The following is a list of all 114 episodes of the television show Taxi.
All five seasons have been released on DVD by Paramount Home Entertainment (1–3) and CBS Home Entertainment (4–5, Complete Series).
Series overview
| Season | Episodes | Originally aired | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First aired | Last aired | Network | |||
| 1 | 22 | September 12, 1978 (1978-09-12) | May 15, 1979 (1979-05-15) | ABC | |
| 2 | 24 | September 11, 1979 (1979-09-11) | May 13, 1980 (1980-05-13) | ||
| 3 | 20 | November 19, 1980 (1980-11-19) | May 21, 1981 (1981-05-21) | ||
| 4 | 24 | October 18, 1981 (1981-10-18) | May 6, 1982 (1982-05-06) | ||
| 5 | 24 | September 30, 1982 (1982-09-30) | June 15, 1983 (1983-06-15) | NBC | |
Episodes
Season 1 (1978–79)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | "Like Father, Like Daughter" | James Burrows | James L. Brooks & Stan Daniels & David Davis & Ed. Weinberger | September 12, 1978 (1978-09-12) | |
| In a one-time chance to catch up with the daughter, Cathy (Talia Balsam), he has not seen in 15 years, Alex and the gang drive a cab to Miami to meet her at the airport before she moves to Portugal. | ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "One-Punch Banta" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | September 19, 1978 (1978-09-19) | |
| Tony gets the opportunity to become a sparring partner for a middleweight boxing champion (Carlos Palomino), but he may be getting more than he bargained for. Featuring Allan Arbus. | ||||||
| 3 | 3 | "Blind Date" | James Burrows | Michael Leeson | September 26, 1978 (1978-09-26) | |
|
Alex arranges a date with the charming voice on Bobby's answering service, but is disappointed to meet an unattractive, gruff and surly woman (Suzanne Kent) in person. Bobby, Tony and John try to decide who rightfully deserves the large sum of money which Latka found in the back of one of the cabs. | ||||||
| 4 | 4 | "Bobby's Acting Career" | James Burrows | Ed. Weinberger and Stan Daniels | October 3, 1978 (1978-10-03) | |
| After giving himself three years to break into the acting business, Bobby goes on a hurried audition spree in the hours before his own personal deadline expires. Alex confiscates a dog from his abusive owner. | ||||||
| 5 | 5 | "Come as You Aren't" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | October 10, 1978 (1978-10-10) | |
| Elaine throws a party to impress her art gallery contacts but fears her high-class guests will discover she is a taxi driver. | ||||||
| 6 | 6 | "The Great Line" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | October 17, 1978 (1978-10-17) | |
| John picks up a pretty woman (Ellen Regan) at a bar, and everyone is shocked when he returns from his date a married man. | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | "High School Reunion" | James Burrows | Sy Rosen | October 24, 1978 (1978-10-24) | |
| Louie is afraid to face his old classmates at his 20-year high school reunion so Bobby offers to impersonate him ("I shot up in college") and attend the reunion in his place. | ||||||
| 8 | 8 | "Paper Marriage" | James Burrows | Story by : Barton Dean Teleplay by : Glen Charles & Les Charles | October 31, 1978 (1978-10-31) | |
| Faced with deportation, Latka marries a call girl, Vivian Harrow (Rita Taggart), in a quickie ceremony conducted by the bizarre Reverend Jim "Iggy" Ignatowski (Christopher Lloyd, in his first Taxi appearance). | ||||||
| 9 | 9 | "Money Troubles" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | November 14, 1978 (1978-11-14) | |
| John and his new wife entertain Alex and Latka for dinner, where their financial situation exposes tension just below the surface. | ||||||
| 10 | 10 | "Men Are Such Beasts" | James Burrows | Ed. Weinberger and Stan Daniels | November 21, 1978 (1978-11-21) | |
| Tony has trouble breaking up with his obsessive, pill-popping girlfriend (Gail Edwards), and Alex gets into an accident. | ||||||
| 11 | 11 | "Memories of Cab 804: Part 1" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | November 28, 1978 (1978-11-28) | |
| The cabbies tell stories about an old cab nearing a half-million miles on the road that has just been wrecked. | ||||||
| 12 | 12 | "Memories of Cab 804: Part 2" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | December 5, 1978 (1978-12-05) | |
|
