The BEST episodes of Diff'rent Strokes season 4
Every episode of Diff'rent Strokes season 4, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Diff'rent Strokes season 4!
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 - 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.
#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 - 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.
#4 - 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.
#5 - 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.
#6 - Jilted
Season 4 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/21/1982
Willis takes his girlfriend for granted and risks losing her to another guy, so he makes a romantic play to keep her.
#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 Ski Weekend
Season 4 - Episode 7 - Aired 12/10/1981
Kimberly, fed up with her father's smothering, elects to spend a ski weekend with a popular boy, but her meddling family can't manage to stay away.
#9 - The Model
Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/12/1981
Kimberly's first attempt at modeling may lead to an opportunity in Paris, but her father is not prepared to let her go there on her own.
#10 - The Team
Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/19/1981
Drummond faces a lawsuit when he hires a black man for an executive position, and Willis seeks justice when he is denied a spot on the basketball team because of his race.
#11 - Crime Story (Part 1) (a.k.a.) Crime in the Schools
Season 4 - Episode 17 - Aired 3/11/1982
Arnold and his friend Dudley are scared to death by two teenage bullies who pose the intimidating demand "your lunch money or your life."
#12 - On Your Toes
Season 4 - Episode 26 - Aired 5/20/1982
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.
#13 - The Squatter
Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 2/18/1982
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.
#14 - First Day Blues
Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/5/1981
Willis has jitters on his first day of high school but hooks up with a bad group who ask him to supply drugs for their party.
#15 - Kathy
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 2/4/1982
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.
#16 - Double Date (a.k.a.) Blind Date
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 12/3/1981
Arnold's big plans for his first real date are deflated by his father's restrictions.
#17 - The Big Heist
Season 4 - Episode 5 - Aired 11/26/1981
Arnold is accepted into an elite club at school, but his membership could lead him to commit a crime as part of the secret initiation.
#18 - Short But Sweet
Season 4 - Episode 25 - Aired 5/13/1982
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 girlfriend.
#19 - Crime Story (Part 2) (a.k.a.) Crime in the Schools
Season 4 - Episode 18 - Aired 3/18/1982
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.
#20 - Hello, Daddy
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/1982
Does Drummond have a third son? There's a young man at the door who thinks so.
#21 - Lifesavers
Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/15/1982
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."
#22 - Green Hair
Season 4 - Episode 20 - Aired 4/1/1982
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.
#23 - B.M.O.C.
Season 4 - Episode 19 - Aired 3/25/1982
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.
#24 - Have I Got a Girl for You
Season 4 - Episode 21 - Aired 4/8/1982
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.
#25 - Burial Ground
Season 4 - Episode 9 - Aired 1/7/1982
Drummond's company may destroy what could be an ancient Indian burial ground.