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The Best Episodes of Empty Nest

Every episode of Empty Nest ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Empty Nest!

The Best 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...

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  1. 9.0/10(132 votes)

    #1 - A Life in the Day

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    S1:E22

    Harry sees five patients: a week-old baby, a five-year-old whose father denies the boy's onset diabetes; a seven-year-old curious about sex; an eleven-year-old having the cast removed from his arm; a belligerent 14-year-old who uses drugs; and an 18-year-old picking up his medical records before going away to college. The end of the episode reveals that all of these have been the same patient at different ages.

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    Director:N/A
  2. 8.7/10(108 votes)

    #2 - Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

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    S3:E18

    Harry dates a 28 year old, which upsets Carol, Barbara, and the girl's parents. Laverne shapes up a nurse trainee.

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  3. 8.7/10(99 votes)

    #3 - Ex-appeal

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    S4:E14

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

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    Writer:N/A
  4. 8.6/10(97 votes)

    #4 - The Great Escape

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    S4:E15

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

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  5. 8.5/10(111 votes)

    #5 - Cyrano de Weston

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    S1:E20

    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.

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    Director:N/A
  6. 8.5/10(107 votes)

    #6 - On the Interpretation of Dreams

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    S2:E3

    His recurring dream (which includes running from a tiger, a pink kimono, and Ed McMahon) keeps Harry and the girls up all night, trying to decipher it's meaning. They end up at an all-night diner where they run into Laverne.

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    Writer:N/A
  7. Trending NowTRENDING NOW

    The 20 WORST Episodes of Empty Nest

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  8. 8.5/10(106 votes)

    #7 - It Happened Two Nights, Four Costume Changes

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    S2:E18

    Laverne is told that Nick is having an affair so she tells him she is dating Harry. When she finds out she was misinformed, Nick refuses to believe that she made up the story about her affair. Meanwhile, Carol and Barbara disagree on how to get rid of a mouse in the house.

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    Writer:N/A
  9. 8.4/10(124 votes)

    #8 - Barbara Gets Shot

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    S1:E3

    Harry tries to get Barbara to give up her police career after she is shot.

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    Director:N/A
    Writer:Don Reo
  10. 8.4/10(118 votes)

    #9 - Dumped

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    S1:E17

    Barbara falls in love with neighbor, Dorothy's nephew, but is surprisingly not phased when he dumps her. Dorothy and Harry have an argument when Dorothy blames Barbara for the breakup.

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    Director:N/A
  11. 8.4/10(114 votes)

    #10 - You Are 16 Going on 17 and I'm Not

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    S2:E7

    Carol objects when Harry asks her to tutor a boy she used to baby-sit, until she sees how handsome he has become. Carol feels guilty after the two end up sleeping together. Laverne misses best friend, Lurlene's birthday party because of a double work load at the office.

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  12. 8.4/10(104 votes)

    #11 - Did You Ever See a Dream Dying?

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    S2:E23

    Harry helps Nick buy a bar. The Westons take in a lost dog and then blame Dreyfuss for all the damage it does.

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    Writer:N/A
  13. 8.3/10(108 votes)

    #12 - Green Eggs and Harry

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    S2:E9

    Harry enlists the help of Carol when he is asked to write a children's book, but he soon finds out that Barbara has better ideas. Charley is smitten with another juror during jury duty.

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  14. 8.2/10(110 votes)

    #13 - Blame It on the Moon

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    S1:E16

    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.

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    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  15. 8.2/10(106 votes)

    #14 - Rambo of Neiman Marcus

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    S2:E6

    Carol and Barbara are witnesses to a mall robbery and surprisingly it's Carol who nabs the thief, not police officer, Barbara. Neighbor Rose hits Harry's car and offers to pay for the damages.

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  16. 8.2/10(111 votes)

    #15 - The R.N. Who Came to Dinner

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    S2:E8

    Laverne moves in with the Westons after a fight with Nick and proceeds to take control of the house. A young patient who can't get a date for a school dance asks Harry to take her.

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    Writer:N/A
  17. 8.2/10(105 votes)

    #16 - Love is Blind

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    S2:E19

    Carol dates a blind man and focuses only on his disability, ignoring the fact that he is rude and obnoxious. Jeffrey Millstein is nervous about a chess tournament.

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  18. 8.2/10(106 votes)

    #17 - Lessons

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    S2:E21

    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.

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  19. 8.2/10(106 votes)

    #18 - There's No Accounting

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    S3:E3

    Carol is drawn to Barbara's sensitive, intelligent new boyfriend and can't figure out why he would be interested in Barbara. Harry is bored by his new girlfriend, a lady who seems perfect for him. Laverne grows attached to a dog that Nick brings home.

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    Writer:N/A
  20. 8.2/10(103 votes)

    #19 - Barbara the Mom

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    S3:E4

    Barbara fears she has no motherly instincts when babysitting her boyfriend's young kids. Carol volunteers at the zoo and finds that the pandas only mate when she is around. Harry is reluctant to let Laverne give him a flu shot. Charley attempts to write his autobiography.

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    Writer:N/A
  21. 8.2/10(103 votes)

    #20 - A Family Affair

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    S3:E9

    Harry suspects that Barbara's new boyfriend is married, and when he voices his concerns Barbara gets mad. Worried that Dreyfuss is getting too fat, the Westons put him on a diet, but then end up secretly giving him junk food.

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  22. 8.2/10(102 votes)

    #21 - Sucking Up is Hard to Do

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    S3:E14

    Carol advises Barbara on how to suck up to get a job promotion. Laverne plays matchmaker for Harry.

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    Writer:N/A
  23. 8.1/10(116 votes)

    #22 - Harry's Vacation

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    S1:E6

    Harry thinks he has become a burden on Carol and Barbara when they send him away on a vacation, despite his objections.

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    Director:N/A
  24. 8.1/10(112 votes)

    #23 - Libby's Gift

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    S1:E10

    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.

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    Director:N/A
  25. 8.1/10(110 votes)

    #24 - The First Time, Again

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    S1:E11

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

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    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A
  26. 8.1/10(113 votes)

    #25 - Strange Bedfellows

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    S1:E14

    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.

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    Director:N/A
    Writer:N/A

Best Episodes Summary

"A Life in the Day" is the best rated episode of "Empty Nest". It scored 9/10 based on 132 votes. Directed by N/A and written by Rob LaZebnik, David Sacks, it aired on 4/1/1989. This episode scored 0.3 points higher than the second highest rated, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?".