Best Episodes
Brothers Brian and Joe Hackett attempt to run an airline on the New England island of Nantucket while surrounded by their various wacky friends and employees.
Written by Sophie and last updated on jan 10, 2023.
PS: The following content contains spoilers!
PPS: I will admit that parts of this page was written with the help of AI - it makes my work so much easier to not start from a blank page!
When Helen accidently spills soup all over a man's expensive Italian suit,she thinks her fortunes have sunk to their lowest.But it turns out the man is the managing Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra,and in a bizarre twist of fate,she ends up with a job as a cellist,with her first performance scheduled for that very night.Her happiness is tempered though when everyone except Roy has other committments and can't attend.But suddenly those disappear and soon they are on there way to Boston.But then yet another hurdle presents itself,as one of the planes engines on Joe's Twin engine Cessna dies.Just as things are looking up,Helen's luck runs out as the other engine dies and they go plunging into the atlantic.
The episode was rated 7.89 from 19 votes.
When news arrives that Sandy Cooper is returning to Nantucket, Joe fears her high school obsession with him will return,but the others think he's imagining things.Joe's fears are soon realized when he goes to help her move some books from her basement,and it becomes their prom night all over again. Meanwhile,Antonio tries to raise money to send his family and Roy is worried about a visit from his cranky mother.
The episode was rated 7.90 from 20 votes.
Much to Joe's surprise,Helen wins a job with the Maine State Symphony.But when Helen comes to Joe and tells him she would stay if he only asked,the discussion turns into a huge fight involving a fire extinguisher and a grease gun.Then comes the unwelcome news that the Symphony has lost there funding and there is no job.Joe prepares to apologize but,Helen's ready to leave;tired of not getting anywhere with her musical career,she decides to leave Nantucket for New York City.When Joe does ask her to stay,she leaves anyway. Meanwhile,a confused looking woman who doesn't speak english and has been hanging around the airport gains Fay's sympathy and Roy's Hostility.
The episode was rated 7.90 from 20 votes.
Joe and Helen return from their honeymoon in Jamaica to recieve bad news; a night of passion between Brian and Casey in Helen's house results in a devastating fire. That Leaves Brian kicked out of the house and Sandpiper by Joe.
The episode was rated 7.93 from 14 votes.
To lift Antonio's spirits after he's dumped by the "Big Faced Girl," Joe and Brian set him up with a girl at the Club Car only to discover later that she's a very expensive hooker.
The episode was rated 7.94 from 16 votes.
To help pay of his new used cab,Antonio gets a job as a chauffeur...for Carlton Blanchard.Things get even worse when Carlton's equally annoying Nephew Lewis arrives on Nantucket to attend Carlton's Retired Businessman of the Year banquet.
The episode was rated 7.94 from 16 votes.
The news that the Hackett's old house has been condemned due to storm damage has the two brother's trying to save it. But all efforts fail (including Roy's voting against saving it on the town council), so the gang all visit the house one more time before the wrecking ball is scheduled to level the place. Reliving their unhappy childhoods, Joe and Brian realize how miserable their memories of the house really are, and they decide to get a head start on the wrecking ball by doing a little demolishing of their own. Belatedly, they find out that the house has been saved by the historic committee.
The episode was rated 7.94 from 17 votes.
Concerned by Helen's persistent anger over her break up with Joe,the rest of the group convince her to seek with help with the transition group.Though the group turns out to be a senior citizen's group,Helen realizes the true source of her pain and finally has a reconciliation with Joe.But it doesn't save Joe's poor office from Helen's jeep;though it's Joe who accidentally plows through his office this time. Meanwhile, after escorting Helen to the group meeting, Brian becomes obsessed with talking about Carol and takes over the group.
The episode was rated 7.94 from 18 votes.
While the brother's house is being fumigated,Brian is forced to stay with Fay,because Joe refuses to let him stay with him at Helen's.As Brian soon learns it's not that bad staying with Fay,that is until he thinks it's her being featured on the "Most Wanted" show he is watching. Fay makes Brian a "Farewell" dinner,and an anxious forces Joe and Helen to attend as well.But that still doesn't stop Fay from knocking out both brother's accidentally with a frozen leg of lamb,she had planned to cook for dinner the next night.
