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The Worst Episodes of thirtysomething

Every episode of thirtysomething ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of thirtysomething!

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thirtysomething is an American television drama about a group of baby boomers in their late thirties.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 1 - Pilot
    8.3/10(86 votes)

    S1:E1

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

    Director:Marshall Herskovitz
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  2. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 6 - We Gather Together
    8.4/10(59 votes)

    S1:E6

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

    Director:Mark Cullingham
    Writer:Edward Zwick

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  3. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 5 - But Not for Me
    8.5/10(63 votes)

    S1:E5

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

    Director:Tom Moore
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. thirtysomething Season 3 Episode 2 - Love and Sex
    8.5/10(61 votes)

    S3:E2

    CAPSULE: While she and Michael are having problems of their own, Hope gets involved in the love life of her teenaged babysitter. Hope and Michael arrive home early while their teenaged babysitter Lauren is there, saying they have some important matters to discuss. What they're really there for is some baby-making, though Mike has a little trouble at first. Lauren seems to admire Hope; she's read her article on the ozone layer. At DAA, Michael and Elliot are nervous about a presentation when Gary, dressed like a playground basketball bum, shows up just in time for Miles to see him. Gary tells the guys he and Susannah won't be marrying. Michael arrives home late. After some arguing about domestic matters, Hope says she can't ""switch gears"" and have sex. After shopping with Melissa and Ellyn, Hope comes back home to find Lauren on the front lawn with her boyfriend Bernard, music blaring, having a picnic. Hope is furious. Lauren profusely apologizes, saying she and Bernard are being kept a

    Director:Marshall Herskovitz
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 10 - South by Southeast
    8.6/10(58 votes)

    S1:E10

    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

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  6. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 2 - The Parents Are Coming, the Parents Are Coming
    8.7/10(66 votes)

    S1:E2

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

    Director:Edward Zwick
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  7. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 15 - Business as Usual
    8.7/10(47 votes)

    S1:E15

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

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Paul Haggis

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  8. thirtysomething Season 2 Episode 12 - Deliverance
    8.7/10(34 votes)

    S2:E12

    CAPSULE: Ellyn, Nancy, Hope and Melissa go on a cathartic camping trip. Melissa gets some camping equipment as a payoff for a photo shoot and the gang makes plans to take a camping trip to the Poconos. But Elliot gets a lead on some work, forcing Michael to have to tell Hope, who has been looking forward to the trip for months, that he can't go. Gary opts out of the trip, and Ellyn, despite her ulcer, decides to go. The four women set off in the car for the journey. On the trail to Parker Cave, Ellyn is gung-ho and pushing the group until they get to the cave, then she's afraid to go in. Nancy and Hope remember the scary old tour guide at the cave from their youth. Ellyn says she'll hike around the mountain cave--seven miles!--rather than go through. Hope decides that she and the others shouldn't leave her. They hike until nightfall, then they make a camp. Nancy's ghost story makes Ellyn more nervous. In the tent that night, Hope inadvertently reveals to Nancy that Elliot had an affair

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Ann Lewis Hamilton

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  9. thirtysomething Season 4 Episode 4 - The Distance
    8.7/10(37 votes)

    S4:E4

    CAPSULE: An offer of a new job for Susannah leads to her and Gary taking a bold and unexpected step in their relationship. Ellyn finds out that Jeffrey is going back to his first wife. Early in the morning Richard is getting ready to leave on a business trip, but Ellyn makes him stay for coffee. He seems very distant this morning, but gives her an extra kiss and says ""I love you"" before he leaves. Susannah has received a great job offer from a foundation in New York, but she tells Gary that of course she won't take it in light of their new situation (her pregnancy). At Race St., Susannah finds that a leaky roof's collapse has ruined boxes and boxes of records. The situation there makes her long for the job in New York, and she now tells Gary she's thinking of going to see about it. Ellyn calls Indianapolis to talk to Jeffrey and finds that, unbeknownst to her, he has gone on to Los Angeles. At a gathering at the Steadmans' Gary and Susannah talks separately with Michael and Hope about

    Director:Melanie Mayron
    Writer:Joseph Dougherty

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  10. thirtysomething Season 4 Episode 16 - The Difference Between Men and Women
    8.7/10(35 votes)

    S4:E16

    Bachelor and bachelorette parties for Billy and Ellyn provide the backdrop for a look at the various couples' relationships with each other and their fideliity.

