The BEST episodes written by Bill Greer
#1 - Barbelles
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 23
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. All is bliss until Beth's former boyfriend, Mike (Richard Brose), shows up and tells Charles he'd better leave Beth alone or else. When news of the threat gets around, Buddy and the Powells advise Mike not to hurt Charles. Not wanting to back down from a bully, and yet aware that he and Beth are attracted to each other only because they are both on the rebound, Charles confronts Beth and Mike, explaining his view of the situation and encourages them to get back together. All is resolved. Charles will now get a chance to date that cute girl he met in aerobics class .
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#2 - Lost Resort
Charles in Charge - Season 5 - Episode 19
Charles works at a hotel in Hawaii with Buddy's cousin. (A pilot to a possible spin-off which never materialized.)
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#3 - Dear Charles
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 10
When Charles asks editor Gayle Landis (Susan Burell) for a job on her newspaper, acting as a fill—in for "‘Dear Amy" is not what he had in mind. But Gayle's persistence (and good -looks) wins him over and Charles agrees to give it a try. The hard part comes when Buddy reads a letter to Charles from a reader who sounds suspiciously like Sarah— and she's having man problems! Charles can't tell Sarah how he read her letter so he gives his advice in his column. Unfortunately, Gayle doesn't think his answer is spicy enough and she changes it considerably, making way for confusion and chaos as Charles and Buddy try desperately to keep the paper out of everyone's hands - when everyone wants to read it now! By the time Charles finds out that the letter-writer was the more mature Jamie, he's already decided journalism and Gayle Landis are not for him.
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#4 - Poppa, the Sailor Man
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 8
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. Buzz's arrival, however, stirs up old antagonisms between the two. Charles learns some unhappy news about Buzz which he must keep from Walter while trying to reconcile father and son. Finally the two begin to swap stories of their exploits in the Navy and when Buzz heads back to Florida a few days later, Walter is left with pleasant memories of his father and a renewed sense of life. And Charles has kept his secret.
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#5 - Yule Laff
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 1
Charles suggests the family spend the Christmas holidays in the mountains, but when a storm leaves everyone but Walter stranded in a cabin with no food, and a bear at the door, the adventure becomes more than they bargained for. Still, the family makes the best of things and manages to stir up some holiday spirit in spite of their predicament. In the middle of the night Adam wakes to see a figure who looks like Santa Claus. The next morning when Walter arrives with food and the children's presents, extra gifts left by a mysterious visitor in the night add a Christmas miracle to the very special holiday.
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#6 - Fair Exchange
Charles in Charge - Season 5 - Episode 25
Sarah visits her relatives in Albuquerque and a foreign exchange student that is living with them. (A pilot to a possible spin-off which never materialized.)
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#7 - Room at the Bottom
Charles in Charge - Season 4 - Episode 17
Walter remodels the basement.
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#8 - Mama Mia!
Charles in Charge - Season 2 - Episode 16
Just when things are going real smoothly for Charles, his mother, Lillian comes to town for a brief - or maybe not so brief - visit. That's good, and it's not so good. Every son loves to see his mother, and Charles is no exception, except Charles' mom won't let him grow up. He's a dutiful son and appreciates her loving intervention, especially when she offers to baby-sit the Powell kids so he can go to a party. But the sparks fly when Charles gets home and Walter Powell is beside himself because he saw his three grandchildren coming out of a violence-ridden film he had strictly forbidden them to see. Charles knows it's his mom who's guilty, but since she was standing in for him, he takes the blame. Needless to say, there are some hard feelings between Charles and his mom, Lillian, Lillian and Walter, and Walter and Charles, but in the end everything gets worked out, and Charles, (or is it his mom,) is back in charge.
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#9 - Summer Together, Fall Apart
Charles in Charge - Season 5 - Episode 1
After complaints from the family, Charles tells the children there are no more rules in the house.
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#10 - Buddy in Charge
Charles in Charge - Season 2 - Episode 13
Charles has to visit in town when his folks arrive for the weekend, so Buddy is placed in charge of the Powell kids. Charles convinces Ellen Powell that it's okay but Grandpa Powell has some serious misgivings, and maybe rightly so. You see Buddy has some ulterior motives in trying to fill Charles' shoes. He's out to impress a current girlfriend, Debbie (Susan Ursitti), with his childbearing abilities. It results in cataclysmic confrontations between Buddy and the three Powell youngsters, in fact it gets so bad that Adam runs away. But in the end, things go well, Charles returns and the three Powell children, especially Adam, find out Buddy is a pretty terrific guy after all on "Charles In Charge."