The episode was rated 7.95 from 21 votes.
During a cargo flight,Brian and Joe see a UFO. Despite Joe's concerns about bringing down unfavorable media attention to Sandpiper, Brian reports the sighting to the FAA. Brian's report is ignored by the federal agents, but not by the UFO Society that visits afterward. Unfortunately, when Joe and Brian agree to take the group and a reporter up to see if they can see the UFO again, the UFO society shows it's true colors. Meanwhile, Helen informs Fay she still owes her money on the lunch bill, which Fay insists she payed. They end up resorting to an arm wrestling contest to settle the dispute.
The episode was rated 8.00 from 22 votes.
The day starts of bad for Joe when a passenger threatens a lawsuit if his lost luggage isn't returned by the end of the day.After he struggles to trace the luggage,the pthers intrude their concerns into his life.Antonio wants Joe to co-sign a loan for a new cab.Helen wants advice about what to do with her relationship with Davis.Brian wants Joe to ask Alex about their disappointing first night as lovers.Roy annoys everyone by showing off his new radio commercial for AeroMass.Fay wants Joe to talk to the town council about stopping them from moving one of her dead husbands into a another graveyard with her other dead husband.Lowell guns the motor on his Harley, raising the level of noise in Joe's office.And when Joe's relief at giving the passenger his luggage is blunted by the man's insistence that someone else pay for the scratches on it,he finally loses it.Tired of his stressful life,Joe leaves Nantucket.
The episode was rated 8.05 from 19 votes.
With gone to parts unknown,the heavy burden of running Sandpiper falls on Brian's shoulders.But it's soon revealed through his credit card statement that Joe is in Brian old stomping grounds,Mustique.Brian travels down to get Joe back,but ends buying Sandpiper from for a dollar.After struggling to right Sandpiper,Brian finally seems to have things under control when Joe returns.Brian unwilling to relinquish control of the airline,but Joe only wants Brian's old job,the two finally agree to be partners.
The episode was rated 8.06 from 17 votes.
Lowell and Bunny make their seperation final by signing the divorce papers,but as Joe and Brian discover the next morning,they again start sleeping together.Lowell begins thinking the marriage can be saved,until he finds out that Bunny has a fiance in Boston. Meanwhile,Antonio consoles a woman named Betty,via a cellular phone left in his cab, by her cheating husband.Fay is soon in on the plot as she too talks to her daily.But it's soon revealed that Betty's husband came to Nantucket to have an affair,but couldn't go through with it.
The episode was rated 8.07 from 15 votes.
When Joe's back goes out and forces him into a stay at the hospital,Brian takes over Sandpiper.His eagerness is soon deflated,when all his new ideas (like inviting some Travel Agents for an all expenses paid trip to Nantucket) and crazy promotions (painting the Sandpiper logo on the back of a crab and giving them to passengers)turns into a disastrous mess. When Joe returns he finds the Airport in complete chaos,with the Marching band and the team mascot ready to board the plane for a world record attempt,and Brian looking for the plane after he misplaced it.
The episode was rated 8.19 from 21 votes.
The sad news of Richard Kingsbury's death in Miami is occasion for celebration at Sandpiper, as Kingbury's oldest daughter hires the Hackett's to bring the body back to Nantucket for the Memorial. But the brother's fly the wrong body back to the island, and it's up to Joe to impersonate the late Kingsbury at the funeral.
The episode was rated 8.21 from 14 votes.
Welcome to our community!
We are a community of women who are passionate about our favorite series and want to share that passion with others.
Our mission is to create a space where women can discover new content, connect with like-minded individuals, and engage in meaningful discussions about the series we love.
We believe that everyone should have access to reliable and trustworthy information about their favorite shows, and we strive to be the premier destination for women seeking that information. Whether you're looking for recaps, fan theories, or just want to connect with other fans, we've got you covered.
So join us and be a part of our growing community of series enthusiasts!