The White Shadow

A white former NBA professional retires from the pro game and gets a job as a basketball coach in a predominantly Black inner-city high school.

Genre: Drama, Sport

Cast:Ken Howard , Kevin Hooks , Byron Stewart , Timothy Van Patten , Joan Pringle , Thomas Carter , Nathan Cook , Ken Michelman , Ira Angustain , Erik Kilpatrick , John Mengatti , Ed Bernard , Russell Phillip Robinson , Larry Flash Jenkins , Wolfe Perry , Stoney Jackson , John Laughlin , Art Holliday

1Season 1

S1.E1 ∙ Pilot

Mon, Nov 27, 1978

Chicago Bulls forward Ken Reeve injures his knee, bringing an abrupt halt to his time as a player. His college friend is principal of Carver High School in Southern LA. Principal Jim Willis hires Reeve to teach and coach Basketball.

2Season 1

S1.E2 ∙ Here's Mud in Your Eye

Mon, Dec 4, 1978

Curtis Jackson, has an alcohol problem. Coach Reeves and the team must, intervene to put the bottle down for good.

3Season 1

S1.E3 ∙ The Offer

Mon, Dec 11, 1978

The players are warming up to the new coach. He is earning their respect by proving his sincerity. But a major sports network offers him an announcing job and that threatens to destroy the bond that has begun with Reeves and the players.

4Season 1

S1.E4 ∙ Bonus Baby

Mon, Dec 25, 1978

A hustling agent from a low level professional basketball league attempts to sigh Coolidge. He uses fast easy money to mesmerize him knowing he comes from poverty. Reeves makes him took hard before being penny wise and pound foolish.

5Season 1

S1.E5 ∙ Pregnant Pause

Mon, Jan 1, 1979

Reese's girlfriend claims to be pregnant. If that's the case they must make plans for their future that depend on scholarships, employment and marriage. That's a heavy load for high school students, are they old enough to manage?

6Season 1

S1.E6 ∙ Wanna Bet?

Mon, Jan 8, 1979

Coach Reeves sees a kid hustling basketball on a playground. Reeves challenges him to a one on one where if Reeves wins, this kid comes to Carver to play basketball and finish his schooling. Coach soon learns not everyone can be helped.

7Season 1

S1.E7 ∙ That Old Gang of Mine

Mon, Jan 15, 1979

Ricky Gomez, was cut from the team due to poor grades on his academics. Gomez, returns to a street gang the Los Aztecas for support.

8Season 1

S1.E8 ∙ One of the Boys

Sat, Jan 27, 1979

A new transfer student joins the team but when rumors start surfacing that the kid is homosexual, the coach and the team don't know how to deal with it.

9Season 1

S1.E9 ∙ Airball

Sat, Feb 3, 1979

Coach Reeves receives an invitation for his team to go to San Jose for a tournament. After finagaling the trip money Reeves must deal with players afraid to fly, who are acting wild and a mechanical problem that makes everyone nervous.

10Season 1

S1.E10 ∙ We're in the Money

Sat, Feb 10, 1979

Coach Reeves takes the team to a tournament in Las Vegas and the players, instead of resting for the games, decide to take money borrowed from schoolmates and hit the casinos.

11Season 1

S1.E11 ∙ Spare the Rod

Sat, Feb 17, 1979

Reeves is teaching gym. A kid refuses to conform and hits him. Coach returns a punch but feels being an adult he is more responsible. As the story unfolds Reeves is hit with the fact that not all kids can be helped.

12Season 1

S1.E12 ∙ The Great White Dope

Sat, Feb 24, 1979

Salami is the high school tough guy who gets the idea of club fighting for extra money. Street fighting doesn't translate to boxing as well as Salami thinks he's not exactly the next Rocky Balboa.

13Season 1

S1.E13 ∙ Mainstream

Mon, Mar 5, 1979

The school system attempts to interlink kids with disabilities into the mainstream. An attempt is made to place an autistic boy on the team. Thomas doesn't dominate, but the players show a nice side despite their tough veneer.

