Editing Empty Nest

{{short description|American television sitcom}}
{{About|the TV series|the Argentine film|Empty Nest (film)|the psychological phenomenon|Empty nest syndrome}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = Nestlogo.jpg
| genre                = [[Sitcom]]
| creator              = [[Susan Harris]]<ref>{{cite news| title=''Golden Girls'' Creator Adds Shows | newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]| date=September 10, 1991| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-09-10-ca-2286-story.html| access-date=2010-08-24}}</ref>
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
*[[Richard Mulligan]]
*[[Kristy McNichol]]
*[[Dinah Manoff]]
*[[David Leisure]]
*[[Park Overall]]
*[[Paul Provenza]]
*[[Lisa Rieffel]]
*[[Marsha Warfield]]
*[[Estelle Getty]]
}}
| theme_music_composer = {{Plainlist|
*[[John Bettis]]
*[[George Tipton]]
}}
| opentheme            = "Life Goes On" performed by [[Billy Vera]]
| endtheme             = 
| composer             = 
| country              = United States
| language             = English
| num_seasons          = 7
| num_episodes         = 170
| list_episodes        = List of Empty Nest episodes
| executive_producer   = {{Plainlist|
*Hal Cooper
*Nina Feinberg
*Susan Harris
*[[Gary Jacobs (writer)|Gary Jacobs]]
*[[Paul Junger Witt]]
*Rod Parker
*[[Tony Thomas (producer)|Tony Thomas]]
*[[Bob Tischler]]
}}
| producer             = {{Plainlist|
*[[Gil Junger]]
*Dennis Snee
*Steven Sullivan
*Ursula Ziegler
}}
| camera               = [[Multi-camera setup|Multi-camera]]
| runtime              = 22–24 minutes
| company              = {{Plainlist|
*[[Witt/Thomas Productions|Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions]]
*[[ABC Signature|Touchstone Television]]
}}
| network              = [[NBC]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|1988|10|08}}
| last_aired           = {{End date|1995|06|17}}<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.tvtango.com/listings/1995/06/17| title=TV Listings for - June 17, 1995| website=TV Tango| access-date=July 5, 2023}}</ref>
| related              = {{Plainlist|
*''[[The Golden Girls]]''
*''[[Nurses (American TV series)|Nurses]]''
}} 
}}
'''''Empty Nest''''' is an American television [[sitcom]] that aired for seven seasons on [[NBC]] from October 8, 1988, to June 17, 1995. The series, which was created as a [[television spin-off|spin-off]] of ''[[The Golden Girls]]'' by creator and producer [[Susan Harris]], starred [[Richard Mulligan]] as recently widowed [[pediatrician]] Dr. Harry Weston, whose two adult daughters return home to live with him. The series was produced by [[Witt/Thomas Productions|Witt/Thomas/Harris Productions]] in association with [[ABC Signature|Touchstone Television]].<ref name=Rosenberg>{{cite news| title= 'Empty Nest' Looks Like Good Place to Nestle Down| newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=October 8, 1988| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-10-08-ca-3135-story.html| access-date=2010-08-23| first=Howard| last=Rosenberg| url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite news| title='Empty Nest': TV's Unknown Hit|newspaper=Los Angeles Times| date=November 24, 1990| url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-11-24-ca-4578-story.html|access-date=2010-08-23| first=Diane| last=Haithman| url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==History==
An early version of the series initially appeared in the 1987 ''Golden Girls'' episode "Empty Nests" which was intended to act as a [[backdoor pilot]] for the spin-off, which was to begin during the fall 1987 TV season.

In the episode, George and Renee Corliss (played by [[Paul Dooley]] and [[Rita Moreno]]), were introduced as the Girls' neighbors, a middle-aged couple suffering from [[empty nest syndrome]]. Their teenage daughter Jenny (Jane Harnick), who had left for college, and Renee's brother Chuck ([[Geoffrey Lewis (actor)|Geoffrey Lewis]]), also appeared. The Corlisses also had an annoying neighbor played by [[David Leisure]] (although in this version his character was named Oliver).

