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The Best Episodes of Family Matters

Every episode of Family Matters ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Family Matters!

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A long-running dramedy centering on the Winslow family, a middle-class African American family living in Chicago, and their pesky next-door neighbor, ultra-nerd Steve Urkel. A spin-off of Perfect Strangers.

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Family Matters Season 3 Episode 9 - Born to be Mild
    8.0/10(194 votes)

    #1 - Born to be Mild

    S3:E9

    A street gang causes trouble for the Winslows, and things become personal when they vandalize Rachel's Place and attack Eddie. Carl wants to take matters into his own hands, but Urkel decides to infiltrate the gang and tricking them into confessing.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Family Matters Season 4 Episode 10 - It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Urkel
    8.0/10(186 votes)

    #2 - It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Urkel

    S4:E10

    Laura's guardian angel shows Urkel what it's like to be Laura.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writers:David W. Duclon, Gary Menteer

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  3. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 8 - Dr. Urkel and Mr. Cool
    8.0/10(183 votes)

    #3 - Dr. Urkel and Mr. Cool

    S5:E8

    A space-age potion turns Urkel into Stefan Urquelle suave, smooth-talking life of the party, but Laura finds she soon misses the old Urkel.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Family Matters Season 2 Episode 25 - I Should Have Done Something
    7.9/10(179 votes)

    #4 - I Should Have Done Something

    S2:E25

    Steve schemes to take the reluctant Laura to a hot-ticket concert; Carl takes out his frustrations on the family, unable to shake the memory of a shooting he feels he could have prevented in the aftermath of a hostage case.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:David W. Duclon

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  5. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 7 - Grandmama
    7.8/10(172 votes)

    #5 - Grandmama

    S5:E7

    The NBA's Larry Johnson plays Grandmama (his TV-ad alter ego), who becomes Urkel's new partner in a city basketball competition after Eddie dumps Urkel for star player Kenny.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 15 - Good Cop, Bad Cop
    7.8/10(164 votes)

    #6 - Good Cop, Bad Cop

    S5:E15

    Carl refuses to accept Eddie's story that he got pulled over for speeding ""because he was a black in a white person's neighborhood"" ... until the portly cop finds out the ugly truth. Meanwhile, Urkel tells Richie that he has nothing to fear when going to the dentist, but the nerd soon regrets his move when he has cavities of his own that need filling.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Family Matters

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  7. Family Matters Season 7 Episode 22 - Dream Date
    7.8/10(135 votes)

    #7 - Dream Date

    S7:E22

    The school prom brings one disaster after another for Laura. First her date cancels, then she's paired with the walking disaster Urkel at the dance, where the group Immature performs.

    Director:Joel Zwick
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Family Matters Season 2 Episode 3 - Marriage 101
    7.7/10(181 votes)

    #8 - Marriage 101

    S2:E3

    For a class project, Laura is "married" to Steve for a day. Meanwhile, one of Carl's sergeants casts his eye on Rachel.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writers:Pamela Eells, Sally Lapiduss

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  9. Family Matters Season 6 Episode 22 - We're Going to Disney World (1)
    7.7/10(136 votes)

    #9 - We're Going to Disney World (1)

    S6:E22

    As a finalist in a contest, Urkel invites the Winslows on his trip to Disney World, where Laura has a fantasy romance---with Stefan Urquelle.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:Jim Geoghan

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  10. Family Matters Season 7 Episode 24 - Send in the Clone
    7.7/10(127 votes)

    #10 - Send in the Clone

    S7:E24

    Urkel discovers that "I can clone stuff!"--which means double trouble for the Winslows.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Family Matters Season 9 Episode 20 - Pop Goes the Question
    7.7/10(140 votes)

    #11 - Pop Goes the Question

    S9:E20

    Urkel asks Carl for Laura's hand in marriage, but Stefan has already given Laura a ring.

    Director:Joel Zwick
    Writer:David W. Duclon

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  12. Family Matters Season 2 Episode 6 - Boxcar Blues
    7.6/10(160 votes)

    #12 - Boxcar Blues

    S2:E6

    Carl gets trapped inside a railroad boxcar with Steve and a cargo of cattle.

