The WORST episodes of Perfect Strangers

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

The series chronicles the rocky coexistence of Larry Appleton and his distant cousin Balki Bartokomous. A Wisconsin native, Larry, who comes from a large family with numerous brothers and sisters, has just moved into a new apartment in Chicago, and is experiencing his first joys of newfound privacy when Balki, a hitherto unknown cousin from a Greek-like island in the Mediterranean called Mypos, drops by to live with him. Balki, a shepherd by trade, interprets what little he knows about the United States by relying on his own recollections of American pop culture, which are often out-of-context. After initially gently rebuffing his cousin's request to stay at his apartment, Larry, an aspiring photographer, decides to take Balki under his wing and teach him about American life...

Last Updated: 9/3/2024Network: ABC (US)Status: Ended
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The Gazebo
star
6.15
13 votes

#1 - The Gazebo

Season 7 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/1/1991

Larry and Balki are building a new gazebo in their back yard and as they struggle to build it, it reminds Jennifer and Mary Anne of Laurel and Hardy as we see them in a parody of Laurel and Hardy trying to build a gazebo.

Writer: Terry Hart
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Men Who Knew Too Much (2)
star
6.50
8 votes

#2 - The Men Who Knew Too Much (2)

Season 6 - Episode 8 - Aired 11/16/1990

Larry and Balki manage to play back the tape proving their innocence, but they have trouble getting the tape to the police after they are mugged and captured by Marco's men.

Directors: Richard Correll
Writer: Terry Hart
The Men Who Knew Too Much (1)
star
6.58
12 votes

#3 - The Men Who Knew Too Much (1)

Season 6 - Episode 7 - Aired 11/9/1990

Larry is sent to Los Angeles to write an article about a soap opera star's wedding and Balki goes with him. While attempting to get a better story, they get chased by mobsters after they witness and video tape Marco Madison, a big time gangster, murder an undercover drug agent and Larry and Balki are prime suspects.

Directors: Richard Correll
Writer: Terry Hart
Yes Sir, That's My Baby
star
6.78
9 votes

#4 - Yes Sir, That's My Baby

Season 7 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/8/1992

When Balki shows Larry that Jennifer has been knitting booties, The possibility that Jennifer is pregnant causes Larry to imagine Larry and Balki's future sons becoming best friends in the nursery trying to escape.

Watch Now:Apple TV
Couch Potato
star
6.79
24 votes

#5 - Couch Potato

Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/2/1987

When Larry and Balki get cable TV, Balki becomes glued to the TV and won't stop watching it to the point where he forgets about his job, sleep, and never goes out anymore. So Larry must make an important decision of getting rid of the cable.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Bob Keyes
Watch Now:Apple TV
Better Shop Around
star
6.83
23 votes

#6 - Better Shop Around

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/1987

While grocery shopping, Balki wins a shopping spree to happen the next day and he thinks it would be fun. But Lary makes a plan to get certain things to sell for an air conditioner which takes all the fun out of it.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Bob Keyes
Watch Now:Apple TV
I Saw This on TV
star
6.83
12 votes

#7 - I Saw This on TV

Season 6 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/1/1991

Larry manages to get tickets to go to a Bulls game with Balki on the night that Larry promised to take Jennifer to the ballet. So Larry lied to Jennifer saying that he had to work. Balki tells him a story about an old Honeymooners rerun where we see Ralph (Larry) lying to Alice (Jennifer) about having to work late when he plans on going bowling with Norton (Balki) and Alice ends up finding out about it while she was with Trixie (Mary Anne). However Jennifer found out about the basketball game and Larry is in a heap of trouble.

Up, Up and Away (2)
star
6.91
11 votes

#8 - Up, Up and Away (2)

Season 8 - Episode 6 - Aired 8/6/1993

Trapped on board a runaway hot air balloon, Larry and Balki must find a way to get back to Earth as Jennifer goes into labor.

Directors: Judy Askins
Up, Up and Away (1)
star
7.00
11 votes

#9 - Up, Up and Away (1)

Season 8 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/6/1993

Jennifer is two weeks overdue and has a few false alarms. Meanwhile, After Balki and Mary Anne went to the fair, Mary Anne goes into labor and has her baby in the driveway. Jennifer is told about a balloon ride Mary Anne went in and in hopes of going into labor, Larry and Balki take Jennifer up in the balloon.

Lie-Ability
star
7.00
14 votes

#10 - Lie-Ability

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1989

After a minor car accident, Mr. Gorpley suggests Larry should sue. So Larry has plans to defraud an insurance company to gain money to help his sister Elaine with her tuition. But Balki objects as usual.

Directors: Joel Zwick
The Baby Quiz
star
7.00
11 votes

#11 - The Baby Quiz

Season 8 - Episode 4 - Aired 7/30/1993

Balki applies to the ""Baby Quiz"" TV game show for both couples. As it happens, Only Larry and Jennifer are accepted until a last minute drop out of the other contestants, in which Balki and Mary Anne take their places. The prize is a college scholarship for the baby.

