In the Season 4 opener, Earl revisits one of his past victims (Seth Green), a once-dying child who has grown up to be an aspiring filmmaker. Earl helps him produce a low-budget action movie. Then, Earl sets out to make peace with his childhood neighbors, but the good-hearted task only brings to the surface marital strife between his own parents (Beau Bridges and Nancy Lenehan). Elsewhere, Joy doesn't see eye-to-eye with Willy: She dupes him out of his glass eye.
There's bubble trouble when Joy is placed in a plastic bubble because of her flesh-eating toe infection. As Earl assumes Joy's role in life (gossiping and shopping are in order), he discovers he must help her outcast children (Louis T. Moyle, Trey Carlisle), who apparently suffer from a social disorder.
Earl tries to compensate for stealing an RV owned by a former Green Beret (Jerry Van Dyke). Unfortunately, the vehicle can't be returned (Randy blew it up), so Earl sets out to make the grouchy military man happy in some other way. Meanwhile, Joy and Darnell go hog wild on a moneymaking scheme: They exploit the myth of a giant pig.
Earl tries to provide instant karma to a stuntman named Sweet Johnny (David Arquette), but the daredevil's permanent injuries complicate Earl's altruistic effort. Elsewhere, a carjacking drives Joy to purchase a gun. But Joy may have to bite the bullet: A chagrined Darnell disapproves of owning weapons.
Earl tries to spread cheer to Randy by taking him to cheerleading camp, but the brothers run afoul of one Kimmi Himmler (Jenna Elfman), a camp director with a scarred face (because of an unfortunate badger incident) who banishes them from the site. And who's the most beautiful of all the Camden County women? Joy has no joy when her own son chooses Catalina.
When a mysterious someone pilfers Randy's birthday gift, Earl considers calling the police to report the crime---which only cues Joy to accuse him of being a snitch.
Earl attempts to throw a Halloween party for Dodge and Earl Jr. Meanwhile, it's no treat for Randy when he pals around with Catalina's spooky, voodoo-conjuring nephew.
A life-threatening item is bumped to the top of Earl's list when a mysterious man moves into the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Joy becomes preoccupied with the science fair in hopes of winning the grand-prize money. Jane Seymour has a cameo as herself.
Earl reflects on his first wedding anniversary with Joy, but there's no joy when his well-favored, attractive cousin (Jason Priestley) arrives, making Earl feel inadequate. And there's buzz in Camden County when killer bees swoop down on the region, trapping some of the gang in a phone booth.
It's the twist and shout when a series of tornadoes touches down in Camden County. But the skies darken more when a downcast Earl loses his all-important karmic list. It also gets stormy between Joy and Darnell, who spar over who is more cerebral. Meanwhile, Randy takes a wild boat ride; and Catalina and Patty undergo a religious transformation.
Earl recalls his past with the feral Raynard (Ewen Bremner), an untamed friend residing in the wilderness and palling around with a raccoon sidekick. Earl attempts to help Raynard in a karmic deed that includes poisonous berries and a bride gone wild.
Joy continues a years-long scam, prompting Earl to use a karmic act to help the conned victim.
Earl seeks atonement for a spiteful act he perpetrated against his babysitter and her boyfriend when he was a child. He decides to focus on their now-grown live-in son and help the slacker make it on his own. Meanwhile, Joy loses Darnell's treasured pet turtle and is mighty slow to tell him about it.
Part 1 of 2. Earl urges Joy to audition for a new reality show starring Erik Estrada (appearing as himself), and her outrageous tryout antics impact Darnell in a shocking way.
Conclusion. His witness-protection cover now revealed (courtesy of Joy), Darnell desperately ditches town with the family and assumes a new identity. In response, Catalina, Earl and Randy team together to locate them. Erik Estrada guest stars as himself.
When Randy wins a scratch-off lottery game and is then promptly hit by a bike, he takes it as a sign from none other than karma and decides to create his own karmic to-do list. Meanwhile, Joy wheels and spiels with the FBI to get a better witness-protection identity.
Morgan Fairchild, Joan Van Ark and Andrea Parker guest star when Darnell and his family relocate to an upscale community, courtesy of their new witness-protection identities. But Joy struggles to adjust to her new luxury lifestyle and her pampered desperate-housewife neighbors. Meanwhile, Darnell's beloved Mr. Turtle comes home, so Earl sets out to return the pet to its rightful owner; and Randy begins dating---a guy named Jim.
Danny Glover guest stars as Darnell's estranged father, who arrives in Camden County hoping to reconnect with his son. But Earl and Randy sense that something's amiss, so they set out to warn Darnell of the arrival.
Young Dodge's desire to attend space camp prompts Earl to reflect on the blast he and Randy had as kids at Chaz Dalton's Space Academy. Earl then sets out to reconnect with the heroic Chaz (Curtis Armstrong). Meanwhile, Darnell tries to help Joy click with new friends on the Internet.
Earl conjures up a karmic plan to atone for all the wicked wrongs he did to an oddball "witch lady" (Betty White) when he was a youngster. But the golden girl proves to be certifiably unhinged, putting the Camden crew in a life-or-death situation. Elsewhere, Joy tries to prove that she has a good side.
Young Dodge's crush on a neighborhood girl causes Randy to reminisce about his first love, Pinky, and the summer he first met her. In kind, Earl helps Randy go on a quest to reconnect with Pinky.
Joy's incessant bullying prompts Earl to remember an old classmate named Wally, a boyhood target of Earl's abuse. Earl tries to make amends---only to discover that Wally has grown up to become a hulking, musclebound weightlifter (Matthew Willig). Meanwhile, Randy resorts to extreme measures to evade Joy's bullying behavior.
Earl turns his karmic attentions on a reverend whom he aggrieved in the past. But forgiveness is fleeting when the religious figure finds out about Earl's many other misdeeds. Meanwhile, Joy is a blade runner: She hits Catalina with a riding mower.
Part 1 of 2. The news show "Inside Probe" arrives in Camden to investigate the vanishing of Crab Shack owner Ernie Belcher. The story finally airs eight years later---with Earl and Randy emerging as the suspects. Guest stars include Geraldo Rivera and racer Michael Waltrip.
Conclusion. The Camden County gang seeks to solve the mystery of Crab Shack owner Ernie Belcher's vanishing. Geraldo Rivera and NASCAR driver Michael Waltrip guest star.
In the Season 4 finale, Earl takes on a karmic cause to find young Dodge's real father. Norm Macdonald reprises his role as Little Chubby.