The BEST episodes written by Maria Semple

The Penis
star
8.26
136 votes

#1 - The Penis

Mad About You - Season 5 - Episode 14

The Buchmans promise to name their baby, if it's a boy, after Paul's ailing Uncle Phil, then find out his real name. Meanwhile, Paul is suddenly sure of the baby's sex.

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The Recital
star
7.88
142 votes

#2 - The Recital

Mad About You - Season 5 - Episode 11

A politically incorrect Jamie pays the price for commenting about Ryan's ability as a budding violinist, while a simmering Paul works up the nerve to confront their therapist about her overcharging ways.

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Jamie's Parents
star
7.86
110 votes

#3 - Jamie's Parents

Mad About You - Season 5 - Episode 6

The Stemples arrive at Paul and Jamie's for a two-day visit, armed with a surprise, and another soon follows.

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The Cockatoo
star
7.86
137 votes

#4 - The Cockatoo

Mad About You - Season 5 - Episode 18

Paul talks an unwilling Jamie into quitting her job at the mayoral campaign, but he is less successful in dealing with an exotic bird that flies into their lives.

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The Touching Game
star
7.79
141 votes

#5 - The Touching Game

Mad About You - Season 5 - Episode 19

A very pregnant Jamie insists on helping out at David (Paul's cousin) and Jared's new coffee shop, with disastrous results. Meanwhile, Ira and Paul help a pregnant woman on a bus.

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Adam's Birthday
star
7.78
9 votes

#6 - Adam's Birthday

Ellen - Season 2 - Episode 8

Convinced that Ellen is limiting his potential, Adam moves out, leaving Ellen with limitless possibilities as to what to do with his vacant room.

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Things to Do on a Rainy Day
star
7.65
135 votes

#7 - Things to Do on a Rainy Day

Beverly Hills, 90210 - Season 2 - Episode 26

On a rainy Saturday afternoon Brenda, Kelly, Donna and David head to the Bel Age Hotel to meet Donna's favorite group, Color Me Badd. David rents a room so that the foursome can get into the hotel. Donna sees her mother, supposedly at the hotel for a conference, and fears that she will get in trouble. Kelly lifts a key to the penthouse and gets to hang out with the group. Donna, fearing reprisal, jumps out of the elevator on an earlier floor. She sees her mother come out of a room and kiss a man in the hallway. When Felice later confronts Donna about being at the hotel, Donna forces her to admit that she is having an affair. Donna is devastated, but Cindy explains that her parents' marital problems do not have anything to do with her. Kelly attends the Color Me Badd concert with a free pass, and brings the group to the Peach Pit to serenade the forlorn Donna. Steve, Brandon and Dylan hire a stripper, but their plans are complicated when Andrea shows up at the house. The stripper turns out to be an engaging young woman (a grad student and mother), and Brandon and Dylan won't let her perform because they now consider her a friend. Music: 'I Adore Mi Amor' / 'I Wanna Sex You Up' / 'All 4 Love' by Color Me Badd.

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Too Little, Too Late/Paris 75001
star
7.59
163 votes

#8 - Too Little, Too Late/Paris 75001

Beverly Hills, 90210 - Season 3 - Episode 3

Brenda and Donna have difficulty adjusting to life in France. Donna constantly complains about missing David, and Brenda soon begins to long for Dylan. They accidentally order brains at a restaurant, and Donna later spends an entire party eating pastries because she can't carry on a conversation in French. Andrea's boyfriend invites her to join him at the Republican Convention in Houston, where he is working for CNN. Brandon becomes jealous and kisses Andrea in an attempt to dissuade her from leaving. An outraged Andrea observes that Brandon is only interested in her because she has a boyfriend. Andrea decides to skip the convention because she is enjoying her work at the camp--especially with Cameron, a deaf boy whom she helped bring out of his shell. Jack goes up for parole, and asks Dylan to write a letter on his behalf. He reluctantly does this, but Jack's parole request is denied. Dylan and Kelly begin to flirt rather obviously.

Letters to Mabel
star
7.41
138 votes

#9 - Letters to Mabel

Mad About You - Season 6 - Episode 2

Jamie kicks off a letter-writing spree by penning one to her infant daughter to be read on her 18th birthday. Ira and Joan join in on the fun, while Paul goes through draft after draft.

