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The Worst Episodes of Empty Nest

Every episode of Empty Nest ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Empty Nest!

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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,

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 16 - Under the Gun
    7.1/10(112 votes)

    #1 - Under the Gun

    S6:E16

    Harry gets shot when a young boy brings a gun to the clinic. Carol has a date with a famous anthropologist, who opts instead to go party with Charley.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Empty Nest Season 7 Episode 2 - Mrs. Clinton Comes to Town
    7.1/10(110 votes)

    #2 - Mrs. Clinton Comes to Town

    S7:E2

    Reporter Carol tries her best to meet Hillary Clinton, who is visiting the clinic, but only ends up getting thrown in jail along with Laverne and Charley.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 12 - Read All About It
    7.2/10(106 votes)

    #3 - Read All About It

    S6:E12

    When Maxine has a dental emergency, Harry steps in and gives an interview in her place, but the journalist makes the article sound as though Harry deserves all the credit for the clinic's success. Meanwhile, Charley falls for Dreyfuss' vet.

    Director:Dinah Manoff
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 23 - A Foreign Affair
    7.2/10(103 votes)

    #4 - A Foreign Affair

    S6:E23

    Maxine's boyfriend, an African cultural attache, proposes marriage. Sophia and Charley get Carol (who meanwhile has started to play the guitar again) hooked on the dog races.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Empty Nest Season 3 Episode 6 - Mad About the Boy
    7.3/10(108 votes)

    #5 - Mad About the Boy

    S3:E6

    After being dumped yet again, Carol flips out and falls in love with the first man she can find: an oddball who passes out cheese samples at the mall. Laverne decides to spice up Harry's biography for a hospital newsletter.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Empty Nest Season 4 Episode 22 - Good Neighbor Harry
    7.3/10(104 votes)

    #6 - Good Neighbor Harry

    S4:E22

    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.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 10 - The Girl Who Cried Baby
    7.3/10(107 votes)

    #7 - The Girl Who Cried Baby

    S6:E10

    Maxine and Harry compete to sell opera tickets. After a series of false alarms, Carol gives birth to son Scotty while at the opera.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Susan Beavers

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  8. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 11 - Superbaby
    7.3/10(109 votes)

    #8 - Superbaby

    S6:E11

    When the baby starts ""singing Beethoven,"" Carol fears the hospital has given her the wrong child.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 15 - Gesundheit
    7.3/10(109 votes)

    #9 - Gesundheit

    S6:E15

    When the baby can't stop sneezing, Carol hires Studs With Suds to clean the house from top to bottom, and Sophia charges her friends to come and see them in action. But when they think it may be Dreyfuss causing the allergy, Harry takes him to stay with Charley, who doesn't want to give him back. Meanwhile, strange noises from upstairs make Laverne think the clinic is haunted by the ghosts of men who were murdered there years before.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Dennis Snee

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  10. Empty Nest Season 7 Episode 24 - Life Goes On (2)
    7.3/10(104 votes)

    #10 - Life Goes On (2)

    S7:E24

    With the gang fretting over Laverne's elopement, Kevin comes to see Carol and the two decide to get married with Laverne's father performing the ceremony. Laverne and Matt return unhitched and the ceremony becomes a double wedding. Barbara returns home to pack her things, but Harry has second thoughts about moving...until he is confronted by his dead wife Libby's ghost.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Dennis Snee

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  11. Empty Nest Season 4 Episode 16 - The Mismatchmaker
    7.4/10(102 votes)

    #11 - The Mismatchmaker

    S4:E16

    Harry tries to reconcile a friend and his wife. Barbara hires Carol to cater a police party.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 7 - Mother Dearest
    7.4/10(109 votes)

    #12 - Mother Dearest

    S6:E7

    Maxine's mother visits and drives her crazy, but then finds out she may have glaucoma. Charley finds out the sex of Carol's baby, something she didn't want to know. Harry and Casey MacAfee try to make a date.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 19 - Hog Heaven
    7.4/10(104 votes)

