Perfect Strangers Quick Episode Synopses
This is a list of episode with brief synopses for easy reference (they may contain slight spoilers, so be warned!)  For more detailed episode information go to our Episode Guide!

SEASON ONE

01. Knock, Knock... Who's There? - Cultures collide when Larry Appleton meets his Mediterranean cousin from Mypos, Balki Bartokomous, who shows up on Larry's doorstep in the opener looking for a place to stay and a job.

02. Picture This - The cousins aren't speaking after Balki's refusal to do a favor costs Larry a shot at a celebrity photo and, by Larry's reckoning, a career in photojournalism.

03. First Date - Balki asks Larry to teach him how to approach American women but Balki's techniques prove to be more successful - and frustrating to Larry.

04. Baby You Can Drive My Car - Larry is sure Balki can get a driver's license but that confidence doesn't show very well when he promises to teach Balki to drive in his car.

05. Check This - Balki is so thrilled with his new checking account he buys $3000 worth of furniture for the apartment, even though his balance is only $128.

06. Happy Birthday, Baby - Balki plans a big surprise birthday party for Larry who's in no mood to celebrate anything after his first photo sale falls through.

SEASON TWO

07. Hello, Baby - A pregnant woman from Balki's citizenship class needs a place to stay, so Balki offers her Larry's apartment, or more specifically, Larry's bedroom.

08. Hunks Like Us - Larry and Balki join a health club and overdo the exercise trying to impress Jennifer and Mary Anne (the girls' debut episode), which leaves the guys too sore to go out with them.

09. The Unnatural - Larry's dilemma: whether to play Balki in the baseball championship game or the ringer Twinkie hired after Larry promised Balki he could play.

10. Life Savers - Larry soon regrets having saved his cousin's life when Balki, according to Myposian custom, becomes Larry's personal servant - for life.

11. Babes in Babylon - The guys win a trip to Las Vegas but Larry won't let Balki near the casinos for fear he'll develop the family disease - compulsive gambling.

12. Ladies and Germs - On the eve of a once-in-a-lifetime date with the woman of his dreams, Larry is willing to try anything to cure his cold, including one of Balki's Myposian remedies.

13. Falling in Love Is.... - Larry tells Balki that the woman Balki's in love with is using him but Balki thinks his cousin is just jealous.

14. Can I Get a Witness? - A racketeer, who tricked Balki into making illegal deliveries for him, threatens the boys' lives if they testify against him in court.

15. Two Men and a Cradle - Balki and Larry discover that babysitting is no walk in the park when they return from an outing with the wrong baby.

16. The Rent Strike - Balki and Larry organize a rent strike hoping Twinkie will see the light and make repairs but he responds by turning off the electricity.

17. A Christmas Story - Larry is crestfallen when a blizzard closes the airport and strands the guys in Chicago on Christmas Eve.

18. Dog Gone Blues - Balki persuades Larry to keep a stray dog he brought home from the pound.  Now, if they can only keep Twinkacetti the landlord from finding out.

19. Since I Lost My Baby - Balki feels it's only right to help save the Twinkacetti's marriage but Larry isn't so sure, especially when Mr. Twinkacetti moves in with them.

20. Trouble in Paradise - Balki invites stewardess friends over for a casual dinner but Larry balks when Balki insists on serving Myposian fare.

21. Beautiful Dreamer - Larry thinks Balki's insomnia will be cured if they can find out what Balki's nightmare means but Balki refuses to discuss it.

22. Tux for Two - Larry is afraid Balki will embarrass him at a formal photo exhibit opening of a photographer Larry admires.

23. Tenspeed and Soft Touch - Balki and Larry decide to be "big brothers" to a neighbor kid they caught shoplifting and the youngster becomes the prime suspect when Larry finds out his bike is missing.

24. Snow Way to Treat a Lady, Part One - Larry tries to transform himself into an expert skier overnight to impress Jennifer on the gang's ski trip.

25. Snow Way to Treat a Lady, Part Two - Trapped in a ski lodge by an avalanche Larry decides it's time he told Jennifer the truth.

