7.1/1026 votes#1 - And Baby Makes Nine (1)
Season 5 Episode 1 - Aired 10/29/1980
Nicholas and Tom start boy scouts and Nicholas volunteers Tom to be the assistant scout master. Elizabeth considers moving in with her boyfriend. Susan keeps her pregnancy problems from Merle when his career takes a leap forward.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
7.3/1030 votes
6.4/1032 votes#3 - Jeremy
Season 5 Episode 3 - Aired 11/5/1980
Abby goes to a funeral in San Francisco and returns with her nephew, Jeremy, who has nowhere else to go. His behavior upsets the family, referring the Bradfords as that other family (The Brady Bunch), but all ends well as he becomes the newest member of the Bradfords. Joannie is promoted to sports anchor. Nicholas gets into trouble for selling peeks at Mary's medical books.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.1/1025 votes#4 - Welcome to Memorial Dr. Bradford
Season 5 Episode 4 - Aired 11/12/1980
Abby gets a job as a guidance counselor at a rough high school filled with trouble. Tom discovers his driver's license has expired and fails the renewal test. Tom drives his family crazy when they become his chauffers. Nicholas's friend dares him to shoplift a desired yo-yo.
Director: Bernard McEveety
Writer: N/A
7.7/1030 votes#5 - Generations
Season 5 Episode 5 - Aired 11/19/1980
Susan brings the baby, Sandra Sue, home from the hospital. When Joan's parents visit the Bradford household to see the family and their great-grandchild, a conflict with Abby occurs as Joan's parents disapprove of the way Abby is raising Nicholas. Grandpa and Abby make up and finally accept Joan's death in a touching story. Tommy gets a job playing the guitar at a male strip joint
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
6.3/1027 votes#6 - Holly
Season 5 Episode 6 - Aired 11/26/1980
Ernie introduces Tommy to a slightly older songwriting woman who has a 4-year old son. When he falls for her, she has second thoughts. The Bradford's convert the garage into an apartment for Susan and Merle. Nicholas supervises the conversion job. Jeremy begins to feel like part of the family when Abby enrolls him in school and Tom makes him follow the household rules.
Director: N/A
Writer: Gil Grant
5.2/1024 votes#7 - Maltese Airline Bag
Season 5 Episode 7 - Aired 12/10/1980
Nicholas and his friend, Melvin, start a messenger service to earn money and get more than they bargained for. One of their first deliveries turns out to be an airline bag full of money to be used for political bribes. David is frustrated when another construction company keeps underbidding him. Abby and Donna plan a surprise party for Tom.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
5.5/1025 votes#8 - Strike
Season 5 Episode 8 - Aired 12/17/1980
Caught up in a newspaper strike and laid-off, Tom tries to bring the feuding parties together thanks to something Nicholas says about giving and compromise. To save everyone money, Nicholas starts a barter system for the family. The Bradford's have a five car pile-up in their driveway.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
5.8/1024 votes#9 - Bradfordgate
Season 5 Episode 9 - Aired 1/7/1981
Tom is nominated for a political post by the governor. A political appointment for him ends up more than he can live with. Joannie goes undercover to do a story on a video dating service. Nicholas tries to get rid of his ""cute"" image.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
6.6/1028 votes#10 - Darlene Dilemma
Season 5 Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/1981
Abby is proud of the progress one of her students has made and invites her to the house for dinner. Jeremy falls for 16-year-old Darlene, who likes to flirt and cause trouble (shades of Melrose Place), and he refuses to listen to Abby's advice about her. Nancy gets a modeling job as the spokesperson for a shady heating and cooling company. Nicholas tries to impress a 12-year-old girl with his cooking ability.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.4/1023 votes#11 - Second Thoughts
Season 5 Episode 11 - Aired 1/21/1981
Joannie is tired of not getting any serious assignments at work and Abby encourages her to take a leave of absence to evaluate her career, and falls for a co-worker. Nancy finds out fame has a price when she becomes the ""Sunshine Soda Girl."" Tommy needs a ticket to a rock concert and Nicholas has one to sell.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
