My Wife And Kids: The 5 Best Episodes (& 5 Worst), Ranked By IMDb

My Wife and Kids aired for five seasons in the early 2000s, and though it may not rank among the greatest sitcoms of all time by any measure, the series is nevertheless a loving depiction of a family that is more than a little imperfect. Starring Damon Wayans and Tisha Campbell as Michael and Janet “Jay” Kyle, the series chronicles the everyday lives of the Kyle family, and the ridiculous situations they get themselves into.

It’s debatable whether the series is better at focusing on the relationships between its adult characters, its child characters, or the intergenerational drama that takes place between them both. But the series has many highs and lows, and these episodes are just a glimpse of that.

10 WORST: “Sweetheart’s Day” (6.1)

By virtue of being a male-oriented sitcom in the early 2000s, My Wife and Kids suffered from many examples of plots being driven by sexism and nothing more. Perhaps the worst example of that trend also happens to be the series’ worst episodes, according to IMDb scores.

In “Sweetheart’s Day,” Michael bases the quality of a gift he will buy for Jay for her invented holiday Sweetheart’s Day on the way in which she behaves toward him – something that spirals out of control when the other men in the family join in, too.

9 WORST: “Childcare Class” (6.2)

The debate of whether Michael is a good father is one that is certainly worth having, but the episode “Childcare Class” raises the question of whether he’s a worthy grandfather as well.

Michael has very little patience for the ways in which Junior and Vanessa raise their child, including their insistence upon childcare classes and guidance books. So when Michael refuses to take the class seriously and fails in the process, his ability to be a grandfather is questioned by the entire family.

8 WORST: “Celibacy” (6.2)

In its last stretch of episodes in what would prove to be its final season, My Wife and Kids truly struggled on the writing front. “Celibacy” is yet another episode that does the series more harm than good, once again playing up the antiquated gender relations at the heart of Michael and Jay’s marriage.

Jay takes the upper hand in their marriage for once and informs Michael that they will remain celibate for six months in order to liven up their romantic life. Of course, this hardly goes as planned, in rather cringe-worthy fashion.

7 WORST: “Empty Nest: Part 1” (6.3)

Clip shows are hardly worth remembering in most series and often serve simply as a way to pad a season’s length and fill broadcast slots. The two-part clip show “Empty Nest,” therefore, is not at all a surprise to find on IMDb’s worst episodes list.

The first part of the clip show specials focuses on Michael and Jay having some time alone to reflect on hilarious memories from over the years (and seasons), with segments for Claire, Kady, Junior, Franklin, and Tony alike.

6 WORST: “Empty Nest: Part 2” (6.3)

The second part of the “Empty Nest” clip show moves away from the Kids part of My Wife and Kids, instead focusing on the relationship between Michael and Jay both as parents and as a married couple.

The episode finds its most successful footing toward the end, when it focuses on Michael’s many, many, many embarrassing behaviors, mistakes, and misadventures, allowing Damon Wayans’ comedy skills to flourish in rapid-fire succession.

5 BEST: “The Kyles Go to Hawaii: Part 1” (7.5)

For a while during recent eras of television, it seemed as though it was a guarantee for family sitcoms to find their central characters taking a vacation to Hawaii. For My Wife and Kids, this results in a hilarious three-part adventure simply known as “The Kyles Go to Hawaii.”

In the first part of this hilarious misadventure, the ever cheap Michael forces the family to endure a ridiculously drawn-out flight with layover after layover. Once they arrive in Hawaii, Junior quickly falls in love with a local, and Michael and Jay butt heads about how to spend their time.

4 BEST: “Table for Too Many: Part 1” (7.6)

Is it really an episode of My Wife and Kids if Michael doesn’t make an enemy somewhere along the way? The hilarious two-part episode “Table for Too Many” finds Michael facing one of his most formidable foes in the series: comedian Larry Miller.

After clashing over their mutual lack of patience at a gas station, Michael and Miller’s Stuart wind up sharing the same table at the Japanese restaurant both of their families frequent for dinner that same evening.

3 BEST: “Table for Too Many: Part 2” (7.7)

Though the first half of the “Table for Too Many” two-parter sets up the chaos to come with the arrival of the Kyles and Tylers at the same restaurant, it’s the second part of the two-parter that really puts the chaos at the forefront.

All members of the two families clash with one another, while Junior sets his eye on a girl across the room. A spitball fight breaks out, arguments erupt with the restaurant staff and owner, and by the end of the night, Kady isn’t the only one who is shoved in the koi pond.

2 BEST: “The Maid” (8.0)

My Wife and Kids has some impressive guest stars during its five-season run, but arguably the sweetest and funniest of them all is none other than the beloved icon herself, Betty White. In the episode “The Maid,” White appears as Mrs. Hopkins, a Mary Poppins-esque housekeeper who is practically perfect in every way.

And in particular, in every way that Jay struggles to be. Mrs. Hopkins is only brought on to help while Jay is away for business, so when Jay returns, friction develops between the two women – no matter how magical Mrs. Hopkins might be for everyone else.

1 BEST: “Michael Joins A Gym” (8.1)

While Betty White might be one of the most winning guest stars in My Wife and Kids‘ history, it’s another guest star who appears in IMDb’s top-ranked episode: Terry Crews. In “Michael Joins a Gym,” Michael suddenly feels overly conscious about his weight when a favorite pair of pants no longer fit.

He then enlists the help of Crews’s Darryl, a friend from his teenage years who is more than a little bit of a fitness freak. What ensues is one of the most hilarious sequences in the series, as Michael tries and fails to keep up with Darryl’s coaching.

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