Life Goes On

A modern All-American family deals with the struggles of life and love in mid-western suburbia.

Genre: Drama

Cast:Kellie Martin , Chris Burke , Patti LuPone , Bill Smitrovich , Tracey Needham , Chad Lowe , Monique Lanier , Tommy Puett , Oliver Theess , Kiersten Warren , Andrea F. Friedman , Penny Santon , Troy Evans , Michele Matheson , Al Ruscio , Dorothy Lyman , Gloria Gifford , Tanya Fenmore

1Season 1

S1.E1 ∙ Pilot

Thu, Sep 21, 1989

In the series premiere, Charles "Corky" Thatcher tries to mainstream in a regular high school with his sister, Becca. But his first few days in Grade 9 take a serious turn when he is accused of cheating off of an exam.

2Season 1

S1.E2 ∙ Corky for President

Sun, Sep 24, 1989

Encouraged by Rona Liberman, Corky runs for freshman class president with the help of smart, but very unpopular classmate, Lester. Thinking that Rona likes him, Corky doesn't know he was only nominated by her as a joke.

3Season 1

S1.E3 ∙ The Baby-Sitter

Sun, Oct 1, 1989

Corky gets his first babysitting job. Unfortunately, things don't go as planned when classmates Tyler and Russo show uninvited up at the house where he is watching young Billy Graber.

4Season 1

S1.E4 ∙ Break a Leg, Mom

Sun, Oct 8, 1989

Libby has a chance for a comeback of sorts, at the community college's "Autumn Follies". Meanwhile, Corky is having troubles in math class, but doesn't want to take arithmetic tutoring with kids ten years younger than himself.

5Season 1

S1.E5 ∙ Becca's First Love

Sun, Oct 15, 1989

Becca falls in love with Gabe, the bad-boy lead singer of a garage band who encourages her to stay out past her curfew which resorts Becca getting into trouble with her parents.

6Season 1

S1.E6 ∙ Paige's Date

Sun, Oct 22, 1989

Drew sets up Paige with a charmer named Larry whose head is in the clouds; unfortunately his sense of responsibility seems to be mired in quicksand.

7Season 1

S1.E7 ∙ Paige's Mom

Sun, Nov 5, 1989

When Paige's actress mother comes to town, mother and daughter have a great time together. But like many of their visits, this is another full of big promises that will never come true.

8Season 1

S1.E8 ∙ Call of the Wild

Sun, Nov 12, 1989

Just as Drew begins a construction project on sacred Native American soil, the spirit of a long-gone brave appears to Corky.

9Season 1

S1.E9 ∙ Corky Witnesses a Crime

Sun, Nov 26, 1989

Corky tries out for the football team. But when the coach hits a student, one of his former players, and all the team stands up for the coach except Corky who is compelled to tell the truth.

10Season 1

S1.E10 ∙ Ordinary Heroes

Sun, Dec 3, 1989

A frustrated Drew decides to quit his construction job and wants go into the restaurant business. Later, he joins Libby in counseling a couple whose newborn daughter has Down Syndrome.

11Season 1

S1.E11 ∙ Pets, Guys and Videotape

Sun, Dec 10, 1989

Paige goes to work for a divorced veterinarian who is very kind with suffering animals but kind of insufferable with humans. Meanwhile, Becca videotapes a hectic day in the life of her working mother.

12Season 1

S1.E12 ∙ Corky's Crush

Sun, Jan 14, 1990

Becca and Corky are paired off with other students who must pretend to be engaged for a week to investigate issues of marriage and family life. Meanwhile, Libby's feuding parents hole up at the Thatcher residence.

13Season 1

S1.E13 ∙ Thacher and Henderson

Sun, Jan 21, 1990

At the high school football reunion, Drew finally makes peace with his best friend after a ten-year riff. Meanwhile, Paige and Becca each find themselves pitted between two vying for their affections.

14Season 1

S1.E14 ∙ The Return of Uncle Richard

Sun, Feb 4, 1990

Drew's younger brother Richard, a lovable family black sheep, breezes into town. The brothers don't get along, but needless to say, the kids love him; and at a time when Corky begins to wonder who'll look after him when his parents die.

15Season 1

S1.E15 ∙ Brothers

Sun, Feb 11, 1990

The Special Olympics, a time for warmhearted competition and fun, also bring love to Corky and a challenge to Tyler, whose father won't permit Tyler's brother, Donny (who also has Downs) to participate.

16Season 1

S1.E16 ∙ Corky Rebels

Sun, Feb 18, 1990

At 18, Corky wants out from under his parents' wings -- even if it just means taking the bus to school. Unfortunately, he ends up hanging out with the rough and tough "bad" crowd at school.

17Season 1

S1.E17 ∙ It Ain't All It's Cracked up to Be

Sun, Mar 4, 1990

When Becca enters a beauty pageant she ends up competing with Rona Lieberman.

18Season 1

S1.E18 ∙ Pig o' My Heart

Sun, Mar 25, 1990

Drew finally gets a chance to own his own restaurant, but it's Corky who brings home the bacon: a huge runaway porker -- later named "Jeffrey" -- that hogs Corky's affections.

19Season 1

S1.E19 ∙ Becca and the Underground Newspaper

Sun, Apr 1, 1990

Becca writes an article for her school paper but clashes with the faculty adviser. When she discovers an underground paper is published at the school she decides to work there instead. An article she writes has unintended consequences she is forced to make some ethical decisions.

20Season 1

S1.E20 ∙ Save the Last Dance for Me

Sun, Apr 15, 1990

Becca's aging dance teacher Mrs. Doubcha must enter a nursing home.

21Season 1

S1.E21 ∙ With a Mighty Heart

Sun, Apr 29, 1990

Drew is certain that his father, who stops by on his way to join the Peace Corps in the Solomon Islands, isn't telling him and the rest of the family the whole story.

22Season 1

S1.E22 ∙ The Spring Fling

Sun, May 13, 1990

As the Spring Fling approaches Becca and Maxie make plans to hang out together rather than attend. When Maxie is invited to the dance by a boy Becca insists that she accept. Eventually Becca is invited - by not just one but two boys - and must decide what she wants to do.

1Season 2

S2.E1 ∙ Honeymoon from Hell

Sun, Sep 16, 1990

Corky wins a church raffle prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to Hawaii for the family. But his plans to give Libby and Drew a second honeymoon soon become plagued with many problems.

2Season 2

S2.E2 ∙ Corky and the Dolphins

Sun, Sep 23, 1990

After a few snafus, everything is going swimmingly for the Thatchers on their Hawaiian vacation with Corky riding with the dolphins and Becca falling for a surfer.

3Season 2

S2.E3 ∙ The Visitor

Sun, Sep 30, 1990

Libby discovers she's expecting again, and the family find themselves fearing the consequences of a pregnancy at her age.

4Season 2

S2.E4 ∙ Becca and the Band

Sun, Oct 7, 1990

Becca becomes manager of Tyler's band and sets up a gig at the opening of a new mall with a prerequisite of a female singer. Also, Libby is offered a chance to leave the restaurant and return to her old high-pressure, but higher-paying job.

5Season 2

S2.E5 ∙ The Banquet Room Renovation

Sun, Oct 14, 1990

Drew gets funding from Farmer Jack for a new banquet room for the restaurant on the condition that Drew use his son Teddy as a worker. However, this results in jealousy from Corky who tries to help but causes more damage than good.

6Season 2

S2.E6 ∙ Halloween

Sun, Oct 28, 1990

Halloween scares up bad times for all: Libby and Drew at a party; Corky at the school masquerade; and Becca at home alone.

7Season 2

S2.E7 ∙ Chicken Pox

Sun, Nov 4, 1990

Libby is forced to take care of everything when Becca, Drew, and Corky all come down with chicken pox. During her illness, Becca draws even closer to Tyler who has broken up with Rona again.

8Season 2

S2.E8 ∙ La Dolce Becca

Sun, Nov 11, 1990

Becca and Maxie have high hopes of getting in with the "mature" crowd which brings their friendship to a low. Elsewhere, Corky and Drew become heroes to a choking woman; only to get Drew slapped with a $25,000 lawsuit.

9Season 2

S2.E9 ∙ A Thatcher Thanksgiving

Sun, Nov 18, 1990

Corky pictures the family at the Pilgrims' first Thanksgiving; Drew, who opens the restaurant for the holiday, meets an old classmate who is homeless.

10Season 2

S2.E10 ∙ Libby's Sister

Sun, Nov 25, 1990

Tension between Becca and Drew isn't helped by the arrival of Libby's sister Gina and niece Zoe. Unfortunately, an even greater strife between the sisters lands Libby in the hospital.

