Season 1
Empty Nest was a popular sitcom airing for 7 seasons from 1988 to 1995. The show followed the life of Dr Harry Weston, a paediatrician.
He shared his home with a massive dog, Dreyfuss, whose cute character and impressive intelligence played a major role in the show's success.
The show began with two of Harry’s daughters returning to Miami to live close to their father after their mother has passed away. Carol was the irritating and very neurotic elder daughter, and Barbara was the younger sister. Barbara was a cop, making her rather daring and reckless, a complete opposite to Carol. Harry also had a third daughter, Emily, who periodically made appearances on the show.
The cast was rounded off by Laverne Todd, Harry’s outspoken and hilarious nurse and Charley Dietz, Harry’s irritating neighbour, who makes a habit of dropping by constantly and was always on about his latest sexual conquest.
In later seasons, Harry moved away from the hospital where his character was based and Harry and Laverne started working at a clinic run by Maxine Douglas, introducing a new character to the show.
For Empty Nest’s final two season Estelle Getty (Sophia from The Golden Girls) joined the cast of Empty Nest to inject some of her wry and special humour into the show.
Empty Nest was produced by Susan Harris, whose other television shows at the time included The Golden Girls and Nurses (a spin-off from Empty Nest).