26. Get a Job - Larry and Balki quit their jobs in a huff and take "management trainee" positions at a burger joint to pay the rent.

27. Hello, Elaine - Larry's free-spirited sister drops by on her way to New York where she hopes to fulfill her dream of becoming a musician - which Larry thinks is a pipe dream.

28. Up On a Roof - Larry's found the perfect subject for the paper's photo contest and he needs only to get on a rooftop to shoot it; the building, however, belongs to Twinkacetti and he won't permit it.

29. All the News That Fits - Larry lands a job at a major newspaper which makes him oblivious to the needs of Balki, who seeks more meaningful employment to enhance his life.

30. Weigh to Go, Buddy - Larry diets without shedding a pound until he agrees to go on Balki's Mypos Diet, consisting of fish-eye soup and pig snouts, which does reduce Larry - to a junk food maniac.

31. Sexual Harassment in Chicago - Balki has a lot to learn about American women, especially the worldly Olivia Crawford, editor of the paper's Sunday magazine section, who's pursuing the free-spirited Myposian.

32. Taking Stock - Balki gets a taste of corporate greed when he buys stock in a cereal company that manufactures Raisin Puffs - without the promised number of raisins in each box.

33. Your Cheatin' Heart - Jennifer's frequent visits to the office to see Balki make Larry think he's being stabbed in the back by his best friend.

34. The Horn Blows at Midnight - Balki listens humbly as a famous psychic predicts that Larry will be "eating a golden ring and sitting on a sheep" on the day a terrible storm ushers in The Grim Reaper.

35. The Karate Kids - Intimidated by a bully at a bar, the guys take up karate - which turns Larry into a "lean, mean fighting machine".

36. Night School Confidential - Balki gets conned by a man selling phony watches and jewelry, prompting the guys to concoct a scheme to put him out of business.

37. Future Shock - After learning that Jennifer is moving to Los Angeles, Larry regrets that he never expressed his feelings and dreams of a time 40 years hence when a decrepit Larry awaits Jennifer's return.

38. Couch Potato - A cable-TV subscription brings variety to Balki's life but it also turns him into a couch potato who's on the verge of losing his job. 

39. The Break In - Larry and Balki find themselves out on a ledge after breaking into the publisher's office to retrieve Larry's irreverent news article mistakenly left on the publisher's desk.

40. To Be or Not to Be - Balki and Larry are chosen over other staffers to appear in a Chronicle TV commercial but the actor who finally ends up with the choice part comes as a complete surprise to them both.

41. My Lips Are Sealed - Larry expects Balki to live by a code of honor on the job but at home he expects his cousin to reveal information about his raise, which Larry desperately needs to afford the sports car he's been admiring.

42. The Pen Pal - Balki invites parolee Vince Lucas - the racketeer they sent to jail with their testimony - to stay at the apartment, but Larry fears for their lives after overhearing what Vince has in store for them.

43. Just Desserts - Larry has no trouble finding a market for Balki's delicious Myposian dessert, bibbibabkas, but mass-producing it is a different story.

44. Better Shop Around - The boys win a grocery store shopping spree, which starts Larry planning on how they can get the most from their prize.

45. Pipe Dreams - Larry's in hot water from presuming that the manly way to impress Jennifer is to fix the plumbing in her apartment by himself rather than calling a plumber.

46. The Defiant Guys - Larry has a luncheon date with a publisher that could make or break his career but minutes before the meeting Larry and Balki become handcuffed together.

47. My Brother, Myself - To impress his cosmopolitan brother Larry tells lie upon lie about being a successful newspaper editor, dragging Balki into the scheme as well.

48. You Gotta Have Friends - Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis has a cameo as Balki's new friend, who borrows some money and then invites him to a track meet, but doubting Larry thinks the man's an imposter who took Balki's money and ran.

49. The Graduate - If anyone deserves a graduation ceremony it's Balki, who knocks himself out for top honors in his night-school class then learns there'll be no ceremony or prom.

50. Bye, Bye Biki - The most difficult task for Larry concerning the impending visit of Balki's 106-year old grandmother isn't coping with the cow, goat and chickens in the apartment or the eels in the bathtub but giving Balki the bad news: Grandma Biki died when she got off the plane from Mypos.