The cabbies continue their stories about their experiences with the recently wrecked Cab 804. Features Tom Selleck and Mandy Patinkin. | ||||||
| 13 | 13 | "A Full House for Christmas" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | December 12, 1978 (1978-12-12) | |
|
At Christmas time, Louie's brother Nick (Richard Foronjy) visits, but infuriates Louie when he refuses to spend much time with their mother. Louie talks Alex into challenging Nick to a poker game, hoping for revenge. Note: This was supposed to be the "Tony Clifton" episode in which he "guest starred" (hence Latka's absence) as Louie's brother, but Clifton was fired from the show and Foronjy was hired instead. | ||||||
| 14 | 14 | "Sugar Mama" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | January 16, 1979 (1979-01-16) | |
| Alex picks up a friendly rich elderly woman (Ruth Gordon) who gives him presents and large tips. | ||||||
| 15 | 15 | "Friends" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | January 30, 1979 (1979-01-30) | |
| Tony goes to Scranton, Pennsylvania to take part in a boxing match, which he loses. He trusts the care of his two pet fish to Bobby, who neglects to feed them, and they die. Tony refuses to forgive him, so Alex steps in to help repair their friendship. | ||||||
| 16 | 16 | "Louie Sees the Light" | James Burrows | Ruth Bennett | February 6, 1979 (1979-02-06) | |
| Louie goes to the hospital for an operation and promises God he will turn a new leaf when he comes back to work. | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | "Elaine and the Lame Duck" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | February 13, 1979 (1979-02-13) | |
| Alex picks up a Congressman (Jeffrey Tambor) who cannot find a date, so Alex fixes him up with Elaine. | ||||||
| 18 | 18 | "Bobby's Big Break" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | February 15, 1979 (1979-02-15) | |
| Bobby lands a small part on a soap opera, due to which he feels confident enough to quit his taxi driving job. | ||||||
| 19 | 19 | "Mama Gravas" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | February 27, 1979 (1979-02-27) | |
| Alex has a one-night stand with Latka's attractive mother (Susan Kellermann). Upon finding out, Latka expects Alex to marry her. When he refuses to, Latka calls off their friendship. | ||||||
| 20 | 20 | "Alex Tastes Death and Finds a Nice Restaurant" | James Burrows | Michael Leeson | March 6, 1979 (1979-03-06) | |
| Alex is robbed and shot in the ear on his route, causing him to quit his job in fear. He takes a job as a waiter at an upmarket restaurant, but soon returns to his old job. | ||||||
| 21 | 21 | "Hollywood Calling" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | May 8, 1979 (1979-05-08) | |
| A Hollywood producer (Martin Mull) comes to the garage looking for "real" cab drivers for a movie. It is up to Louie to decide if the movie is shot in the garage. | ||||||
| 22 | 22 | "Substitute Father" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | May 15, 1979 (1979-05-15) | |
| Elaine needs to see her sick aunt for a few days, but cannot take her son (Michael Hershewe) because he is competing in a spelling bee. The entire male cabbie staff takes turns looking after him. | ||||||
Season 2 (1979–80)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1 | "Louie and the Nice Girl" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | September 11, 1979 (1979-09-11) | |
|
Zena Sherman (Rhea Perlman, in her first Taxi appearance) falls for Louie, but Louie doesn't know how to date a nice girl. Note: The role of Zena Sherman was played by Rhea Perlman, who married DeVito in 1982, and went on to portray Carla Tortelli on the Burrows' next series, Cheers. | ||||||
| 24 | 2 | "Honor Thy Father" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | September 18, 1979 (1979-09-18) | |
| Alex learns from his sister (Joan Hackett) that his estranged father (Jack Gilford) has suffered a heart attack, and has to be convinced to visit him at the hospital. | ||||||
| 25 | 3 | "Reverend Jim: A Space Odyssey" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | September 25, 1979 (1979-09-25) | |
|
The cabbies meet Reverend Jim at a restaurant, and get him a job as a cab driver. Jim then spreads his special brand of reality around the garage. In 1997, TV Guide ranked this episode #63 on its list of the 100 Greatest Episodes. In 2009, it moved to #51. | ||||||
