About this season
Charles, a 19-year-old student at the fictional Copeland College in New Brunswick, New Jersey, works as a live-in babysitter in exchange for room and board.
Episodes (26)
1. Yule Laff
Aired 26 December 1987 • 30 min
Charles suggests the family spend the Christmas holidays in the mountains, but a storm leaves everyone but Walter stranded in a cabin.
2. Piece of Cake
Aired 2 January 1988 • 30 min
News of the sudden arrival of Commander Powell throws the household into chaos.
3. Dorm Warnings
Aired 9 January 1988 • 30 min
When Charles is named Student of the Year, local newspaper reporter Pat Walker (Barbara Rhoades) arrives at the house to interview him.
4. Speechless
Aired 16 January 1988 • 30 min
When Charles' and Buddy's history teacher changes their team assignment from a written to an oral report, Charles insists that Buddy deliver the speech.
5. Infatuation
Aired 23 January 1988 • 30 min
Charles becomes infatuated with Trish (Susannah Woodside), a beautiful fashion model and the daughter of Walter's friend.
6. Role Model
Aired 30 January 1988 • 30 min
When Jamie enrolls in a modeling school, a suspicious Charles decides to investigate. He and Buddy enroll in order to expose the school as a fraud.
7. The Extremely Odd Couple
Aired 6 February 1988 • 30 min
Charles tries to end a feud between Walter and Lillian by giving them each a ticket to a swing music concert.
8. Poppa, the Sailor Man
Aired 13 February 1988 • 30 min
The death of a lifelong friend causes Walter to have visions of mortality, so Charles summons Walter's father, Buzz (Dabbs Greer), for a visit in order to show him his son has many years left.
9. Bottle Baby
Aired 20 February 1988 • 30 min
When Buddy receives word that his shy sister Bunny (Mindy Cohn) is arriving for a visit, he pleads with Charles to help entertain her.
10. Dear Charles
Aired 27 February 1988 • 30 min
Charles asks editor Gayle Landis for a job on her newspaper, but acting as a fill—in for "‘Dear Amy" is not what he had in mind.
11. The Pickle Plot
Aired 5 March 1988 • 30 min
Unable to decide on a college major and faced with a tuition increase, is determined to convince his Uncle Joe (John Astin) that he should be made the heir to his business.
12. The Buddy System
Aired 12 March 1988 • 30 min
When Buddy's new girlfriend unceremoniously dumps him, he sinks into a bout of depression. Under the circumstances, Charles requests that everyone be especially nice to Buddy.
13. Sarah Steps Out
Aired 19 March 1988 • 30 min
Charles convinces Ellen to allow Adam to stay up and watch television all night, let Jamie streak her hair, and allow Sarah to go on her first unchaperoned date.
14. Trading Papers
Aired 26 March 1988 • 30 min
Charles is ecstatic when he scores an A on his English assignment, until he turns past the cover page and discovers Sarah's poem there by mistake.
15. Five Easy Pizzas
Aired 2 April 1988 • 30 min
Charles calms Lillian's fears about an upcoming trip out of town, saying that he's more than able to manage the pizza parlor himself, even though she's just hired a new chef, Dine (Vito Scotti).
16. Getting In
Aired 9 April 1988 • 30 min
Charles and Buddy decide to pledge a fraternity, and must put up with a series of humiliating tests and activities during "Hell Week."
17. Hero Today, Gone Tomorrow
Aired 16 April 1988 • 30 min
When Charles and Buddy foil an attempted holdup at the pizza parlor, their names appear in the local newspaper. They can't resist capitalizing on their new-found popularity with the girls at the sorority house.
18. Dutiful Dreamer
Aired 23 April 1988 • 30 min
When the Powells learn their house is to be sold and Ellen loses her job, Charles takes to bed with a sneezing fit and falls asleep.
19. Berkling Up Is Hard to Do
Aired 30 April 1988 • 30 min
This is just not Charles' day. He's trying to prepare for the new school year, but Buddy needs his help in planning their end of summer party.
20. Runaround Charles
Aired 7 May 1988 • 30 min
Charles becomes frantic when he makes too many commitments for one evening.
21. Where the Auction Is
Aired 14 May 1988 • 30 min
Charles is outraged when he learns his mother is hosting a sorority slave auction. Outraged, that is, until he finds out that attractive new transfer student Jeanie intends to bid for him.
22. The Boy Who Loved Women
Aired 21 May 1988 • 30 min
Confused by the instructions that came with a new stereo component rack, Charles is frustrated trying to assemble the unit.
23. Barbelles
Aired 28 May 1988 • 30 min
After Charles is devastated at being dumped by his girlfriend, Buddy fixes him up with Beth (Brenda Swanson), a female bodybuilder at his health club.
24. The Blackboard Bungle
Aired 4 June 1988 • 30 min
Charles seems to be the only one excited about his new post as teacher's aide. Jamie resents his sitting in on her class, and the teacher can't understand why anyone would want to teach.
25. The Heart Burgler
Aired 11 June 1988 • 30 min
When Sarah tries to get closer to a boy that she likes by inviting him over to study, she is upset when he pays more attention to Charles than her.
26. May the Best Man Lose
Aired 18 June 1988 • 30 min
The kids each must find a gladiator to represent their class in the school's stunt-filled quiz contest complete with pies in the face and a dunk tank.