Seasons & episodes

Buzz MacGregor and Angela Atwater from the Republican Party attend Merle's sermon on Love Thy Neighbor, where dirty linen is aired and guests repent. When George makes a disaster of their dinner party, Martha chooses to stay with Mac, but she feels something terrible is about to happen. Mary guesses that Dennis had a happy childhood, and he wants to make her life better. Tom dances with Cathy and Wanda at the Capri.

Charlie makes Loretta realize that if they really love Johnny Doe, they should let him go. Buzz and Angela encourage Merle and Wanda to go public with their swinging lifestyle and drink a toast to Wanda as the first woman president. When all of her premonitions come true, Martha declines Mac's marriage proposal and leaves. Mary feels sick after learning the truth about Dennis' parents.

Cathy encourages her parents to reconcile. At Mary's family breakfast, Heather announces that her classmates are gossiping about Dennis wrecking the Hartman marriage again. Charlie and Loretta think they've civilized Johnny Doe too much. Dennis wants Mary to tell him what she really feels. Cathy advises Tom on how to win Mary from Dennis.

Mac confronts George about Martha, and the Shumways face another financial crisis. Mary is amazed to receive sensible advice from Cathy about appreciating Tom's qualities. Wanda's potential presidential run intimidates Merle. Tom attempts to duplicate Dennis' appeal with a jar of Dippity-Doo, and Mary wishes she could choose without having to choose.

Dennis deals with Heather like an adult when she admits she wants to date him. Mickey Moe, the younger brother Merle disowned, arrives in Fernwood to make Merle's life even more miserable. Going back to the wilderness with Johnny Doe proves heart wrenching for Loretta. Wanda inadvertently incites Tom's passion.

A suicide pact is the last resort for George and Martha when their heat and electricity are cut off, their car is repossessed, and Cathy, Grandpa Larkin, and Barbie move out. Charlie catches Loretta tempting Johnny Doe back to civilization with junk food and television. Dennis wiggles out of Charlie and Loretta's attempt to convince him that Mary belongs with Tom. George proclaims he is close to selling his invention for a million dollars. Tom tries to woe Mary with a romantic hotel room supper.

Friends and family gather at the Jeeter apartment for Wanda's unexpected political announcement and at the Capri where George demonstrates his Bug Massacre invention to investors. Loretta and Charlie bid a tearful goodbye to Johnny Doe who is Wild Child again.

Loretta releases her grief over Johnny Doe's departure in a new song. Buzz and Angela's idea about including Miss Adeline and Mickey Moe in Merle and Wanda's co-campaign angers Merle. Cathy devises a new plan for the impoverished Shumways to make money, while Martha experiences another terrible premonition of impending doom. Dennis invades Mary's dreams. Mary meets Wanda at the Capri for advice about whether or not she should sleep with Dennis.

Cathy's first day of private catering at the plant gets off to a dismal start. Mr. Billingsley refuses to rehire George, who gets drunk at the Capri and fights with Mac. Dr. Joyce Brothers counsels Mary about a potential second affair with Dennis. Mary phones Dennis to arrange another infamous Thursday date. After their fight, George and Mac realize they could make a lot of money as professional wrestlers. Dennis interrupts Mary and Tom's lovemaking.

Mary admits to Dennis that she loves him but wants to know if she can take it back later. Cathy agrees to let Mary use Howie's apartment for the rendezvous with Dennis, then Mary has to justify it to Martha. George trains Mac for the first wrestling match. Cathy seeks help from Loretta in stopping Mary's affair, but Loretta suggests Cathy's own sordid past should make her more tolerant of Mary's desires. Martha has another premonition and foretells terrible doom for Cathy.

Tom goes to the ring with Charlie, Dennis, and Mac at the Capri's wrestling round-robin. Merle and Wanda try to reassure Tom that he and Mary can survive their marital crisis. Mary decides to stand up Dennis, but he arrives before she can leave, and they end up in a romantic embrace.

Dennis proposes to Mary. Tom visits Charlie and Loretta and asks them to choose friends. Merle is enraged when Wanda is friendly with Mickey Moe and threatens to end his bid for the presidency. When she tells him about her evening with Dennis, Tom doesn't take Mary seriously. Before leaving Fernwood, Dennis asks Mary to meet him at Niagara Falls in one week aboard the Maid of the Mist.

Grandpa Larkin meets Barth Gimble, who's in Fernwood to find his brother Garth. After Tom convinces himself that Mary was just trying to make him jealous, Cathy accidentally reveals that Mary spent the night with Dennis. Merle and Mickey Moe argue over Wanda, who Miss Adeline dismisses as a blonde hussy. Cathy and Loretta pump Mary about her night Dennis. Mary reveals to Tom that Dennis has left Fernwood for good, but first he asked her to marry him.

