The WORST episodes of Empty Nest

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

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: 2/26/2023Network:NBC
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The More Things Change
star
7.38
13 votes

#1 - The More Things Change

Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/25/1989

The hospital's new owner forces Harry to move his practice after 25 years in the same office. Meanwhile, Carol tries to amend the past after reading Emily's old diary and Charley tries out a new look.

Directors: John Bowab
Cyrano de Weston
star
7.55
11 votes

#2 - Cyrano de Weston

Season 1 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/18/1989

Harry gives Charley advice on how to impress a new girlfriend, who turns out to be the same lady Harry is seeing. When a relative dies and leaves Barbara and Emily money, Carol is anxious to see what she'll be getting but isn't too thrilled when it arrives.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Arnie Kogen
Watch Now:iTunes
Strange Bedfellows
star
7.55
11 votes

#3 - Strange Bedfellows

Season 1 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/4/1989

Carol falls in love with a South American freedom fighter and announces she's going away with him. Jeffrey Millstein falls in love with Laverne.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Lessons
star
7.57
7 votes

#4 - Lessons

Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/10/1990

A student has a crush on Barbara, who is working undercover at a high school. Meanwhile, Charley takes up golf, Harry teaches Dreyfuss to fetch the paper, and Laverne is convinced she'll become fat after looking at a family album.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Watch Now:iTunes
Harry's Friend
star
7.58
12 votes

#5 - Harry's Friend

Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/10/1988

Harry isn't too happy when Carol begins dating his old friend.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Arnie Kogen
Pardon My Flashback
star
7.60
5 votes

#6 - Pardon My Flashback

Season 5 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/30/1993

While gathered around the television for the Super Bowl, the Westons, Laverne, and Charley reflect on old times.

Good Neighbor Harry
star
7.60
5 votes

#7 - 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
The Check isn't in the Mail
star
7.62
29 votes

#8 - The Check isn't in the Mail

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/22/1988

Carol gets all dolled up for a date with her contemptible ex-husband. Harry thinks Dreyfuss may be sick.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Gary Jacobs
Watch Now:iTunes
Would You Believe...
star
7.67
3 votes

#9 - Would You Believe...

Season 7 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/17/1994

Harry is attracted to the minister Charley is dating. Meanwhile, Maxine buys Laverne's beloved truck.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Libby's Gift
star
7.67
12 votes

#10 - Libby's Gift

Season 1 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/17/1988

An organ that Libby ordered before dying finally arrives at the house and Harry becomes determined to learn to play it in time for his and Libby's anniversary. Barbara and Carol worry that he is going too far. A patient asks Harry for birth control.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Take My Mom, Please
star
7.67
6 votes

#11 - Take My Mom, Please

Season 2 - Episode 22 - Aired 3/24/1990

Carol and Barbara hire a maid, and then realize the family silver is missing. A young patient in need of a father sets Harry up on a date with her mom.

Directors: Doug Smart
Full Nest
star
7.69
13 votes

#12 - Full Nest

Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/14/1989

Financial trouble forces Barbara to move back in with Harry but it's not all fun and games. A lonely Carol soon decides to move in as well.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Remembrance of Clips Past
star
7.75
4 votes

#13 - Remembrance of Clips Past

Season 7 - Episode 22 - Aired 6/17/1995

While at Laverne's going-away party, the gang remembers old times as she prepares to get married and move back to Hickory.

Writer: Peter Gallay
Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Pain
star
7.75
4 votes

#14 - Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Pain

Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/17/1994

Maxine gets unwanted attention when dating a television weatherman. Carol and Charley make a bet: He can't mooch from the Westons for one week, and she can't call Harry ""Daddy"" for one week.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Mark Grant
The Woman Who Came to Dither
star
7.75
4 votes

#15 - The Woman Who Came to Dither

Season 7 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/15/1994

Sophia, who is fed up with the strict Shady Pines manager, moves in with the Westons. Carol tries to help with the problem and ends up bringing all the retirement home residents to the house. Meanwhile, Maxine doesn't trust Doris, Laverne's temporary replacement at the clinic.

Directors: Doug Smart
Writer: Dennis Snee
Watch Now:iTunes
A Chip Off the Old Charley
star
7.75
4 votes

#16 - A Chip Off the Old Charley

Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/8/1994

Charley discovers he has a son, who is a 17-year-old flautist. Carol fills in for Laverne at the clinic and tries to put a damper on Maxine's smoking.

Directors: Doug Smart
Here's a Howdy-Do
star
7.75
12 votes

#17 - Here's a Howdy-Do

Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/28/1989

Harry doesn't understand why no one likes his new girlfriend, but soon realizes they were right. When the relationship ends, Carol, who actually liked the lady, questions her own instincts.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Kim Hill
Fatal Attraction
star
7.76
17 votes

#18 - Fatal Attraction

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/5/1988

Neighbor Blanche thinks she is in love with Harry and comes on strong when showing her affection. An old friend of the family dies after an illness. Carol decides to move in and take care of her father.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:iTunes
My Sister, My Friend
star
7.77
13 votes

#19 - My Sister, My Friend

Season 1 - Episode 21 - Aired 3/25/1989

Harry promises to take Carol and Barbara with him to Paris if the two can go one month without fighting. Charley wins a greyhound in a card game.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Blame It on the Moon
star
7.80
10 votes

#20 - Blame It on the Moon

Season 1 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/11/1989

The Westons laugh when Charley says the full moon will bring love, but then realize he could be right. A rude doctor catches Harry's eye. Carol's finds romance when a man returns run-away Dreyfuss (who in turn finds love in the man's female dog). A stake-out leads Barbara into the arms of a high-school boyfriend.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Gary Jacobs
Pilot
star
7.81
31 votes

#21 - Pilot

Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/8/1988

Harry is proposed to eighteen months after the death of his wife.

Directors: Jay Sandrich
Writer: Susan Harris
Watch Now:iTunes
Talk, Talk, Talk
star
7.83
6 votes

#22 - 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
Almost Like Being in Love
star
7.83
6 votes

#23 - 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
The First Time, Again
star
7.83
12 votes

#24 - The First Time, Again

Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/7/1989

Harry is encouraged to spend a weekend alone with his girlfriend. Jeffrey Millstein's imagination runs wild after he sees a scary movie.

Directors: Hal Cooper
Writer: Gary Jacobs
Timing
star
7.86
7 votes

#25 - Timing

Season 2 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/12/1990

Harry feels ready to rekindle an old romance.

Directors: Steve Zuckerman
Writer: Gary Jacobs

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