51. The Lottery - In the fourth season opener Larry gives his cousin a lesson in economic reality after Balki is tempted to play the lottery but the tables turn after the winning numbers are announced.

52. Assertive Training - After completing an assertive-training course, Larry hopes to convince Balki that the meek do not inherit the earth.  But his plan to help Balki get the raise he deserves backfires.

53. Aliens - Larry braves a Halloween night horror-movie marathon but he awakens the next morning believing Balki has turned into a different kind of immigrant - from another planet.

54. Piano Movers - Balki strikes a sour note with Larry when he tells Lydia they'll move her piano up 10 flights of stairs so she can sing for a date who's a big-time record producer.

55. High Society - An invitation from newspaper owner Endicott has the cousins rubbing elbows with the rich and famous, who welcome them into their palatial estate believing Balki is the Crown Prince of Mypos.

56. Up a Lazy River, Part One - What could possibly go wrong on a camping trip with the guys, their girl friends and a state-of-the-art, trouble-free equipment?  For starters, white-water rafting with Larry as their know-it-all guide.

57. Up a Lazy River, Part Two - Lost in the wilderness the campers wonder if it's just Mother Nature's way of saying they shouldn't have embarked on the trip with Larry as their guide.

58. College Bound - While Balki takes his college-entrance exams, Larry and friends prepare a surprise party and reminisce (via clips from past episodes) about Balki's introduction to life in America.

59. The Gift of the Mypiot - Balki gets caught up in the Christmas spirit and invites the lonely Mr. Gorpley to the boys' Christmas Eve party, which ruins the holiday mood for Scroogelike Larry.

60. Maid to Order - Larry puts his foot down when the maid Balki hires turns out to be everything the needed - and more.

61. That Old Gang of Mine - To overcome his heartbreak when Mary Anne moves to London, Balki joins a club - the Motor Psychos, bikers who plan a hair-raising initiation for their newest member.

62. Crimebusters - Hired as a researcher, Larry takes a shortcut to land a story for the Chronicle's investigative team, a move that could cost him his new job and his friendship with neighbor Carl.

63. Games People Play - Larry succumbs to the very temptation he's been cautioning Balki against - greed - as the two compete for money and prizes on the t.v. game show "Risk it All".

64. Come Fly With Me - Balki's spirits soar as he boards his first flight but stewardesses Jennifer and Mary Anne can't wait to get back on terra firma after sampling Balki's Myposian Halki-dikis.

65. Blind Alley - Balki pinch-hits for an absent player in the Chronicle's bowling league but he may be unable to see his way to victory after a visit to the eye doctor on the day of the big tournament.

66. The 'King' and I - A hypnotist's demonstration leaves Larry unfazed but it leaves Balki acting, dressing and singing like Elvis on the day of Balki's big tax audit.

67. Prose and Cons - Larry and Balki land in jail for refusing to reveal a source on Larry's stock-market scandal story but Larry is ready to sing after two thugs are thrown into the cell with them.

68. Car Wars - Balki looks forward to buying a car but Larry insists that using the Appleton Used-Car Rating System will guarantee Balki the trouble-free car of his dreams.

69. Just a Gigolo - The cousins try to prevent Lydia from marrying a gold digging con artist who's just ripe for additional temptation, even if it's Larry in drag.

70. Seven Card Studs - The chips are down for Balki who's lost a bundle in Gorpley's poker game but Larry comes through with a plan to recoup his cousin's losses.

71. Teacher's Pest - Asked to teach a college course, Larry plans to mold the minds of future journalists by setting class standards high; but there's a price on Larry's head when students learn the standards are far beyond their reach.

72. Wedding Belle Blues - According to Myposian tradition, Balki becomes a man on his 25th birthday, an occasion that brings an unexpected visitor bearing a special gift - a wife.

SEASON FIVE

73. Good Skates - The wrath of the Gabuggis - the Myposian fib furies - haunts Larry on the fifth-season opener when he lies about his roller-skating prowess in order to compete in a charity skate-a-thon and to impress Jennifer.

