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.
Where to watch
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Tubi TV
see all options Availability data: JustWatch
- Seasons
- 8
- Episodes aired
- 189
- Latest aired
- S08E19
- Total runtime
- 14h 19min
Timeline when each season aired
- Season 1 November 1978 – May 1979 24 episodes
- Season 2 September 1979 – March 1980 26 episodes
- Season 3 November 1980 – May 1981 22 episodes
- Season 4 October 1981 – May 1982 26 episodes
- Season 5 October 1982 – May 1983 24 episodes
- Season 6 October 1983 – May 1984 24 episodes
- Season 7 September 1984 – May 1985 24 episodes
- Season 8 September 1985 – March 1986 19 episodes
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S06E01 Mr. T and mr. t
October 1 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold's ecstasy over meeting his hero Mr. T goes from elation to emulation when the young girl he's trying to impress snubs him in favor of his idol. Former bouncer and bodyguard Mr. T, who came to national prominence as Sylvester Stallone's opponent in ""Rocky III"" and was the star of the hit television series ""The A-Team,"" makes a special guest appearance as ""The A-Team's"" B.A.
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S06E02 The Goat
October 15 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold's first day at junior high is emotionally devastating when he's shunned for not measuring up to the expectations that everyone had for Willis Jackson's brother, but Arnold devises a risky scheme that he feels certain will elevate his prestige.
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S06E03 Rashomon II
October 22 find the promo
Show synopsis
Drummond, Willis and Arnold bravely subdue a burglar who had been holding the family at gunpoint, but the arresting officer is befuddled when the three ""crime fighters"" relate differing versions of the apprehension.
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S06E04 The Lie
October 29 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Willis' seemingly harmless disregard for the truth turns dangerous when a self-serving lie about knowing CPR jeopardizes Arnold's life.
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S06E05 Drafted
November 12 find the promo
Show synopsis
When 13-year-old Arnold is notified to register for the draft, Drummond's over reaction to the obvious error turns Arnold's dreams into nightmares.
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S06E06 The Van Drummonds
November 19 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
A short visit to the United States by Phillip Drummond's Dutch cousin Anna and her son Hans becomes an eternity for Arnold and Willis, who are made scapegoats for cousin Hans' mischief.
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S06E07 The Moonlighter
November 26 find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold is disappointed to discover that his favorite teacher moonlights as a cocktail waitress, but he's stunned when he learns why she has to work the second job.
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S06E08 Coming of Age
December 3 find the promo
Show synopsis
Kimberly's 18th birthday present from daddy -- a trust fund -- will make her a wealthy woman, but her free-spirited dreams of independence could be cut short when Drummond discovers just how she intends to spend her ""fortune.""
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S06E09 Assert Yourself
December 10 find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold turns a pal into an opponent when he resigns as Dudley's campaign manager and declares his own candiacy for class president.
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S06E10 Mrs. Z
December 17 find the promo
Show synopsis
Drummond's provided with police protection of a most unusual kind after his charitable philanthrophy leads to a $1,000,000 extortion threat against him.
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S06E11 The Senior Class Queen
January 7 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
When Kimberly starts a campaign to open the school's Lettermen's Club to female membership, an embarrassed Willis retaliates with chauvinistic aplomb by becoming the first male contestant in the Senior Class Beauty Pageant.
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S06E12 Where There's Smoke
January 14 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold and Dudley succumb to peer pressure and ignore warnings against cigarette smoking, only to have the harsh realities brought to light by Dudley's father, a chronic smoker.
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S06E13 Drummond's Lady
January 21 find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold unwittingly solves his father's dilemma -- trying to make romance and finance go hand-in-hand -- when Drummond finds himself falling for an attractive local television aerobics instructor that his company is attempting to turn into an international success. Veteran Broadway and television actress Dixie Carter is introduced in the role of fitness instructor Maggie McKinney.
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S06E14 The Hitchhikers (1) (a.k.a.) Hitchhiking (1)
January 28 find the promo
Show synopsis
Kimberly and Arnold break a long-standing family rule and face death when, on their return from a shopping trip, they find themselves short of cash and decide to hitch a ride home rather than call home for assistance.
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S06E15 The Hitchhikers (2) (a.k.a.) Hitchhiking (2)
February 4 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Hitchhiking leads to kidnapping for Arnold and Kimberly, but Arnold escapes and he is so disoriented he is unable to remember the location of the kidnapper's apartment so that the police can rescue Kimberly who's till being held captive.
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S06E16 Hooray for Hollywood (1)
February 11 find the promo
Show synopsis
Upset over Maggie breaking off their relationship, Drummond chases her to Hollywood to win back her heart, but while he woos Maggie, Arnold and Dudley sneak away from a studio tour to find the star of Knight Rider and wind up in a life threatening situation.
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S06E17 Hooray for Hollywood (2)
February 18 find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold's joy over being saved from an explosion by ""Knight Rider's"" David Hasselhoff quickly turns to dismay when he learns his father is getting married and a little brother comes along with the package.
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S06E18 The Wedding (1)
February 25 find the promo
Show synopsis
Maggie's reaction to a proposed pre-nuptial agreement threatens to hamper Phillip's happiness -- but could eliminate Arnold's fear about ""inheriting"" a strict new mother and a pesky little brother.
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S06E19 The Wedding (2)
February 25 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Their family and friends assembled, Phillip and Maggie meet at the altar, only to realize each has made a major mistake, in the concluding part of a special two-part story. Charlotte Rae, Dody Goodman, Janet Jackson and Nedra Volz, each of who had appeared in recurring roles on ""Diff'rent Strokes,"" return as their original characters for the Drummond nuptials.
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S06E20 The Honeymoon's Over
March 3 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
Arnold and Pearl fall into a depression when Maggie and Phillip return from their honeymoon with a temporary eviction notice for Pearl, and orders for Arnold to babysit for his ""tag-along"" little brother Sam instead of going to a party.
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S06E21 The Bar Mitzvah Boy
March 17 find the promo
Show synopsis
In a quest for religion started by Maggie and his father, Arnold thinks he has found it after attending an impressive bar mitzvah where his friend ""Becomes a man"" at age 13.
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S06E22 Kathy's Olympics
March 24 · 30min find the promo
Show synopsis
The money for the National Wheelchair Games that Arnold's class has raised and entrusted to him is missing--leaving Arnold embarrassed and his family ""in the dumps.""
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S06E23 The Houseguest
May 5 find the promo
Show synopsis
Willis and Charlene's budding young love begins to wilt when she moves in as a temporary houseguest at the Drummond's. Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson's younger sister, returns in her role as Willis' girl friend Charlene.
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S06E24 The Boyfriend
May 12 find the promo
Show synopsis
Blinded by love, Kimberly takes an enormous and deceptive risk when she talks her father into allowing her to move into an apartment, allegedly with her girl friend.