MyEpisodeCalendar.com - Diff'rent Strokes Episode Summaries

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First Aired: November 3rd, 1978

Status: Ended

Network: ABC

Summary: The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two African American boys from Harlem who are taken in by a rich white Park Avenue businessman named Phillip Drummond and his daughter Kimberly, for whom their deceased mother previously worked. During the first season and first half of the second season, Charlotte Rae also starred as the Drummonds' housekeeper, Mrs. Garrett.

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Episode Statistics:

# of Episodes: 189

# of Episodes I watched: 0

# of Episodes I haven't watched: 189

Last Episode I watched: -

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Season 3

Episode 1: The Bank Job (1)

Air Date: November 12nd, 1980

Summary: Willis accompanies Arnold as he sets out to withdraw some money from his bank account to pay for his first ""real"" date, but two bank robbers force a change of plans when they attempt their own, very large withdrawal, in the first episode of a special two-part story.

Episode 2: The Bank Job (2)

Air Date: November 12nd, 1980

Summary: Drummond offers himself and his company airplane as hostages to protect Arnold and Willis, but his sons' future hangs in the balance when the robbers announce their own very different choice of hostages, in the conclusion of a special two-part story.

Episode 3: Small Claims Court

Air Date: November 19th, 1980

Summary: Arnold has his day in court when an unfortunate ""train"" of events puts him at odds with a less than understanding merchant.

Episode 4: Substitute Mother

Air Date: November 26th, 1980

Summary: Arnold falls head-over-heels for a temporary housekeeper and embarks on a romantic scheme he hopes will make her a permanent member of the Drummond household.

Episode 5: The Accident (1)

Air Date: December 3rd, 1980

Summary: The festive family celebration of Drummond's 50th birthday suddenly becomes a disaster after a drunk driver puts Drummond in the hospital, unconscious, his life hanging in the balance, in the first episode of a special two-part story.

Episode 6: The Accident (2)

Air Date: December 3rd, 1980

Summary: When Drummond finally comes to, he is suffering from amnesia and unless he can regain his memory, he may lose not only his business, but also custody of Arnold, Willis and Kimberly.

Episode 7: Little Mother

Air Date: December 10th, 1980

Summary: Kimberly's efforts to help a pregnant girl friend, have Willis and Arnold convinced the Kimberly's the one expecting.

Episode 8: Football Father

Air Date: December 17th, 1980

Summary: After Arnold fails to measure up to the demands of the basketball, baseball and volleyball teams, Drummond convinces the boy to try football on for size and then pays the coach a clandestine visit to ensure Arnold a place on the team.

Episode 9: First Love

Air Date: December 31st, 1980

Summary: Drummond orders Willis to spend more time with his studies and less time with his ""first love,"" but Willis and Arnold concoct a plan they're sure will fulfill the wishes of both father and son.

Episode 10: Count Your Blessings

Air Date: January 7th, 1981

Summary: Arnold tries a regimen of stretching exercises and a change of diet to speed his growth, but Drummond finds he must go to a very special source to get the boy to accept that he will never be tall.

Episode 11: The Loan

Air Date: January 14th, 1981

Summary: Arnold learns the true value of a dollar when Drummond turns down his request to lend $4,000 to the apartment building doorman anxious to take part in an attractive business deal.

Episode 12: Roots

Air Date: January 21st, 1981

Summary: Willis and Arnold turn the Drummond household upside down as they try to prove to their old Harlem neighbors -- and themselves -- that they haven't lost tough with their cultural roots.

Episode 13: Junk Food Junkie (a.k.a.) Junk Food

Air Date: January 28th, 1981

Summary: Arnold's poor dental checkup and a visit by Drummond's health-conscious sister, Sophia, launches Drummond on a campaign to have ""junk"" food machines banned from Arnold's school, even though Arnold's drive for his class' presidency may depend on keeping the machines in place.

Episode 14: The Bus

Air Date: February 4th, 1981

Summary: Arnold's excitement at being one of a small group of students in an exchange program with an all-white school is turned to fear by a threatening phone call from a zealous busing opponent.

Episode 15: The Older Man

Air Date: February 25th, 1981

Summary: Through Blair's makeup artistry, 15-year-old Kimberly discovers she can pass for 20, but when she accepts a date with a 25-year-old and the passes start flying, she finds there may be more to being older than looking it.

Episode 16: Where There's Hope

Air Date: March 4th, 1981

Summary: Arnold's tenth birthday party means a lot to him, but for some reason it means a whole lot more to the one person he's determined won't be invited -- a pesky young lady who always tries just too hard to be friends.

Episode 17: The Magician (a.k.a.) It's Magic

Air Date: March 11st, 1981

Summary: Arnold's ""famous"" magic disappearing act, designed to impress a magazine reporter and special guest star Dallas Cowboys' defensive end Ed ""Too Tall"" Jones, leaves him dangerously high and dry, with no place to go but down -- about 30 stories.

Episode 18: Drummond's Fair Lady

Air Date: March 18th, 1981

Summary: Drummond runs into some stiff competition to the candidate he's chosen to head a new division of his company -- his board members think the attractive young executive's sex disqualifies her -- and his family thinks he's being used.

Episode 19: The Ancestors

Air Date: March 25th, 1981

Summary: Drummond and his sister Sophia inherit a prime piece of land in Harlem from a long lost ancestor, but their plan to dedicate it to a cultural center in his name could spell disaster if the truth of their ancestor's life gets out.

Episode 20: Almost American

Air Date: April 1st, 1981

Summary: Arnold's dejection at being grounded for a ""D"" on a history test turns to inspiration after an immigrant studying for naturalization introduces him to another perspective on America.

Episode 21: Room for One More

Air Date: May 6th, 1981

Summary: Dudley, fearing his foster father's lost job means he's headed back to the orphanage, cons Arnold into getting Drummond to consider adopting him into their family.

Episode 22: The Athlete

Air Date: May 13rd, 1981

Summary: The coach of the city's top high school baseball team is after Willis and is prepared to do anything to make it possible for Willis to attend his school.

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