. And the Producer Segment, or should I say Teacher Segment, showed that Mr. Seedplot has a crush on Ms. Frizzle, and showing that her first name is Valerie.

40. In the Rainforest. (Rainforest Ecology)

It was interesting to see how rainforest ecology works, and Dorothy Ann and Tim riding on peccaries was pretty.....fun to watch, I guess. And while it was pretty illogical of Inspector 22 to cover the mud wallows with turf, it was still a good crime scene investigation that Dorothy Ann and Tim did. And at the beginning, we get to see normal bright yellow North American school buses for the first time.

39. Plays Ball. (Forces and Friction)

Now here's the first sport themed episode on the list. Ralphie and Dorothy Ann fighting throughout the episode, all because Dorothy Ann brought a book about forces and friction, interrupting Ralphie's homer. Of course, Ralphie and Dorothy Ann got over their argument in the end, thanks to Arnold. And at Phoebe's Old School, we pressed flowers in our books. And the frictionless baseball game was pretty.......fun.

38. Goes to Mussel Beach. (Tidal Zones)

The next sea based episode. And who would've thought we'd see all the students in beachwear? And noticing that Dorothy Ann was the only girl to wear a skirt with hers. It was pretty interesting to see Ralphie's side, defending his spot, only to be the first in line for ice cream at the end, and it was pretty interesting to see the rest of the class try to get the perfect spot for mussels. This was a regular muscle beach, I have to say.

37. Works Out. (Circulation)

A competition based episode. Here, Ms. Frizzle is challenging the gym teacher Garth Sinew, voiced by Dan Marino, who was quarterback of the Miami Dolphins. And Janet was her jerky self here, but it was funny when she tried to disqualify Ms. Frizzle, resulting in Harry Arm to tell Janet to go away. And the lesson we learn apart from the circulatory system is air today, gone tomorrow. The same went for Garth's shirt.

36. Butterfly and the Bog Beast. (Butterflies)

Now we're in for a butterfly episode. Of course, Janet was her usual self, looking for a butterfly to feed to the "bog beast", it was funny that the class turned The Magic School Bus into a butterfly, eventually scaring Janet out of her glasses. Fortunately, Janet reformed and acted as a mascot for the class' soccer team.

35. Gains Weight. (Gravity)

The only episode centred around Phoebe, and Phoebe only. The first space-themed episode on the countdown. We learn about gravity, even leading to Phoebe accidentally putting too much gravity on The Magic School Bus, causing them to bring the house down. And this would've been one of those moments for Phoebe to have stayed home. But all that popcorn looked good. I'll say this is the least good of the space episodes.

34. Inside Ralphie. (Immune System and Germs)

Now we're in for the first sick episode of the series. Ralphie caught a cold, and was confined to bed. Funny moments of this episode included Ralphie screaming as The Magic School Bus was about to enter his throat, but he coughed them out. Although it did show Ms Frizzle being messed up by smiling while the bus was being attacked by the white blood cells in Ralphie's bloodstream. It would've been funny if Arnold stayed home in this one, but then the episode would've had to have been called "Inside Arnold". And we also find out that Ralphie got his catchphrase from his mum, being the first parent of the class to appear in the series. We got to see Liz kiss the TV with Ms. Frizzle on it, and a kiss that wasn't a good idea. Doctor Tennelli kissed Ralphie, which wasn't a good idea because she could've gotten sick too, and as a doctor, she should've known better.

33. Meets Molly Cule. (Molecules)

Here's a real sciency episode. A molecule episode, starring Molly Cule, voiced by country sensation Wynonna Judd. And this episode felt kind of like a musical, especially with the singing involved. And it was funny when Arnold blushed upon Molly Cule calling him "Sugar". But the one headscratcher I have here is why would Molly have a sugar hood ornament? What's going to happen if it rains? But then again, this story was good, down to the very last bit!

32. Gets Lost in Space. (Solar System)

I'm in for the series premiere. Surprised this isn't any higher? Well, it is only the start of the show, especially since it is loosely based on another book. Arnold taking off his helmet was pretty traumatising if you ask me. Because if this were real life, he'd be dead. Of course he only did it because Janet was too stubborn to leave her stuff on Pluto. But there was some accidental innuendo here, with Arnold sitting on top of Janet to stop her from taking things from each of the gas giants. (Too late to stop her from taking red gas from Jupiter)

31. Gets Swamped. (Wetlands)

Now we're in for a rainy episode about swamps and a debate for a mall. Arnold almost made a fart quote until the class cut him off, and Phoebe unknowingly helped Carlos win the debate by mentioning her old school, causing The Magic School Bus to turn into a bulldozer and move the fallen tree out of the way of the swamp. And it's a good thing too.