| 26 | 4 | "Nardo Loses Her Marbles" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | October 2, 1979 (1979-10-02) | |
| Elaine has a chance to move up at the art gallery, so she burns the candle at both ends and begins to show signs of the stress. She goes to a psychiatrist (Tom Ewell) to prove that she is okay. | ||||||
| 27 | 5 | "Wherefore Art Thou Bobby?" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | October 16, 1979 (1979-10-16) | |
| Bobby considers quitting acting after he meets a young actor-wannabe who just moved to New York and immediately lands a leading role in an off-Broadway play. | ||||||
| 28 | 6 | "The Lighter Side of Angela Matusa" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | October 23, 1979 (1979-10-23) | |
| Alex is revisited by a now slimmer Angela Matusa (Suzanne Kent), whose romantic interest in him has grown since she last saw him a year ago. | ||||||
| 29 | 7 | "A Woman Between Friends" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | October 30, 1979 (1979-10-30) | |
| Bobby and Tony become embattled in a fierce competition for the affections of a beautiful girl (Constance Forslund) they both met and asked out at Mario's. | ||||||
| 30 | 8 | "The Great Race" | James Burrows | Glenn Gordon Caron | November 6, 1979 (1979-11-06) | |
|
Alex and Louie engage in a friendly competition to see who can take in the most money. If Louie wins he gets a date with Elaine. Note: Danny Devito really bit Jeff Conaway’s finger breaking the skin and leaving a scar. | ||||||
| 31 | 9 | "The Apartment" | James Burrows | Barry Rubinowitz | November 13, 1979 (1979-11-13) | |
| After his apartment complex is torn down, Latka unknowingly signs a lease to live in a luxurious penthouse that costs $3,000 a month. Realizing that Latka will have to move out after a month, the cabbies decide to spend every minute enjoying the perks of the apartment. | ||||||
| 32 | 10 | "Alex's Romance" | Ed. Weinberger | Ian Praiser & Howard Gewirtz | November 20, 1979 (1979-11-20) | |
|
Alex embarks on a romance with a fragile former soap star (Dee Wallace) who is reluctant to get into a long-term relationship. Note: Jim becomes a full-time regular starting with this episode. | ||||||
| 33 | 11 | "Latka's Revolting" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | November 27, 1979 (1979-11-27) | |
| After Latka's country erupts into a civil war, he feels that he has an obligation to go home and join the revolution. | ||||||
| 34 | 12 | "Elaine's Secret Admirer" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | December 4, 1979 (1979-12-04) | |
| Elaine is intrigued when a secret admirer sends her several romantic poems. She soon realizes that it must be someone in the garage. | ||||||
| 35 | 13 | "Louie Meets the Folks" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | December 11, 1979 (1979-12-11) | |
| Fearing that Zena will break up with him, Louie finally decides to meet her parents (John C. Becher and Camila Ashland). He then pays Alex to accompany him and make sure that he doesn't step out of line. | ||||||
| 36 | 14 | "Jim Gets a Pet" | James Burrows | David Lloyd | December 18, 1979 (1979-12-18) | |
| Jim has a good day at the track and decides to spend his winnings on a pet horse. | ||||||
| 37 | 15 | "The Reluctant Fighter" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | December 25, 1979 (1979-12-25) | |
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Tony is initially excited about fighting a former champ whose best days are behind him. His excitement turns to doubt when he realizes that the champ is dedicating the fight to a kid in a wheel-chair. Note: Tony Danza's son, Marc Danza played the role of Brian Sims. | ||||||
| 38 | 16 | "Tony and Brian" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | January 8, 1980 (1980-01-08) | |
|
Tony is shattered when a kid that he wants to adopt decides to go with a wealthy couple. Note: Tony Danza's son, Marc Danza played the role of Brian Sims. | ||||||
| 39 | 17 | "Guess Who's Coming for Brefnish" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | January 15, 1980 (1980-01-15) | |
|
Latka falls for Simka (Carol Kane in her first Taxi appearance), a girl from his native land, but prejudice gets in the way when it turns out she is one of the "mountain people," the most hated group in his country. Note: First appearance of Simka Gravas (Carol Kane). | ||||||
