6.3/10128 votesLoading...#1 - Empty Nest (1)
Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 2/4/2004
During a rare occasion when Michael and Jay have the house to themselves, they find themselves reminiscing about the fun times they've had with their kids and various friends. Some of these memorable moments include Jay's obsession with her weight and Michael's visit to a proctologist.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.4/10132 votesLoading...#2 - The Funeral
Season 4 Episode 7 - Aired 11/5/2003
The Kyles are willing to support Michael's inconsolable employee, Larry, who can't get over losing his 103-year-old grandmother. But Larry goes overboard when, at the funeral, he asks little Kady to kiss his ""Grammy"" goodbye and for Jay to sing his beloved grandmother's favorite R&B song.
Director: Damon Wayans
Writer: N/A
6.4/10128 votesLoading...#3 - Childcare Class
Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 10/5/2004
Michael fails a child-care course for grandparents, so Vanessa and Jr. refuse to let him baby-sit his grandchild.
Director: Kim Wayans
Writer: N/A
6.5/10162 votesLoading...#4 - Return of the Wall
Season 2 Episode 21 - Aired 3/4/2002
Competitive Janet and easygoing Michael use contrasting methods to coach Kady's soccer team. Michael takes over the coaching of Jay's girls soccer team only to find his opponents are Jay's new team.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.5/10144 votesLoading...#5 - Working Relationship
Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 3/20/2002
Jay badgers Michael into giving her a job, where she soon begins to get ideas above her station. Michael discovers that Janet's personality is not a good fit for his office, and Kady reenacts a memorable scene from `E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'.
Director: James Widdoes
Writer: N/A
6.5/10122 votesLoading...#6 - Empty Nest (2)
Season 4 Episode 21 - Aired 2/11/2004
During a rare occasion when Michael and Jay have the house to themselves, they find themselves reminiscing about the fun times they've had with their kids and various friends. Some of these memorable moments include Jay's obsession with her weight and Michael's visit to a proctologist.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.5/10122 votesLoading...#7 - Sweetheart's Day
Season 5 Episode 14 - Aired 2/8/2005
When Jay insists that Michael buy her a present for ""Sweetheart's Day,"" a reluctant Michael comes up with a scheme to base the price of Jay's gift on her attitude towards him at a particular moment. He shares his plan with Jr., Tony and Franklin, hoping that they will follow the lead, but the only lead is straight to trouble.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.5/10121 votesLoading...#8 - Jr.'s Cartoon
Season 5 Episode 21 - Aired 4/12/2005
When Jr. wins a national competition for his cartoon entitled ""My Wife and Kid"" -- based on himself, Vanessa, the baby and the rest of the Kyle family -- it catches the attention of ABC. Michael becomes Jr.'s agent, but the meeting with the television executives goes badly, crushing Jr.'s dream opportunity, so now Michael has to find a way to rectify the situation. Meanwhile, Claire threatens to break up with Tony unless he can bring some ""umph"" into their relationship.
Director: N/A
Writer: Kim Wayans
6.5/10125 votesLoading...#9 - Michael Sells the Business
Season 5 Episode 24 - Aired 5/10/2005
Michael sells his trucking business to spend more time with Jay and Junior Junior.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.6/10133 votesLoading...#10 - The Big Bang Theory
Season 3 Episode 24 - Aired 5/7/2003
Michael and Jay panic when Claire reveals that she and Tony have decided to have sex. Her parents try by all means to change their minds and stop them, unsuccessfully. When the day and time comes, their find out Claire has sneaked out of the house and panic. Claire and Tony show up a few minutes later, and just when Michael is ready to kill him, Tony reveals that they didn't do anything. Just when they were about to do it, he opened the drawer on the hotel room's nightstand and found a bible, which he took as a sign from God. But he doesn't have to know that every hotel has a bible.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.6/10141 votesLoading...#11 - The Return of Bobby Shaw
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 11/30/2004
Micheal's enemy, Bobby Shaw tricks Jr. into signing a contract making Jr. his slave. When Micheal tries to get him out of the contract,they end up in a dance off.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.6/10126 votesLoading...#12 - Careful What You Wish For
Season 5 Episode 11 - Aired 1/18/2005
When Jay wishes that Michael would give her the kind of romantic attention that she sees newlywed Vanessa getting from Jr., Michael decides to kill Jay with kindness so he can get back to watching TV and ignoring her. Meanwhile, Franklin tells Kady that he thinks he's too short and goes to great lengths to appear otherwise.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/10202 votesLoading...#13 - Thru Thick and Thin
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 10/17/2001
When Jay returns, Michael remains silent about her obvious weight gain. The episode builds to a dream sequence, in which Janet has a nightmare and the entire family is morbidly obese after Michael decides to grow big with her.
Director: James Widdoes
Writer: N/A
6.7/10160 votesLoading...#14 - Failure to Communicate
Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 2/22/2002
A huge argument arises when Michael's mother and father, who have not spoken to each other in years, visit the Kyle household. Note: This episode was originally intended to air in season one, but for unknown reasons, ABC pulled back to season 2 Episode 19. Which is why Jazz Raycole portrays Claire, making this episode her very final appearance in the series.
Director: Leonard R. Garner, Jr.
