Perfect Strangers
Now we are so happy we do the Dance of Joy!
The chronicles of the rocky coexistence of midwestern American Larry Appleton and his distant cousin from eastern Mediterranean Europe, Balki Bartokomous.
Seasons
1. Good Skates
Air Date: 1989-09-22
When Larry finds out that Grant, a co-worker of Jennifer's, is impressing Jennifer by raising money for a "Big Brothers" roller skating marathon, he gets jealous and lies about his roller skating ability to win Jennifer.
2. Lie-Ability
Air Date: 1989-09-29
After a minor car accident, Mr. Gorpley suggests Larry should sue. So Larry has plans to defraud an insurance company to gain money to help his sister Elaine with her tuition. But Balki objects as usual.
3. The Newsletter
Air Date: 1989-10-06
When Balki is put in charge of the Chronicle Newsletter, Larry horns in and suggests he dig deep into the information. But he ends up reporting Lydia getting cosmetic surgery, Mr. Gorpley dating the wife of a sports editor, and quotes an insult Larry made to Mr. Wainwright.
4. Tooth or Consequences
Air Date: 1989-10-13
Balki gets a cavity and Larry makes him a dental appointment for him and Balki is excited to go when Larry tells him about all the neat stuff but he's too scared to go when Mr. Gorpley tells him about the drill.
5. Dog Day Mid-Afternoon
Air Date: 1989-10-20
Larry writes an expose of a money laundering scheme that gets him his first front page story but he's upset when he realizes that Marshall & Walpole too all the credit for his article. Also, Marvin Berman, the money laundering scheme's accountant, is also upset because his boss took all the credit for the scheme that was really his idea. So he shows up at the Chronicle with a bomb and demands a printed retraction.
6. Poetry in Motion
Air Date: 1989-11-05
Larry and Balki discover that Lowell Kelly, a famous poet used to live in their apartment and his unpublished poem is hidden there. So they search for it but Balki doesn't know that Larry plans to sell it after he discovered that it would be worth about $100,000.
7. Father Knows Best (1)
Air Date: 1989-11-10
Larry's perfectionist father comes for a visit and Larry wants to impress him so he can finally get a ""well done son"" from his father. But instead, they end up trapped in the basement that is flooding after Larry broke the water pipe.
8. Father Knows Best (2)
Air Date: 1989-11-17
Larry and Balki, Jennifer and Mary Anne, Lydia and Mr. Gorpley, and of course Larry's father are all trapped in the flooding basement. Larry attempts to solve the problem without much luck. So thinking they're all going to die, Larry must tell his father how he feels. Luck changes when Larry finds his chemistry set.
9. Hello Ball
Air Date: 1989-11-24
When Jennifer's father comes to town, Larry tries to impress him. So they decide to go golfing. Larry is an excellent golfer but Mr. Lyons is a bad golfer and a bad loser so Larry decides to let him win and lets Balki play thinking that he can't golf, but can he?
10. Almost Live from Chicago
Air Date: 1989-12-01
Lydia has been offered the opportunity of having her on TV advice show but she has one problem, she's afraid of cameras. But Larry tries to force her to do the show because of a mistake he made in high school when he turned down an opportunity.
11. Home Movies
Air Date: 1989-12-08
Balki wants to send a home movie to his mama for the reunion he is going to miss. But Larry takes over the video and goes overboard with his movie-making skills.
12. Everybody in the Pool
Air Date: 1989-12-15
Balki plays the football pool for the first time at the Chronicle and wins. He also ends up winning the next five weeks which makes everyone mad at him except Larry who decides to copy his picks to bet $10,000 with a bookie unaware that Balki picked all the losers.
13. Because They're Cousins
Air Date: 1990-01-05
Balki's cousin Bartok come to visit from Mypos via Los Angeles for the last six months. Bartok looks just like Balki except after being in LA, he lost his accent and got a cool attitude, and he has a money-making scheme and tries to take Balki's money.
14. Disorderly Orderlies
Air Date: 1990-01-12
Balki tries to get Larry to do volunteer work at the hospital but he refused until he discovered that a famous football player is a patient there hoping that he can get an interview to advance his career.
15. The Selling of Mypos
Air Date: 1990-01-26
When a big corporation in Chicago wants to buy 300 acres of land on Mypos, Balki was chosen to negotiate the sale, and he picked Larry to guide him through. When they are offered 10% of the total sale of 28 million dollars, Larry insists they accept is but Balki has a funny feeling about it.
16. Nightmare Vacation
Air Date: 1990-02-02
Larry found the perfect vacation and Balki, Jennifer and Mary Anne decide to give him one more chance with planning vacations. They go to a tropical resort, Club Paradise with broken walls in the hotel room and it is disrupted with a hurricane and Larry can't admit that he's made another mistake.