Svetlana, a female wrestler, challenges Mac. Mary and Tom agree to host Mary's 16th high school reunion in the Hartman home. After seeing how much pledge money Mickey Moe brought in, Merle decides to let him and Miss Adeline stay. Martha and Cathy scream at the sight of Barth Gimble and realize that he doesn't know about brother Garth's violent death. Cathy experiences excruciating back pain, reinforcing Martha's premonition of doom. George doesn't want to know if Mary will choose Dennis or Tom, but vows to support her final decision.

Charlie and Loretta invite Barth to use their guest room but can't summon the nerve to tell him about Garth. Mac and Svetlana hit it off at the Capri, unaware that they're opponents in the wrestling ring. Barth ends up in the middle of Tom and Mary's marital troubles, and they stun him with the news of Garth's shocking death. Martha coaches Mac in the art of wrestling. Grandpa Larkin advises Mary about running off with Dennis.

Heather wants to run away to Las Vegas and become a stripper. George and Martha run a bookie service until Ma Bell turns off the phone. Nat Dearborn counsels Mary about the benefits of divorcing Tom. Mac and Svetlana learn that they're opponents. Tom advises Mary that if she really loves Dennis, she should follow her dream and the chance of happiness he offers.

The Shumways' finances are on the line as Svetlana takes down Mac in the ring. Cathy's back pain becomes excruciating. Mary tells Tom that her dream is the life she has with him and Heather in Fernwood. After Mary insinuates she won't leave, a deliveryman arrives with a one way ticket to Niagara Falls from Dennis. As the high school reunion gets underway, Mary gives an impassioned speech about accepting life instead of following silly dreams, but later, Tom discovers that Mary has vanished from their party.

Merle and Wanda's appearance on the Fernwood Hallelujah Hour ends in disaster when Buzz and Angela's true party affiliation is revealed live on-air. Tom still can't find a missing Mary. Mac and Svetlana's match leaves George on easy street, but Cathy's collapse isn't from excitement. Merle and Wanda face an angry mob and receive no comfort from Miss Adeline and Mickey Moe. Merle gets a phone call that might end his mayoral career. Charlie and Loretta reassure a frantic Tom that Mary went for a walk to think things over, but he later finds a Dear Tom letter.

Mac and Svetlana announce they're leaving Fernwood to be married. Arguing with Martha about her premonitions of doom, Cathy falls and is knocked unconscious. Wanda introduces Tom to Lorraine Babcock, a replacement for Mary. Dr. Fermin diagnoses Cathy with kidney failure and recommends a transplant from Mary. The Shumways learn that Mary has run off with Dennis. Martha thinks Detective Johnson may be able to find Mary. George and a frightened Cathy share a tender father-daughter moment.

Loretta is electrocuted while improving the TV reception for Barth. Martha advises Tom about life with a missing spouse. Detective Johnson begins the search for Mary and Dennis. Dr. Fermin treats Loretta, whose experience inspires her to return to singing. Barth offers to guide Loretta's career. Cathy laments never reaching the high point of her life.

Martha announces that George was rehired at the plant, but with Dewey's old custodial job. Everyone regrets not appreciating Mary more. Bill Patterson, chairman of the Fernwood city council, informs the Jeeters that a vote is being held to remove Merle from public office and orders them to vacate their taxpayer funded apartment. Heather convinces Tom to purge all mementos of their life with Mary. Loretta debuts her new act at the Capri.

Barth conceives a new game show called Born Losers, using George, Cathy, and Martha as the contestants. Merle and Wanda are forced to share a cheap room at the Bide-a-Wee Motel with Miss Adeline and Mickey Moe. Buzz and Angela continue to malign the Jeeters. Dr. Fermin considers searching for an alternate kidney donor. Detective Johnson returns with bad news about his search for Mary. Cathy makes out her will.

The police refuse to search for a wayward wife. Tom insists Cathy have his kidney, but Dr. Fermin arrives with more bad news. Martha thinks she can make Cathy's lifelong dream come true. The Jeeters peruse their hate mail, and Merle's certain a comeback is just around the corner. Cathy performs at the Capri's Ha-Ha Night. Dr. Fermin announces he's found two Fernwood donors for Cathy: one's dead, but the other is alive and very close.

Barth persuades Loretta to sign an exclusive seven-year contract with him and nixes Clyde Muncie's plan to have Loretta cut another record. Charlie encourages Tom to get out and be sociable with the opposite sex. Tom runs into old classmate Maureen Murray, who confesses she had a crush on him. Barth's contract has Charlie and Loretta fighting like Sonny and Cher. Tom isn't sure he's ready when he finds Maureen in his bed.