| 40 | 18 | "What Price Bobby?" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | January 22, 1980 (1980-01-22) | |
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Bobby's acting career is on the rise after he starts having an affair with his new agent (Susan Sullivan). Note: Judd Hirsch was only featured in the show's epilogue, separate from the main cast, as he was filming Ordinary People. | ||||||
| 41 | 19 | "Shut It Down: Part 1" | James Burrows | Story by : Mark Jacobson & Michael Tolkin Teleplay by : Howard Gewirtz & Ian Praiser | January 29, 1980 (1980-01-29) | |
| Elaine is elected shop steward in a labor dispute, which might require some creative negotiations with lascivious Louie. | ||||||
| 42 | 20 | "Shut It Down: Part 2" | James Burrows | Howard Gewirtz & Ian Praiser | February 5, 1980 (1980-02-05) | |
| Louie finally gets his date with Elaine, and TV audiences get the kiss they can never forget. | ||||||
| 43 | 21 | "Alex Jumps Out of an Airplane" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | February 26, 1980 (1980-02-26) | |
| Following an excitement-filled ski trip, Alex decides to start living life to the fullest, which includes skydiving for the first time. | ||||||
| 44 | 22 | "Art Work" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | March 4, 1980 (1980-03-04) | |
| Elaine convinces the cabbies to pool their money and buy a valuable painting as an investment. But to raise the cash, they’ll have to make a deal with the devil — Louie. | ||||||
| 45 | 23 | "Fantasy Borough: Part 1" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | May 6, 1980 (1980-05-06) | |
| When Tony meets Fantasy Island's Hervé Villechaize, it inspires the cabbies to describe their fantasies. | ||||||
| 46 | 24 | "Fantasy Borough: Part 2" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | May 13, 1980 (1980-05-13) | |
| The fantasies continue in this conclusion to the season, culminating in Elaine's splashy production number to the song "Lullaby of Broadway." | ||||||
Season 3 (1980–81)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47 | 1 | "Louie's Rival" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | November 19, 1980 (1980-11-19) | |
| Louie fears the worst when Zena (Rhea Perlman) confesses she has been dating someone else. | ||||||
| 48 | 2 | "Tony's Sister and Jim" | James Burrows | Michael Leeson | November 26, 1980 (1980-11-26) | |
|
Tony Banta's newly divorced sister, Monica (Julie Kavner), falls in love with Jim Ignatowski, much to Tony's dismay. Note: Jeff Conaway and Marilu Henner are absent in this episode. | ||||||
| 49 | 3 | "Fathers of the Bride" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | December 3, 1980 (1980-12-03) | |
| Alex is upset when his ex-wife (Louise Lasser) purposely keeps him out of the wedding of their daughter (Talia Balsam), so he takes Elaine along with him to crash the reception. | ||||||
| 50 | 4 | "Elaine's Strange Triangle" | James Burrows | David Lloyd | December 10, 1980 (1980-12-10) | |
| Elaine's dating a man who, unknown to her, is bisexual and attracted to Tony. Tony begs for Alex's help in letting the man down easy. | ||||||
| 51 | 5 | "Going Home" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | December 17, 1980 (1980-12-17) | |
| After a private investigator tracks him down regarding a family matter, Jim and Alex pay a visit to Jim's wealthy father (Victor Buono). | ||||||
| 52 | 6 | "The Ten-Percent Solution" | James Burrows | Pat Allee | January 7, 1981 (1981-01-07) | |
| With Bobby's acting career going nowhere, he takes Tony Banta under his wing and acts as his agent. | ||||||
| 53 | 7 | "Call of the Mild" | James Burrows | Katherine Green | January 21, 1981 (1981-01-21) | |
| Alex, Tony, Bobby, and Jim end up stranded without provisions in a mountain cabin. | ||||||
| 54 | 8 | "Latka's Cookies" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | February 5, 1981 (1981-02-05) | |
| Latka inherits his grandmother's cookie recipe, which he plans to mass-market because the cookies are addictive – literally. | ||||||
| 55 | 9 | "Thy Boss's Wife" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | February 12, 1981 (1981-02-12) | |
| The boss's wife (Eileen Brennan) invites Louie over for an affair so she can get back at her husband. Louie fears the worst after remembering that her last fling, a cabbie named "Curly" Melnick, has not been heard from since. | ||||||
| 56 | 10 | "The Costume Party" | James Burrows | David Lloyd | February 19, 1981 (1981-02-19) | |
| The gang crash a party which they believe has famous actors in attendance. | ||||||
| 57 | 11 | "Elaine's Old Friend" | Jeff Chambers | Susan Jane Lindner & Nancy Lane | February 26, 1981 (1981-02-26) | |
| Elaine makes up an imaginary boyfriend, "Bill Board," to impress a wealthy and successful former school friend (Martha Smith), and Alex pretends to be Bill. | ||||||
| 58 | 12 | "Out of Commission" | James Burrows | Sam Simon | March 12, 1981 (1981-03-12) | |
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Tony is informed that he can no longer box due to the risk of brain damage. Note: According to Sam Simon, Jeff Conaway got high on cocaine just before filming and was unable to perform all of his scenes. Conaway's scenes were quickly rewritten and Conaway was fired at the end of the season. | ||||||
| 59 | 13 | "Zen and the Art of Cab Driving" | Will Mackenzie | Glen Charles & Les Charles | March 19, 1981 (1981-03-19) | |
| After Jim picks up a couple of businessmen at the airport, he realizes that his life is missing something. Focusing on being the best cab driver he can be, Jim breaks company trip sheet records in an effort to amass enough wealth to achieve a special goal which he reveals to his fellow drivers. | ||||||
| 60 | 14 | "Louie's Mother" | James Burrows | Katherine Green | March 26, 1981 (1981-03-26) | |
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After Louie places his mother in a nursing home, he realizes that his vision of living without her was not as good as it seemed. Note: The part of Louie's mother is played by Julia DeVito, Danny DeVito's actual mother. | ||||||
| 61 | 15 | "Bobby's Roommate" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | April 9, 1981 (1981-04-09) | |
| Elaine stays with Bobby, leading Alex and others to suspect they're having an affair. | ||||||
| 62 | 16 | "Louie Bumps Into an Old Lady" | James Burrows | David Lloyd | April 16, 1981 (1981-04-16) | |
| After Louie hits an old lady (Iris Korn) with his cab, she takes the Sunshine Cab Company to court for a million dollars. Louie soon realizes that he has a strong case against her when Alex remembers from a prior experience that she is a known con artist. | ||||||
| 63 | 17 | "Bobby and the Critic" | James Burrows | Barry Kemp | April 30, 1981 (1981-04-30) | |
| After reading the newspaper and seeing another nasty review of a play by powerful critic, John Bowman (John Harkins), Bobby decides to compose a letter attacking Bowman, only to reconsider and throw it in the trash. When Louie recovers the letter and sends it to the newspaper, it unexpectedly creates positive buzz for Bobby and his acting career. | ||||||
| 64 | 18 | "On the Job: Part 1" | James Burrows | Dennis Danzinger & Ellen Sandler | May 7, 1981 (1981-05-07) | |
| After the Sunshine Cab Company goes bankrupt, the gang decides to meet at Mario's a month later to tell stories about their new jobs. | ||||||
| 65 | 19 | "On the Job: Part 2" | James Burrows | Dennis Danzinger & Ellen Sandler | May 14, 1981 (1981-05-14) | |
| With the Sunshine Cab Company still closed, the former employees continue to share stories of their new jobs. | ||||||
| 66 | 20 | "Latka the Playboy" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | May 21, 1981 (1981-05-21) | |
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Latka creates a suave but obnoxious alter ego, Vic Ferrari, to help him score with the ladies. However, nobody likes his new persona, and Alex tries to convince him to bring the old Latka back. George Wendt appears in this episode. | ||||||
Season 4 (1981–82)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 1 | "Jim the Psychic" | James Burrows | Story by : Holly Holmberg Brooks Teleplay by : Barry Kemp | October 8, 1981 (1981-10-08) | |
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Jim has psychic visions of the future and predicts that Alex will meet a horrible fate involving a blonde woman. Note: One of two episodes originally produced for the third season but held over. | ||||||
