The BEST episodes of Empty Nest season 4

Every episode of Empty Nest season 4, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Empty Nest season 4!

Widowed pediatrician Harry Weston is a miracle worker when it comes to dealing with his young patients, but he's more challenged by the other people surrounding him: daughters Barbara and Carol; his wisecracking office assistant, nurse LaVerne Todd; and obnoxious neighborhood mooch Charley Dietz. Thank goodness he always finds a friendly shoulder (and a warm, wet tongue) in Dreyfuss, his enormous dog.

Last Updated: 11/5/2024Network: NBCStatus: Ended
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Dr. Weston and Mr. Hyde
star
8.60
5 votes

#1 - Dr. Weston and Mr. Hyde

Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 2/29/1992

The full moon on Leap Day causes strange things to happen: after throwing his back out, Harry begins to act very unusual; a series of odd occurrences leads Barbara to believe that a neighborhood repairman is actually Dreyfuss; Charley cancels a date to stay home and watch The Sound of Music.

Directors: Doug Smart
Writer: Peter Gallay
Watch Now:AmazonApple TV
Roots
star
8.43
7 votes

#2 - Roots

Season 4 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/2/1992

The Westons (and Charley) travel to England to their ancestral home Weston Castle, where Harry is to receive the Sword of Weston in a ceremony. Unfortunately he gets locked in a dungeon after following a secret passage. Meanwhile back home, Laverne tries to teach Dreyfuss to ride a skateboard. Richard Mulligan plays three roles in this episode: the usual Harry, a butler named Basil, and a relative Baroness Daphne Weston.

Watch Now:Amazon
The Dreyfus Affair
star
8.33
6 votes

#3 - The Dreyfus Affair

Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/26/1991

Harry hires a world-famous vet to operate on Dreyfuss. Charley contemplates a career change when he is offered a job at Uncle Buzzy's Pirate World.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Rob LaZebnik
Watch Now:Amazon
Windy
star
8.29
7 votes

#4 - Windy

Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/9/1991

A hurricane hits just as the Westons decide to sell their house. Laverne's mother-in-law visits.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Arnie Kogen
Watch Now:Amazon
Country Weston
star
8.20
5 votes

#5 - Country Weston

Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/2/1991

Country music star Garth Brooks offers Barbara a job as security chief on his tour. Charley moves in with the Westons while his house is being fumigated.

Watch Now:Amazon
Food for Thought
star
8.17
6 votes

#6 - Food for Thought

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/12/1991

Carol quits her job at the library and buys a catering business.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Watch Now:Amazon
Harry's Got a Gun
star
8.17
6 votes

#7 - Harry's Got a Gun

Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/1991

The Westons buy guns after their house is burglarized, a choice they later regret when Carol gets a little trigger happy. Charley decides to head to the woods to do some serious thinking about his life.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Watch Now:Amazon
Charley for President
star
8.17
6 votes

#8 - Charley for President

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/14/1992

Carol persuades Charley to run for president of the home owner's association. While on undercover assignment at the hospital, Barbara tries to fool Harry with a number of disguises, but he sees through every one.

Directors: Doug Smart
Watch Now:Apple TV
Final Analysis
star
8.17
6 votes

#9 - Final Analysis

Season 4 - Episode 23 - Aired 4/25/1992

Just as Carol nears a breakthrough, her psychiatrist dies. Harry's new patient enjoys making jokes and smart alack remarks.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Arnie Kogen
Ex-Appeal
star
8.00
6 votes

#10 - Ex-Appeal

Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/11/1992

Carol starts dating Barbara's ex-boyfriend, but Barbara realizes she still has feelings for him.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
If You Knew Andy Like I Know...
star
8.00
5 votes

#11 - If You Knew Andy Like I Know...

Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/7/1991

Harry hires an old friend's son as an associate, but isn't pleased with the way he practices medicine. Meanwhile, Carol begins a relationship with the new associate and realizes he is arogant and self-absorbed.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Lyla Oliver
Her Cheatin' Heart
star
8.00
5 votes

#12 - Her Cheatin' Heart

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/1991

Laverne meets another man at a banquet and goes out to dinner with him while Nick is out of town. Meanwhile, when Carol confesses that she stole Barbara's first boyfriend at camp years ago, Barbara vows to extract revenge when Carol least expects it.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
50 Million Men and a Baby
star
8.00
6 votes

#13 - 50 Million Men and a Baby

Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1991

Laverne's cousin leaves her baby behind and runs off to find her husband, who left after a fight. So while Laverne looks for her, the Westons take care of the baby. The experience makes Barbara want her own child and she considers artificial insemination.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Peter Gallay
The Great Escape
star
7.86
7 votes

#14 - The Great Escape

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/18/1992

While Harry and Laverne are en route to a medical seminar, an escaped convict takes Barbara and Carol hostage.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Arnie Kogen
Almost Like Being in Love
star
7.83
6 votes

#15 - Almost Like Being in Love

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/28/1991

Harry's lust for his girlfriend sparks marital thoughts.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Talk, Talk, Talk
star
7.83
6 votes

#16 - Talk, Talk, Talk

Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/16/1991

Harry becomes host of a call-in radio show; Carol, Barbara, and Charley enter a chili cook-off.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Lonely Are the Brave
star
7.83
6 votes

#17 - Lonely Are the Brave

Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1991

Just as Carol conquers her emotional problems, she becomes jealous of Barbara, who is up for a medal of honor for saving a man's life (something she did by accident). Laverne upsets Harry when she asks for a second opinion after he diagnoses her visiting niece's symptoms as allergies.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
The Unimportance of Being Charley
star
7.83
6 votes

#18 - The Unimportance of Being Charley

Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/15/1992

Charley poses as captain of his ship to impress his visiting parents. Worried that Harry favors Barbara over her, Carol decides to keep track of how many times he does so.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
My Nurse is Back and There's Gonna Be Trouble...
star
7.80
5 votes

#19 - My Nurse is Back and There's Gonna Be Trouble...

Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/14/1991

Harry's old nurse Winifred returns to fill in while Laverne goes out of town, and a war erupts between the two ladies when Winifred reveals that she's out to get Laverne's job. While on a trip to New York with Barbara, Carol manages to annoy the entire planeload of passengers (including a nun).

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Son of a Preacherman
star
7.80
5 votes

#20 - The Son of a Preacherman

Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/4/1992

As a favor to a minister friend, Harry takes in his brilliant young son as an observer, but becomes distressed when the boy confesses it's only his father's pressure that makes him want to be a doctor. Carol is excited about catering her friend Suzanne's posh Palm Beach wedding, until the groom gets excited by Carol.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Rob LaZebnik
The Mismatchmaker
star
7.75
8 votes

#21 - The Mismatchmaker

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/1/1992

Harry tries to reconcile a friend and his wife. Barbara hires Carol to cater a police party.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
The Return of Aunt Susan
star
7.71
7 votes

#22 - The Return of Aunt Susan

Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/8/1992

Carol likes her jet-setting aunt's philanthropist lifestyle. Laverne refuses to miss work despite being in a wheelchair after falling off her roof.

Sayonara
star
7.60
5 votes

#23 - Sayonara

Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/22/1992

Nick leaves Laverne for a woman in Japan. Barbara goes undercover at a college sorority to catch a computer hacker.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Rob LaZebnik
Good Neighbor Harry
star
7.60
5 votes

#24 - Good Neighbor Harry

Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/28/1992

A good deed backfires on Harry when a neurotic woman refuses to leave him alone. Carol's new boyfriend seems perfect except for his hideously annoying laugh.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman