Diff'rent Strokes

Diff'rent Strokes

The misadventures of a wealthy Manhattan family who adopted the children of their late African American housekeeper from Harlem.

Genre: ComedyDramaFamily

Cast:Gary ColemanTodd BridgesConrad BainDana PlatoMary Jo CatlettDanny CookseyShavar RossCharlotte RaeDixie CarterSteven MondNedra VolzMary Ann MobleyNikki Swasey SeatonJanet JacksonJason HerveyRosalind ChaoDody GoodmanBobby Herbeck


1Season 1

S1.E1 ∙ Movin' In

Fri, Nov 3, 1978

Philip Drummond is a wealthy Manhattan industrialist who takes in Arnold and Willis Jackson, the two sons of his late housekeeper; Drummond is white and the boys are black. Arnold, age 8, is excited about the opportunity of a privileged life, but Willis, age 13, feels that Mr. Drummond is trying to buy their love with expensive gifts.

2Season 1

S1.E2 ∙ The Social Worker

Fri, Nov 10, 1978

A social worker investigates the boys' home life and tells Mr. Drummond that she believes black children belong in black households. When Drummond tells this to Mrs. Garrett while she is vacuuming the living room, Arnold overhears this and comes to the conclusion that he doesn't want them around anymore.

3Season 1

S1.E3 ∙ Mother's Last Visit

Fri, Nov 17, 1978

Mr. Drummond's mother arrives for an unscheduled visit and has an adverse reaction to her son's new family situation.

4Season 1

S1.E4 ∙ Prep School

Fri, Nov 24, 1978

Mr. Drummond is excited about the possibility of the boys enrolling at his old prep school.

5Season 1

S1.E5 ∙ The Spanking

Fri, Dec 1, 1978

Arnold is caught throwing water bombs off the balcony and Mr. Drummond feels that a fitting punishment is a spanking.

6Season 1

S1.E6 ∙ Goodbye Dolly

Fri, Dec 8, 1978

After Kimberly donates Arnold's ratty old doll named Homer to charity and it is sold, he can't sleep. Mr. Drummond quickly tires of this, so he hires a detective to try and find the doll.

7Season 1

S1.E7 ∙ The Trial

Fri, Dec 15, 1978

After reading a book on the American legal system, Willis demands a fair trial for Arnold after he is accused of putting his goldfish in the hot tub.

8Season 1

S1.E8 ∙ Retrospective

Fri, Dec 29, 1978

The Drummonds reminisce about the time they have spent together since Arnold and Willis joined the family. Clips from past episodes are featured.

9Season 1

S1.E9 ∙ The Fight

Fri, Jan 5, 1979

Over Mr. Drummond's objections, Willis teaches Arnold how to fight a playground bully.

10Season 1

S1.E10 ∙ The Club Meeting

Fri, Jan 12, 1979

Willis misses his friends from Harlem so he has a club meeting at the penthouse.

11Season 1

S1.E11 ∙ The Woman

Fri, Jan 19, 1979

Mr. Drummond introduces the family to a woman in his life that he plans to propose to.

12Season 1

S1.E12 ∙ No Time for Arnold

Fri, Jan 26, 1979

Arnold feels he's being ignored by the other members of the family, so he pretends to wet the bed in order to get attention and sympathy.

13Season 1

S1.E13 ∙ The Relative

Fri, Feb 2, 1979

A relative of the boys comes to visit from Detroit. She plans to stay only a night, but then fakes an injury and quickly overstays her welcome.

14Season 1

S1.E14 ∙ The Tutor

Fri, Feb 9, 1979

Willis is doing poorly in school, so Mr. Drummond hires a tutor. However, he is not pleased by his unconventional methods of teaching.

15Season 1

S1.E15 ∙ The New Landlord

Fri, Feb 16, 1979

The Drummonds may have to move when the new landlord enforces a rule forbidding children Arnold's age from living there.

16Season 1

S1.E16 ∙ Willis' Privacy

Fri, Feb 23, 1979

Willis starts to feel that Arnold is a nuisance and wants his own space away from him.

17Season 1

S1.E17 ∙ Mrs. Garrett's Crisis

Fri, Mar 2, 1979

Mrs. Garrett feels that her life goals have not been fulfilled and she wants to leave her job.

18Season 1

S1.E18 ∙ The Job

Fri, Mar 16, 1979

Willis gets a job at a gas station, which lasts for only a few hours.

19Season 1

S1.E19 ∙ The Trip: Part 1

Fri, Mar 30, 1979

Mr. Drummond's company has bought out a radio station in Portland, Oregon, where his old army buddy, Larry Alder, hosts a talk show.

20Season 1

S1.E20 ∙ Getting Involved

Fri, Apr 6, 1979

Arnold witnesses a mugging with his telescope.

21Season 1

S1.E21 ∙ Willis' Birthday

Fri, Apr 13, 1979

Willis wants to have his birthday party at a friend's house in Harlem, but Mr. Drummond is concerned about going there on a Saturday night.

22Season 1

S1.E22 ∙ The Girls School

Fri, May 4, 1979

Mrs. Garrett bonds with the girls at Eastlake Academy, the school Kimberly attends.