Rita Moreno later criticized the ''Empty Nest'' pilot, calling it a "very, very bad show."<ref name="Moreno"/> She explained that the script desperately needed rewrites from creator Susan Harris, but she was very sick the week of shooting so it was left to other writers to fix. According to Moreno, "every day they kept changing my character, to the extent that by the time we got to do it in front of an audience I couldn't remember Line 1 because the attitudes had changed so many times. That was the most embarrassing experience...we must have done, I would guess, about 15 takes in front of an audience."<ref name="Moreno">{{cite video| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfzdYFm985I |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/HfzdYFm985I| archive-date=2021-12-22| url-status=live| title=Rita Moreno on "The Golden Girls"| website=Foundation Interviews| date=2012-09-13| access-date=2020-05-29}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Ultimately, the series did not go ahead as planned and the premise was later extensively revamped with a new cast before ''Empty Nest'' debuted in 1988. The set of the Corlisses' house, however, was exactly the same as the one that later became the Weston residence.

== Premise ==
The show's story revolves around [[Miami]] [[pediatrician]] Dr. Harry Weston, whose life is turned upside down when his wife, Libby, dies and two of his adult daughters move back into the family home. Later estranged daughter Emily returns to the nest (Lisa Rieffel). Early episodes establish that the ''Golden Girls'' characters are neighbors of the Westons. Original ''Golden Girls'' actors, [[Bea Arthur]], [[Rue McClanahan]], [[Betty White]] and [[Estelle Getty]] all guest-star as their ''Golden Girls'' characters, and Mulligan appears occasionally on ''The Golden Girls''.

In the show, eldest daughter Carol is a highly-strung recent divorcée, while middle daughter Barbara is a tough undercover police officer. The two sisters frequently bicker and vie for the attention of their father, whom they call "Daddy", while their father occasionally expresses regret at never having had a son. The Westons' large dog Dreyfuss also prominently features as a member of the household.

In 1992, Kristy McNichol, who played Barbara, left the show, and [[Lisa Rieffel]] joined the cast as the third Weston daughter, Emily. Her character had previously not been shown onscreen, but had been mentioned as being away at college. Rieffel left after one season, and for the show's final two seasons only eldest daughter Carol remained of the Weston children. Kristy McNichol returned for the series finale in 1995.

Another main character is the Westons' neighbor and friend, Charley Dietz ([[David Leisure]]), a womanizing cruise ship employee who frequently enters the house uninvited and takes food or makes sexist comments. Charley has a father-son relationship with Harry and a love-hate relationship with Carol.

Harry Weston's job is another major focus for the show. For the first five seasons, he works at a hospital, where he is assisted by wisecracking [[Southern United States|Southern]] nurse Laverne, played throughout the series by [[Park Overall]]. Laverne and Harry are shown to be good friends. In season six, Harry retires, eventually going to work for a struggling inner-city medical clinic run by the tough-talking Dr. Maxine Douglas. Nurse Laverne, having been fired by Dr. Weston's replacement, comes to work there as well.

Another character who appears is Carol's boyfriend, Patrick, an artist who is almost as eccentric as she is. Patrick convinces the Westons to let him use their empty garage as his new painting studio and, when his relationship with Carol becomes serious, he eventually moves into the house. Carol and Patrick's romantic bliss is short-lived, and they break up at the beginning of season six. Carol then finds she is pregnant with Patrick's child, and chooses to raise the baby, Scotty, on her own.

[[Estelle Getty]] reprised her ''Golden Girls'' character [[Sophia Petrillo]] during ''Empty Nest''{{'}}s final two seasons (after the cancellation of ''[[The Golden Palace]])''. In the show, it is explained that Sophia has moved back into the nearby Shady Pines retirement home.

==Cast==
* [[Richard Mulligan]] as Dr. Harry Weston
* [[Dinah Manoff]] as Carol Weston
* [[Kristy McNichol]] as Barbara Weston (1988–1992, 1995)
* [[David Leisure]] as Charley Dietz
* [[Park Overall]] as Laverne Todd
* [[Paul Provenza]] as Patrick Arcola (1992–1993)
* [[Lisa Rieffel]] as Emily Weston (1993)
* [[Marsha Warfield]] as Dr. Maxine Douglas (1993–1995)
* [[Estelle Getty]] as [[Sophia Petrillo]] (1993–1995)
* Bear the Dog as Dreyfuss the [[St. Bernard (dog breed)|St. Bernard]]-[[Golden Retriever]] mix

