As of July 2026, thirtysomething Season 2 aired in 1988 with 17 episodes. Full episode guide and where to watch below.
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thirtysomething Season 2

1988 17 Episodes Drama ⭐ 6/10

thirtysomething Season 2 has built a devoted audience among viewers who want their drama to earn its emotional beats. Across 1 season, the show has had time to find its rhythm and keep it. Its 6/10 TMDB score, built from 31 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Watch it for Ken Olin — one of the stronger performances out there right now. Available now — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

thirtysomething Season 2 arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. Thirtysomething Season 2 trusts its audience to sit with discomfort instead of resolving it too quickly. Season 2 of thirtysomething includes 17 episodes. It aired from December 1988 to May 1989. This season stars Ken Olin, Mel Harris and Timothy Busfield. Ken Olin and Mel Harris lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was aired in 1988. The writing trusts the audience to sit with ambiguity rather than wrapping everything up in a tidy conclusion — it is the approach that separates good drama from great. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For anyone looking for storytelling that takes its characters seriously, thirtysomething Season 2 delivers. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. Best experienced as a single, sustained watch if your schedule allows. Ken Olin carries the material with a performance that rewards close attention. Worth starting sooner rather than later.

📡 Where to Watch thirtysomething Season 2

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🎬 thirtysomething Season 2 — Episode Guide

E1
We'll Meet Again
1988-12-06
As she and Michael argue about her working and having another child, Hope learns about some previous tenants of their house. Hope is making tentative moves toward returning to work full-time. Michael suggests, though, that there might be some problems in doing that and muses about having a second c...
E2
In Re: the Marriage of Weston
1988-12-13
Things get complicated between Elliot and Nancy as they moved toward finalizing their divorce. They both try to establish new relationships. Scenes of Elliot and Nancy's courtship are intercut with the present-day divorce preparations. Elliot has to get cash advances on his salary from an unhappy M...
E3
The Mike Van Dyke Show
1988-12-20
As Christmas and Hanukkah near, Hope suffers a minor injury and an unknown illness. Michael has a crisis of faith and imagines his life as a 1960's TV sitcom. Michael and Hope are negotiating over Christmas/Hanukkah celebrations. Mike starts watching TV and sees himself in an old black & white TV s...
E4
Trust Me
1989-01-03
Melissa and Gary consider having a child together. Gary volunteers his time at a social services center, where he is irritated by and attracted to a brusque administrator. Gary and Melissa's relationship seems to be drawing closer as they both have rejection at work in common, along with thoughts o...
E5
No Promises
1989-01-10
Ellyn tries to deal with the shock of her parents' divorce and her growing estrangement from Woodman. Ellyn is shocked to receive a call from her father asking her to lunch. With Hope and Nancy, she wonders why he's doing this for the first time in nineteen years. At work she has a disagreement wit...
E6
Politics
1989-01-17
CAPSULE: Michael takes on a client that he, his wife and his friends find repugnant. Gary and Susannah's odd relationship continues to grow. At a diner with Hope, Gary, Elliot and Melissa, Michael returns a phone call to Jerry Kravitz, an old friend of his and Gary's from their college days at Penn...
E7
Success
1989-01-31
Melissa gets a job working with Carly Simon. Michael and Elliot face losing their business. Melissa is excited--Russell has shown some of her work around and he might be able to get her the job of shooting Carly Simon's next album cover! When he calls to confirm the good news, Ellyn is with her. Ru...
E8
First Day / Last Day
1989-02-07
Flashback scenes of Michael and Elliot meeting, working together, and forming their own company are interspersed with the present-day dissolution of the Michael and Elliot Company. The two have serious disagreements which threaten their friendship.
E9
About Last Night
1989-02-14
Gary and Susannah try to figure out what to do when they finds out that she's pregnant. Nancy misses a publishing deadline for her book.
E10
Elliot's Dad
1989-02-28
CAPSULE: Elliot gets involved with his wayward father. Ethan suffers an injury. Elliot goes to see his divorced father Charlie who is in town. Charlie introduces him to a woman friend, Roberta Sessions, in a bit of an awkward meeting. When they go to Elliot's sister Ruthie's house for dinner, she ...
E11
Payment Due
1989-03-07
CAPSULE: Ellyn's work and personal life take a great toll on her, both physically and emotionally. Ellyn has been suffering from an unknown stomach ailment but she tells Woodman and Hope that's she's OK. But at a dinner at the Steadmans she shows a sharp burst of temper, then makes a drunken crack ...
E12
Deliverance
1989-03-21
CAPSULE: Ellyn, Nancy, Hope and Melissa go on a cathartic camping trip. Melissa gets some camping equipment as a payoff for a photo shoot and the gang makes plans to take a camping trip to the Poconos. But Elliot gets a lead on some work, forcing Michael to have to tell Hope, who has been looking f...
E13
Michael Writes a Story
1989-04-04
Michael takes a creative writing class, as does Nancy. Michael incurs Nancy's wrath when he writes about something he heard about her in confidence from Elliot. Also, Michael and Elliot get new jobs working for Miles Drentell at DAA.
E14
New Job
1989-04-11
CAPSULE: Hope suffers a miscarriage just as Michael and Elliot begin work for Miles Drentell at DAA. Elliot and Michael are in Miles Drentell's office interviewing for jobs at DAA. While they are there Michael gets a phone call from Hope at her obstetrician's office: the doctor has done an ultrasou...
E15
Be a Good Girl
1989-04-25
CAPSULE: Melissa must deal with her aging grandmother who wants her to take over her business. Melissa is preparing to go to her parents for a birthday dinner for herself, her mother Elaine and her beloved grandmother Rose, or Nana, who has runs a dress store for fifty-five years. Elaine thinks her...
E16
Courting Nancy
1989-05-02
CAPSULE: Nancy pursues her relationship with Matt, but Elliot makes a concerted effort to win her back. Elliot returns the kids to Nancy and has an awkward meeting with her new boyfriend Matt Enwright. At work Elliot and Angel are working closely pitching ideas. Mike asks if there is anything betwe...
E17
Best of Enemies
1989-05-16
CAPSULE: Hope is writing an article that could affect Susannah's Race St. Project, driving a wedge between her and Gary. Gary and Susannah are proceeding with preparations for parenthood. Melissa doesn't care for Susannah at all and thinks the relationship won't be permanent. Meanwhile, Hope gets a...

🎭 Cast of thirtysomething Season 2

Ken Olin
Ken Olin
Michael Steadman
Mel Harris
Mel Harris
Hope Steadman
Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield
Elliot Weston
Patricia Wettig
Patricia Wettig
Nancy Weston
Peter Horton
Peter Horton
Gary Shepherd
Melanie Mayron
Melanie Mayron
Melissa Steadman
Polly Draper
Polly Draper
Ellyn Warren
Patricia Kalember
Patricia Kalember

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