30. Revving Up. (Engines)

Here's a more serious episode. The Magic School Bus was going to be sent to the junkyard for scrap, all because Mr. Junkett unknowingly put his dribbling peanut butter sandwich on the engine. Interesting way to learn about motors, and Junkett got a scary comeuppance in the middle. Holding onto a ledge.

29. Going Batty. (Bats)

Now we're in for a scary treat. We go into a haunted castle to learn about bats, and we know they're blind and they use their ears to see. And we got to see the parents and guardians of the entire class. Tim's parents, Wanda's mum, Dorothy Ann's parents, Arnold's parents, Ralphie's mum, Phoebe's blind dad, Keesha's grandma and Carlos' dad. And Ralphie thinking Ms. Frizzle's a vampire was pretty far-fetched, considering his wild imagination, and Keesha convincing him otherwise was funny. And we even find out that Carlos got his sense of humour from his dad, Arnold got his phrase from his dad, Phoebe got her catchphrase from her dad. And did I ever forget to mention Phoebe's puns?

28. In a Beehive. (Bees)

We're in for a bee-fitting episode. All because Tim and Wanda accidentally destroyed their last load of honey to deliver. We got references galore, with Arnold making a reference to Honey, I Shrunk the Kids when defending Dorothy Ann from the beehive, worrying she'd get stung. And Carlos' bee puns were funny, especially since Phoebe was a Phoe-bee, and Valerie was a Frizz-bee. And the worker bee wanted to bee Ralphie's honey.

27. Spins a Web. (Spiders)

Now we're in for a spider episode. Phoebe helping Carlos to see the bright side of spiders, especially since he was scared out of his wits of an orb spider. Of course, Carlos grabbing Dorothy Ann by the leg, Arnold saying the fly wished he'd "Stayed home today", and one uncalled-for thing. General Araneus, voiced by Ed Asner, tried to feed Liz to the giant mantis. But he did make a funny "in my shoes" pun when jumping out of his boots.

26. In the Haunted House. (Sound)

Another spooky episode. One where Carlos had to perfect his instrument, but couldn't because there was too much stuff on it. This episode scared even me, especially since it was dark. And there was a spooky scene in the Ghost Segment. Might remind some of Doctor Claw from Inspector Gadget. Carlos making the perfect sound in the end really nailed the episode, and Dorothy Ann hugged him to congratulate him.

25. Gets Charged. (Electricity)

Here's a Valentine's episode. One centred around how electricity flows, and the class trying to get the doorbell working because they suspected Ms. Frizzle had a valentine, only later revealed to be the electrician. And Carlos made a Rugrats reference when saying the type of doorbell at Ms. Frizzle's house. And Wanda hugging Tim upon seeing Ms. Frizzle on the phone was funny, as was the ending when Wanda and Arnold were cupids. 

24. Gets Planted. (Photosynthesis)

Lots of plant related content here. Of course, Phoebe turning into a beanstalk, making her Phoe-bean. And Liz trying to hide her was pretty strange, I mean she could've hidden her where she could still get sunshine, like behind a tree. But it was still a good way to learn about plants and how they grow. They do need water and ground to grow. 

23. Taking Flight. (Flight)

An episode about flight. That plane Wanda and Tim made was pretty creative. And the way Tim and Phoebe tried to turn The Magic School Bus into the right plane was funny. And Arnold flying along with the eagle was kind of scary I'll admit, raising a specific headscratcher I've always had with this series, even as a kid. One of those moments where he "Should've stayed home".

22. Under Construction. (Structures)

An episode that completely takes place in Wanda's house. The way William, Wanda's little brother, played with The Magic School Bus, treating it like a toy, reminded me of the reason I got into this series as a kid, what with it being a bus with a face. It was pretty funny when Ms. Frizzle said Wanda looked "flushed" because of the toilet. And I find it a bit strange Wanda's mum would keep a Gila monster in the sandpit, let alone an alligator in the bath tub. This episode had more kiss scenes. Strangely, Ms. Frizzle kissed William, and at the end, Wanda was kissed by her mum before departing for the field trip, and Liz kissed the producer.

21. Wet All Over. (Water)

A very brilliant way to learn about the water cycle. They even went to South America, and then England. And we learned that Keesha takes dance classes after school. And funny thing is Arnold kept saying he "should've stayed home today" throughout the episode. First of them being because Tiffany caught him in the girls' bathroom. Also raised that specific headscratcher I've always had with this series. And Tiffany was the heroine in this episode. And Liz got a painful rescue.

20. For Lunch. (Digestion)

We're in for the most used episode of the series. Especially with everyone in Arnold's digestive system, and Arnold trying to break a record to impress Wanda after accidentally swallowing the gum due to her slapping his back. And the first ship tease of the series was Arnold fantasising about breaking the record, prompting Wanda to hug him. And he even became her best field trip ever.