| 68 | 2 | "Vienna Waits" | Howard Storm | Ken Estin | October 15, 1981 (1981-10-15) | |
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When Alex and Elaine take a European vacation together, she has plenty of luck with the men and he has none with the women. Note: The first episode produced for the fourth season, and the first without Jeff Conaway. | ||||||
| 69 | 3 | "Mr. Personalities" | Howard Storm | Ian Praiser & Howard Gewirtz | October 22, 1981 (1981-10-22) | |
| Latka's multiple personalities are getting worse: In addition to Vic Ferrari, he becomes Alex, and starts living Alex's life better than he did. | ||||||
| 70 | 4 | "Jim Joins the Network" | Noam Pitlik | David Lloyd | October 29, 1981 (1981-10-29) | |
| A television executive (Martin Short) uses Jim's psychic abilities to help him choose programs for a major network. | ||||||
| 71 | 5 | "Louie's Fling" | James Burrows | Sam Simon | November 5, 1981 (1981-11-05) | |
| After Louie has an affair with Zena's friend Emily (Andrea Marcovicci), he wants to live out his dream by dating both women at once. | ||||||
| 72 | 6 | "Like Father, Like Son" | James Burrows | David Lloyd | November 12, 1981 (1981-11-12) | |
| Alex and his estranged father become involved with the same woman. | ||||||
| 73 | 7 | "Louie's Mom Remarries" | James Burrows | Earl Pomerantz | November 19, 1981 (1981-11-19) | |
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Louie is furious when his mother announces her engagement to a Japanese man (played by Jerry Fujikawa). Note: Louie's mother is played by Julie DeVito, Danny DeVito's actual mother. | ||||||
| 74 | 8 | "Fledgling" | James Burrows | Ken Estin | November 26, 1981 (1981-11-26) | |
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Elaine tries to help an artist (Paul Sand) who refuses to leave his apartment. Note: This episode, originally produced for the third season, was Jeff Conaway's last episode as a regular. | ||||||
| 75 | 9 | "Of Mice and Tony" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | December 10, 1981 (1981-12-10) | |
| Tony becomes the manager for an up-and-coming fighter (Ernie Hudson). | ||||||
| 76 | 10 | "Louie Goes Too Far" | Michael Lessac | Danny Kallis | December 17, 1981 (1981-12-17) | |
| Elaine calls the National Organization For Women on Louie after she catches him peeping at her while she's undressing. | ||||||
| 77 | 11 | "I Wanna Be Around" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | January 7, 1982 (1982-01-07) | |
| After seeing a Donahue show about the threat of nuclear war, Louie holds an apocalypse preparedness drill in the garage. | ||||||
| 78 | 12 | "Bobby Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | James Burrows | Glen Charles & Les Charles | January 14, 1982 (1982-01-14) | |
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Bobby returns from Hollywood to announce that he's gotten a part on a TV pilot. When the pilot is picked up as a series, his part is recast, but the gang encourages him to return to Hollywood and continue to follow his dream. Jeff Conaway's final appearance on the series. | ||||||
| 79 | 13 | "Nina Loves Alex" | Joan Darling | David Lloyd | January 21, 1982 (1982-01-21) | |
| A cheerful young cabbie (Charlayne Woodard) challenges Alex's sour worldview when she falls in love with him. | ||||||
| 80 | 14 | "Tony's Lady" | Michael Zinberg | Ken Estin | January 28, 1982 (1982-01-28) | |
| Tony falls for the beautiful, rich woman (Rebecca Holden) he's been hired to chauffeur. | ||||||
| 81 | 15 | "Simka Returns" | Michael Zinberg | Howard Gewirtz & Ian Praiser | February 4, 1982 (1982-02-04) | |
| Latka's ex-girlfriend Simka is free again, but Latka's attempts to reconnect with her are stymied when she seems to prefer his alter ego, Vic Ferrari. | ||||||
| 82 | 16 | "Jim and the Kid" | Michael Zinberg | David Lloyd | February 11, 1982 (1982-02-11) | |
| Jim meets a boy who's run away from home and decides to raise him himself. | ||||||
| 83 | 17 | "Take My Ex-Wife, Please" | Noam Pitlik | Ian Praiser & Howard Gewirtz | February 18, 1982 (1982-02-18) | |
| Alex's ex-wife (Louise Lasser), dumped by her second husband, rebounds by dating the most unsuitable person imaginable: Louie. | ||||||
| 84 | 18 | "The Unkindest Cut" | Noam Pitlik | Story by : Barbara Duncan & Holly Holmberg Brooks Teleplay by : Sam Simon | February 25, 1982 (1982-02-25) | |