17. Three's a Crowd
Air Date: 1990-02-09
While playing a board game, an argument breaks out between Jennifer and Mary Anne. The result being Mary Anne moving out and in with Larry and Balki at Balki's insistence. Larry doesn't like the idea because is jeopardizes his relationship with Jennifer. So Larry and Balki devise a plan to get Jennifer and Mary Anne back together.
18. Blast From the Past
Air Date: 1990-02-16
It's a very psychotic evening when Marvin Berman, who tried to blow up Larry and Balki, visits them for dinner to apologize. But in the process, they mistakenly think that the mob is after them and they are surrounded by killers.
19. He's the Boss
Air Date: 1990-02-23
When Mr. Wainwright hires a personal assistant Mr. Glover, Balki gets promoted to the executive staff, but is unaware that it is a scheme that Mr. Glover has to try and implement the American Dream Program. And Larry may lose his job if he doesn't go along with it.
20. Here Comes the Judge
Air Date: 1990-03-09
When Balki is elected the head of the grievance committee, Lydia is accused of parking violations and she tries to influence his judgment by buying him "bunny slippers" but Larry tells Balki that he must be tough which comes back on Larry when he's accused of stealing office supplies.
21. This Old House
Air Date: 1990-03-30
Larry has a plan to make a fortune and talks Balki into buying a house for no money down, fixing it up and then selling it for a profit. He ends up making a deal for $150,000 but when he realizes he can make more money by putting in a chandelier and fancy doors, he gets greedy.
22. Eyewitless Reports
Air Date: 1990-04-11
A Chronicle Tour sends Mr. Gorpley, Larry and Balki & Jennifer and Mary Anne to a cabin in the forest where they encounter a 'Mad Dog' killer who escaped from prison. The killer is later apprehended but they all tell different stories about the capture which confuses the state trooper.
23. Bye, Bye Birdie
Air Date: 1990-04-13
Balki grows very fond of his new pet parrot that drives Larry crazy. Meanwhile, their chimney is clogged and when Larry tried to light a fire, he had to open the window to let the smoke out, the parrot flies out and Balki is heartbroken.
24. Digging Up the News
Air Date: 1990-04-27
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.
1. Safe at Home
Air Date: 1990-09-28
After Larry buys an expensive stereo chair, their apartment is robbed along with the chair. So Larry buys a high-tech security system but takes all the responsibilities himself and won't share them with Balki.
2. New Kid on the Block
Air Date: 1990-10-05
Balki agrees to babysit their new neighbor's daughter Tess and lets her do whatever she wants. She ends up terrorizing the apartment which disturbs Larry who is trying to write a possible front-page story for a city council expose. She also disrupts the staff at the Chronicle.
3. The Break Up
Air Date: 1990-10-12
Jennifer was asked out on a date by an old boyfriend and checked with Larry first. But he agreed thinking that's what she wanted but she really wanted to know here their relationship is going. Confused, She breaks up with Larry who is too scared to tell her how he really feels but they eventually end up getting engaged.
4. A Horse is a Horse
Air Date: 1990-10-19
Larry and Balki buy a race horse and when they race him, he comes in last. They later discover that he has an incurable disease. But Balki takes the horse back to the apartment and tries a Myposian potion to cure him.
5. Family Feud
Air Date: 1990-10-26
A 500 year-old feud in the Bartokomous family is back when their rival Zolton Bauchelitis is coming to fight a duel with Balki. Larry gets caught up in it and must fight Zolton himself. However, they don't try and kill each other, the winner takes the loser's ears.
6. Call Me Indestructible
Air Date: 1990-11-02
Larry's fear of flying resurfaces when he interviews a pilot--who invites Larry to witness his aerial maneuvers firsthand.
7. The Men Who Knew Too Much (1)
Air Date: 1990-11-09
Larry is sent to Los Angeles to write an article about a soap opera star's wedding and Balki goes with him. While attempting to get a better story, they get chased by mobsters after they witness and video tape Marco Madison, a big time gangster, murder an undercover drug agent and Larry and Balki are prime suspects.
8. The Men Who Knew Too Much (2)
Air Date: 1990-11-16
Larry and Balki manage to play back the tape proving their innocence, but they have trouble getting the tape to the police after they are mugged and captured by Marco's men.
9. The Ring
Air Date: 1990-11-23
Larry buys an engagement ring for Jennifer from a street hustler unaware that he sells phony diamonds. When he discovers that the ring is fake, Larry sells his car, buys a real diamond and tries to switch the rings before she gets it appraised the next day.
