Perfect Strangers: Season 5
Season 5 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- Directly follows the overarching narrative developments of Perfect Strangers Season 4.
- Faction dynamics and core character alliances shift under escalating external stakes.
- Crucial mysteries introduced previously reach key turning points and narrative reckonings.
- Sets up serialized story arcs that build directly toward the climactic season finale.
Episode Guide
Season 5 Progress Shield
Good Skates
Sep 22, 1989 · 23 min
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
Lie-Ability
Sep 29, 1989 · 23 min
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
The Newsletter
Oct 6, 1989 · 23 min
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.
Tooth or Consequences
Oct 13, 1989 · 23 min
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. Gor
Dog Day Mid-Afternoon
Oct 20, 1989 · 23 min
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 arti
Poetry in Motion
Nov 5, 1989 · 23 min
Larry and Balki discover that Lowell Kelly, a famous poet used to live in their apartment and his unpublished poem is hidden there.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 tha
Father Knows Best (1)
Nov 10, 1989 · 23 min
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 bas
Father Knows Best (2)
Nov 17, 1989 · 23 min
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 m
Hello Ball
Nov 24, 1989 · 23 min
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
Almost Live from Chicago
Dec 1, 1989 · 23 min
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 mi
Home Movies
Dec 8, 1989 · 23 min
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.
Everybody in the Pool
Dec 15, 1989 · 23 min
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
Because They're Cousins
Jan 5, 1990 · 23 min
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 att
Disorderly Orderlies
Jan 12, 1990 · 23 min
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 intervie
The Selling of Mypos
Jan 26, 1990 · 23 min
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 1
Nightmare Vacation
Feb 2, 1990 · 23 min
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 brok
Three's a Crowd
Feb 9, 1990 · 23 min
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 do
Blast From the Past
Feb 16, 1990 · 23 min
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
He's the Boss
Feb 23, 1990 · 23 min
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 t
Here Comes the Judge
Mar 9, 1990 · 23 min
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 t
This Old House
Mar 30, 1990 · 23 min
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 w
Eyewitless Reports
Apr 11, 1990 · 23 min
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
Bye, Bye Birdie
Apr 13, 1990 · 23 min
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
Digging Up the News
Apr 27, 1990 · 23 min
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 discove