===Notable guest stars===
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
* [[Don Adams]]
* [[Bea Arthur]] (reprising her ''Golden Girls'' role as [[Dorothy Zbornak|Dorothy]])
* [[Diana Muldaur]]
* [[Loni Anderson]]
* [[Mayim Bialik]]
* [[Eddie Bracken]]
* [[Garth Brooks]]
* [[Patricia Crowley]]
* [[Angie Dickinson]]
* [[Stephen Dorff]]
* [[Morgan Fairchild]]
* [[Zsa Zsa Gabor]]
* [[Marla Gibbs]]
* [[Trevor Goddard]]
* [[Bobcat Goldthwait]]
* [[Lee Grant]]
* [[Harold Gould]]
* [[Pat Harrington, Jr.|Pat Harrington]]
* [[Phil Hartman]]
* [[Earl Holliman]]
* [[Shirley Jones]]
* [[Gordon Jump]]
* [[Carol Kane]]
* [[Joey Lawrence]]
* [[Mark Linn-Baker]]
* [[Jane Lynch]]
* [[Wendie Malick]]
* [[Barbara Mandrell]]
* [[Rue McClanahan]] (reprising her ''Golden Girls'' role as Blanche)
* [[Edie McClurg]]
* [[Audrey Meadows]]
* [[Stephen Nichols]]
* [[Jerry Orbach]]
* [[Matthew Perry]]
* [[Donnelly Rhodes]] (also appeared on ''Soap'' as Dutch)
* [[Geraldo Rivera]]
* [[Doris Roberts]]
* [[Debra Jo Rupp]]
* [[Jennifer Salt]] (also appeared on ''Soap'' as Eunice)
* [[Peter Scolari]]
* [[Liz Sheridan]]
* [[Yeardley Smith]]
* [[Jeffrey Tambor]]
* [[Renée Taylor]]
* [[Danny Thomas]]
* [[Betty White]] (reprising her ''Golden Girls'' role as Rose)
* [[Grace Zabriskie]]
* [[Adrian Zmed]]
{{div col end}}

== Episodes ==
{{Main|List of Empty Nest episodes}}
{{:List of Empty Nest episodes}}

==Production notes==
In 1991, ''Empty Nest'' spawned its own spinoff, ''[[Nurses (American TV series)|Nurses]]'', a sitcom about a group of nurses working in the same hospital as Dr. Weston. The three series (''Empty Nest'', ''The Golden Girls'' and ''Nurses'') represented one of the few times in American television history that three shows from the same producer, all taking place in the same city and explicitly set up with the characters knowing each other from the very beginning, aired on the same network in one night. On at least two occasions, Harris wrote storylines which carried through all three series as [[fictional crossover]]s.

[[Richard Mulligan]] and [[Dinah Manoff]] (who depict father Harry and daughter Carol in ''Empty Nest'') had previously appeared as onscreen father-in-law and daughter-in-law characters in the show ''[[Soap (TV series)|Soap]]'', created by the same production team. [[Jay Johnson (ventriloquist)|Jay Johnson]], who had appeared on ''Soap'' as Mulligan's son, also made a guest appearance.

===Theme song===
The show's theme song is "Life Goes On", written by [[John Bettis]] and [[George Tipton]] and performed by [[Billy Vera]]. For the first three seasons, the song is presented in a slower, more melancholy yet comical arrangement. The original opening titles sequence shows Harry Weston taking Dreyfuss for a walk around town, with still images of the other regular cast members shown as they are credited.

When the third season began, a new opening sequence debuted, made up of footage from the series' episodes and showing each of the regular cast members.

For the final four seasons the theme song is presented in a higher, more upbeat arrangement with female backup singers, and the same title sequence introduced in the third season.

==Crossovers==
The following is a list of ''Empty Nest'' episodes featuring characters from ''[[The Golden Girls]]'' or ''[[Nurses (American TV series)|Nurses]]''.