74. Lie-ability - A superstitious Balki predicts that Larry will suffer a tragic fate if he goes ahead with his plan to bilk an insurance company.

75. The Newsletter - As editor of the Chronicle's newsletter, Balki gets some practical advice from Larry on digging deeper into the who-what-when-where-why of office gossip.

76. Tooth or Consequences - Balki's first trip to the dentist isn't the terrifying experience it's cracked up to be, while an unsuspecting Larry feels the pain.

77. Dog Day Midafternoon - Larry can't seem to get the credit he so richly deserves for his work on a prize-winning expose' about a money-laundering scheme.  Nor can the scheme's unmentioned mastermind, who arrives at the Chronicle with a list of complaints - and a bomb.

78. Poetry in Motion - Balki and Larry go poking around in the chimney and pry open a secret compartment containing clues to the work of zany poet Lowell Kelly.

79. Father Knows Best??? Part One - Larry is understandably anxious over a visit from his perfectionist father but in his haste to prove a point, father, son and cousin Balki get trapped in the basement - which is filling up with water.

80. Father Knows Best??? Part Two - Larry feels like a washout who blew the chance to impress his visiting father and he also feels responsible for the predicament the gang is in trying to stay alive in the flooded basement.

81. Hello, Ball - Larry deliberately duffs a few shots to let Jennifer's father win on the golf course but it's high-handicapper Balki who just can't seem to miss no matter how hard he tries.

82. Almost Live from Chicago - Larry has a plan to bolster Lydia's confidence - and also spare her the pain of a missed opportunity and a life of regret - as she nervously prepares to tape a pilot for the TV version of her advice column.

83. Home Movies - Balki objects to the script changes when Larry takes charge of shooting a home video to send to Balki's mother for the Bartokomous family reunion and jamboriki in Mypos.

84. Everyone in the Pool - Balki chalks up his five straight football-pool wins to sheepherder's intuition and Larry has a plan to capitalize on that intuition.

85. Because They're Cousins - Larry sees right through Balki's visiting cousin Bartok (Bronson Pinchot in a dual role), who's the spitting image of Balki - except that he has shed his humble Myposian ways and adopted a slick new American image, which includes taking advantage of Balki.

86. Disorderly Orderlies - Larry agrees to join Balki in doing hospital volunteer work but not for humanitarian reasons.  It seems that Larry hopes to enhance his career by interviewing a hospitalized football player.

87. The Selling of Mypos - Larry throws caution to the wind as advisor to Balki, the official negotiator for an American company's purchase of a large chunk of Myposian land.

88. Nightmare Vacation - Larry plans a getaway for the foursome to Club Paradise, a tropical resort whose low-class serenity is shattered by a hurricane.

89. Three's a Crowd - Balki's invitation welcoming Mary Anne to stay at the guys' apartment puts Larry and Balki smack dab in the middle of the women's argument, started during a silly board game.

90. A Blast From the Past - A CPA being hunted by the mob enjoys his last night of freedom with Balki and Larry before going into a witness-protection program.

91. He's the Boss - A reorganization at the newspaper has Balki on a meteoric rise from the mail room to an executive office but he's unaware it's only a token job for immigrant trainees.

92. Here Comes the Judge - Balki shows no mercy as head of the Chronicle's grievance committee, even after Larry stands accused of stealing office supplies.

93. This Old House - Hoping to make a quick fortune Larry buys a fixer-upper and goes to work renovating it but then figures he can make more than a tidy profit.

94. Bye, Bye Birdie - Balki is heartsick after his pet parrot flies the coop and Larry doubts that even the Myposian runaway-pet chant will bring him back.

95. Eyewitless Reports - A state trooper hears differing heroic tales about how, on a newspaper-sponsored trip to a mountain retreat, the gang and Mr. Gorpley trapped an escaped killer.

96. Digging Up the News - Larry's aggressiveness in unmasking the TV host of "Uncle Shaggy's Dog House" puts Larry in the doghouse with the kiddie idol.

SEASON SIX

97. Safe at Home - Balki's Myposian crime-stoppers are no match for the high-tech burglars who ransack the cousin's pad in the sixth season opener and so they invest in a high-tech alarm system.

