The Worst Episodes of thirtysomething

Hope and Michael Steadman are still adjusting to parenthood while struggling with money problems and best-friend crises.

Director: Marshall Herskovitz

Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz

Hope's anxiety over her parents' impending visit taxes everyone's patience.

Director: Edward Zwick

Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz

Michael and Hope race to renovate their crumbling mansion for a huge housewarming party.

Director: John Pasquin

Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz

A night out with friends degenerates as Nancy and Elliot's marital woes become apparent.

Director: Marshall Herskovitz

Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz

Gary and Melissa rekindle their affair; Michael and Hope's first date in months is a disaster.

Director: Tom Moore

Writer: N/A

Hope and Michael plan a quiet Thanksgiving but learn friends are counting on being invited.

Director: Mark Cullingham

Writer: Edward Zwick

Before a deadline, Michael and Elliot wrestle with a creativity block; Ellyn develops a crush on an associate.

Director: Claudia Weill

Writer: Paul Haggis

Sensing baby Janey's decreasing dependency on her, depressed Hope decides to go back to work.

Director: John Pasquin

Writer: N/A

Michael and Hope argue about whether their infant's first holiday should be Christmas or Hanukkah. A famous photographer shows interest in Melissa's work.

Director: Rob Lieberman

Writer: N/A

It's a Hitchcockian nightmare as Gary falls in love; as the romance progresses, he begins receiving a series of threats against his life.

Director: Dan Lerner

Writer: Paul Haggis

Elliot and Nancy seek professional help for their troubled marriage; Michael finds it hard to keep it a secret.

Director: Marshall Herskovitz

Writer: N/A

Michael's jealousy is aroused when an important client make it clear he prefers Elliot. Meanwhile, Hope and Nancy try to come to terms with computers.

Director: Rob Cohen

Writer: Joseph Dougherty

Elliot temporarily moves in with Michael and Hope after separating from Nancy.

Director: Peter Horton

Writer: N/A

Competing for the attention of the same man jeopardizes the new found friendship between Ellyn and Melissa.

Director: Scott Winant

Writer: Ann Lewis Hamilton

Michael's hopes for a joyous reunion with his father are destroyed when he discovers the real reason for the visit.

Director: Claudia Weill

Writer: Marshall Herskovitz, Paul Haggis

A rocky relationship between Michael and his brother Brad is further strained when Michael learns the family business is almost bankrupt.

Director: Edward Zwick

Writer: N/A

Nancy and Elliot's separation takes its toll on their son; Elliot prepares for a blind date with a chiropractor.

Director: Peter Horton

Writer: N/A

Melissa's burgeoning romance slows when she learns he doesn't want any more kids. Nancy has her first date since the separation.

Director: N/A

Writer: N/A

Michael's old girlfriend from college pays a visit.

Director: Dan Lerner

Writer: Joseph Dougherty

Gary evaluates the fate of his academic career as he undergoes tenure review at the college. Ellyn learns her building is going co-op, leaving her to decide whether to buy her apartment.

Director: N/A

Writer: Ann Lewis Hamilton

Ellyn and Woodman's weekend is ruined when they are forced to babysit Janey.

Director: N/A

Writer: Jerry Stahl

As she and Michael argue about her working and having another child, Hope learns about some previous tenants of their house. Hope is making tentative moves toward returning to work full-time. Michael suggests, though, that there might be some problems in doing that and muses about having a second child. Hope, Melissa and Gary find an old trunk in the Steadman's basement full of letters and photos of previous residents, Sally and Roy McCauley. Hope gets lost in these, imagining the courtship of Sally Spangler and Roy, who goes to the South Pacific during World War II. Later Hope and Nancy find Sally's journal. There are more fantasy flashbacks about Roy and Sally getting married and him leaving for war. Later that night as Hope works in bed, Michael comes in and begins to get amorous. Hope, not wearing her diaphragm, stops him. Ellyn finds Hope at home crying. Hope has just read about Sally getting a telegram saying Roy is missing in action.

Director: Scott Winant

Writer: N/A

Things get complicated between Elliot and Nancy as they moved toward finalizing their divorce. They both try to establish new relationships. Scenes of Elliot and Nancy's courtship are intercut with the present-day divorce preparations. Elliot has to get cash advances on his salary from an unhappy Michael. Nancy, using the last name Krieger, calls editor Jack Bronstein about her book. He's enthusiastic but says he can't recommend it yet--the story's a ""little weak."" Meanwhile Elliot's lawyer Adrian tries to talk business with him at a restaurant, but he's more interested in coming on to her. She declines to go out with him. Nancy is working at an office job, and a younger employee there, Terry O'Neil, seems to like her. Later when she and Jack are at her house working on the book, he kisses her. Nancy tells Melissa she's been carrying around her diaphragm! Later, Nancy has a physical encounter with Terry.

Director: Peter Horton

Writer: N/A

As Christmas and Hanukkah near, Hope suffers a minor injury and an unknown illness. Michael has a crisis of faith and imagines his life as a 1960's TV sitcom. Michael and Hope are negotiating over Christmas/Hanukkah celebrations. Mike starts watching TV and sees himself in an old black & white TV sitcom, with the Westons interrupting his plans to be with Hope. The next day at work, Elliot tells Mike he seems distracted. Michael gets a phone call--Hope has been in an accident with Janey. Rushing to the hospital, he finds Janey unhurt and Hope looking tired with some contusions on her face, but otherwise apparently OK. Mike watches the TV show again, this time with Santa in it. He drives Melissa to the synagogue and she encourages him to come on Friday. Michael returns home with a tree and finds Hope getting ill in the bathroom. He tells her to go to the doctor about the dizzy spells she's been having. Another flash to the TV show: Hope is missing on a wintry night.

Director: Ron Lagomarsino

Writer: Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz

Melissa and Gary consider having a child together. Gary volunteers his time at a social services center, where he is irritated by and attracted to a brusque administrator. Gary and Melissa's relationship seems to be drawing closer as they both have rejection at work in common, along with thoughts of parenthood for themselves now that Hope and Michael are expecting. Gary goes to a private social welfare agency, the Race Street Project, and meets with Susannah Hart there about a mentoring program for a local youth. Susannah is skeptical of Gary's commitment. Gary meets his charge, Curtis Caldwell, a Stanford-bound student who does not want to be in the program. At a wedding, Melissa meets Russell Weller, a painter who has noticed her at the galleries. He invites her to a party. Melissa goes to the party with Russell. When his good mood turns bleak after a phone call, she realizes that he's gay and has just heard about a friend contracting AIDS.

Director: Steven Robman

Writer: N/A