Show cover for Moonlighting

The Best Episodes of Moonlighting Season 3

Every episode of Moonlighting Season 3 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Moonlighting Season 3!

After being duped and going bankrupt, model Maddie is convinced by David to become a partner in a detective agency. Together they solve various cases, while getting comfortable with each other.

Genres:ComedyDramaMysteryCrime
Network:ABC

Season 3 Ratings Summary

The best episode of "Moonlighting" season 3 is "The Son Also Rises", rated 7.3/10 from 222 user votes. It was directed by Allan Arkush and written by Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno. "The Son Also Rises" aired on 9/23/1986 and is rated 0.0 point(s) higher than the second highest rated, "The Man Who Cried Wife".

  • The Son Also Rises
    7.3/10 222 votes

    #1 - The Son Also Rises

    Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 9/23/1986

    David's estranged father makes a surprise visit to announce his upcoming wedding and to introduce his bride-to-be, who comes as a shock to David.

    Director: Allan Arkush

    Writer: Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno

  • The Man Who Cried Wife
    7.3/10 215 votes

    #2 - The Man Who Cried Wife

    Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 9/30/1986

    A man hires Dave and Maddie to find his wife, who's been making mysterious late night phone calls to him, the same wife he's sure he killed and buried in the forest.

    Director: Christian I. Nyby II

    Writer: N/A

  • Symphony in Knocked Flat
    7.4/10 219 votes

    #3 - Symphony in Knocked Flat

    Season 3 Episode 3 - Aired 10/14/1986

    Dave and Maddie agree to each arrange what they consider to be an ideal evening for the other, but the concert tickets Dave buys from a scalper get them into nothing but trouble.

    Director: Paul Lynch

    Writer: Dale Gelineau, Pauline Miller

  • Yours, Very Deadly
    7.2/10 199 votes

    #4 - Yours, Very Deadly

    Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/28/1986

    Dave and Maddie are hired by a married woman to find the man she has been sharing a torrid romantic correspondence with and make sure he understands the arrangement is over.

    Director: Christian I. Nyby II

    Writer: Roger Director

  • All Creatures Great and ... Not So Great
    7.2/10 203 votes

    #5 - All Creatures Great and ... Not So Great

    Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 11/11/1986

    A priest asks Dave and Maddie to find a woman he's become infatuated with during confession and whose latest revelation was her intention to kill herself.

    Director: Christian I. Nyby II

    Writer: Charles H. Eglee, Eric Blakeney

  • Big Man on Mulberry Street
    7.8/10 284 votes

    #6 - Big Man on Mulberry Street

    Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/18/1986

    Maddie becomes consumed with curiosity when David announces he must fly back to New York to attend the funeral of his former wife's brother.

    Director: Christian I. Nyby II, Stanley Donen

    Writer: Karen Hall

  • Atomic Shakespeare
    8.3/10 419 votes

    #7 - Atomic Shakespeare

    Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 11/25/1986

    A boy hoping to watch Moonlighting but forced to study Shakespeare instead daydreams about the cast performing their own version of The Taming of the Shrew complete with Petruchio Dave and Kate Maddie.

    Director: Will Mackenzie

    Writer: Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno

  • It's a Wonderful Job
    7.6/10 229 votes

    #8 - It's a Wonderful Job

    Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 12/16/1986

    A depressed Maddie gets a chance to see what her life and the rest of Blue Moon staff would be like if she had sold the agency as she originally intended.

    Director: Edwin Sherin

    Writer: Debra Frank, Carl Sautter

  • The Straight Poop
    6.4/10 197 votes

    #9 - The Straight Poop

    Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 1/6/1987

    Rona Barrett investigates the rumors about discord among the principals at the Blue Moon Detective agency.

    Director: Jay Daniel

    Writer: Glenn Gordon Caron

  • Poltergeist III—Dipesto Nothing
    6.7/10 189 votes

    #10 - Poltergeist III—Dipesto Nothing

    Season 3 Episode 10 - Aired 1/13/1987

    Ms. Dipesto tries to solve a haunted house case refused by Dave and Maddie to show Bert Viola that she's just as good a detective as he is.

    Director: Christopher Hibler

    Writer: Karen Hall, Charles H. Eglee

  • Blonde on Blonde (1)
    7.5/10 231 votes

    #11 - Blonde on Blonde (1)

    Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 2/3/1987

    Maddie's strange mood has David worried so he spends the evening following her, but ends up involved in a murder.

    Director: Jay Daniel

    Writer: Kerry Ehrin

  • Sam & Dave (2)
    7.3/10 211 votes

    #12 - Sam & Dave (2)

    Season 3 Episode 12 - Aired 2/10/1987

    Dave and Maddie quarrel over Sam as they keep watch on a man for his mistress, who's convinced he's two-timing her-with his wife.

    Director: Sam Weisman

    Writer: Charles H. Eglee, Roger Director

  • Maddie's Turn to Cry (3)
    7.6/10 208 votes

    #13 - Maddie's Turn to Cry (3)

    Season 3 Episode 13 - Aired 3/3/1987

    Maddie feels more and more confused about Sam and Dave after an all-night stakeout with Dave ends in an early morning proposal from Sam.

    Director: Allan Arkush

    Writer: Ron Osborn, Jeff Reno, Roger Director

  • I Am Curious... Maddie (4)
    7.9/10 239 votes

    #14 - I Am Curious... Maddie (4)

    Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 3/31/1987

    Sam confronts Dave about Maddie, and tells him he's not good enough for her.

    Director: Allan Arkush

    Writer: Glenn Gordon Caron, Jeff Reno

  • To Heiress Human
    7.3/10 181 votes

    #15 - To Heiress Human

    Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 5/5/1987

    Maddie tries to ignore the previous night as she and David tackle a new case: a woman wants evidence that her fiance loves her and not her father's money.

    Director: Sam Weisman

    Writer: Kerry Ehrin