98. New Kid on the Block - Larry tries to persuade baby sitter Balki to just say "no" to a precocious young charge who's terrorizing the apartment as Larry tries to compose an expose' for the paper.

99. The Break Up - Enlightened '90's man Larry leaves Jennifer in the dark about their relationship when he approves of her date with an old beau.

100. A Horse is a Horse - Larry buys a racehorse only to find out it's ready for the glue factory until Balki administers a Myposian elixir concocted to save the animal's life.

101. Family Feud - Larry gets drawn into Balki's 500-year-old family feud by criticizing the eyebrows of the visiting Zoltan, who in turn challenges Larry to a Myposian duel.

102. Call Me Indestructible - During a ride in a single-engine plane, Larry's fear of flying dissipates under the watchful eye of the Myposian god of protection.

103. The Men Who Knew Too Much, Part One - Assigned to cover a celebrity wedding in LA, Larry and Balki hobnob with the stars - and mobsters, who have a bone to pick with the guys.

104. The Men Who Knew Too Much, Part Two - A mobster pursues the cousins after a murder at the LA wedding of soap star Darla Wayne, and Larry is on the hotseat as the prime suspect.

105. The Ring - Larry is in a gem of a predicament when he buys a diamond engagement ring for Jennifer then discovers it's a fake.

106. Black Widow - Larry is convinced Mary Anne is a serial killer and decides to intercept her and Balki on their mountain climbing expedition to save his cousin's life.

107. The Sunshine Boys - Larry is desperate to impress a former high school acquaintance at a dinner dance but he's more than just red with embarrassment after he and Balki fall asleep in the tanning beds they rented to look good for the occasion.

108. Hocus Pocus - Balki asks Larry to attend a charity magic show, which Larry is only too happy to do.... after finding out former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher will be there.

109. Finders Keepers - Balki finds a box of money and the Cousins set out to find the owner.... although Larry isn't looking too hard.

110. Grandpa - Grandpa Appleton comes to visit and Larry's taken aback by how young the man is acting but agrees that it's better than the tired, old man his grandfather turns into at his urging.

111. Little Apartment of Horrors - When Balki's mother sends Larry a special plant that cures his cold, Larry schemes to make a fortune from the unknown, miracle cold cure.

112. I Saw This on T.V. - The Perfect Strangers gang salute The Honeymooners in this clever take-off of that classic show.

113. Speak, Memory - Jennifer's worried that her visiting mother won't approve of Larry as her fiancee and her worries may prove to be realistic when Larry falls down the stairs and loses his memory.

114. Out of Sync - Balki is discovered as the next great rap star then discovers they've dubbed another voice onto the video of his song.

115. See How They Run - Balki's excited about running for class president until Larry intervenes, trying to turn his campaign into a series of empty promises.

116. Climb Every Billboard - Mr. Wainwright thinks that Larry's promotional billboard sitting campaign is a great idea, if Larry does it himself, that is.

117. A Catered Affair - Balki's catering business is such a success that Larry tries to help him out by booking more clients, which results in three parties on one night.

118. Duck Soup - Larry's desperate to impress his boss on a duckhunting excursion and Balki's aim with a slingshot may be his ace in the hole.

119. Great Balls of Fire - Larry isn't too excited about being a volunteer fireman until he finds out Jennifer melts for a fireman in uniform.

120. See You in September - Larry and Jennifer keep putting off setting a wedding date then agree to take Balki's Myposian Marriage Test to see if they're really compatible.

121. Bachelor Party - Balki's ideas for Larry's bachelor party are tame, so Gorpley steps in and livens things up.... with a bottle of booze and a stripper.

122. The Wedding - It's the big day for Jennifer and Larry but the cousins are stuck in jail and Larry's been pinpointed by a witness as a robbery suspect.

123. This New House - Larry tries to make Jennifer forget about the apartment he lost by showing her an expensive dream house they can't afford.... and, with the help of Balki, she decides she wants.

124. Weekend at Ferdinand's - King Ferdinand comes to visit then drops dead, leaving the Cousins to keep him "alive" until he can be dropped on a suitable successor, the Speaker of the Hut.

