The WORST episodes of Family Matters
Every episode of Family Matters ever, ranked from worst to best by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The worst episodes of Family Matters!
The Winslows, a middle-class Black family living in Chicago, deal with various misadventures — many of which are caused by their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel.
#1 - Struck by Lightning
Season 7 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/24/1995
Laura and Myra's friendship turns stormy as they compete for the same sales job at Ferguson's; a rainstorm renders Urkel a "human lightning rod" and he refuses to go outside after being struck by lightning three times. Luckily, he finds out the cause: His "boss sauce" that he uses in his transformation machine contains a huge amount of iron. Meanwhile, Laura and Myra compete for the same sales job at a department store.
#2 - Talk's Cheap
Season 7 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/17/1995
Waldo persuades Steve, Myra and Laura to appear on a talk show to discuss romance. Waldo convinces Steve, Myra and Laura to appear on a talk show to discuss unfulfilling romances. Everyone is surprised when Myrtle comes on and talks about her unrequited love for Eddie. Meanwhile, Harriette tries to inspire passion in a reluctant Carl.
#3 - The Naked and the Nerdy
Season 7 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1995
Steve and Laura have an accidental encounter in their birthday suits; Hariette unwraps an expensive gift she thinks Carl bought her for her anniversary. While they both get ready to take a shower, Steve and Laura accidentally see each other naked in the bathroom-a traumatic experience for both of them. Meanwhile, Carl's neighbor, Larry Johnson, asks Carl to hold onto an expensive diamond bracelet because Larry's wife is a snoop. But when Harriette finds it, she thinks Carl bought it for her anniversary gift, and he has some explaining to do.
#4 - Midterm Crisis
Season 6 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/6/1995
Carl loses points with Capt. Savage by telling him the truth about the woman he loves; and Eddie and Urkel cook up a lie about Waldo's midterm baking project, which they devoured.
#5 - Teacher's Pet
Season 7 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/20/1995
An English class full of unruly hooligans gives substitute teacher Urkel a pain - along with a creative scheme to get through to his defiant charges. Steve's English teacher, Mr. Donald Ludke, needs to take two days off so he appoints Steve as the substitute teacher. The first day, everyone but Laura and Myra ignores Steve, and two bullies, Kissel and Robbins, play tricks on him. But the second day, Steve uses his transformation machine to become Stefan Urquelle, who humiliates Kissel and takes charge of the class. Then Stefan teaches Robbins a love poem that helps Robbins get a date. Meanwhile, Harriette berates Carl for not helping with the housework. He hires a sexy maid, Tawny, further angering Harriette. The next day, she terminates Tawny and hires a muscular male servant, Geoffrey, to teach Carl a lesson. Carl agrees to help Harriette more often.
#6 - The Gun
Season 6 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/10/1995
Gritty episode in the style of NYPD Blue, where Laura is robbed by female gang members and considers purchasing a gun to ward off future trouble.
#7 - Deck the Malls
Season 9 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/19/1997
Steve gets all wrapped up in the Christmas spirit when he takes a job as a gift-wrapper, but the new gig leaves him little time to spend with Myra; Carl plays Santa at the mall and appoints Laura to be his elf; a disappointed Richie learns that his mom won't be with him for the holidays.
#8 - A Pirate's Life for Me
Season 8 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/9/1997
Steve's time machine sends him and Carl back to a pirate ship.
#9 - Le Jour D'Amour
Season 8 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/14/1997
Urkel narrates romantic vignettes featuring the Winslows and friends.
#10 - Odd Man In
Season 8 - Episode 20 - Aired 3/14/1997
Harriette fills a spot at Carl's poker table while Steve does work for Eddie at a ballpark.
#11 - What Do You Know?
Season 8 - Episode 19 - Aired 2/28/1997
Eddie's plan misfires when he transforms into Urkel to compete on a game show.
#12 - Dream Date
Season 7 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/26/1996
The school prom brings one disaster after another for Laura. First, her date cancels; then she's parked with a dateless Urkel at the dance. The group "Immature" performs.
#13 - Don't Make Me Over
Season 9 - Episode 19 - Aired 6/26/1998
Myrtle Urkel tries for the last time to get Eddie. This time, Laura and Maxine give her a complete and total makeover. Myrtle comes out looking terrific, but Eddie still does not like her. So she decides to stop chasing him.
#14 - Pound Foolish
Season 8 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/25/1997
Donna Summer reprises her role as Urkel's Aunt Oona from Altoona, who has put on weight but anticipates taking it off in her nephew's new-fangled fat-compression chamber.
#15 - Trading Places
Season 9 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/7/1997
When Laura seems distant and distracted, a jealous Stefan cooks up an elaborate plan to swap places with Urkel - the "man" to whom he suspects Laura is attracted. Laura knows something's up when Stefan (as Urkel) is a miserable tutor and Urkel has a heck of a time filling in for Stefan at a fashion photo shoot. Meanwhile, Eddie decides to follow Carl around on "the beat" with a video camera.
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#16 - A Pain in Harassment
Season 9 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/28/1997
Steve gets a chance at a $1 million basketball shot. Will he end up rolling dough, or will he get "nothing but net"? Harriette's new boss has a reputation for being tough, but his employees are blindsided by his verbal abuse as well. Meanwhile, Urkel tries to win a million dollars with a basketball half-court shot in L.A.
#17 - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Season 8 - Episode 13 - Aired 12/13/1996
Laura finally gives Curtis the old heave-ho now that Stefan is back to stay. Meanwhile, Carl and Steve get lost in the woods looking for a Christmas tree.
#18 - Beauty and the Beast
Season 8 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/7/1997
Myrtle Urkel is back, and this time, she sabotages a beauty pageant so she can win.
#20 - Sitting Pretty
Season 1 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/16/1990
Laura's babysitting service floods the house with children at a bad time on the night Carl has invited his captain over.
#21 - The Science Project
Season 2 - Episode 10 - Aired 11/23/1990
Everyone vies to be partners with budding scientist Steve, who teams up with Laura for a science project - an A-bomb.
#22 - Old and Alone
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 11/29/1991
Laura may be sorry for banishing Urkel from her life: in her dreams, she's a 90-year-old spinster whose only visitor is a now-married Urkel.
#23 - My Broken-Hearted Valentine
Season 3 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/14/1992
Lonely and depressed after breaking up with Ted, Laura grants Urkel a few bittersweet hours of bliss as her valentine; Gwendolyn charms Richie with "yucky goo-goo stuff"; and Harriette and Carl search for admirable qualities in each other.
#24 - My Big Brother
Season 7 - Episode 18 - Aired 2/23/1996
Urkel volunteers as a Big Brother to a touch street kid who's mastered pick pocketing skills but harbors a secret about his reading ability. Through a charity, Steve becomes a mentor for a tough but charming inner-city nine-year-old, 3J. While tutoring him, Steve discovers that, although 3J is smart, he is illiterate. At first, 3J rejects Steve's help, preferring to survive with his natural talents as always. But Steve excites him about the wonderful worlds of imagination one can find in books, and 3J decides to make his life better by learning to read. Meanwhile, Carl finds Harriette's secret savings account book. He is upset that she hid it from him. But later, he regrets arguing with her when she gives him an expensive gift for which she was secretly saving money.
#25 - Paris Vacation (1)
Season 8 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/20/1996
Steve does it yet again. He creates the UrkPad which allows him, the Winslows, and Stefan to travel to Paris. All goes well when Stefan learns he likes being a model and can actually speak French. Eddie unfortunately has to work during vacation for causing an accident at a restuarant. And Steve makes a new friend in Nicole. Or does he?