Diff'rent Strokes (Season 4)

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.

  • Poster for Growing Up

    Growing Up 0.0

    Air date: 1981-10-29

    Overview: His friends' stories of their sexual exploits convince Willis it's time he ""became a man""--now he must convince his steady girl friend Charlene.

  • Poster for First Day Blues

    First Day Blues 0.0

    Air date: 1981-11-05

    Overview: Willis has the normal jitters on his first day of high school, and in his hurry to make friends, hooks up with a bad group, goes overboard to impress them, and, for his efforts could wind up in jail.

  • Poster for The Model

    The Model 0.0

    Air date: 1981-11-12

    Overview: Kimberly hopes a summer job will make her more independent, but when it becomes an undreamt chance at international modeling, it may be more independence than her father will agree to.

  • Poster for The Team

    The Team 0.0

    Air date: 1981-11-19

    Overview: A happy household is torn by the repercussions of meeting racial quotas -- Drummond faces a lawsuit when he hires a black man from outside his company for a prized executive position and Willis seeks justice when told his color is the only thing preventing him from making the school's predominantly black basketball team.

  • Poster for The Big Heist

    The Big Heist 0.0

    Air date: 1981-11-26

    Overview: Arnold is elated when he's accepted into an ""elite"" club at school, but his membership could lead to consequences far beyond his wildest dreams when he learns he must commit a crime as part of his secret initiation.

  • Poster for Double Date (a.k.a.) Blind Date

    Double Date (a.k.a.) Blind Date 0.0

    Air date: 1981-12-03

    Overview: Arnold's big plans for his first real ""date"" are quickly deflated when parental-imposed restrictions threaten to ruin his encounter before it ever gets off the ground.

  • Poster for The Ski Weekend

    The Ski Weekend 8.0

    Air date: 1981-12-10

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: Kimberly must face the biggest decision of her life -- whether to spend a ski weekend with a popular boy or turn down the opportunity to get away on her own and remain, in her mind, daddy's ""little girl.""

  • Poster for Health Club

    Health Club 0.0

    Air date: 1981-12-17

    Overview: Arnold and Willis face a puzzling dilemma -- how to tell Drummond that the award he worked so hard for comes from a health club with a ""restricted membership.""

  • Poster for Burial Ground

    Burial Ground 0.0

    Air date: 1982-01-07

    Overview: Arnold and Willis go on a hunger strike to save a historic landmark when they learn construction by Drummond's company may destroy what could be an ancient Indian burial ground.

  • Poster for Hello, Daddy

    Hello, Daddy 0.0

    Air date: 1982-01-14

    Overview: Does Drummond have a third son, there's a young man at the door who claims he does and that he is.

  • Poster for Jilted

    Jilted 8.0

    Air date: 1982-01-21

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: When Willis takes his steady girl friend for granted, his selfishness sends her out with another guy -- who won't ignore her, but there may be hope for happiness if a self-appointed Cupid succeeds in his plan.

  • Poster for Dreams

    Dreams 7.0

    Air date: 1982-01-28

    Runtime: 30 min

    Overview: A cancelled fishing trip leaves Arnold having a series of bad dreams that the entire family loses sleep over, until a psychiatrist's examination reveals what really is causing his nighttime terror.

  • Poster for Kathy

    Kathy 0.0

    Air date: 1982-02-04

    Overview: Arnold and his friend Kathy face big challenges in their lives and each holds the key to overcoming the other's obstacles, but when Arnold takes the first step forward, their entire relationship takes a big step backwards.

  • Poster for Fire

    Fire 0.0

    Air date: 1982-02-11

    Overview: A fire traps Drummond and his family in their penthouse and has him ""working"" overtime trying to protect them without letting on that there's anything wrong.

  • Poster for The Squatter

    The Squatter 0.0

    Air date: 1982-02-18

    Overview: Drummond learns the hard way that converting apartments into condominiums can mean hurting lots of innocent people when he becomes the unsuspecting ""victim"" of an eccentric tenant he's displacing.

  • Poster for The Car

    The Car 0.0

    Air date: 1982-02-25

    Overview: When his girl friend plans on taking a drive with someone else, a careless Willis -- refusing to be outdone -- gets an idea for a real joy ride neither of them will forget.

  • Poster for Crime Story (Part 1) (a.k.a.) Crime in the Schools

    Crime Story (Part 1) (a.k.a.) Crime in the Schools 0.0

    Air date: 1982-03-11

    Overview: Arnold and his friend Dudley are scared to death by two teenage bullies who pose the intimidating demand ""your lunch money or your life.""

  • Poster for Crime Story (Part 2) (a.k.a.) Crime in the Schools

    Crime Story (Part 2) (a.k.a.) Crime in the Schools 0.0

    Air date: 1982-03-18

    Overview: Arnold doesn't know when to leave well enough alone after Willis comes to his rescue, he gets himself involved in an ""undercover"" scheme to capture the ""punks"" at school who have been harassing him.

  • Poster for B.M.O.C.

    B.M.O.C. 0.0

    Air date: 1982-03-25

    Overview: Willis' obsession with joining an ""exclusive"" high school club rocks the Drummond household and leaves several victims in its wake, including a shaken Arnold who takes his brother's ""insensitive"" actions to heart.

  • Poster for Green Hair

    Green Hair 0.0

    Air date: 1982-04-01

    Overview: An adamant Drummond ignores sister Sophia's pleas to get involved in a group effort to combat air pollution, until Kimberly becomes victimized by the unnatural phenomenon.

  • Poster for Have I Got a Girl for You

    Have I Got a Girl for You 0.0

    Air date: 1982-04-08

    Overview: Aunt Sophia's matchmaking unites an unsuspecting Drummond with her ""working-class"" hairdresser, but a slip of Arnold's tongue ignites charges that Drummond is a snob, turning a ""budding romance"" into a roaring feud.

  • Poster for Lifesavers

    Lifesavers 0.0

    Air date: 1982-04-15

    Overview: A quick-thinking, fast-acting Willis saves Arnold from a near-fatal accident and in doing so unleashes an adoring monster who dedicates his life to repaying his ""hero.""

  • Poster for Stress? What Stress?

    Stress? What Stress? 0.0

    Air date: 1982-04-22

    Overview: Stress is diagnosed as the cause of hard-working Drummond's frequent attacks of pain, but suddenly young, healthy and ""normal"" Willis learns that he, too, is a prime candidate for the same debilitating ""attacks.""

  • Poster for The Music Man

    The Music Man 0.0

    Air date: 1982-05-06

    Overview: Willis sets what he's sure is a ""cinch"" audition for girl friend Charlene to sing with his musical group, but his ""big plane"" hit a sour not when Arnold's intervention threatens to destroy both Charlene's chances with the group and her relationship with Willis.

  • Poster for Short But Sweet

    Short But Sweet 0.0

    Air date: 1982-05-13

    Overview: Arnold feels shortchanged, he's growing older but he's not getting any taller and he's convinced that's the reason why he doesn't have a girl friend.

  • Poster for On Your Toes

    On Your Toes 0.0

    Air date: 1982-05-20

    Overview: A famed choreographer encourages Arnold to learn ballet, but his youthful dancing days could be numbered when Willis' taunting remarks convince Arnold to drop out of an upcoming recital.

Diff'rent Strokes

Seasons

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