A young man schemes and attempts to get the "better things in life" mostly popularity, success, and most importantly, girls.
Cast:Dwayne Hickman , Bob Denver , Frank Faylen , Florida Friebus , William Kinney , Sheila James Kuehl , Steve Franken , William Schallert , Doris Packer , Jean Byron , Tuesday Weld , Albert Cavens , David Bond , Marjorie Bennett , Angelo De Meo , Tom Montgomery , Bobby Diamond , Raymond Bailey
Aiming high to win the affections of Esme Lauterbach (a 6'1"-tall beauty), Dobie allows Zelda to compose his entry in Mr. Pomfritt's music class contest. Dobie performs the song "I'm a Lover, Not a Fighter" from Dwayne Hickman's 1960 Capitol LP.
To help his good buddy become the moneyed man Mason Dixon demands, Maynard secretly edits and submits Dobie's essay on why he loves his dog into The Daily Bugle's "Why I Love My Dad" contest.
Maynard discovers in the park one day both an abandoned baby and his paternal instinct. But keeping little, crying Katrina a secret proves to be a herculean task for Maynard, Dobie and Zelda, especially with a suspicious Chatsworth nosing around.
To help Mr. Gillis receive an exalted position in his Bison lodge, Dobie and Maynard switch roles.
Maynard G. Krebs somehow acquires the ability to predict the future. With the Kennedy-Nixon presidential election only one week away, Chatsworth Osborne, Jr. persuades Maynard to appear on his mother's television station, KASH, to tell the world which candidate will win the election. In the end, Dobie convinces Maynard not to appear because it could taint the election. Instead, Maynard writes down his prediction and seals it inside an envelope. In the episode's epilogue, Dobie opens the sealed envelope, presumably the day after the election, to reveal Maynard's prediction. After examining Maynard's election prediction, Dobie glares at him and states, "You picked the WRONG one!" I believe this episode was aired only the one time and was not part of the syndication package.
Maynard attempts to overcome his aversion to w-o-r-k by taking a job at the Army, Navy & Civilian Surplus Store where he is assigned the impossible task of selling the overstock on grotesque Confucius statues with clocks in their bellies.
Maynard finds a purse containing $512 and eagerly awaits the day six months later when he can claim the money, but two con men see in Maynard an easy mark to make them some easy money.
Dobie helps a student get his girl and stay in school.
Dobie has eyes for the cute new girl in school, Charlotte Lamarr, and gets a hot rod to impress her. He has competition from the rich and snooty Chatsworth Osborne Jr., so Zelda gives him a hand in thwarting Chatsworth's plans.
Maynard throws a Christmas party for his friends, but status seeker Zelda persuades Dobie it would be better to attend Chatsworth's posh party. Troubled, Dobie is haunted by ghosts in this spoof of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."
Hungry for culture and sophistication, Mrs. Gillis befriends a French modern artist and encourages Dobie to date his existentialist poet daughter, but Yvette has her eyes set on the elder Mr. Gillis. The episode is highlighted by Danielle De Metz's inspired performance as Yvette.
Parents pinch-hit for the teachers when a flu epidemic fells the faculty. Dobie livens up Mrs. Kenney's music class by singing "Don't Send a Rabbit" from Dwayne Hickman's 1960 Capitol LP "Dobie."
Maynard befriends a real cool cat: the lion belonging to His Imperial Radiance Prince Dumiphon of Imbodia.
Mr. Pomfritt assigns an essay addressing a big question: "Whither are we drifting?" Dobie and Maynard mull the question and their uncertain futures in an atypical episode that is more thoughtful than humorous.
After too many late nights with the boys at the Bison Lodge, Mr. Gillis seeks to bring the romance back to his neglected marriage, heeding the sound advice of Dobie and his trusty marriage manual.
Maynard realizes his close friendship with Dobie is affecting Dobie's social and educational advancement, so Maynard decides he must end their friendship for Dobie's own good.
Dobie encourages Zelda to go and be wined and dined while tutoring the Yale-aspiring Chatsworth (thus freeing Dobie to date other girls). Will it be "out of sight, out of mind" or will Zelda's absence make his heart grow fonder?
Central High's yearbook editor Zelda assigns Dobie and Maynard to write a "where are they now" feature on the school's former star football player and 1911 graduate Walter "show 'em no mercy" Appleby, whom the boys discover has seemingly fallen on hard times.
Mrs. Gillis writes the winning entry in a contest and Dobie eagerly anticipates the prize: a date with glamorous movie starlet Merilee Maribou. Seeing the date as a stepping stone to success, Dobie performs "Don't Shoot The Man on the Moon" from Dwayne Hickman's 1960 Capitol LP, "Dobie."
Dobie's upcoming graduation brings to light the embarrassing fact that Herbert T. Gillis never graduated high school, but thanks to evening classes for adults Dobie's Dad is determined to finally finish what he started long ago.
Adrift after graduation, Dobie and Maynard seek the counsel of their elders and of professionals on what next to do with their lives.
Dobie receives a friendly letter from his Uncle Sam: "Greetings. Your enlistment in the United States Army has been processed." As the Gillises prepare to send their boy into the service, Dobie's baby shoes spark a flashback to the 1940s when Mr. and Mrs. Gillis were eagerly expecting their baby.
Dobie and Maynard join the Army along with Chatsworth - by mistake of course.
Waitress Betsy won't go out with Dobie unless he get a date for her roommate Suzy.
Chatsworth enlists in the Army and is assigned to Dobie and Maynard's platoon. He wants the military to make a man of him, but will Mumsy allow it?
After getting his beard caught in his rifle's bolt release, Maynard is ordered to shave off the offending fuzz. When the protest cat protests the order, Dobie defends his friend before a military tribunal.
Dobie, Maynard and Corporal Kilroy (a chimpanzee) are selected to participate in Operation Moonshot, which experiment requires them to spend 30 days in a simulated space capsule. Will Maynard and Kilroy's antics bring them from the frying pan to the launching pad?
Mr. Gillis' high school squeeze Bubbles moves back to town with her beautiful daughter Hazel, stirring up fond memories and green-eyed monsters.
Home from the Army on furlough, Dobie attempts to boost Maynard's confidence with girls by convincing him that his twitchy eyebrows give him irresistible sex appeal.
Dobie and Maynard land the lead roles playing officers in Lt. Merriwether's play. Following a rehearsal and still dressed as his character Major Gates, Dobie meets and woos with war stories a beautiful young lady who's father happens to be the base's gruff new colonel. Will it be Herbie "Snow Job" Gillis to the rescue or 20 years in the brig for impersonating an officer?
After watching a sentimental war movie, Maynard is stricken with acute homesickness and secures a pass home. Dobie fears his buddy has gone AWOL and returns home to bring him back, securing his own pass home by claiming that his father is deathly ill.
Not to be upstaged by a beautiful Army brat with an impressive pedigree, Dobie claims his father is a missing in action WWII hero and sets to spinning yarns of his extraordinary exploits.
Zelda tells the snooty Rochelle that she and Dobie are secretly engaged, weaving a web of deception that threatens to ensnare her at the big society party. This time the spotlight shines on Sheila James in what appears to be a set up for a spin-off.
Mr. Pomfritt is discouraged and decides to leave the teaching profession, inspiring Dobie and Maynard to host a testimonial dinner to encourage and hearten him in his calling.
Dobie and Maynard tell their sergeant of the dark and stormy night when they were left minding the store and became convinced a Martian invasion was underway.
When Maynard suffers a head injury, a feisty WWII veteran comes out of retirement to help the platoon complete Operation Xerxes.