10. Black Widow
Air Date: 1990-11-30
After doing some research, Larry finds evidence that Mary Anne is a serial killer but Jennifer is very skeptical since she's known her all her life. But Larry gets scared when Mary Anne is planning on taking Balki mountain climbing, and when Jennifer gets called into work, he thinks that Mary Anne killed her. It turns out to be a total misunderstanding.
11. Sunshine Boys
Air Date: 1990-12-07
Larry's popular high school rival Bunky McDermott comes to see him and invites him and Balki to a formal dinner party and make him a member of his popular club. Larry is so excited and lies to Bunky about going to the Caribbean but to convince him, Larry and Balki spend some time in a tanning bed and end up getting sunburned.
12. Hocus Pocus
Air Date: 1990-12-28
When Balki practices his magic tricks for the Youth Center Show, Larry refuses to go because he's been having trouble finding a story for Mr. Wainwright. But after he finds out that Margaret Thatcher will be stopping by, he sees a great interview and decides to go.
13. Finders Keepers
Air Date: 1991-01-04
Balki finds a box with over $50,000 cash in it. Larry wants to keep it but Balki is insistent on finding the rightful owner, which won't be easy, especially with Mr. Gorpley scheming to get it anyway he can.
14. Grandpa
Air Date: 1991-01-11
Grandpa Appleton comes for a visit and is quite a surprise: He's 76 years old and is acting like a wild teenager, and has a much younger girlfriend. Larry thinks he should act more his age but Balki thinks that it's okay acting as young as he feels.
15. Little Apartment of Horrors
Air Date: 1991-01-18
During the cold season, Larry has a bad cold, along with everyone else except Balki. So Balki's mama sent a plant that cures Larry and everyone else and Larry decides to grow it big to make money off it unaware that growing it big has wacky side effects.
16. I Saw This on TV
Air Date: 1991-02-01
Larry manages to get tickets to go to a Bulls game with Balki on the night that Larry promised to take Jennifer to the ballet. So Larry lied to Jennifer saying that he had to work. Balki tells him a story about an old Honeymooners rerun where we see Ralph (Larry) lying to Alice (Jennifer) about having to work late when he plans on going bowling with Norton (Balki) and Alice ends up finding out about it while she was with Trixie (Mary Anne). However Jennifer found out about the basketball game and Larry is in a heap of trouble.
17. Speak Memory
Air Date: 1991-02-08
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 lasts through the dinner where Larry meets Mrs. Lyons.
18. Out of Sync
Air Date: 1991-02-15
Balki is discovered by a music promoter and he offers him a record and video contract. So Larry convinces Balki to accept and he becomes the newest rap star after shooting a video called "Fresh Young Balki B." But after they watch it, they notice that a different voice was dubbed in and Balki quits.
19. See How They Run
Air Date: 1991-02-22
Balki runs for student body president and lets Larry help and as usual, Larry goes completely over the top. The students however, don't like the idea of Balki's idea of reinstating the language requirement so Larry thinks Balki should lie in order to win but he won't.
20. Climb Every Billboard
Air Date: 1991-03-15
Larry suggests to Mr. Wainwright that a Chronicle employee stay on a billboard until the Bulls' losing streak is over. Mr. Wainwright liked the idea and assigned Larry to find someone to do it. So he tricks Balki to do it but when Balki wants to get down, Larry kicks the ladder down and they both get stuck up there until the Bulls win.
21. A Catered Affair
Air Date: 1991-03-22
Balki's catering business really takes off when he is catering for Texans. At Larry's advice, Balki books another party on the same night unaware that Larry already booked another party without telling him. Even with Larry helping him in the kitchen, and Jennifer and Mary Anne serving, all three parties are too much for them to handle.
22. Duck Soup
Air Date: 1991-04-05
Larry is going duck hunting with Mr. Wainwright and Balki wants to go to get revenge on something that happened to him when he was a kid involving a duck. Larry lets him go when he sees what a great shot Balki is but it turns into a disaster when Balki will only let them kill one kind of ducks - pterodactyls.
23. Great Balls of Fire
Air Date: 1991-04-26
Balki convinces Larry to become a volunteer fireman but after the fire chief wore him out, Larry refuses to go back to the fire station until he discovers that Jennifer gets really turned on by firemen. However, the only fire they get to fight is in the fire station.
24. See You in September
Air Date: 1991-05-03
Balki and Mary Anne expect Larry and Jennifer to set a wedding date but they're too scared. To help them, Balki gives them an official marriage test to see if they're right for each other but things don't go as expected. In the end they set the wedding for September regardless of what the test says.