11Season 2

S2.E11 ∙ The Buddy

Sun, Dec 9, 1990

A fun-loving old buddy brightens up Drew's life, but the man has a shady side. Meanwhile, Becca and Zoe squabble over room sharing.

12Season 2

S2.E12 ∙ The Bicycle Thief

Sun, Dec 16, 1990

Corky resolves to enter a 50k bike race despite his father's objections, and makes friends with another biker who is epileptic. Sadly, his happiness turns to heartbreak when his brand-new bicycle gets stolen.

13Season 2

S2.E13 ∙ Isn't It Romantic?

Sun, Jan 6, 1991

Cupid is shooting arrows at almost everyone: Hans gets a crush on a widowed lady; Paige's motorcycle man revving back to her; Becca hopping for her lab partner; and Jerry developing a crush on Gina.

14Season 2

S2.E14 ∙ The Bigger Picture

Sun, Jan 13, 1991

Gina despairs when nothing she does is right in the eye of her mother, and Corky despairs when his special-ed substitute suddenly takes leave.

15Season 2

S2.E15 ∙ Last Stand in Glen Brook

Sun, Feb 3, 1991

Becca organizes a '60s-style protest in support of a record store owner arrested for selling allegedly obscene material. She begins having nightmares of "Thought Police" (censorship cops) storming through Glen Brook.

16Season 2

S2.E16 ∙ Head Over Heels

Sun, Feb 10, 1991

Becca does a double flip over her gymnastics coach and so does Gina as she goes head over heels for a handyman who is several years her junior.

17Season 2

S2.E17 ∙ Corky's Travels

Sun, Mar 10, 1991

Corky gets lost and wanders around the mean streets of Chicago leaving Becca and a newly single Tyler to spend a rainy, frustrated evening driving around Chicago looking for him.

18Season 2

S2.E18 ∙ Thanks a Bunch, Dr. Lamaze

Sun, Mar 17, 1991

Drew confronts his feelings about him and Libby having another child. Meanwhile, Becca makes a muck over an athlete's unearned grades--only to muddy herself.

19Season 2

S2.E19 ∙ Ghost of Grandpa Past

Sun, Mar 31, 1991

Drew finds himself having doubts about the restaurant and turns to conversations with his late grandfather for advice.

20Season 2

S2.E20 ∙ Arthur

Sun, Apr 7, 1991

Corky befriends an older man with Down Syndrome who leads the kind of life Corky would like to live.

21Season 2

S2.E21 ∙ Lighter Than Air

Sun, Apr 28, 1991

Libby cooks up a great ad for a line of diet frozen foods. Elsewhere, Corky and Zoe play Sherlock Holmes and snoop into Tyler's furtive behavior.

22Season 2

S2.E22 ∙ Proms and Prams

Sun, May 5, 1991

Tyler asks Becca to go to the prom; Paige auditions for a play; Libby reconnects with an old flame.

1Season 3

S3.E1 ∙ Toast

Sun, Sep 22, 1991

The Thatchers toast the reopening their newly-renovated Glen Brook Grill, but their dreams go up in smoke when the restaurant burns down and Corky finds himself at fault.

2Season 3

S3.E2 ∙ Hello, Goodbye

Sun, Sep 29, 1991

While the Thatchers rise from the ashes of the restaurant, Becca prepares to take wing for Paris in a student-exchange program, and Paige and Corky go hunting for jobs.

3Season 3

S3.E3 ∙ Out of the Mainstream

Sun, Oct 6, 1991

Corky is nearly swamped when he tries to help Tyler's brother Donny, who also has Down's, mainstream at Marshall High. Meanwhile, Tyler's difficulty adjusting to a repeat of his senior year causes friction between him and Becca.

4Season 3

S3.E4 ∙ Armageddon

Sun, Oct 13, 1991

The new order of Libby as the primary breadwinner and Drew as the homemaker creates new strains in their marriage that scares Corky into thinking that they might divorce.

5Season 3

S3.E5 ∙ Sweet 16

Sun, Oct 20, 1991

Becca is about to have her Sweet 16, which might go sour when she wants to take her relationship with Tyler to the next level, to Drew's dismay. Meanwhile, Corky opens his own checking account.

6Season 3

S3.E6 ∙ Life After Death

Sun, Nov 3, 1991

Becca is devastated to learn that Jesse has tested HIV-positive, and during a scuffle between him and Tyler, she blurts out in front of everyone that he has AIDS. When word gets out, new PTA President Libby is pitted in the middle.

