8.7/10124 votesLoading...#1 - A Christmas Story
Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 12/17/1986
Larry and Balki are snowed in Chicago on Christmas Eve which means they can't go to Madison to see Larry's family. So Larry is miserable until Balki spreads some Christmas cheer his way.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.5/1091 votesLoading...#2 - Pipe Dreams
Season 3 Episode 17 - Aired 2/10/1988
Jennifer asks Larry if he can call a plumber for her to fix her shower head while she's away. Larry decides that to impress her he'll fix it himself and as Larry and Balki try and put everything together, things go extremely wrong and they end up flooding Jennifer and Mary Anne's bathroom.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.4/10128 votesLoading...#3 - Hunks Like Us
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 9/24/1986
Larry decides to join a health club after having the hots for a member named Jennifer. But he thinks she's only interested in jocks and pretends to be one. Balki goes with him and picks up a woman right away who happens to be Jennifer's best friend Mary Anne.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.4/1083 votesLoading...#4 - Karate Kids
Season 3 Episode 8 - Aired 11/11/1987
While at a happy hour restaurant, Larry and Balki get beaten up at a bar by a bully who hit on Jennifer. So they decide to take karate and after several weeks of fine training, Larry insists on returning to the bar to pick a fight with the bully.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.4/1084 votesLoading...#5 - The Pen Pal
Season 3 Episode 15 - Aired 1/27/1988
Vince Lucas the racketeer that Larry and Balki testified against has been paroled and Balki invites him into their apartment after writing to him ever since he went to prison. Even though he threatened them, Balki trusts him but Larry's too scared.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.4/1077 votesLoading...#6 - The Gift of the Mypiot
Season 4 Episode 9 - Aired 12/16/1988
On Christmas Eve, Larry and Balki throw a Christmas party at their apartment for all their friends. But when Balki realizes that Mr. Gorpley is lonely, he invites him who causes alot of trouble with snide attitude and everyone wants to throw him out. But Balki insists on spreading a little Christmas cheer his way too.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.4/1068 votesLoading...#7 - Seven Card Studs
Season 4 Episode 20 - Aired 4/14/1989
Balki loses $100 at Mr. Gorpley's poker game so Larry insists on playing at his next game to win back Balki's money and then some. Larry tells Balki that he is a great poker player but he loses every hand to Mr. Gorpley.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.3/1082 votesLoading...#8 - The Horn Blows at Midnight
Season 3 Episode 7 - Aired 11/4/1987
When a famous psychic visits the Chronicle, She goes into a trance and predicts that a bog storm will come and Larry will die at midnight after sitting on a sheep and eating a golden ring. Larry thinks that it is just superstition until a storm comes out of nowhere.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.3/1075 votesLoading...#9 - My Brother, Myself
Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 3/18/1988
Larry's successful brother Billy (Ted McGinley) comes down for a visit, and Larry is upset because he brags about his success. So he tricks Balki into lying to Billy to make him think Larry is more successful.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.3/1082 votesLoading...#10 - The King and I
Season 4 Episode 16 - Aired 2/24/1989
Larry and Balki throw a '50's party and invite their friends. Lydia brings her date Lamont who is a hypnotist. After demonstrating hypnosis, he accidentally hypnotizes Balki into thinking he's Elvis which carries on through their tax audit the next day.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.3/1063 votesLoading...#11 - Digging Up the News
Season 5 Episode 24 - Aired 4/27/1990
Larry is assigned to interview Uncle Shaggy, a kid's show host and when he gets Balki to take a picture of him without his costume, the get Uncle Shaggy fired after someone discovered that he has a criminal record for something he did along time ago. But Larry swears he will make it up to him.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: Barry O'Brien
8.3/1065 votesLoading...#12 - Speak Memory
Season 6 Episode 17 - Aired 2/8/1991
Jennifer's mother comes to town and wants to meet Larry, and Jennifer doesn't think that her mother will approve of her marrying him. Later on, Larry falls down the stairs at the Chronicle and gets amnesia which last during the dinner where Larry meets Mrs. Lyons.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/10113 votesLoading...#13 - Happy Birthday, Baby
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 4/29/1986