1. Bachelor Party
Air Date: 1991-09-20
As the best man at Larry's upcoming wedding, Balki is tricked by Mr. Gorpley into throwing a bachelor party and when Mr. Gorpley show up at the party, he spikes the punch and hires a stripper and Jennifer finds out.
2. The Wedding
Air Date: 1991-09-27
Larry and Balki are driving to Lake Whitefish where Larry and Jennifer are getting married and they are pulled over for going too slow, but they are arrested when Larry backs into the patrol car, then they are picked out of a line-up when Larry is identified as a robber. Larry and Jennifer end up getting married in jail until the real robber confessed.
3. This New House
Air Date: 1991-10-04
After losing their new apartment, Larry and Jennifer move into a luxurious Victorian house but can't afford to pay for food and heat. So after trying to break the lease without success, They ask Balki and Mary Anne to board with them to help them out.
4. Door to Door
Air Date: 1991-10-11
Larry and Balki get part time jobs to earn extra money. Balki tries stuffing teddy bears, but Larry asks for his help with door to door selling cleaning products. However, Larry is determined to go to a mansion and sell lots of products instead of going door to door with disastrous results.
5. Weekend at Ferdinand's
Air Date: 1991-10-18
King Ferdinand of Mypos comes to visit America and dies in Larry's arms - which means that Larry is the new king according to Myposian custom. But convinced that Larry would make a terrible king, they must pretend that he's alive and drop him into the arms of the King's advisor - The Speaker of the Hut.
6. Fright Night
Air Date: 1991-10-25
When Balki finds out that there is a ghost in their house, Larry refuses to believe it. Jennifer and Mary Anne are convinced when Balki shows them a book about it. So they go up to Balki's room (where the ghost lives) and wait for him to come out. Even when miraculous things start to happen, Larry still doesn't believe it until he's attacked.
7. The Gazebo
Air Date: 1991-11-01
Larry and Balki are building a new gazebo in their back yard and as they struggle to build it, it reminds Jennifer and Mary Anne of Laurel and Hardy as we see them in a parody of Laurel and Hardy trying to build a gazebo.
8. Citizenship (1)
Air Date: 1991-11-08
Balki has passed his Citizenship test and is about to be sworn in as an American Citizen. So Larry arranges for Balki's mama (Bronson Pinchot in a dual role) to come to American to witness him being sworn in. When Balki's mama discovers that he will not come back to Mypos to live, She is angry and Balki has to go back to Mypos.
9. Citizenship (2)
Air Date: 1991-11-15
Larry travels to Mypos to try and persuade Balki's mama to let him come back to America. But before he can talk to her, Larry settles happily into the relaxed life style of Mypos and wants to stay. Eventually, he gets fed up and talks to Balki's mama who realizes that it would really make him happy to let him come back to America where is finally sworn in as an American Citizen.
10. Wild Turkey
Air Date: 1991-11-22
On Thanksgiving, Larry goes into the turkey selling business with over 50 turkeys roaming their backyard—and one of the turkeys may have eaten Jennifer's wedding ring.
11. Dimitri's World
Air Date: 1991-11-29
Mr. Wainwright promotes Balki as the editor of the Sunday Children's page where he draws a comic trip of a sheep named Dimitri and Larry is assigned to fill in the dialogue ""bubbles."" But Larry and Balki can't agree on the sheep's sensibility.
12. Car Tunes
Air Date: 1991-12-06
Larry buys a new car radio that gets stolen. So he puts an alarm in the car that keeps going off all night. So they try to catch the thief red-handed by hiding in the trunk and get taken on an unexpected ride.
13. Two Angry Men
Air Date: 1992-01-03
Balki gets his and Larry's names drawn for jury duty which starts the day before Jennifer has a pre-paid, non-refundable vacation to Bermuda booked for her and Larry. Balki holds out for not guilty endangering Larry's plans.
14. Missing
Air Date: 1992-01-17
After Dimitri is kidnapped, Balki has a mental block that prevents him from drawing it in the paper. so Larry and Balki try to catch the kidnapper in the basement of the Chronicle.
15. Going Once, Going Twice
Air Date: 1992-02-01
Larry goes to an auction to cover a story and brings Balki with him and Larry demonstrates the bidding procedure at an auction and they wind up buying a very expensive bottle of wine for $21,000. They now must hide it from Jennifer until they can go back to the auction and resell it.
16. Yes Sir, That's My Baby
Air Date: 1992-02-08
When Balki shows Larry that Jennifer has been knitting booties, The possibility that Jennifer is pregnant causes Larry to imagine Larry and Balki's future sons becoming best friends in the nursery trying to escape.