7Season 3

S3.E7 ∙ Dueling Divas

Sun, Nov 10, 1991

Libby's vivacious cousin Gaby breezes in from Sicily like a whirlwind, touching everyone's lives and leaving Libby turning green with envy.

8Season 3

S3.E8 ∙ Invasion of the Thatcher Snatchers

Sun, Nov 17, 1991

After seeing a B-movie called "Body Snatchers From Venus", Corky imagines that his family is turning into Venusians.

9Season 3

S3.E9 ∙ Loaded Question

Sun, Nov 24, 1991

After the Thatcher household is burglarized, suspicions center on Paige's African-American acquaintance, Drew and Libby debate over having a gun.

10Season 3

S3.E10 ∙ Triangles

Sun, Dec 1, 1991

Corky takes a tumble for the new assistant manager while Becca is torn between Tyler, who isn't over her; and Jesse, who goes in search for the girl who infected him with HIV.

11Season 3

S3.E11 ∙ The Smell of Fear

Sun, Dec 15, 1991

Christmas brings anxieties to all, with Drew reopening the grill; Libby in charge of the holiday show; but most of all to Becca, who fears the worst when Jesse is hospitalized with pneumonia.

12Season 3

S3.E12 ∙ Struck by Lightning

Sun, Jan 5, 1992

The Thatcher home is struck by lightning which results in Corky predicting the future, Arnold the dog running away, Becca with a major static problem in her hair, Drew attracted to another woman, and Paige enchanted by the boss' son.

13Season 3

S3.E13 ∙ Jerry's Deli

Sun, Jan 19, 1992

Jerry's dad shows up at the ad agency and starts pushing him around, so he quits and starts to help "run" the grill, much to Drew's annoyance.

14Season 3

S3.E14 ∙ The Room

Sun, Feb 9, 1992

Becca, Libby, and Paige have entered the "man zone" as they tear down a wall in the Thatcher house to reveal another room and the mementos left behind.

15Season 3

S3.E15 ∙ The Wall

Sun, Feb 16, 1992

An ordinary graffiti-covered wall that the students are ordered to repaint becomes a symbol of the future for Jesse as he waits for his medical test results. Meanwhile, Corky finds an abandoned baby in the theatre.

16Season 3

S3.E16 ∙ The Blues

Sun, Feb 23, 1992

Jesse gets hired to work as a waiter at Drew's place, but declining patronage forces Drew to let him go; however, later they bond over their love of blues music.

17Season 3

S3.E17 ∙ The Fairy Tale

Sun, Mar 1, 1992

Libby writes a fairy tale about Corky who later enters it in a contest. Libby then gets an offer to get it printed as a children's book, but in a rewritten form.

18Season 3

S3.E18 ∙ Hearts & Flowers

Sun, Mar 15, 1992

Inspired by her grandparents' upcoming 50th wedding anniversary, Becca proposes to Jesse, and he agrees, but then they think twice. Meanwhile, Kenny wants Paige to marry him, but Paige isn't so sure.

19Season 3

S3.E19 ∙ Corky's Romance

Sun, Mar 29, 1992

Romance blossoms between Corky and Amanda, a girl with Albinism-related Down Syndrome, but her parents nip it in the bud. Elsewhere, Jerry sponsors Becca in a need-based scholarship contest.

20Season 3

S3.E20 ∙ More Than Friends

Sun, Apr 26, 1992

Drew and Libby leave the kids in charge of the house and they decide to have a party--which is crashed by Tyler and his college frat buddies.

21Season 3

S3.E21 ∙ Confessions

Sun, May 3, 1992

In the aftermath of the car accident, Corky is still rendered mute while Becca grapples with guilt and grief over Tyler's death. Meanwhile, Paige bonds with Michael while they're locked in a refrigerated room.

22Season 3

S3.E22 ∙ Consenting Adults

Sun, May 10, 1992

Paige has a great heart-to-heart with Drew about her upcoming marriage to Kenny, after which Drew takes matters into his own hands and convinces Michael to go after Paige, then behind both their backs he hires Michael's band to play at the wedding. Paige and Kenny break up at the altar and Paige runs off with Michael; meanwhile, Corky proposes to Amanda. Jesse leaves for Arizona with his mom but later returns, saying that Becca is his family now.