    #13 - Hog Heaven

    S6:E19

    Laverne's old biker boyfriend returns and the two rekindle their romance, which annoys Harry, who doesn't think the guy is good enough for her. Carol makes a memory video for baby Scotty.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Bob Tischler

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  14. Empty Nest Season 3 Episode 7 - Honey, I Shrunk Laverne
    7.5/10(110 votes)

    #14 - Honey, I Shrunk Laverne

    S3:E7

    Laverne quits when Harry complains that she is making too many office decisions without him. Carol talks Barbara into letting her join her poker game.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Empty Nest Season 3 Episode 24 - The Way We Are
    7.5/10(106 votes)

    #15 - The Way We Are

    S3:E24

    Harry looks forward to a visit from a childhood sweetheart, until a childhood rival also resurfaces. Charley wonders what FICA is when the company starts taking part of his paycheck.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Empty Nest Season 4 Episode 2 - Almost Like Being in Love
    7.5/10(108 votes)

    #16 - Almost Like Being in Love

    S4:E2

    Harry's lust for his girlfriend sparks marital thoughts.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Empty Nest Season 5 Episode 6 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment
    7.5/10(104 votes)

    #17 - Cruel and Unusual Punishment

    S5:E6

    After finding a man guilty during jury duty, Carol tires to clear her conscience by hiring a former criminal to work at her catering business.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Empty Nest Season 5 Episode 9 - Timing is Everything
    7.5/10(103 votes)

    #18 - Timing is Everything

    S5:E9

    Harry attempts to start a relationship with an old friend. Carol tries to assemble exercise equipment she bought for Patrick, and when she can't do it she reluctantly calls on Charley for help.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Cheryl Holliday

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  19. Empty Nest Season 5 Episode 12 - Overboard
    7.5/10(104 votes)

    #19 - Overboard

    S5:E12

    A storm strands cruise passenger Charley adrift in a raft and he returns a different man. Carol and Patrick have a chance to work together, but she becomes jealous when he gets the job and she doesn't.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Empty Nest Season 5 Episode 20 - Love and Marriage
    7.5/10(107 votes)

    #20 - Love and Marriage

    S5:E20

    Carol is upset when cousin Little Carol visits and announces her wedding plans. Charley is sentenced to community service at the hospital and gets some helpful tips from Jack Trenton.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 6 - Diary of a Mad Housewife
    7.5/10(106 votes)

    #21 - Diary of a Mad Housewife

    S6:E6

    Carol reads her mother's old diary and thinks she wasn't wanted. Maxine is annoyed by a mime and a hypochondriac at the clinic.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Bob Tischler

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  22. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 9 - Das Boob
    7.5/10(106 votes)

    #22 - Das Boob

    S6:E9

    Harry and Charley get stranded at sea. Maxine tries to overcome her fear of public speaking.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Dennis Snee

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  23. Empty Nest Season 6 Episode 22 - The Devil and Dr. Weston
    7.5/10(106 votes)

    #23 - The Devil and Dr. Weston

    S6:E22

    A wealthy philanthropist eyes Harry. Carol tries to help shy Doris (who once volunteered at the clinic but now sales roll-on moose door-to-door) come out of her shell.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Kari Lizer

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  24. Empty Nest Season 7 Episode 10 - Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Pain
    7.5/10(106 votes)

    #24 - Partly Cloudy With a Chance of Pain

    S7:E10

    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.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Empty Nest Season 4 Episode 19 - Sayonara
    7.6/10(105 votes)

    #25 - Sayonara

    S4:E19

    Nick leaves Laverne for a woman in Japan. Barbara goes undercover at a college sorority to catch a computer hacker.

    Director:Steve Zuckerman
    Writer:Rob LaZebnik

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Under the Gun" is the worst rated episode of "Empty Nest". It scored 7.1/10 based on 112 votes. Directed by Steve Zuckerman and written by Unknown, it aired on 1/29/1994. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Mrs. Clinton Comes to Town".