19. Ups and Downs. (Floating and sinking)

Who would've thought Wanda was just as magical as Ms. Frizzle? Because she managed to fit flippers inside her normal-sized Mary Janes. And this was quite a misadventure because of Gerri Poveri doing her best to stop everyone from spotting her secret. Even Phoebe saying she wanted to feed the monster was funny. Pretty fishy if you ask me.

18. Gets a Bright Idea. (Light)

Janet's up to her tricks. Here, she's making the whole class think the ghost got Arnold, but luckily, she was only making him act silly by creating the illusion that the ghost got him. And Keesha tricking Janet back was pretty funny, as was her spooky action toward Carlos and Dorothy Ann.

17. Flexes its Muscles. (Body Mechanics)

The Magic School Bus kept blowing a gasket, and eventually chugged along to R.U. Humerus' castle, causing everyone to learn about how our bodies move. And Ralphie trying to build a robot, just to get out of having to do chores, was pretty fun to watch, and trying to get Ralphiebot to "make me a sandwich" was funny, especially since he wasn't animate. And Arnold tried to say he "should've" to which Ralphie told him not to.

16. In the Arctic. (Heat)

We're hereby going to the arctic in this one, all because Arnold's cocoa went cold. I feel this was a perfect moment for Wanda to have stayed home since she hates the cold. I do find it a bit strange that Dorothy Ann and Keesha would still wear a skirt, and Phoebe still wear shorts, even in the cold weather. Funny how Phoebe went nuts by pulling a page out of a repair manual, like Arnold going nuts by pulling a page out of Dorothy Ann's book. Though Arnold could've gotten a thermos.

15. In the City. (Urban Wildlife)

Now this is an episode I want to be a part of. We could get to be an animal, like how The Magic School Bus was a bear, Arnold, Tim and Phoebe were foxes, Ralphie, Keesha and Wanda were opossums, Valerie was a raccoon, Carlos and Dorothy Ann were falcons. Strangely, Liz bearly got any screen time in this. This would've been the perfect moment for Arnold to have stayed in his den.

14. Kicks Up a Storm. (Weather)

Now this is something I want to do on a scorching hot day. Kick up the storm. Showing that Ralphie played god throughout this episode, and even blushing when Keesha sarcastically waited for a thunderstorm. Interesting to see that Keesha, Carlos and Dorothy Ann wear short sleeved shirts in this episode, and to see that Keesha does wear a skirt under her sweater, as shown when she wears it under her shirt.

13. Blows its Top. (Volcanoes)

This episode had a lot of comical moments, like Carlos blaming Arnold for the odorous smells he kept smelling, and Carlos turning into Dorothy Ann while reading her book. Causing Arnold to tell him to stop. And this also shows we've all been Dorothy Ann, losing something that's precious to us, like Dorothy Ann losing her book bag. And is it just me, or was Ralphie looking up Dorothy Ann's skirt while trying to get her out of the water? And also, let's read "Discovering According to my Research Island" by Carlos and Dorothy.

12. Holiday Special. (Recycling)

This was kind of Christmassy, especially considering this episode was partially made to celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah. And it introduced Ms. Frizzle's first cousin, Katrina Eloise Murphy, or "Murph" as she likes to be called, voiced by country sensation Dolly Parton. We've all been Wanda. In this case, we'll get upset if something we've known and loved for as long as we can remember gets all mushed up and recycled, like Wanda's Nutcracker soldier. But this episode does show Arnold really cares about Wanda's feeling, the true meaning of friendship, and to be careful what we wish for. And might I say, Wanda, Tim, Keesha, Phoebe, Carlos, Ralphie, Dorothy Ann, Valerie and Murph look fancy in their outfits at the end.

11. All Dried Up. (Desert Adaptations)

We're in for a searing episode. We learn about desert animals and how they can survive in the desert, especially due to Carlos being a funny plot device, driving Phoebe into starting SADS (Students Against Desert Scarcity) and later, in the end, SASH (Students Assisting Sleepy Heads) due to Carlos sleeping. And we got to see lots of desert animals and learn what happens when it rains in the desert. (Which seldom happens) And in the producer segment, or should we say, Phoebe segment, Phoebe was answering the calls.

10. Sees Stars. (Stars)

This is a cool episode. One about stars, and Dorothy Ann's birthday, but she had to stay home because she was sick. Tim did make a musical star for Dorothy Ann, but because he broke it out of clumsiness, he and the rest of the class had to go look for a star for her. And the part where Janet bought the star with planets showed that Dorothy Ann wasn't the one who should've stayed home, Arnold was. And it was funny that Horace Scope would sell the red supergiant for a somewhat low price. And Dorothy Ann looked cute in her pyjamas in this.

