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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!

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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 rich white Park Avenue businessman named Phillip Drummond and his

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Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 2 - The Social Worker
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #1 - The Social Worker

    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.""

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 3 - Mother's Last Visit
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #2 - Mother's Last Visit

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Myles Wilder

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  3. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 4 - Prep School
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #3 - Prep School

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 5 - The Spanking
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #4 - The Spanking

    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?

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Seaman Jacobs

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  5. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 6 - Goodbye Dolly
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Goodbye Dolly

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 7 - The Trial
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #6 - The Trial

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  7. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 9 - Retrospective (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #7 - Retrospective (2)

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 10 - The Fight
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #8 - The Fight

    S1:E10

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

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 11 - The Club Meeting
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #9 - The Club Meeting

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 12 - The Woman
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #10 - The Woman

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 13 - No Time for Arnold
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #11 - No Time for Arnold

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 14 - The Relative
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #12 - The Relative

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Seaman Jacobs

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  13. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 15 - The Tutor
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #13 - The Tutor

    S1:E15

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

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 17 - Willis' Privacy
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #14 - Willis' Privacy

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writers:Alan Rosen, Fred Rubin

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  15. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 18 - Mrs. Garrett's Crisis
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Mrs. Garrett's Crisis

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 19 - The Job (a.k.a.) Willis' Job
    0.0/10(0 votes)

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

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 20 - The Trip (I)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #17 - The Trip (I)

    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).

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 23 - Willis' Birthday
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Willis' Birthday

    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.

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Diff'rent Strokes Season 1 Episode 24 - The Girls School (a.k.a.) Garrett's Girls
    0.0/10(0 votes)

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

    S1:E24

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

    Director:Herbert Kenwith
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Diff'rent Strokes Season 2 Episode 1 - Arnold's Girlfriend (1)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Arnold's Girlfriend (1)

    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.

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Diff'rent Strokes Season 2 Episode 2 - Arnold's Girlfriend (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #21 - Arnold's Girlfriend (2)

    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.

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Diff'rent Strokes Season 2 Episode 3 - Feudin' and Fussin' (I)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #22 - Feudin' and Fussin' (I)

    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).

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Diff'rent Strokes Season 2 Episode 4 - Feudin' and Fussin' (2)
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #23 - Feudin' and Fussin' (2)

    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".

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Diff'rent Strokes Season 2 Episode 6 - Birds and Bees
    0.0/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Birds and Bees

    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.

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writers:Martin Ragaway, Ed Jurist

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  25. Diff'rent Strokes Season 2 Episode 7 - Arnold's Hero (a.k.a.) The Hero
    0.0/10(0 votes)

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

    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.

    Director:Gerren Keith
    Writer:Martin Ragaway

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Worst Episodes Summary

"The Social Worker" is the worst rated episode of "Diff'rent Strokes". It scored /10 based on 0 votes. Directed by Herbert Kenwith and written by Unknown, it aired on 11/10/1978. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Mother's Last Visit".