The Best Episodes Directed By Peter Lauer

Episode Rankings

1. #1 Fan Favorite
   

   8.5/10(23 votes)

   #1 - Sad Sack

   S2:E512/12/2004

   George Sr. fears he's losing Lucille to Oscar. Gob motivates Buster for the Army while Lindsay spends more time with Maeby to get closer to Steve Holt and Tobias starts working out.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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2. 

   8.4/10(23 votes)

   #2 - Sword of Destiny

   S2:E153/27/2005

   Gob and Buster team up for some magic tricks with the help of Buster's fake hand, but when Tony Wonder, a rival magician, starts to mentor them, somebody gets the finger. Meanwhile, Michael is forced to delegate some work when he's hospitalized and Lindsay teaches George Michael how to drive using the staircar.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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3. 

   8.3/10(21 votes)

   #3 - Making a Stand

   S3:E812/19/2005

   Michael is tired of his father always having Gob compete with him, so Michael gets Gob his own banana stand franchise, only to find that Gob has set it up 20 feet from the old one. After the two compete, they decide to teach their father an elaborate lesson, and Buster refuses to use his handicap to scare kids. Meanwhile, Maeby uses Lucille's surgery in a horror film.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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4. 

   8.1/10(46 votes)

   #4 - 48 Hours

   S1:E711/5/2013

   After making an arrest with too little proof, Jake has 48 hours to get evidence or the perp will go free, forcing the team to work over the weekend.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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5. 

   8.0/10(8 votes)

   #5 - Tiki Lounge

   S6:E133/13/2005

   When Hal and Lois realize how little time they spend together, Hal turns the garage into a private tiki lounge where he and Lois can retreat. Things go smoothly until they feud over philosophical beliefs. Meanwhile, Mr. Herkabe cons Malcolm into joining the Booster Club, where he learns a lesson about taking one for the team.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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6. 

   7.9/10(11 votes)

   #6 - Reese Joins the Army (2)

   S5:E225/23/2004

   Reese continues to be a great soldier in the Army until he finds himself in a situation where his Sergeant cannot help. But after comparing being captured to being grounded, he takes action and leads his team to victory. But being such a successful soldier has it's bad parts as well, as Reese prepares to jump from the plane - right into Afghanistan. Malcolm has his hands full as well as he attempts to prove Hal innocent. But being good with numbers helps as Malcolm notices all of the prosecutions given dates are on Fridays - which Hal hasn't worked on in over 15 years. And with Reese missing and Hal's case, Lois falls deeper and deeper into insanity.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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7. 

   7.7/10(29 votes)

   #7 - Spock, Kirk, and Testicular Hernia

   S1:E912/21/2017

   George Sr. strikes a deal with Sheldon to tutor Georgie when poor grades threaten to keep him from playing football. While Sheldon's tutoring attempts are ultimately unsuccessful, he does learn some skills from his brother.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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8. 

   7.5/10(11 votes)

   #8 - Ex-en-Provence

   S3:E612/21/2022

   A luxury car event takes Emily and her crew to a chateau in Provence, where lavender fields, a lavish meal and a surprise guest set off romantic sparks.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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9. 

   7.5/10(10 votes)

   #9 - Malcolm's Car

   S6:E91/30/2005

   When Malcolm spots a roughed up 1967 Cuda in his neighborhood, he instantly falls in love with it and purchases the car. But he gets so caught up in the difficult task of restoring it that he blows off Stevie as well as Reese who needs him for an illegal betting scheme of his. Hal on the other hand, is having success when he stumbles upon his hidden talent -- hairstyling. Lois doesn't have time to worry about Malcolm or Hal, as she is caught up in scandal between Craig and their Lucky Aide boss Fred. Craig says he is taking time off to tutor Fred's wife in golf but Lois finds out he is actually having an affair with her.

   Director:Peter Lauer

   Writer:N/A

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   Director:Peter Lauer

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10. 

    7.4/10(12 votes)

    #10 - The Grey Area

    S4:E48/15/2024

    Emily seeks a private spot for a romantic rendezvous, Sylvie calls in a favor for Laurent's club opening, and Mindy's relationship hits an impasse.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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11. 

    7.3/10(9 votes)

    #11 - Lost in Translation

    S4:E79/12/2024

    Emily acquires a protege courtesy of Sylvie — and experiences a communication breakdown with Gabriel. Mindy takes a top-down approach to her new gig.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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12. 

