Thirtysomething
Hope and Michael are a married couple in their thirties, living in Philadelphia and struggling with everyday adult angst. Michael runs an ad agency with his friend Elliot, whose marriage to Nancy is beginning to show the cracks of age, as is the friendship between Hope and her best friend Ellyn. Michael's best friend Gary is trying to get over his mutually-destructive affair with Michael's cousin Melissa and get on with his womanizing life. It sounds like just another soap, but is given a unique atmosphere by the production team (the Bedford Falls company, also responsible for "My So-Called Life") whose intelligent scripts, believable characters, and frequent dips into the slightly-surreal world of the characters' minds places the series as one of the highlights of the late 1980s.
- 1987-1991
- 4 seasons
- ABC
- Drama
- TV-14
Hope and Michael are a married couple in their thirties, living in Philadelphia and struggling with everyday adult angst. Michael runs an ad agency with his friend Elliot, whose marriage to Nancy is beginning to show the cracks of age, as is the friendship between Hope and her best friend Ellyn. Michael's best friend Gary is trying to get over his mutually-destructive affair with Michael's cousin Melissa and get on with his womanizing life. It sounds like just another soap, but is given a unique atmosphere by the production team (the Bedford Falls company, also responsible for "My So-Called Life") whose intelligent scripts, believable characters, and frequent dips into the slightly-surreal world of the characters' minds places the series as one of the highlights of the late 1980s.
Season 4 Episode Guide
23 Episodes 1990 - 1991
Episode 1
Prelude to a Bris
Tue, Sep 25, 1990 47 mins
Michael and Hope debate over a bris for Leo; guests Barbara Barrie, Alan King.
Episode 2
Life Class
Tue, Oct 2, 1990 48 mins
Nancy's constantly-changing sexual feelings affect her marriage, and she feels overwhelmed by Hope's new baby.
Episode 3
Control
Tue, Oct 9, 1990 47 mins
A photography assignment brings Melissa and Miles together; Jeffrey and Ellyn look for an apartment.
Episode 4
The Distance
Tue, Oct 16, 1990 46 mins
Susannah's New York job offer threatens her relationship with Gary; Ellyn ponders her relationship with Jeffrey.
Episode 5
The Haunting of DAA
Tue, Oct 30, 1990 47 mins
A founder haunts Michael after Miles orders him to cut DAA's staff.
Episode 6
The Guilty Party
Tue, Nov 13, 1990 47 mins
Hope throws a surprise party for Michael to ease her guilt over attention to the baby; guest Renee Taylor.
Episode 7
Photo Opportunity
Tue, Nov 27, 1990 47 mins
Family and career demands pull Melissa in opposite directions; guests Phyllis Newman, Joe Maher.
Episode 8
Never Better
Tue, Dec 4, 1990 47 mins
After beginning an unlikely relationship with Gary, Ellyn is attracted to a former date.
Episode 9
Guns and Roses
Tue, Dec 11, 1990 48 mins
Nancy's problems with cancer therapy affect her relationships with her children; Elliot is jealous of award-nominee Michael.
Episode 10
Happy New Year
Tue, Dec 18, 1990 48 mins
A mysterious phone call changes the Steadmans' reminiscence-filled New Year's Eve party.
Episode 11
Melissa and Men
Tue, Jan 8, 1991 46 mins
An art gallery wants to exhibit Melissa's photos about her failed relationships.
Episode 12
Advanced Beginners
Tue, Jan 22, 1991 46 mins
Ellyn's cohabitation with her new boyfriend is complicated by the appearance of his ex.
Episode 13
Sifting the Ashes
Tue, Feb 5, 1991 48 mins
Nancy prepares for her last round of chemotherapy; Elliot visits his mother (Eileen Brennan) during a business trip.
Episode 14
Second Look
Tue, Feb 12, 1991 47 mins
Nancy's upcoming surgery places great strain on her family and friends.
Episode 15
Fighting the Cold
Tue, Feb 19, 1991 48 mins
An incident and the results of Nancy's surgery force everyone to re-evaluate lives and futures.
Episode 16
The Difference Between Men and Women
Tue, Feb 26, 1991 45 mins
The men plan a bachelor party for Billy; the women try to think of something different for Ellyn.
Episode 17
The Wedding
Tue, Apr 9, 1991 48 mins
Billy and Ellyn experience doubt on the eve of their wedding.
Episode 18
Closing the Circle
Tue, Apr 16, 1991 47 mins
Agency crises and administration of Gary's estate pull Michael in opposite directions.
Episode 19
Out the Door
Tue, Apr 30, 1991 48 mins
Michael sides with Miles in rejecting Elliot's proposal. Directed by Mel Harris.
Episode 20
Hopeless
Tue, May 7, 1991 48 mins
Volunteer Hope befriends two homeless-shelter occupants.
Episode 21
A Stop at Willoughby
Tue, May 14, 1991 47 mins
Long hours and a demanding client stress Michael to the limit.
Episode 22
Melissa in Wonderland
Tue, May 21, 1991 47 mins
In Hollywood to photograph a TV star (Brooke Adams), Melissa gets caught in the bizarre machinations of television.
Episode 23
California
Tue, May 28, 1991 49 mins
After returning from California, Michael faces decisions that will affect his personal and professional lives.