Directors: Judy Askins
The Unnatural
star
7.02
106 votes

#12 - The Unnatural

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/1/1986

Larry's softball team has a chance of winning the championship but the star player was sent to prison. So He promises to let Balki play until a star ringer shows up.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Watch Now:Apple TV
Teacher's Pest
star
7.06
17 votes

#13 - Teacher's Pest

Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/28/1989

Larry was chosen to teach a college course in journalism and Balki is able to take the class. But his standards are set way too high that he fails the whole class.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Tom Devanney
Watch Now:Apple TV
Blind Alley
star
7.07
15 votes

#14 - Blind Alley

Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/17/1989

Larry's bowling team is one game away from winning the trophy that Mr. Gorpley has been waving in Larry's face for the last year. But Calvin, the star player has been sent out of town by his boss - Mr. Gorpley of course. Balki tries bowling for the first time and had an excellent score so he becomes the substitute, but his trip to the ophthalmologist before the tournament may make playing difficult.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Tom Devanney
Watch Now:Apple TV
The King and I
star
7.07
14 votes

#15 - The King and I

Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/24/1989

Larry and Balki throw a '50's party and invite their friends. Lydia brings her date Lamont who is a hypnotist. After demonstrating hypnosis, he accidentally hypnotizes Balki into thinking he's Elvis which carries on through their tax audit the next day.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Robert Blair
Watch Now:Apple TV
Finders Keepers
star
7.08
12 votes

#16 - Finders Keepers

Season 6 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/4/1991

Balki finds a box with over $50,000 cash in it. Larry wants to keep it but Balki is insistent on finding the rightful owner, which won't be easy, especially with Mr. Gorpley scheming to get it anyway he can.

Directors: Judy Pioli
Writer: Tom Amundsen
Lifesavers
star
7.09
69 votes

#17 - Lifesavers

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/22/1986

After Larry saves Balki from getting hit by a taxi, Balki becomes his personal servant which ends up annoying Larry.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Jim Parker
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Break-In
star
7.09
22 votes

#18 - The Break-In

Season 3 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/9/1987

Balki accidently delivers Larry's offensive article to the publisher. So they break in late at night to retrieve it and end up on the ledge dealing with someone trying to commit suicide.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Watch Now:Apple TV
That Old Gang of Mine
star
7.10
21 votes

#19 - That Old Gang of Mine

Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/13/1989

Mary Anne was promoted and moves to London and Balki is heartbroken and miserable. So Larry suggests Balki get a hobby to take his mind off her. So he joins a motorcycle gang where the club plans a wild initiation ceremony.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Robert Blair
Watch Now:Apple TV
Missing
star
7.10
10 votes

#20 - Missing

Season 7 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/17/1992

After Dimitri is kidnapped, Balki has a mental block that prevents him from drawing it in the paper. so Larry and Balki try to catch the kidnapper in the basement of the Chronicle.

Directors: Judy Pioli
Writer: Terry Hart
Watch Now:Apple TV
Sexual Harrassment in Chicago
star
7.10
20 votes

#21 - Sexual Harrassment in Chicago

Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/7/1987

The editor of the Chronicle's Sunday Magazine makes a play for Balki but he isn't interested. She won't take no for an answer and anyone who ever tried to report her lost their jobs.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Watch Now:Apple TV
The Pen Pal
star
7.11
28 votes

#22 - The Pen Pal

Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/27/1988

Vince Lucas the racketeer that Larry and Balki testified against has been paroled and Balki invites him into their apartment after writing to him ever since he went to prison. Even though he threatened them, Balki trusts him but Larry's too scared.

Directors: Joel Zwick
Writer: Bob Keyes
Watch Now:Apple TV
Hello Ball
star
7.12
17 votes

#23 - Hello Ball

Season 5 - Episode 9 - Aired 11/24/1989

When Jennifer's father comes to town, Larry tries to impress him. So they decide to go golfing. Larry is an excellent golfer but Mr. Lyons is a bad golfer and a bad loser o Larry decides to let him win and lets Balki play thinking that he can't golf, but can he?

Directors: Joel Zwick
The Play's the Thing
star
7.13
8 votes

#24 - The Play's the Thing

Season 7 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/21/1992

When Balki takes Larry's ""Wheat"" play-script to Lydia's theater, Larry goes down to see the cast. But when the director tries to change the lines, Larry won't let him, so they all quit. But Larry insists that they keep the show by casting him with Balki, Lydia, Jennifer, and Mary Anne, but they've never acted before and make a mess of it.

Directors: Judy Pioli
Watch Now:Apple TV
Aliens
star
7.13
24 votes

#25 - Aliens

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/28/1988

Larry and Balki throw a Halloween party with their friends and after six hours of watching scary movies, Larry wakes up and discovers that Balki is an alien from ""Planet Mypos"" and is turning everyone into Mypiots by putting vests on them.

Watch Now:Apple TV