    7.3/10(12 votes)

    #12 - Pearl Harbor

    S6:E412/5/2004

    Malcolm and Reese plot revenge after they realize their teenage neighbor has tricked each of them into believing the other is gay. Meanwhile, Hal, tired of competing with a neighbor who always outdoes his Christmas decorations, decides to create his own "holiday" to decorate his house for - Pearl Harbor Day.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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13. 

    7.3/10(12 votes)

    #13 - Burning Man

    S7:E19/30/2005

    The family attends the counterculture Burning Man festival in the desert.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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14. 

    7.1/10(10 votes)

    #14 - Secret Boyfriend

    S7:E611/11/2005

    When Malcolm gets paired with a dimwitted beauty as his chemistry partner, he thinks it's a recipe for disaster, but when she reveals her feelings for him, sparks fly. They agree to keep their romantic experiment under wraps until Malcolm realizes that she's just embarrassed to be dating him. Meanwhile, Lois demands that Reese get a job, and she kicks him out of the house to prove that she means business.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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15. 

    7.0/10(10 votes)

    #15 - Malcolm Visits College

    S5:E163/28/2004

    Lois tags along with Malcolm as he visits a college, but she's determined to room in the dorm Malcolm is staying in when she learns the room is co-ed. Meanwhile, after his father denies him a piano, Dewey begins stealing objects from around the house to amuse himself and to drive Hal crazy. Reese meets a girl, who he thinks is a narc, and he pretends he is a dealer, unaware that she is really an undercover cop.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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16. 

    6.9/10(9 votes)

    #16 - Kitty's Back

    S6:E512/12/2004

    Kitty returns and asks Lois for help getting Kitty's estranged husband back; Francis comes home and puts Dewey through the torturous "Brotherhood Initiation."

    Director:Peter Lauer

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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17. 

    6.9/10(7 votes)

    #17 - Cattle Court

    S7:E204/16/2006

    Reese meets a cute vegetarian named Carrie when he goes back to work at the meat plant. At first, he goes along with her political talk, but she catches him with a pork chop. So, to get Carrie back, he sets free all the cows at the meat plant. Malcolm, meanwhile, tries to fool Lois in order to attend a rock concert.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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18. 

    6.8/10(18 votes)

    #18 - An American Auction in Paris

    S1:E910/2/2020

    A charity auction, a donated gown and an avant-garde design duo add up to trouble for Emily as she catches the eye of Pierre Cadault's heir apparent.

    Director:Peter Lauer

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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19. 

    6.7/10(9 votes)

    #19 - College Recruiters (2)

    S7:E121/29/2006

    A broke Francis gets talked into getting a real job by Dewey, but one of Francis' rocker friends decides to offer him the position of tour manager of his band instead. Back home, Hal takes over the college recruiters, which Malcolm refuses to meet with, and treats each one as a suitor. However, Hal's plans are ruined when Malcolm chooses to go Harvard.

    Director:Peter Lauer

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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20. 

    6.7/10(11 votes)

    #20 - Ida's Boyfriend

    S5:E112/8/2004

    Malcolm gets his tongue pierced and needs to hide it for a month. While Lois' mother, Ida, comes and annouces that she will marry a rich Chinese Man that she met on a cruise. Malcolm gets complications when his tongue ring gets infected, rendering him unable to say "S's" and he discovers that Ida has been drugging her fiancé with opiates and mood enhancers. When Lois and Hal confront Ida, she drugs them with free food. But luckily, the fiancé misses a drug treatment, and realizes that Ida is a terrible woman and he leaves her at the altar. Malcolm is punished for his tongue piercing. Meanwhile at the ranch, Otto decides to hire a murder mystery acting troup, but it all turns out badly.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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21. 

    6.7/10(19 votes)

    #21 - Cancel Couture

    S1:E1010/2/2020

    With her job on the line over a Fashion Week debacle, Emily scrambles to devise a new plan while preparing to say adieu to a good friend.

    Director:Peter Lauer

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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22. 

    6.4/10(17 votes)

    #22 - Jules and Em

    S2:E412/22/2021

    When Emily's personal drama impacts her work at Savoir, it pushes her to focus harder on her French lessons. Mindy faces off with a mime at her new gig.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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23. 

    6.1/10(11 votes)

    #23 - Army Buddy

    S7:E812/2/2005

    When Lois finds renewed energy with orthotic inserts for her shoes, Hal fears she will not look to him for support anymore and plots to destroy the inserts. A former female army buddy of Reese's comes to their house for a visit. But she gets defensive when Reese thinks they are way more than just friends and comes intact to the idea of trying to sleep with her.

    Director:Peter Lauer

    Writer:N/A

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    Director:Peter Lauer

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