Thirty Kilo Man (2)
star
7.15
33 votes

#10 - Thirty Kilo Man (2)

Ellen - Season 2 - Episode 24

Ellen's relationship with Dan heats up, Adam caves in to Audrey's burning desire, and Paige feels left out in the cold.

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The New Friend
star
7.02
83 votes

#11 - The New Friend

Mad About You - Season 6 - Episode 8

Paul and Jamie meet a new neighbor, Sarah, a divorced mother of three who manages to teach Jamie a more casual style of parenting. Also, Paul and Jamie conspire to set up Sarah on a blind date with Ira.

Don't Tell
star
7.00
1 votes

#12 - Don't Tell

Suddenly Susan - Season 3 - Episode 3

In a desperate attempt to keep her romance with Jack a secret from the office grapevine, Susan tells bloodhound Vicki that she's dating her dentist, Mort Gerken -- only to have Vicki decide that Mort is cheating on Susan. Meanwhile, Todd challenges Maddy to an IQ test, staking his prime-parking place in the office garage on the outcome; and Luis celebrates his fifth anniversary at the Gate.

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The Apartment Hunt
star
7.00
1 votes

#13 - The Apartment Hunt

Suddenly Susan - Season 3 - Episode 10

As Susan and Jack search for an apartment together, Susan wonders if Jack is really interested in living with her. His blood pressure rises whenever the subject is discussed, and he finds something to dislike in 22 consecutive places that Susan loves. Finally, when Susan makes an appointment with a handsome real-estate agent to look at the most fabulous apartment of all, Jack does not come at all. To her surprise and embarrassment, an upset Susan finds herself kissing the agent. Later, when Susan confronts Jack about his attitude and confesses what she did, Jack becomes furious. Meanwhile, Todd and Vicki vie for the favor of Mrs. Fong, the landlady of Susan's current apartment. Each wanting the choice apartment when Susan moves out, they competitively do errands and pamper Mrs. Fong. Also, Maddy reluctantly asks Luis to take her photograph as a present for her mother, but Luis must make extreme efforts to get Maddy to smile for the camera.

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So Funny
star
6.57
7 votes

#14 - So Funny

Ellen - Season 2 - Episode 6

Ellen feels threatened by Adam's visiting friend, Theresa, whose humor rivals her own. But when Ellen sees her own jealousy drive her comic competitor away, she literally flies to make amends.

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The New Gate
star
5.00
1 votes

#15 - The New Gate

Suddenly Susan - Season 4 - Episode 1

Susan and co-workers Vicki and Luis find their work life disrupted by their new boss, Ian Maxtone-Graham, who buys The Gate and transforms it into an upscale men's magazine. He brings with him his fiercely loyal executive assistant, Miranda Charles, and hires star sportswriter Nate Neborsky, who immediately annoys Susan with his belittling attitude. However, she is amply distracted by the arrival of charming and highly prized celebrity photographer Oliver Brown. Ian fawns over Oliver to convince him to work free-lance for the magazine. Investigative reporter Maddy quits after Ian insults her talent, and ends her relationship with Luis because his love has made her complacent. When Ian offers Maddy the job of managing editor--which she later rejects--Susan thinks that quitting is the way to get his respect. To protest being assigned to write a salacious article, she quits. Although Nana enjoys Susan's full attention for two weeks, she encourages Susan to find another job rather than wai

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The Billboard
star
0.00
0 votes

#16 - The Billboard

Suddenly Susan - Season 4 - Episode 2

When Oliver suggests taking pictures of the staff to put in their columns, Susan objects because she never looks good in photographs. But Oliver puts Susan at ease and gets a beautiful portrait of her. Ian likes it so much that he makes a huge billboard out of it. Susan is initially mortified, but she soon enjoys the adulation. However, Vicki rejects Susan's new self-centered attitude. While trying to force Vicki to look at the billboard, Susan crashes her car, causing Vicki to need bandages on her face. Meanwhile, Nate tries to secure an interview with baseball great Reggie Jackson. After seeing Susan on the billboard, Reggie demands a date with her in return for the interview. Nate tricks Susan into meeting him and Reggie for dinner. Susan learns the truth and is outraged. When Vicki interrupts the meal, she and Susan bicker so much that Nate does not get any good quotes from Reggie for the magazine article. Later, Susan writes a column about how men cannot view women as both sexy an

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