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The Worst Episodes of Diff'rent Strokes

Every episode of Diff'rent Strokes ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Diff'rent Strokes!

The Worst Episodes of Diff'rent Strokes

The series stars Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges as Arnold and Willis Jackson, two African American boys from Harlem who are taken in by a...

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  1. NaN/10(0 votes)

    #1 - The Social Worker

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    S1:E2

    Arnold's eavesdropping leads to trouble when a misunderstanding causes Willis and him to think that Mr. Drummond no longer wants them around; he has heard Drummond tell a social worker that ""black children belong with black families.""

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    #2 - Mother's Last Visit

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    S1:E3

    Mr. Drummond's socialite and rather snobbish mother arrives and finds there's a lot she doesn't like about her son's new sons, but she soon learns a valuable lesson about what's really important in a person.

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    #3 - Prep School

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    S1:E4

    When Mr. Drummond tries to get Arnold and Willis into an exclusive prep school, it turns out to be just a little too exclusive for everyone's tastes.

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    #4 - The Spanking

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    S1:E5

    Arnold ignores warnings and continues to drop water balloons from the balcony. Mr. Drummond's decision to punish Arnold for the prank with a spanking becomes a learning lesson for Willis too, when he insists that he be the one to spank Arnold -- but where's Arnold?

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    #5 - Goodbye Dolly

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    S1:E6

    When Arnold loses his favorite doll, he makes sure that his misery is shared equally by the various members of his household, who soon try everything to get it back.

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    #6 - The Trial

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    S1:E7

    When Arnold is in trouble for putting his goldfish in Mr. Drummond's hot tub, Willis insists that it is wrong to convict him without a trial. The whole family, with Mrs. Garrett as judge, comes up with an important verdict.

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    #7 - Retrospective (2)

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    S1:E9

    Mr. Drummond and family gather around their Christmas tree and recall the many humorous incidents that the family has shared since Arnold and Willis moved in. This special one-hour episode features highlights from previous shows.

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    #8 - The Fight

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    S1:E10

    Willis puts Arnold in training to fight the local bully, but Mr. Drummond insists more civilized solutions be employed.

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    #9 - The Club Meeting

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    S1:E11

    Willis invites his neighborhood club from Harlem to visit, but things get out of hand when he tries to impress them with his new wealth.

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    #10 - The Woman

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    S1:E12

    Mr. Drummond's intention to marry an attractive widow doesn't meet with his children's approval, and Arnold, Willis and Kimberly devise a scheme they hope will turn his ""romantic"" proposal into a disaster.

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    #11 - No Time for Arnold

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    S1:E13

    A lonely Arnold comes up with a method of gaining his family's attention. Unfortunately his plan works a little too well; he ends up with everyone's attention, including the family doctor.

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    #12 - The Relative

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    S1:E14

    LaWanda Page guest stars as a cousin of Willis and Arnold who, after seeing the boys in their comfortable new surroundings, knows she should stay closer to her long-lost little relatives.

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    #13 - The Tutor

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    S1:E15

    Drummond hires a tutor for Willis and Arnold who does practically everything but teach.

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    #14 - Willis' Privacy

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    S1:E17

    To get rid of his pesky little brother, Willis divides the bedroom in half and spends more time at his friend's house.

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    #15 - Mrs. Garrett's Crisis

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    S1:E18

    When Mrs. Garrett decides her life as a housekeeper is unfulfilling, she ends up being a guest in the Drummond home, and then makes an important decision concerning the future.

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    #16 - The Job (a.k.a.) Willis' Job

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    S1:E19

    In order to earn the money to buy disco skates, and to prove a point to Mr. Drummond, Willis gets a job...but is fired on his first working day.

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    #17 - The Trip (I)

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    S1:E20

    The stars of "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Hello, Larry" get together in a special, hilarious hour in which Phillip Drummond realizes that the purchase of a Portland radio station could mean the loss of a job for his old friend Larry Alder. The crossover continues on Hello, Larry S01E10 The Trip (II).

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    #18 - Willis' Birthday

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    S1:E23

    Willis is hurt when he thinks his family has forgotten his upcoming birthday. After dropping several unsubtle hints he discovers that not only has everyone remembered, but also his fondest wish has been granted -- a birthday party in his old Harlem neighborhood.

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    #19 - The Girls School (a.k.a.) Garrett's Girls

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    S1:E24

    Mrs. Garrett visits Kimberly's school and takes on its pushy principal with surprising results.

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    #20 - Arnold's Girlfriend (1)

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    S2:E1

    Arnold has appendicitis and Drummond has to deal with the bigotry of Fred Tanner, a potential housing project investor whose daughter is the key to getting Arnold to sit still for the operation.

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    Director:Gerren Keith
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    #21 - Arnold's Girlfriend (2)

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    S2:E2

    Arnold's life is endangered when the kids find out they can't share a room in the hospital and run away on the eve of Arnold's surgery.

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    Director:Gerren Keith
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    #22 - Feudin' and Fussin' (I)

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    S2:E3

    Arnold's well-intentioned endorsement of Larry Alder's hosting talents to a New York TV big-wig gives Larry the opportunity of a lifetime and brings the family to the big apple. Larry's try-out as a New York television talk-show house may be doomed from the start, one disaster follows another and not everyone on the Alder team may be rooting for him to win the job. The crossover continues on Hello, Larry S02E01 Feudin' and Fussin' (II).

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    Director:Gerren Keith
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  24. NaN/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Feudin' and Fussin' (2)

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    S2:E4

    Arnold's well-intentioned endorsement of Larry Alder's hosting talents to a New York TV big-wig gives Larry the opportunity of a lifetime and brings the family to the big apple. Larry's try-out as a New York television talk-show house may be doomed from the start, one disaster follows another and not everyone on the Alder team may be rooting for him to win the job. **Part two originally aired as an episode of "Hello, Larry".

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    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:N/A
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    #24 - Birds and Bees

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    S2:E6

    Willis' fishy version of the facts of life leaves Arnold with misconceptions and Mr. Drummond on tender hooks. Arnold repeats his ""knowledge"" to a neighbor's daughter, but the girl's mother is not amused.

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    #25 - Arnold's Hero (a.k.a.) The Hero

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    S2:E7

    Arnold's wildest dream is realized when he comes face-to-knee with ""The Champ"" -- special guest star Muhammad Ali. When the meeting arranged by Mr. Drummond between Arnold and his idol, Muhammad Ali, falls through, Kimberly and Willis concoct a wild scheme to insure that Arnold's dream will come true.

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Social Worker" is the worst rated episode of "Diff'rent Strokes". It scored N/A/10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Herbert Kenwith and written by N/A, it aired on 11/10/1978. This episode scored NaN points lower than the second lowest rated, "Mother's Last Visit".