14Season 1

S1.E14 ∙ Little Orphan Abner

Mon, Mar 26, 1979

Goldstein's shyness makes him the forgotten man on the team. When his grandfather takes ill, the players show him partial compassion. But only til his grandfather comes home. Goldstein must grow out of his shell and command respect.

15Season 1

S1.E15 ∙ LeGrande Finale

Mon, Apr 9, 1979

The basketball seasons ends with some promise of am improved team next year. The players had gotten in the habit of singing together as a pastime. The music teacher helps them start an a Capella band for the school dance.

1Season 2

S2.E1 ∙ On the Line

Mon, Sep 17, 1979

Witherspoon writes for Carver's newspaper. While covering the basketball team he finds out Jackson is involved in a betting ring. Witherspoon must decide between exposing Jackson or repressing the truth.

2Season 2

S2.E2 ∙ Albert Hodges

Mon, Sep 24, 1979

After wrongfully being imprisoned, Albert Hodges wishes to finish high school, but is mistrusting of all white people. He is forced to face that his own fears are his worst problem.

3Season 2

S2.E3 ∙ The Cross-Town Hustle

Mon, Oct 1, 1979

Reese is scouted by another school that has some perks Carver doesn't offer. However, Reece learns a lesson most teens have to learn the hard way there are no greener pastures.

4Season 2

S2.E4 ∙ Sudden Death

Mon, Oct 8, 1979

Reeves convinces the parents of an academically gifted student to let him join the team. Although good at basketball, young Randy seems to lack endurance. Unbeknownst to everybody he has some internal problems causing his death.

5Season 2

S2.E5 ∙ A Silent Cheer

Mon, Oct 15, 1979

Jeff Simpson joins the team. For a time he is able to hide a big secret, he is deaf. The players assume his lack of social participation is a stuck up attitude. Its only a matter of time before the truth shows itself.

6Season 2

S2.E6 ∙ No Place Like Home

Mon, Oct 29, 1979

Due to a house fire, Coolidge is forced to spend a few weeks with Coach. Coolidge is enjoying the roommate atmosphere and finds the coach less strict than his mother he does begin to wear thin his welcome with the coach.

7Season 2

S2.E7 ∙ Globetrotters

Mon, Nov 5, 1979

When the team begins to dominate, they believe they're too good for community service. Coach aligns with the Harlem Globetrotters to server "Humble Pie" to the Carver 10.

8Season 2

S2.E8 ∙ Me?

Mon, Nov 12, 1979

Coach Reeves teaches sex education and the subject is VD. The startling reality hits home when two of the basketball team's leading players may be infected after encountering the same girl. Friendships and confidence is tested.

9Season 2

S2.E9 ∙ Needle

Mon, Nov 26, 1979

Hayward's cousin dies from a fatal overdose of heroin. Hayward decides to take the matters into his own hands by getting revenge on the drug dealer who was responsible for his cousin's death.

10Season 2

S2.E10 ∙ Sliding By

Mon, Dec 3, 1979

Mack Wade, a "can't-miss" basketball prospect, transfers to Carver to finish out high school. Wade has tons of scholarship offers from colleges, both academic and athletic. However, when Wade starts having troubles in the classroom, Coach Reeves realizes Mack has been passed through because of his basketball potential, even though he's a group two functional illiterate.

11Season 2

S2.E11 ∙ Delores, of Course

Tue, Dec 18, 1979

Jackson, was unaware that his former girlfriend, turns out to be a prostitute.

12Season 2

S2.E12 ∙ A Christmas Present

Tue, Dec 25, 1979

Christmas is approaching. Sybil Buchanan is pregnant and ready to reunite with her husband. While he isn't a bad man, he isn't quite as strong on commitment as a husband and father needs to be. Some very important decisions are made.