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#11 - Aunt Vanessa
Charles in Charge - Season 4 - Episode 23
Jamie wants to move to New York and live with Charles' aunt.
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#12 - All That Chaz
Charles in Charge - Season 5 - Episode 17
An accidental bump on the head turns Charles into Chaz again.
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#13 - Her Brother's Keeper
Charles in Charge - Season 2 - Episode 25
There are two very lovely ladies Charles and Buddy would like to date if they can find the time between studying for their physics final and taking care of the Powell household. When Stephanie (Cheryl Arutt) and Joyce (Michelle Johnson) come over for a "pre-date," Joyce suggests the boys get together with her brother Duane (David Knell) who loves to help people out with physics but who is a little backward in the social department. A trade is worked out: Duane will help them with physics if Charles and Buddy help Duane "loosen up." The fact that gorgeous Joyce will be eternally grateful if the boys can pull her brother out of his shel doesn't hurt their enthusiasm for the deal. The physics part proves to be easier than the social part, however, especially when Duane thinks honing in on the two couples is part of his education. Things start to look up when Duane calls from jail.
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#14 - X-Rated Education
Welcome Back, Kotter - Season 4 - Episode 8
The gang is liable to get in trouble when the x-rated film Carvelli brought into school is accidentally mixed up with a film on sexual education.
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#15 - Role Model
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 6
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, though Jamie is infuriated with his interference. While sitting in on one of the classes, however, Charles sees Jamie transformed into a figure of poise and self confidence. He finally admits he is wrong and encourages Jamie to continue the training, as long as she doesn't fall for the owner's inflated claims of instant fame and success.
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#16 - Feud for Thought
Charles in Charge - Season 2 - Episode 3
This episode of "Charles In Charge" features Charles as a fireman, putting out fires all over the Powell household. Luckily Charles is studying for his philosophy exam, because the show provides several practical tests for Charles' own philosophy, and happily he doesn't do badly on them at all. First of all, Adam is in the middle of a pre-teen imbroglio with his erstwhile best friend who is now his worst enemy. In trying to smooth those troubled waters, Charles ends up being challenged by the youngster's giant brother, Herman (Mark Venturini), who's ready to tear Charles apart. Then there's Sarah, who needs some help because she's learning to like herself a little better, and that's not easy for a thirteen year old. And finally there's Buddy, who's got a simple philosophy about everything. He's trying to get Charles to go out with one of the ultra Del Fluvio twins, Gina (Lisa Aliff), so he can go out with the other. How do
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#17 - The Heart Burgler
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 25
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. Buddy's girlfriend seems more attracted to Charles than him.
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#18 - Dutiful Dreamer
Charles in Charge - Season 3 - Episode 18
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. In his dream the family members transform into different characters; Walter becomes Long John Silver; Lillian, Auntie Maine; Ellen, Mae West; Jamie, Cinderella; Sarah, Scarlett O'Hara; Adam, a punk rocker; and Buddy an effete 18th Century landowner. Charles appears in his own dream as the Godfather and stumbles onto an idea to help the family out of their dilemma. When Charles later awakes, a chance remark by Buddy makes him wonder if it really was dream after all.
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#19 - Yesterday Cafe
Charles in Charge - Season 4 - Episode 5
Lillian starts a 1950's-style restaurant called the "Yesterday Cafe".
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#20 - Baby Doll
Charles in Charge - Season 2 - Episode 23
Charles and Lillian are throwing a big opening night party to introduce the new chef of Sid's Pizza Parlor. Entrusted with $900 for promotion, Charles and Buddy plan to hire a famous musical group and interior decorator for the night, until the money is lost. Jamie suggests to Charles that he hire three of her friends, Tammy Townsend, Jemma Bosch and Andrea Palmer, who have formed a band called Baby Doll, to perform as the opening night entertainment. Charles angers Jamie by offhandedly rejecting her idea. Concerned with fixing up the restaurant for the gala celebration, Charles also rejects Sarah and Adam's suggestion that they assist with decorating. In desperation at the last minute, Charles agrees to both offers, and Baby Doll and the decorations contribute to a successful opening.