    Director:Timothy Busfield
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 3 - Housewarming
    8.8/10(59 votes)

    S1:E3

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

    Director:John Pasquin
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  12. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 4 - Couples
    8.8/10(53 votes)

    S1:E4

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

    Director:Marshall Herskovitz
    Writers:Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick

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  13. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 7 - Nice Work If You Can Get It
    8.8/10(55 votes)

    S1:E7

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

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writer:Paul Haggis

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  14. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 9 - I'll Be Home for Christmas
    8.8/10(55 votes)

    S1:E9

    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:Unknown

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  15. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 12 - Competition
    8.8/10(42 votes)

    S1:E12

    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

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  16. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 18 - Nancy's First Date
    8.8/10(54 votes)

    S1:E18

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

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. thirtysomething Season 2 Episode 1 - We'll Meet Again
    8.8/10(62 votes)

    S2:E1

    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:Unknown

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  18. thirtysomething Season 2 Episode 6 - Politics
    8.8/10(35 votes)

    S2:E6

    CAPSULE: Michael takes on a client that he, his wife and his friends find repugnant. Gary and Susannah's odd relationship continues to grow. At a diner with Hope, Gary, Elliot and Melissa, Michael returns a phone call to Jerry Kravitz, an old friend of his and Gary's from their college days at Penn. He wants the Michael & Elliot company to do some media work a Senate candidate he represents, Diana McKay. Mike has the first of several flashbacks seen throughout the show of himself, Gary and Jerry involved in demonstrations and campus politics. Gary goes to the Race St. Project and offers to help Susannah write up their grant application. A little attraction seems to be developing. Gary leans in as if to kiss her, but she pulls away. Michael & Elliot take on the McKay account, but Gary, Susannah and Hope let them know they think McKay is a terrible choice. Hope is not too impressed with Jerry either after a night of reminiscing with him and Michael. Susannah apologizes to Gary for the ""w

    Director:Claudia Weill
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. thirtysomething Season 2 Episode 13 - Michael Writes a Story
    8.8/10(39 votes)

    S2:E13

    Michael takes a creative writing class, as does Nancy. Michael incurs Nancy's wrath when he writes about something he heard about her in confidence from Elliot. Also, Michael and Elliot get new jobs working for Miles Drentell at DAA.

    Director:Tom Moore
    Writer:Joseph Dougherty

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  20. thirtysomething Season 3 Episode 11 - Pulling Away
    8.8/10(40 votes)

    S3:E11

    CAPSULE: Michael is given more responsibility at DAA, causing friction between him and Elliot. Hope also has to take some responsibility with the anti-incinerator campaign. Michael and Eliot are excited: Miles loved their ideas for the Snap Happy/Oh My account and DAA will make a commercial to show to a focus group. In a very public way, Miles upbraids Carl Draconis for shooting down the guys' ideas. The next day, Michael and Elliot are stunned to find that Draconis has ""left"" the company ""to pursue other interests."" Miles tells Michael he will be the creative director on the account, and depending on his performance with it, he could be offered Carl's job as the agency's creative director. Michael inherits Carl's office and his assistant Page, who he and Elliot formerly referred to as the ""dragon lady."" Meanwhile, Hope goes with John Dunaway and Ricky Bianca to see a congressman to enlist his opposition to the incinerator, but they receive no encouragement. Elliot asks Michael if he c

    Director:Rob Cohen
    Writer:Joseph Dougherty

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  21. thirtysomething Season 3 Episode 18 - The Other Shoe
    8.8/10(36 votes)

    S3:E18

    CAPSULE: Nancy finds new support from another cancer patient, but their relationship threatens her closeness with her own family. Nancy has been receiving chemotherapy and as a result has been feeling ill a good bit of the time. The experience, along with the movie Fantastic Voyage, has given Ethan a new idea for another story to do with his mom, one in which a whole planet is sick. At her support group for cancer patients, Victory Partners, Nancy meets a woman named Beatrice Holden and they go out for coffee. Beatrice talks to her about getting a new circle of friends for support. She attends a meeting at Beatrice's place and finds the frank talk and even humor about death a new, liberating experience. As Nancy comes more under the influence of Beatrice, she becomes ""radicalized"" and starts talking about carcinogens and other cancer-related matters endlessly. At dinner with the Steadmans, Melissa wonders out of Nancy's presence why she's so mad. When Nancy puts forth opinions on carci

    Director:Ken Olin
    Writer:Joseph Dougherty

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  22. thirtysomething Season 4 Episode 21 - A Stop at Willoughby
    8.8/10(45 votes)

    S4:E21

    The stress of working at DAA becomes too much for Michael.

    Director:Timothy Busfield
    Writer:Joseph Dougherty

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  23. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 8 - Weaning
    8.9/10(52 votes)

    S1:E8

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

    Director:John Pasquin
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 13 - Separation
    8.9/10(51 votes)

    S1:E13

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

    Director:Peter Horton
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. thirtysomething Season 1 Episode 14 - I'm in Love, I'm in Love, I'm in Love with a Wonderful Gynecologist
    8.9/10(40 votes)

    S1:E14

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

    Director:Scott Winant
    Writer:Ann Lewis Hamilton

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Pilot" is the worst rated episode of "thirtysomething". It scored 8.3/10 based on 86 votes. Directed by Marshall Herskovitz and written by Marshall Herskovitz, Edward Zwick, it aired on 9/29/1987. This episode scored 0.1 points lower than the second lowest rated, "We Gather Together".