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A snooty hairdresser (Ted Danson) gives Elaine a terrible hairstyle and insults her when she complains. Her friends go back to the salon to help her get revenge. Meanwhile, Louie introduces a Pac-Man arcade machine to the garage, and Jim becomes obsessed. Note: Ted Danson would later go on to play Sam Malone on Cheers in 1982. | ||||||
| 85 | 19 | "Tony's Comeback" | Michael Lessac | Sam Simon | March 4, 1982 (1982-03-04) | |
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Tony tries to re-enter the world of boxing. Bubba Smith guest stars. | ||||||
| 86 | 20 | "Elegant Iggy" | Noam Pitlik | Ken Estin | March 18, 1982 (1982-03-18) | |
| Elaine reluctantly brings Jim along to a high-society party. | ||||||
| 87 | 21 | "The Wedding of Latka and Simka" | James Burrows | Howard Gewirtz & Ian Praiser | March 25, 1982 (1982-03-25) | |
| Latka and Simka announce their engagement, but to get married according to the customs of their country, they have to pass a series of tests of their love. | ||||||
| 88 | 22 | "Cooking for Two" | James Burrows | Ken Estin & Sam Simon | April 8, 1982 (1982-04-08) | |
| When a wrecking ball destroys Jim's apt., he moves in with Louie and promptly burns down Louie's apartment. | ||||||
| 89 | 23 | "The Road Not Taken: Part 1" | James Burrows | Ken Estin & Sam Simon | April 29, 1982 (1982-04-29) | |
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When Elaine considers leaving for a better job in Seattle, her friends talk about the decisions that changed the course of their lives. Tom Hanks guest stars. | ||||||
| 90 | 24 | "The Road Not Taken: Part 2" | James Burrows | Ian Praiser & Howard Gewirtz | May 6, 1982 (1982-05-06) | |
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The cabbies continue to talk about their crucial decisions and Elaine gets news about her dream job. Max Wright guest stars. | ||||||
Season 5 (1982–83)
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 1 | "Love Un-American Style" "The Shloogel Show" | Noam Pitlik | Ken Estin and Sam Simon | September 30, 1982 (1982-09-30) | ||||||
| Latka and Simka try to match up each of their single friends with his or her perfect mate, including Louie with a blind girl, Elaine with nerdy Arnie (Wallace Shawn), and Jim with Marcia Wallace. | |||||||||||
| 92 | 2 | "Jim's Inheritance" | Noam Pitlik | Ken Estin | October 7, 1982 (1982-10-07) | ||||||
| Jim's father dies and unexpectedly leaves him millions of dollars, but Jim's brother has him declared legally incompetent to handle the money himself. | |||||||||||
| 93 | 3 | "Alex Goes Off the Wagon" | Noam Pitlik | Danny Kallis | October 14, 1982 (1982-10-14) | ||||||
| Alex slips back into his addictive gambling habits after a trip to Atlantic City. | |||||||||||
| 94 | 4 | "Scenskees from a Marriage: Part 1" | Noam Pitlik | Howard Gewirtz & Ian Praiser | October 21, 1982 (1982-10-21) | ||||||
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Latka sleeps with a female cabbie (Allyce Beasley) to keep from freezing to death during a snowstorm. When Simka finds out, their priest (Vincent Schiavelli) declares that the only way to right this wrong is for her to sleep with one of his friends. Note: Beasley and Schiavelli, two supporting actors in this episode, would later marry in real life. | |||||||||||
| 95 | 5 | "Scenskees from a Marriage: Part 2" | Noam Pitlik | Ian Praiser & Howard Gewirtz | October 28, 1982 (1982-10-28) | ||||||
| Simka selects Alex as the man she must sleep with to compensate for Latka's infidelity. When Alex refuses, the only option left is divorce. | |||||||||||
| 96 | 6 | "Crime and Punishment" | Stan Daniels | Katherine Green | November 4, 1982 (1982-11-04) | ||||||
| When Louie's theft from the company is discovered, he pins the crime on his assistant Jeff (J. Alan Thomas). | |||||||||||
| 97 | 7 | "Alex the Gofer" | Michael Lessac | David Lloyd | November 11, 1982 (1982-11-11) | ||||||
| Alex fulfills his dream of working in theatre when he becomes a gofer for two obnoxious Broadway producers (Matthew Laurance and David Paymer). | |||||||||||
| 98 | 8 | "Louie's Revenge" | Stan Daniels | Sam Simon | November 18, 1982 (1982-11-18) | ||||||
| Louie plans to get revenge on Emily (Andrea Marcovicci), the woman who broke up his romance with Zena and then dumped him. | |||||||||||