13Season 2

S2.E13 ∙ Feeling No Pain

Tue, Jan 1, 1980

When Salami hurts his knee in a pickup basketball game he is prescribed some painkillers. Word gets out to a school drug distributor that he has then he becomes pressured to sell some. When busted, he blames Salami.

14Season 2

S2.E14 ∙ Artist

Tue, Jan 8, 1980

Thorpe is forced to consider that his high school basketball dominance isn't likely to reach a large college and even less so to reach the NBA. The art teacher suggests his future may be in painting.

15Season 2

S2.E15 ∙ Salami's Affair

Tue, Jan 15, 1980

Salami is struggling in history and that's threatening to get him suspended from the team. His teacher, an attractive lady of about 30, tutors him but the tutorial session leads to an unexpected and inappropriate affair.

16Season 2

S2.E16 ∙ Links

Tue, Jan 22, 1980

Coach Reeves is invited to golf at a country club. He sees it as a chance to show a few members of the team not only golf, but also refinement. Unbeknownst to Reeves the exclusive country club is racial. An unexpected lesson is learned.

17Season 2

S2.E17 ∙ The Stripper

Tue, Jan 29, 1980

Reeves begins dating a highly respected teacher. It turns out she moonlights an an exotic dancer. Reeves and the administration are fearful that her second job will damage her integrity as a teacher.

18Season 2

S2.E18 ∙ Gonna Fly Now

Tue, Feb 5, 1980

During a party a drug pusher slips PCP in Jeffers' drink. Coach Reeves and a woman who is a narcotics cop work together to figure out who is behind this ring.

19Season 2

S2.E19 ∙ Out at Home

Tue, Feb 19, 1980

Coach urges players with the basketball season winding down, joining the baseball team is a good way to keep fit. A few guys agree particularly 'New York' but the baseball manager is burned out with the job and only remains for a paycheck.

20Season 2

S2.E20 ∙ The Russians Are Coming

Tue, Feb 26, 1980

A high school team from the Soviet Union decides to make a stop and Carver and play the team in an exhibition game. There is some tension, but the two teams warm up to one another and establish a friendship, especially Hayward and one of the Soviets. However, when that player decides to defect and Hayward decides to help him it almost causes an international incident.

21Season 2

S2.E21 ∙ The Hitter

Tue, Mar 4, 1980

Reeves finds himself in a difficult position when he suspects that Gomez is being physically abused by his father but cannot prove it.

22Season 2

S2.E22 ∙ The Death of Me Yet?

Tue, Mar 11, 1980

After experiencing the joy of getting to the city championship game, Reeves and the players are blindsided by a major tragedy.

23Season 2

S2.E23 ∙ Coolidge Goes Hollywood

Tue, Mar 18, 1980

Coolidge is offered a role on a television series about life on an inner-city high school campus. His character becomes a hit and soon all the adulation goes to his head and causes him to forget where he came from.

24Season 2

S2.E24 ∙ A Few Good Men

Tue, Apr 1, 1980

As graduation approaches, Hayward begins the process of applying for various scholarships with little success. In the meantime, Goldstein gets awarded a scholarship but for some reason refuses it. Goldstein then makes a very important decision that will change his life for a few years even without going to college. Also, Ken is invited to go on a tour of Europe with several of his fellow teachers, but when he finds out that the first week of the tour coincides with the US Open golf tournament he cancels out even though it means he might mess up his relationship with his girlfriend.

1Season 3

S3.E1 ∙ Reunion: Part 1

Thu, Oct 16, 1980

Coach returns home to spend some time with his father. While they maintain father to son love their relationship is strained. The tough and fearless Mr. Reeves is terminally ill and Ken knows its time to mend fences before its too late.

2Season 3

S3.E2 ∙ Reunion: Part 2

Thu, Oct 23, 1980

Reeves decides to spend some time with his terminally ill father before reporting back to Carver. He returns to a new Carver High principal (Sybil Buchanan) and holds tryouts to replace departed players.