=== Season One ===
Episode 4: "Fatal Attraction" – [[Blanche Devereaux]] from ''The Golden Girls''

Episode 10: "Libby's Gift" – [[Sophia Petrillo]] from ''The Golden Girls''

Episode 14: "Strange Bedfellows" – [[Rose Nylund]] from ''The Golden Girls''

Episode 17: "Dumped" – [[Dorothy Zbornak]] from ''The Golden Girls''

=== Season Two ===
Episode 6: "Rambo of Neiman Marcus" – Rose Nylund from ''The Golden Girls''

=== Season Four ===
Episode 8: "Windy" – Sophia Petrillo from The Golden Girls

Episode 20: "Dr. Weston and Mr. Hyde" – Rose Nylund from ''The Golden Girls''

=== Season Five ===
Episode 20: "Love and Marriage" – Jack Trenton from ''Nurses''

=== Season Six ===
Episode 2: "Bye-Bye, Baby... Hello: Part 1" – Casey MacAfee from ''Nurses''

Episode 7: "Mother Dearest" – Casey MacAfee from ''Nurses''

==Syndication==
The series was unsuccessful when it was first [[Broadcast syndication|syndicated]], running in local syndication from September 1993 to September 2000, shortly before the death of star [[Richard Mulligan]]. During this time, ''Empty Nest'' aired on [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]] from September 9 to December 6, 1996, and on [[WGN America|WGN]] from September 9, 1996, to March 26, 1999, with both stations airing the series as part of the regular syndication run (both TBS and WGN were [[superstation]]s).<ref>TBS Log – Sitcoms Online Message Boards.</ref><ref>''TV Guide'' – September 7–13, 1996.</ref><ref>''TV Guide''. – March 20–26, 1999.</ref>

In the subsequent decade, the series did not air on American television. [[Hallmark Channel]], which also licenses the rights to ''The Golden Girls'', picked up the rights to the show in early 2011 and aired it from February 26 to June 26 of that year, but eventually removed it altogether.

Upon its launch on April 15, 2015, the new digital sub-channel [[Laff (TV network)|Laff]] began airing the series and continued until March 30, 2018.

In Canada, the series was rerun on [[CBC Television]] during the 1990s.

In Italy, the series aired on [[Rai 1|Rai Uno]] (or Rai 1) under the name ''{{ill|Il cane di papà|it|il cane di papà|vertical-align=sup}}'' (''Daddy's Dog'') during the 1990s.

In the UK, the series was shown on [[Channel 4]] during the 1990s.

==Awards==
In 1989, Richard Mulligan won both an [[Emmy Award]] and a [[Golden Globe Award]] for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. The series received a number of other Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations over the years, especially for Mulligan and for [[Park Overall]], who was nominated three times for a Golden Globe Award.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Association
! Category
! Nominee(s)
! Result
|-
| rowspan="3"| 1989
| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy]]
| rowspan="2"| Richard Mulligan
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series]]
| {{won}}
|-
| [[Viewers for Quality Television]]
| [[Viewers for Quality Television|Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series]]
| Park Overall
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="5"| 1990
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy]]
| Richard Mulligan
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy|Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy]]
| ''Empty Nest''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series]]
| rowspan="2"| Richard Mulligan
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Viewers for Quality Television]]
| [[Viewers for Quality Television|Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Viewers for Quality Television|Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series]]
| Park Overall
| {{won}}
|-
| rowspan="6"| 1991
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy|Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy]]
| Richard Mulligan
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]]
| Park Overall
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Primetime Emmy Awards]]
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series]]
| Danny Thomas
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series|Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series]]
| rowspan="2"| Richard Mulligan
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[Viewers for Quality Television]]
| [[Viewers for Quality Television|Best Actor in a Quality Comedy Series]]
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Viewers for Quality Television|Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Comedy Series]]
| Park Overall
| {{won}}
|-
| 1992
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Awards]]
| rowspan="2"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film|Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film]]
| rowspan="2"| Park Overall
| {{nom}}
|-
| 1993
| {{nom}}
|}

==See also==
* ''[[Dear John (U.S. TV series)|Dear John]]'' (1988)
* ''[[The Golden Girls]]''
* [[Spin-off (media)|Spinoffs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0094455|title=Empty Nest}}
* {{epguides|id=EmptyNest|title=Empty Nest}}

{{Golden Girls}}

[[Category:1980s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:1988 American television series debuts]]
[[Category:1990s American multi-camera sitcoms]]
[[Category:1995 American television series endings]]
[[Category:American television spinoffs]]
[[Category:American English-language television shows]]
[[Category:Television series about families]]
[[Category:Television series about sisters]]
[[Category:Television series about widowhood]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Miami]]
[[Category:Television series by ABC Studios]]
[[Category:The Golden Girls]]
[[Category:NBC sitcoms]]