| 99 | 9 | "Travels with My Dad" | Michael Zinberg | Barton Dean | November 25, 1982 (1982-11-25) | ||||||
| Tony gets a chance to know his father (Donnelly Rhodes) when they work together on a ship. | |||||||||||
| 100 | 10 | "Elaine and the Monk" | Danny DeVito | David Lloyd | December 2, 1982 (1982-12-02) | ||||||
| Elaine falls in love with Simka's cousin Zifka (Mark Blankfield), who is a monk with one week off from his vow of silence. | |||||||||||
| 101 | 11 | "Zena's Honeymoon" | Richard Sakai | David Lloyd | December 9, 1982 (1982-12-09) | ||||||
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Louie's hope of getting back together with Zena is shattered when he finds she's getting married. Note: Last appearance of Zena Sherman (Rhea Perlman). | |||||||||||
| 102 | 12 | "Get Me Through the Holidays" | Michael Zinberg | Ken Estin & Sam Simon | December 16, 1982 (1982-12-16) | ||||||
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Alex's ex-wife (Louise Lasser) is particularly depressed during the holiday season and suggests getting back together with Alex. Note: The last of Louise Lasser's three appearances as Alex's ex-wife. | |||||||||||
| 103 | 13 | "Louie Moves Uptown" | Michael Zinberg | David Lloyd | January 22, 1983 (1983-01-22) | ||||||
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Louie tries to move into a co-op apartment where the snobbish tenants' panel has just rejected Penny Marshall as unsuitable. Note: Features Gayle Hunnicutt as an estate agent. | |||||||||||
| 104 | 14 | "Alex's Old Buddy" | Richard Sakai | Ken Estin & Sam Simon | January 29, 1983 (1983-01-29) | ||||||
| Alex must accept that his old dog Buddy is not long for this world. | |||||||||||
| 105 | 15 | "Sugar Ray Nardo" | Danny DeVito | Katherine Green | February 5, 1983 (1983-02-05) | ||||||
| Elaine is upset when her son gives up his music studies and wants to take boxing lessons from Tony. | |||||||||||
| 106 | 16 | "A Taxi Celebration" | Unknown | Unknown | March 23, 1983 (1983-03-23) | ||||||
| 107 | 17 | ||||||||||
| Danny DeVito hosts a one-hour collection of memorable clips from Taxi in this retrospective. | |||||||||||
| 108 | 18 | "Alex Gets Burned by an Old Flame" | Harvey Miller | Barton Dean | March 30, 1983 (1983-03-30) | ||||||
| Alex finds that the woman he's crazy about (Catherine Shirriff) is actually in love with Jim. | |||||||||||
| 109 | 19 | "Louie and the Blind Girl" | Noam Pitlik | Story by : Larry Scott Anderson Teleplay by : Ken Estin & Sam Simon & Al Aidekman | April 6, 1983 (1983-04-06) | ||||||
| Louie's blind girlfriend (Murphy Cross) is about to have an operation that will restore her sight, and he's afraid of what her reaction will be when she sees him. | |||||||||||
| 110 | 20 | "Arnie Meets the Kids" | Richard Sakai | John Markus | April 13, 1983 (1983-04-13) | ||||||
| Arnie (Wallace Shawn) tries to get on Elaine's good side by bribing her children to like him. | |||||||||||
| 111 | 21 | "Tony's Baby" | Richard Sakai | Dari Daniels | April 20, 1983 (1983-04-20) | ||||||
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Tony's girlfriend announces that she's pregnant. Note: Features Keenan Wynn as Tony's boxing manager. | |||||||||||
| 112 | 22 | "Jim's Mario's" | Danny DeVito | Ken Estin & Sam Simon | May 18, 1983 (1983-05-18) | ||||||
| Jim gets permission from his brother to use some of his millions to make an investment, so he buys the cabbies' favorite hangout, Mario's. | |||||||||||
| 113 | 23 | "A Grand Gesture" | Noam Pitlik | Ken Estin & Sam Simon | May 25, 1983 (1983-05-25) | ||||||
| To show how wonderful it feels to give away money, Jim gives each of his friends $1000 on condition that they will immediately give it to another person. | |||||||||||
| 114 | 24 | "Simka's Monthlies" | Harvey Miller | Holly Holmberg Brooks | June 15, 1983 (1983-06-15) | ||||||
| Simka's premenstrual syndrome affects her behavior just before her immigration hearing. | |||||||||||
References
- DVD release info Archived 2011-09-14 at the Wayback Machine at TVShowsOnDVD.com
- "Special Collector's Issue: 100 Greatest Episodes of All Time". TV Guide (June 28 – July 4). 1997.
- "TV Guide's Top 100 Episodes". Rev/Views. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
- TV Guide Guide to TV. Barnes and Noble. 2004. pp. 667. ISBN 0-7607-5634-1.