Writer: Don Reo
6.7/10128 votesLoading...#15 - Jay Goes to School
Season 4 Episode 4 - Aired 10/15/2003
Jay decides to go to college and get her psychology degree, which Michael fully reprehends her for. He doesn't want her to put the household in second because it would jeopardize the entire family and eventually could ruin their marriage. After going to a real psychologist, Michael and Jay come to terms and she agrees to scale back her classes as he decides to let her pursue her dream. Meanwhile, Junior's friends turn his old crib into some sort of vehicle.
Director: Damon Wayans
Writer: Kim Wayans
6.7/10133 votesLoading...#16 - Illegal Smile
Season 4 Episode 18 - Aired 1/21/2004
The day after an anti-wrinkle injection goes awry for Michael and he ends up with an unnatural expression, he has to fight a traffic ticket in court. The judge is angered by his frozen grin and sentences him to a night in jail, where Michael's cell mate, Big Guy, thinks Michael is coming on to him since he keeps smiling at him.
Director: Kim Wayans
Writer: N/A
6.7/10132 votesLoading...#17 - Poker Face
Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 11/9/2004
Michael advises Jr. that it's ok to spend some time away from Vanessa and the baby, but his advice misfires when Jr. invites Jay along to their all-male poker game. Michael decides, in turn, to crash Jay's all-female book club, where they're discussing the latest book by Angeline Boudreaux.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/10128 votesLoading...#18 - The Wedding
Season 5 Episode 10 - Aired 1/11/2005
Jr. and Vanessa announce that they want to get married in two weeks, Vanessa having told Jr. that she wants a small, simple wedding. Michael and Jay offer to help plan it, but instead of something simple and sweet, they plan an elaborate and expensive ceremony that includes dolphins, a castle and 751 guests. Frustrated, Vanessa tells Jr. he needs to regain control of things, forcing him to decide whether he should stand up to Michael.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.7/10132 votesLoading...#19 - The Bahamas (1)
Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 2/22/2005
When the Kyles arrive at the Atlantis, Paradise Island resort in the Bahamas for their family vacation, Michael announces that all he wants to do is get some rest and relaxation-by himself. But no sooner does he settle into his lounge chair for some peace and quiet than his talkative and annoying golf buddy, Jimmy (David Alan Grier), shows up and insists that they spend time together. Michael is relieved to find a way out when Jay invites him to the isolated Magic Island so they can have some romantic fun. As their day winds down and it's time to leave, the boat never shows up to take them back and the couple find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere.
Director: Dean Lorey
Writer: Don Reo
6.7/10129 votesLoading...#20 - Celibacy
Season 5 Episode 20 - Aired 3/29/2005
When Jay tells Michael that their love life will be even better if they are celibate for six months, Michael is willing to abide by her wishes, although reluctantly. Meanwhile, Franklin and Kady plant some seeds in the ground to symbolize their growing love for each other, but the seeds grow into an ingredient for a love potion that Jay uses to spice up her romantic dinner for Michael.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.8/10164 votesLoading...#21 - Samba Story
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/9/2002
Michael and Janet try to spice up their date nights by taking samba lessons, but their instructors arouse jealousy.
Director: N/A
Writer: Kim Wayans
6.8/10147 votesLoading...#22 - Sharon's Picture
Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 4/9/2003
Jay gets mad at Michael after finding a photo of an attractive former girlfriend among his things. Franklin has trouble admitting that his little sister Aretha is an outstanding singer.
Director: Roger E. Mosley
Writer: Kim Wayans
6.8/10138 votesLoading...#23 - From Dummy to Daddy
Season 4 Episode 1 - Aired 9/24/2003
After hearing the shocking news that their son Junior is going to become a father, Michael and Jay freak out. They try to talk with him and help him realize he can't support a family living in their garage and having no job, so Michael offers him a job at his firm. Due to Michael's teasing with the boy, he gets late for his first day and Michael fires him after his second tardiness. But seeing that his son needs all the help he can get, Michael gives him another chance. Meanwhile, Tony feels guilty about having spicy thoughts about Claire and Franklyn is still out for Junior's spot on the Kyle family.
Director: Eric Laneuville
Writer: Don Reo
6.8/10120 votesLoading...#24 - The Lady is Not a Tramp
Season 4 Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/2003
Michael's imagination takes off when he finds a package of condoms in daughter Claire's backpack — the same day her boyfriend, Tony, is returning from a month in the desert. Annoyed that her father is jumping to conclusions, Claire decides to give him a taste of his own unique brand of discipline. Meanwhile Jr. accidentally gives Kady his pet dog's medicine — and Kady pretends to turn into a dog.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.8/10127 votesLoading...#25 - Romantic Night
Season 4 Episode 24 - Aired 3/3/2004
Wanting to spend quiet time together, Michael plans a romantic evening with Jay at an exclusive hotel. Then, when Jr. mistakenly cancels the reservation, Michael tries to create a romantic night at home. But things take a disastrous turn when Michael hurts his head trying to shut off the water valve, Jay handcuffs them to each other – but can't find the key – and a burnt roast almost causes the house to burn down.
Director: Dean Lorey
Writer: Dean Lorey
The Worst Episodes of My Wife and Kids
Every episode of My Wife and Kids ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of My Wife and Kids!
Michael Kyle is a loving husband and modern-day patriarch who rules his household with a unique and distinct parenting style. As he teaches his three...
Genres:ComedyFamilyDrama
Network:ABC
Worst Episodes Summary
"Empty Nest (1)" is the worst rated episode of "My Wife and Kids". It scored 6.3/10 based on 128 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 2/4/2004. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Funeral".