The BEST episodes of Diff'rent Strokes
Every episode of Diff'rent Strokes ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Diff'rent Strokes!
Two orphaned brothers, Arnold & Willis Jackson, are adopted by wealthy Manhattan widower Phillip Drummond when their mother (Drummond's maid) passes away. Along with Drummond's daughter Kimberly & housekeeper Mrs. Garrett, this family sitcom covers topics such as wealth- & racial- inequality. This was Gary Coleman's breakout role as short but sassy Arnold, whose catchphrase "What'choo talkin' 'bout?" became a national trend.
#1 - Health Club
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/17/1981
Arnold and Willis discover that Drummond's health club, which has just named him the recipient of an award, excludes minorities from membership.
#2 - Growing Up
Season 4 - Episode 1 - Aired 10/29/1981
His friends' stories of their sexual exploits convince Willis it's time he became a man, so now he must convince his girlfriend Charlene.
#3 - In the Swim
Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 10/9/1982
Willis is completely supportive of Kimberly's transfer into his public school, until his sister's "innocent" actions begin getting him into hot water.
#4 - Fire
Season 4 - Episode 14 - Aired 2/11/1982
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.
#5 - The Music Man
Season 4 - Episode 24 - Aired 5/6/1982
Willis sets what he's sure is a "cinch" audition for girlfriend 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.
#6 - The Car
Season 4 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/25/1982
When his girlfriend 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.
#7 - Dreams
Season 4 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/28/1982
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.
#8 - The Club Meeting
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/12/1979
Willis invites his neighborhood club from Harlem to visit, but things get out of hand when he tries to impress them with his new wealth.
#9 - Arnold's Girlfriend (2)
Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/21/1979
Arnold's life is endangered when the kids find out they can't share a room in the hospital and run away on the eve of Arnold's surgery.
#10 - The Spanking
Season 1 - Episode 5 - Aired 12/1/1978
Arnold ignores warnings and continues to drop water balloons from the balcony. Mr. Drummond's decision to punish Arnold for the prank with a spanking becomes a learning lesson for Willis too, when he insists that he be the one to spank Arnold -- but where's Arnold?
#11 - Prep School
Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/24/1978
When Mr. Drummond tries to get Arnold and Willis into an exclusive prep school, it turns out to be just a little too exclusive for everyone's tastes.
#12 - Mother's Last Visit
Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/17/1978
Mr. Drummond's socialite and rather snobbish mother arrives and finds there's a lot she doesn't like about her son's new sons, but she soon learns a valuable lesson about what's really important in a person.
#13 - Movin' In
Season 1 - Episode 1 - Aired 11/3/1978
Multi-millionaire Phillip Drummond, who has agreed to the death-bed wish of his housekeeper to raise her two small sons as his own, welcomes 8-year-old Arnold and 12-year-old Willis into his lavish penthouse. Anxious to make them feel at home, he showers them with gifts and love -- and is puzzled when he learns that the boys are planning to sneak from the lap of luxury back to Harlem. Aiding Drummond in his effort to make the street-wise, ghetto youngsters feel welcome in the affluent white world are Drummond's new housekeeper Mrs. Garrett and his 13-year-old daughter Kimberly.
#14 - The Social Worker
Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/10/1978
Arnold's eavesdropping leads to trouble when a misunderstanding causes Willis and him to think that Mr. Drummond no longer wants them around; he has heard Drummond tell a social worker that "black children belong with black families."
#15 - Goodbye Dolly
Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/8/1978
When Arnold loses his favorite doll, he makes sure that his misery is shared equally by the various members of his household, who soon try everything to get it back.
#16 - The Trial
Season 1 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/15/1978
When Arnold is in trouble for putting his goldfish in Mr. Drummond's hot tub, Willis insists that it is wrong to convict him without a trial. The whole family, with Mrs. Garrett as judge, comes up with an important verdict.
#17 - Retrospective (2)
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/29/1978
Life in the household is recalled in clips from early episodes.
#18 - The Woman
Season 1 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/19/1979
Mr. Drummond's intention to marry an attractive widow doesn't meet with his children's approval, and Arnold, Willis and Kimberly devise a scheme they hope will turn his "romantic" proposal into a disaster.
#19 - No Time for Arnold
Season 1 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/26/1979
A lonely Arnold comes up with a method of gaining his family's attention. Unfortunately his plan works a little too well; he ends up with everyone's attention, including the family doctor.
#20 - The Gymnasts
Season 7 - Episode 10 - Aired 12/1/1984
Drummond's surprise meant to encourage an Olympic hopeful felled by a tragic accident backfires when the young man instead becomes embittered at meeting the 1984 Men's Olympic Gold Medal-winning Gymnastics Team until Willis and Sam take on the challenge of setting things right.
#21 - Retrospective (1)
Season 1 - Episode 8 - Aired 12/29/1978
Mr. Drummond and family gather around their Christmas tree and recall the many humorous incidents that the family has shared since Arnold and Willis moved in. This special one-hour episode features highlights from previous shows.
#22 - Arnold's Girlfriend (1)
Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/21/1979
Arnold has appendicitis and Drummond has to deal with the bigotry of Fred Tanner, a potential housing project investor whose daughter is the key to getting Arnold to sit still for the operation.
#23 - Hooray for Hollywood (1)
Season 6 - Episode 16 - Aired 2/11/1984
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.
#24 - Drafted
Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/12/1983
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.
#25 - The Van Drummonds
Season 6 - Episode 6 - Aired 11/19/1983
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.