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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".

  • A Christmas Story
    8.7/10124 votes
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    #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

  • Pipe Dreams
    8.5/1091 votes
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    #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

  • Hunks Like Us
    8.4/10126 votes
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    #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

  • Karate Kids
    8.4/1083 votes
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    #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

  • The Pen Pal
    8.4/1084 votes
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    #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

  • The Gift of the Mypiot
    8.4/1077 votes
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    #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

  • Seven Card Studs
    8.4/1068 votes
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    #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

  • The Horn Blows at Midnight
    8.3/1082 votes
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    #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

  • My Brother, Myself
    8.3/1075 votes
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    #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

  • Speak Memory
    8.3/1064 votes
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    #10 - 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

  • Happy Birthday, Baby
    8.2/10112 votes
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    #11 - 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

  • Tux for Two
    8.2/1086 votes
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    #12 - 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

  • Snow Way to Treat a Lady (1)
    8.2/1092 votes
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    #13 - 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

  • Up on a Roof
    8.2/1086 votes
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    #14 - 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

  • Better Shop Around
    8.2/1075 votes
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    #15 - 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

  • Couch Potato
    8.2/1076 votes
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    #16 - 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

  • My Lips Are Sealed
    8.2/1073 votes
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    #17 - 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

  • Just Desserts
    8.2/1086 votes
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    #18 - 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

  • Blind Alley
    8.2/1069 votes
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    #19 - 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

  • The King and I
    8.2/1081 votes
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    #20 - 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

  • Digging Up the News
    8.2/1062 votes
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    #21 - 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

  • Baby, You Can Drive My Car
    8.1/10116 votes
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    #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

  • Babes in Babylon
    8.1/10100 votes
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    #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

  • Snow Way to Treat a Lady (2)
    8.1/1091 votes
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    #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

  • Weigh to Go Buddy
    8.1/1080 votes
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    #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