3Season 3

S3.E3 ∙ Georgia on My Mind

Thu, Oct 30, 1980

Coolidge ego grows regarding his basketball skills, ignoring academics and planning a pro career. Buchanan and Reeves warn him with Reeves arranging an introduction that teaches Coolidge a valuable lesson.

4Season 3

S3.E4 ∙ If Your Number's Up, Get It Down

Tue, Dec 16, 1980

Reeves is asked to use his former-NBA-player connections to raise funds for a mobile care unit to treat patients with high blood pressure. As punishment for wrecking the driver's ed car, he makes the team do the collecting. However, they decide to publicize that Reeves is dead to entice celebrities to attend the benefit and contribute.

5Season 3

S3.E5 ∙ Christmas Story

Tue, Dec 23, 1980

Reeves and the team put on a basketball clinic. The players soon learn that although they live in poverty, there are children much more needy. Meanwhile Stone attempts a get rich scheme but as usual it blows up.

6Season 3

S3.E6 ∙ No Blood, No Foul

Tue, Dec 30, 1980

Shortly after Salami's 18th birthday, he breaks a player's jaw during an on court brawl. That incident, landed Salami in jail and the other player's parents filed a lawsuit against him so, Reeves assisted Salami to avoid further consequences.

7Season 3

S3.E7 ∙ The Vanity Fare

Tue, Jan 6, 1981

The team decides to capitalize on their shower singing ability by signing a recording contract, but the contract turns out to resemble a "vanity press" and they are left with $300 spent on a bunch of demo records.

8Season 3

S3.E8 ∙ Mister Hero

Tue, Jan 13, 1981

Lifelong underachiever Wardell Stone is thrust into the spotlight as a hero when he mistakenly rescues a old woman from a burning car.

9Season 3

S3.E9 ∙ B.M.O.C.

Mon, Feb 2, 1981

Coolidge begins to realize that being tall is not all that its cracked up to be.

10Season 3

S3.E10 ∙ Trial and Error

Mon, Feb 9, 1981

Coach Reeves threatens to kick Falahey off the team when he suspects that he is missing practices and faking injuries. However, the coach himself looks like a hypocrite when he is summoned for jury duty and he tries to lie his way out of it.

11Season 3

S3.E11 ∙ Car Repo

Mon, Feb 16, 1981

Needing extra money, Salami and Vitaglia take jobs as car re-possessors. However, their friendship begins to suffer and the late night hours land them in coach Reeves' doghouse.

12Season 3

S3.E12 ∙ Psyched Out

Mon, Feb 23, 1981

Reeves befriends a fellow teacher who was once hospitalized after suffering a nervous breakdown. However, she is soon the target of a student who is also suffering from emotional problems. Soon it leads to a very tense situation that nearly leads to tragedy for not only the student, but the teacher as well.

13Season 3

S3.E13 ∙ Cops

Mon, Mar 2, 1981

Racial tensions arise when a group of the players are apprehended without cause and Thorpe is shot by a police office.

14Season 3

S3.E14 ∙ Burnout

Mon, Mar 9, 1981

Ken and the students are critical of a teacher who seems to be burnt out of his teaching job at Carver High.

15Season 3

S3.E15 ∙ A Day in the Life

Mon, Mar 16, 1981

As Reeves makes preparations for a special alumni game, the four surviving graduates all have very eventful days. College student Hayward applies for a job in the law library of a very prestigious law firm and deals with the guys in his neighborhood who constantly tell him he will never make it. Goldstein returns home on liberty and immediately looks up the girl he had a crush on in high school. Reece is working as a cab driver while trying to make it as a singer and has a chance meeting with one of his idols. Gomez has a more hectic day. He has a very intense argument with his wife and thinks he about how much different things would have been if he hadn't gotten married. However, his day ends on a happy note as his wife is about to give birth. Also, Reeves and Thorpe are saddened by the fact that Curtis Jackson won't be there due to the fact that he was killed just before he had a chance to graduate.