17. Wayne Man
Air Date: 1992-02-29
Balki wins an all-expenses paid trip to Las Vegas but is sad when they can't get any tickets to see Wayne Newton. Jennifer attempts to call up an old boyfriend who can get her tickets, But a jealous Larry calls up Wayne's people and tells them that Balki is going deaf and manages to get tickets. After the concert, Wayne wants to meet Balki personally but Larry is afraid the truth will come out.
18. The Elevator
Air Date: 1992-03-14
Larry decides to impress Mr. Wainwright by enlisting himself and Balki to move his brand new oversized couch up the elevator to his office while the elevator is under repair.
19. The Play's the Thing
Air Date: 1992-03-21
When Balki takes Larry's "Wheat" play-script to Lydia's theater, Larry goes down to see the cast. But when the director tries to change the lines, Larry won't let him, so they all quit. But Larry insists that they keep the show by casting him with Balki, Lydia, Jennifer, and Mary Anne, but they've never acted before and make a mess of it.
20. Stress Test
Air Date: 1992-03-28
Mr. Wainwright has chosen Larry and Balki to team up for a stress evaluation test that could get them fired if they fail, which isn't easy for Larry who is high strung.
21. ...Or Get Off the Pot
Air Date: 1992-04-04
Mary Anne has been hinting at Balki to propose to her and he has failed one too many times so she threatens to move out. Larry talks to Balki and tries to get him to realize but do to mis-communication, Balki thinks that Jennifer's in love with him and Mary Anne is going to die. But in all the confusion, Mary Anne move out.
22. Chicago Suite
Air Date: 1992-04-11
Balki hasn't gone out since he broke up with Mary Anne. So Larry convinces Balki to go out and meet new people and takes him to a singles bar. Balki brings home a woman to watch a Woody Woodpecker marathon but her friend comes with her who is drunk and falls asleep in Larry's bed around the time that Jennifer comes home.
23. It Had to be You
Air Date: 1992-04-18
Balki has been having so many dates in the past two weeks and Jennifer thinks he still misses Mary Anne but Larry refuses to believe it. Later on, Balki meets the woman of his dreams who is identical to Mary Anne, and they later discover that Mary Anne is dating a man identical to Balki. Balki and Mary Anne don't seem to realize what's going on for a while, but when they do, they end up getting engaged.
24. Get Me to the Dump on Time
Air Date: 1992-04-18
According to a sacred Myposian custom, Balki and Mary Anne must be married within 24 hours and they get everything ready. Larry feels left out of the duties so Balki makes him his best man and the guardian of his Myposian marriage necklace which he must have during the ceremony, but Larry accidentally throws it out. So Larry and Balki search the dump for it and eventually find it and Balki and Mary Anne finally get married.
1. The Baby Shower
Air Date: 1993-07-09
Jennifer is seven months pregnant; Balki and Mary Anne have been on their honeymoon for five months in Mypos and their about to come home. When they arrive, they have a surprise, Mary Anne is also pregnant but isn't going through any bad symptoms like Jennifer is. Balki brought a root back from Mypos that could help Jennifer but when Larry and Balki eat it, they start acting very hyper and ruin the baby shower.
2. After Hours
Air Date: 1993-07-16
Larry wants to put some sparks back in his marriage, and after he fails with Balki's secret treasures, he goes shopping with Balki and accidentally gets locked in the store after hours with a mad dog on the loose.
3. Lethal Weapon
Air Date: 1993-07-23
When all of Balki's ants on his farm die, he discovers that he has the "exterminiki curse" and everything he touches will instantly die. So he must wear an oven-mitt suit, but can't do his job and drives Jennifer and Mary Anne away until the curse is over.
4. Baby Quiz
Air Date: 1993-07-30
Balki applies to the "Baby Quiz" TV game show for both couples. As it happens, Only Larry and Jennifer are accepted until a last minute drop out of the other contestants, in which Balki and Mary Anne take their places. The prize is a college scholarship for the baby.
5. Up, Up and Away (1)
Air Date: 1993-08-06
Jennifer is two weeks overdue and has a few false alarms. Meanwhile, After Balki and Mary Anne went to the fair, Mary Anne goes into labor and has her baby in the driveway. Jennifer is told about a balloon ride Mary Anne went in and in hopes of going into labor, Larry and Balki take Jennifer up in the balloon.
6. Up, Up and Away (2)
Air Date: 1993-08-06
Trapped on board a runaway hot air balloon, Larry and Balki must find a way to get back to Earth as Jennifer goes into labor.
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Rating
6.7/10
Release Date
1986-03-25
Episodes
150 (8 seasons)
Status
Ended