1Season 4

S4.E1 ∙ Bec to the Future

Sun, Sep 20, 1992

A 40-something Becca looks back on the summer of '92 and Jesse's return from Arizona, but their reunion is bittersweet; Becca's avoiding Jesse to be with her new friends who don't know that Jesse is HIV-positive.

2Season 4

S4.E2 ∙ Exposed

Sun, Sep 27, 1992

Jesse paints a nude painting of Becca, who decides to let it be shown in the Nevermore Bookstore, leading to a nice scandal and endless date proposals on her answering machine.

3Season 4

S4.E3 ∙ Premarital Syndrome

Sun, Oct 4, 1992

Corky and Amanda's "trial marriage" gets off to a rocky start--or at least a crunchy one like their macaroni-and-cheese dinner.

4Season 4

S4.E4 ∙ The Whole Truth

Sun, Oct 18, 1992

Paige fends off an attempted rape by Becca's poetry teacher. Their accounts differ and Becca believes her teacher at first, but later confronts him when his story contains some holes.

5Season 4

S4.E5 ∙ Love Letters

Sun, Nov 8, 1992

Becca and her friends find old World War II letters at the bookstore, which leads to Eric getting cozy with Becca and Jesse doing the same with Jill, a woman from an art gallery.

6Season 4

S4.E6 ∙ Windows

Sun, Nov 22, 1992

Amanda's angry parents vow to annul her marriage to Corky and regain custody of her. The newlyweds then run off to a motel, further angering the Swansons and their attorney. Elsewhere, Becca and Jesse are mad at each other.

7Season 4

S4.E7 ∙ Babes in the Woods

Sun, Nov 29, 1992

When Becca goes on a weekend camping trip with Jesse and several classmates, she gets sprayed by a skunk and then knocks over a kerosene lantern. This starts a fire in the barn where they are all staying and forces them to fend for themselves.

8Season 4

S4.E8 ∙ Udder Madness

Sun, Dec 13, 1992

Ray nominates Becca--against her wishes--for Homecoming Queen while Goodman nominates a cow in protest of beauty pageants in general. Also, Artie and Paige redo the restaurant with a bovine motif, which leads to a business partnership.

9Season 4

S4.E9 ∙ Happy Holidays

Sun, Dec 20, 1992

The holidays take on a whole new meaning for Corky, who's celebrating his first Christmas as a married man and now has the wishes of a wife and in-laws to consider.

10Season 4

S4.E10 ∙ Choices

Sun, Jan 3, 1993

Paige is delighted to find that she is carrying Michael's baby, and so is the whole family. Then Michael returns and decides that he doesn't want the baby.

11Season 4

S4.E11 ∙ Incident on Main

Sun, Jan 10, 1993

Fear befalls Jesse and Becca when gay-bashing skinheads beat up Jesse outside the AIDS hospice leaving Becca with his blood on her hands after the beating.

12Season 4

S4.E12 ∙ Lost Weekend

Sun, Jan 24, 1993

In her quest to get Becca out of her shell, Goodman takes her and Jesse on a double date. Meanwhile, Grandma Teresa stays overnight at the Thatchers' after her husband breaks their furnace.

13Season 4

S4.E13 ∙ Visions

Sun, Feb 14, 1993

Shortly after his 18th birthday, a feverish Jesse collapses in extreme pain at school and is rushed to the hospital, where he dreams of Becca. When he wakes up, he finds that his AIDS-Related Complex has progressed to AIDS.

14Season 4

S4.E14 ∙ Five to Midnight

Sun, Feb 21, 1993

Jesse's insurance runs out and he gets transferred to County Hospital where he nearly dies of AIDS-related cardiac arrest; Becca discovers a haunting self-portrait of Jesse's that he doesn't remember painting.

15Season 4

S4.E15 ∙ Bedfellows

Sun, Feb 28, 1993

A hospitalised Jesse is challenged to fight his disease by an irrepressible AIDS patient who refuses to passively accept his condition.

16Season 4

S4.E16 ∙ Last Wish

Sun, Mar 7, 1993

Becca and Jesse go to see the ocean when Jesse says that it's something that he wants to do, but jealousy of Ray, who's been seeing Becca lately, dampens the outing for him.

17Season 4

S4.E17 ∙ Life Goes on (and on and On)

Sun, May 23, 1993

In the series finale, Becca, now about 27, tells her son a story about what happened after graduating from high school. Corky doesn't graduate, but says, "I'll be back" while Jesse leaves for Europe, breaking Becca's heart, but returns four years later.