    Director:Mark Linn-Baker
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Family Matters Season 2 Episode 22 - Finding the Words
    7.6/10(180 votes)

    #13 - Finding the Words

    S2:E22

    A charming, mysterious figure, claiming to be a family friend from the past, comes to visit - and turns out to be Harriet and Rachel's long-lost father.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Family Matters Season 3 Episode 25 - Farewell, My Laura
    7.6/10(155 votes)

    #14 - Farewell, My Laura

    S3:E25

    Urkel plays bumbling, hard-boiled gumshoe Johnny Danger in a 1940s film noir spoof with Laura as a sultry client who needs protection for her aunt Rachel singer and supper-club owner marked for murder.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:David W. Duclon

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  15. Family Matters Season 4 Episode 3 - Driving Carl Crazy
    7.6/10(146 votes)

    #15 - Driving Carl Crazy

    S4:E3

    Carl hopes to practice stress management by keeping his cool, but he nearly blows a gasket teaching Urkel to drive.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 10 - All the Wrong Moves
    7.6/10(141 votes)

    #16 - All the Wrong Moves

    S5:E10

    At the drive-in movie, Laura's new boyfriend (Kevin Mambo) has trouble getting the message that no really means no; and at home, Carl just doesn't get it when his insults drive Harriette to retaliate.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 16 - Presumed Urkel
    7.6/10(151 votes)

    #17 - Presumed Urkel

    S5:E16

    When accident-prone Steve is blamed for a chemistry lab explosion, Laura represents him at a school trial.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writer:Felicia D. Henderson

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  18. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 17 - Father of the Bride
    7.6/10(135 votes)

    #18 - Father of the Bride

    S5:E17

    Carl bribes Laura to go bowling with Urkel and dreams that they are married with four kids who look like Urkel.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Family Matters Season 6 Episode 19 - My Bodyguard
    7.6/10(118 votes)

    #19 - My Bodyguard

    S6:E19

    After failing to foil a robbery, Carl is assigned to protect Urkel, who stopped the thief; the boss's daughter comes on to Eddie.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writer:Felicia D. Henderson

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  20. Family Matters Season 9 Episode 1 - Out With the Old
    7.6/10(131 votes)

    #20 - Out With the Old

    S9:E1

    Urkel gets a makeover for Laura's bachelor auction. Meanwhile, Carl's thinking could use a makeover when Harriette's salary spurs his competitive instincts.

    Director:Joel Zwick
    Writer:David W. Duclon

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  21. Family Matters Season 1 Episode 12 - Laura's First Date
    7.5/10(219 votes)

    #21 - Laura's First Date

    S1:E12

    Laura wants to go to an upcoming dance with a good-looking boy. Carl and Eddie try to find Laura a date. Carl asks Steve Urkel to take Laura to the dance, while Eddie asks one of his friends to take her out. When Laura finds out what happened, she is humiliated.

    Director:Rich Correll
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Family Matters Season 2 Episode 2 - Torn Between Two Lovers
    7.5/10(170 votes)

    #22 - Torn Between Two Lovers

    S2:E2

    Steve develops a crush on Rachel and believes it is reciprocated when she invites him to a candlelight dinner at her restaurant, while Rachel is actually dating her bank's loan officer.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Family Matters Season 2 Episode 7 - Dog Day Halloween
    7.5/10(178 votes)

    #23 - Dog Day Halloween

    S2:E7

    Steve and Laura are held hostage during a Halloween bank robbery.

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:David W. Duclon

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  24. Family Matters Season 4 Episode 15 - Tender Kisses
    7.5/10(144 votes)

    #24 - Tender Kisses

    S4:E15

    Eddie gets more than he bargained for when he and his pals sneak into R&B singer Tracie Spencer's hotel room in search of tickets to her concert; and Carl is in for a big surprise when he discovers Harriette's diary.

    Director:John Tracy
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Family Matters Season 5 Episode 2 - It Didn't Happen One Night
    7.5/10(134 votes)

    #25 - It Didn't Happen One Night

    S5:E2

    Laura oversleeps and misses her bus to Cincinnati for a cheerleading competition and Steve offers to take her in his Isetta. Laura is not pleasant company and Steve confronts her about it.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"Born to be Mild" is the best rated episode of "Family Matters". It scored 8/10 based on 194 votes. Directed by John Tracy and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/15/1991. This episode scored 0.0 points higher than the second highest rated, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot like Urkel".