125. Fright Night - There's a ghost haunting Balki's room; Balki is thrilled and Larry is skeptical, that is until the spirit becomes angry.

126. The Gazebo - Similarities between the Cousins and Laurel and Hardy are pointed out as Balki and Larry try to assemble a gazebo in the back yard.

127. Citizenship, Part 1 - Balki's Mama comes to visit but when she finds out that Balki is about to become an American citizen she insists he return to Mypos or she will disown him.

128. Citizenship, Part 2 - Larry travels to Mypos to bring Balki back but soaks up the local color instead and decides he wants to stay there himself.

129. Wild Turkey - Larry buys a bunch of turkeys with the plan of reselling them until one of the birds is suspected of swallowing Jennifer's diamond ring.

130. Dimitri's World - Balki is asked to draw a new comic strip for the Sunday children's section but Larry isn't as thrilled about being asked to write it until he realizes the licensing possibilities.

131. Car Tunes - When Larry's car stereo keeps getting stolen he resorts to radical measures to catch the crooks; namely lying in wait with Balki in the car's trunk!

132. Door to Door - Larry's bitten by the greed bug again, this time getting the idea to sell cleaning products to the owner of a chain of hotels.

133. Two Angry Men - The jury is ready to hang Balki when he refuses to agree with their unanimous "guilty" decision, keeping them in deadlock.

134. Missing - Dimitri is sheep-napped, leaving Balki an emotional wreck and Larry frantic since Balki can't draw the comic strip that's due unless he has he stuffed sheep in front of him.

135. Going Once, Going Twice - The Cousins accidentally purchase a bottle of wine at an auction for $21,000 and decide to re-auction it to try to make the money back.

136. Yes Sir, That's My Baby - Larry thinks Jennifer is going to have a baby and he and Balki imagine what their children might be like.

137. Wayne Man - Balki meets his all-time favorite idol, Wayne Newton, but the special moment is tarnished by one of Larry's lies.

138. The Elevator - Larry volunteers to move Mr. Wainwright's new couch up to his office but his idea to use the top of the elevator has Balki skeptical.

139. The Play's the Thing - Balki gives Larry's play to Lydia's theater group but the production suffers a major setback when, because of Larry's objections, the director and cast quit.

140. Stress Test - Mr. Wainwright orders some of the Chronicle employees to undergo psychiatric evaluation and the doctor finds Balki and Larry so interesting he asks to study them further.

141. ....Or Get Off the Pot - Balki and Mary Anne's relationship hits the rocks when Balki refuses to make a commitment to her.

142. Chicago Suite - To help Balki get over his depression of losing Mary Anne, Larry takes him to a singles' bar to find someone new but he doesn't expect the evening will end with a drunk woman in his bed! 

143. It Had to be You - Through a chance meeting it is discovered that Balki and Mary Anne are dating people who look exactly like each other, leading them to realize they really love each other.

144. Get Me to the Dump on Time - Balki and Mary Anne will get married just as soon as the Cousins uncover the lost Myposian Marriage Necklace, which Larry accidentally threw into the trash.

145. The Baby Shower - Mary Anne and Jennifer are pregnant but it's Larry and Balki who are acting crazy after sampling the Midolcrampabloatolos root.

146. After Hours - Balki and Larry get themselves locked inside a department store after hours and soon discover that it's guarded by a security dog!

147. Lethal Weapon - Balki is convinced he is cursed with a "touch of death" and insists on wearing a protection suit to keep from touching anyone, which tries everyone's patience.

148. The Baby Quiz - The Cousins and their wives go on a quiz show called "The Baby Quiz" which naturally leads to chaos.

149. Up, Up and Away, Part 1 - Mary Ann's delivery goes smoothly, leaving Jennifer frustrated, so the cousins take her up in a balloon to try to hurry her into labor.  The plan works, only the balloon is up and away!

150. Up, Up and Away, Part 2 - Jennifer's in labor in a runaway hot air balloon with Balki and Larry in the series final episode.  Includes a priceless montage sequence recounting the entire series.  A classic finish!!