9. Hops Home. (Habitats)

Wanda had lost her bullfrog Bella, and the whole class had to look for her. This was probably the perfect moment for Bella to have stayed home. But it was because of a clueless Arnold Bella had to jump out of the classroom. I have to hand it to Wanda. She was like Janet was in the first episode, but she decided to let Bella enjoy her habitat. And it was funny that Wanda tried to move the robotic Bella to Arnold's desk in the end.

8. Shows and Tells. (Archaeology)

Unfortunately, Arnold didn't bring his rocks to show and tell, but he brought an artifact that no one knows what it is. It was funny that Dorothy Ann said she didn't know what it was, all due to it being discovered by Arnold's great aunt Joan. Keesha's hypothesis was funny, especially since it didn't look like a hat. But luckily, we found out it was a dartboard. And Dorothy Ann's "Oh no! Oh yes!" was funny. 

7. Cold Feet. (Reptiles)

Some people might find this episode pointless because of the reason Liz went to Herp Haven. But it was interesting to see the entire class (save Arnold, Phoebe and Dorothy Ann) turn into reptiles. Arnold didn't go because he dislikes weird field trips, and Dorothy Ann agreed to stay with him. Makes me wish I could be a reptile. I could get used to this kind of lifestyle. And it even had Harry Herp voiced by Michael York, which explains Harry's English accent. 

6. Out of this World. (Space Rocks and Orbits)

For me, this is the best space-themed episode. Dorothy Ann predicting that the asteroid might hit Earth, but luckily, she gets the class to stop the asteroid from crashing into Earth. There were funny moments, like Carlos making a Disney reference when barking like a dog, Ralphie saying Carlos' idea was out of launch, Carlos saying Liz would be the right stuffing, and change the asteroid's course. And we're introduced to Dorothy Ann's sister Evan. And also, some might call this the Star Trek episode, considering the kids wear Star Trek-esque clothes, and Ms. Frizzle did look a bit like Princess Leia from Star Wars. 

5. Cracks a Yolk. (Eggs)

This is one eggciting field trip. We see how eggs from female egg-laying animals are made. And it came oh-so-close to teaching sex ed, but Dorothy Ann only mentioned the male adds his part due to this being a kids show. And this episode features the only kiss between the kids in the whole series. In this episode, Dorothy Ann kissed Arnold to thank him for what he did in the egg, and was delighted that they can keep the chick that hatched from the egg. Funny when Phoebe mistook Mr. Ruhle saying "How about down?" for growing backwards when down can mean feathers. Of course, we also saw Mr. Ruhle kissing Giblets multiple times.

4. Goes Cellular. (Body Cells) 

This was a cellular episode. We got to see the main class in the formal outfits they wore in Holiday Special, and Arnold looked smart in his formal outfit. And we find out he's orange due to what he'd been eating throughout this episode. Seaweedies. And it was funny when the German chef caught Arnold hiding under the trolley. And it was intriguing that there were many ship teases around Arnold. Phoebe flirting with Arnold, Wanda worrying about Arnold's skin colour, and Dorothy Ann smiling while trying to take Arnold to the bathroom. But here's a question about this episode. Orange you glad Arnold's not orange anymore?

3. Makes a Rainbow. (Colour)

We're in for a colourful experience. We learn about the colours of the rainbow, and in spite of the scientific error, it was an entertaining experience. Carlos and Dorothy Ann fighting over the colour of her book was interesting. Carlos said the book is purple, while Dorothy Ann said it's violet. And we're introduced to Mr. Ruhle the principal, and Arnold tried to stall him because the class was in the Rainbow pinball machine. What's the scientific error? They left out indigo, which sits in between blue and violet.

2. Gets Ready, Set, Dough. (Chemistry)

The episode where they got baked into a cake on The Magic School Bus! The baker was funny, especially considering he was voiced by the late Dom Deluise. And Dorothy Ann's expression when Carlos hugged her was funny. And her reaction when Arnold hugged her was also a bit surprising. But it's strange that we never got to find out how old Ms. Frizzle is, considering this episode centres around her birthday, and why the class made her a cake. And funny how Liz was eating all the bakery's profits.

1. The Busasaurus. (Dinosaurs)

That's right. Hands down my favourite episode of The Magic School Bus. We learn about dinosaurs and how they're theorised to have existed, the most accurate being the Tyrannosaurus, considering it's quite possibly the most famous dinosaur. And Phoebe fawning over Arnold was pretty surprising, yet helped matters. And the way Arnold scared off the T-rex was pretty awesome, showing he's not so much of a coward after all. Some might like to call this the Jurassic Park episode, and I can easily see why. The Busasaurus is the best, full stop.


So there you have it. My ranking of all episodes of the original Magic School Bus TV show. Now you know my most favourite and least favourite. It was a wild ride here.

Now I want to hear from you. What's your favourite episode of The Magic School Bus? Don't hesitate to tell me.