Larry is miserable on his 24th birthday after he blew a photo opportunity. So Balki tries to throw him a last minute surprise birthday party for him to cheer him up.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.2/1086 votesLoading...#14 - Tux for Two
Season 2 Episode 16 - Aired 2/4/1987
Larry has been invited to a formal party for a photographer he idolizes but Balki's honest opinions embarrass Larry.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.2/1092 votesLoading...#15 - Snow Way to Treat a Lady (1)
Season 2 Episode 18 - Aired 2/18/1987
Jennifer and Mary Anne are going skiing and invite Larry and Balki. Larry thinks he can impress Jennifer by being an expert skier without much luck. So he decides to fake an injury to get sympathy from Jennifer.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/1086 votesLoading...#16 - Up on a Roof
Season 2 Episode 20 - Aired 2/27/1987
Larry enters a photo contest and has the idea of a perfect picture. But to take it, he and Balki have to go up on a roof and shoot it before a storm comes in.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/1075 votesLoading...#17 - Better Shop Around
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 10/21/1987
While grocery shopping, Balki wins a shopping spree to happen the next day and he thinks it would be fun. But Lary makes a plan to get certain things to sell for an air conditioner which takes all the fun out of it.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: Bob Keyes
8.2/1076 votesLoading...#18 - Couch Potato
Season 3 Episode 11 - Aired 12/2/1987
When Larry and Balki get cable TV, Balki becomes glued to the TV and won't stop watching it to the point where he forgets about his job, sleep, and never goes out anymore. So Larry must make an important decision of getting rid of the cable.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.2/1073 votesLoading...#19 - My Lips Are Sealed
Season 3 Episode 14 - Aired 1/13/1988
After Mr. Gorpley gets information out of Balki about what's in the mail, Larry tells him that it's against the rules for him to give away what's in the mail. But in order to buy his dream car, he needs to know about his raise that was processed in the mail.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.2/1086 votesLoading...#20 - Just Desserts
Season 3 Episode 16 - Aired 2/3/1988
After Balki serves Larry, Jennifer, and Mary Anne some ""bibi-bobkas"" (Mypoian cream puffs), Larry suggests selling them but baking them cannot be rushed.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.2/1069 votesLoading...#21 - Blind Alley
Season 4 Episode 15 - Aired 2/17/1989
Larry's bowling team is one game away from winning the trophy that Mr. Gorpley has been waving in Larry's face for the last year. But Calvin, the star player has been sent out of town by his boss - Mr. Gorpley of course. Balki tries bowling for the first time and had an excellent score so he becomes the substitute, but his trip to the ophthalmologist before the tournament may make playing difficult.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.1/10117 votesLoading...#22 - Baby, You Can Drive My Car
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 4/15/1986
Balki wants to get his driver's license but Mr. Twinkacetti doesn't think he can do it. But Larry is so confident that he can, that he bets $50 and offers Balki his car.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/10101 votesLoading...#23 - Babes in Babylon
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 10/29/1986
Larry and Balki win a trip to Las Vegas. When they get there, Larry plans out what to do for their entire trip to prevent Balki from going to the casinos and becoming a compulsive gambler. Balki eventually talks him into it and after Balki has a string of good luck playing roulette, Larry starts playing and won't stop.
Director: Joel Zwick
Writer: N/A
8.1/1091 votesLoading...#24 - Snow Way to Treat a Lady (2)
Season 2 Episode 19 - Aired 2/25/1987
The quartet are trapped in a cabin buried alive by an avalanche and they try to dig a tunnel to the outside world.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
8.1/1080 votesLoading...#25 - Weigh to Go Buddy
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 9/29/1987
When Larry discovers that he has gained 7 pounds, He goes on a diet that won't work. So Balki gives him a Mypos diet but Larry has trouble following it and Balki won't let him quit.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Perfect Strangers
Every episode of Perfect Strangers ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Perfect Strangers!
The chronicles of the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean Europe, Balki Bartokomous.
Genre:Comedy
Network:ABC
Best Episodes Summary
"A Christmas Story" is the best rated episode of "Perfect Strangers". It scored 8.7/10 based on 124 votes. Directed by Joel Zwick and written by N/A, it aired on 12/17/1986. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "Pipe Dreams".