5.9/1025 votes#12 - David's Rib
Season 5 Episode 12 - Aired 1/28/1981
Joannie involves David in the renovation of an old opera house. However, Janet is the legal counsel for the developer who wants to build low-income housing on the site. Nicholas gets a horse from Joe Simons and Abby help him find a way to keep it. Merle returns home from the New York Mets, but Susan is too tired from taking care of Sandra Sue to enjoy his visit.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.9/1027 votes#13 - Vows
Season 5 Episode 13 - Aired 2/18/1981
Jeremy meets a new girlfriend at a Fred Astaire film festival. Tom and Abby decide to renew their marriage vows on their 3rd anniversary and they agree to let the kids handle the arrangements. David and Janet try to hide the fact that they have split up
Director: Irving J. Moore
Writer: N/A
6.5/1026 votes#14 - The Way We Were
Season 5 Episode 14 - Aired 3/4/1981
Tommy and Ernie, back from college with a ""preppy"" look, run into Jill, Tommy's old girlfriend. When Jill picks Ernie over Tommy, David helps him realize that reliving the past is not the real world. David moves into a singles-only apartment building. Upset by Tom's refusal to give him money, Nicholas gets a job delivering a rival newspaper
Director: Vincent McEveety
Writer: N/A
6.6/1024 votes#15 - If The Glass Slipper Fits
Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 3/11/1981
Nancy's modeling career is about to take off but she needs to make an important decision as she later finds out she has to pose topless for a jeans ad. Elizabeth is trying to attract Alan Anderson, who only sees her as a friend. David hires Nicholas to find him a new apartment.
Director: Stan Lathan
Writer: N/A
6.5/1028 votes#16 - The Best Little Telethon in Sacramento
Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 3/28/1981
Jeremy wants to manage Tommy's band and tries to get him a gig. Joannie is chosen to organize a charity telethon and tries to get celebrities to appear on the show. She recruits the family to perform and Nicholas saves the day with his on-the-air speech and performance. David gets a new roommate to save money on the rent.
Director: Irving J. Moore
Writer: N/A
6.9/1034 votes#17 - Yet Another Seven Days in February
Season 5 Episode 17 - Aired 4/4/1981
This year it's the boys' turn to meet new women. Tommy dates the daughter of a radio station owner in order to get his band some air time. Jeremy runs himself ragged trying to keep up with a beautiful sports athelete. David dates an older woman, Tommy's date's divorced mother.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.8/1029 votes#18 - Idolbreaker (1)
Season 5 Episode 18 - Aired 4/11/1981
Just as Tommy's career is about to take off, his old girlfriend returns to tell Tommy she is pregnant after it is announced that his band has been booked for a national tour. Nicholas wins a girl's heart by standing up to a bully. Mary, Nancy, Elizabeth, and Joannie adopt a bum named Max, and bring him home for dinner.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.6/1027 votes#19 - Idolbreaker (2)
Season 5 Episode 19 - Aired 4/18/1981
Ellen tells Tommy that she doesn't want to marry him and Tommy isn't sure what he wants to do. At the last minute, they both realize it is not the right thing to do. Joannie is jealous when the station hires a female anchor. Jeremy drops hints about his upcoming birthday. Nicholas plans a surprise birthday for Jeremy.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.1/1022 votes#20 - Starting Over
Season 5 Episode 20 - Aired 5/9/1981
Jeremy is suspicious when he finds a skull while digging in the garden. David and Janet consider getting back together. Nicholas assumes he's a shoo-in for the basketball team when Elizabeth dates the coach.
Director: Harry Harris
Writer: N/A
6.7/1024 votes#21 - Goals
Season 5 Episode 21 - Aired 5/16/1981
Merle suffers a career-ending shoulder injury and doesn't know what to do if he can't play baseball. Merle comes upon Nicholas and his friends playing ball. He is offered a job of assistant coach of the High School team. One of Mary's patients falls in love with her and won't leave her alone. Eager to earn more money, Jeremy gets a job convincing people to try experimental products.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
6.0/1026 votes#22 - Father Knows Best
Season 5 Episode 22 - Aired 5/23/1981
Finally ready to be a father, Jeremy's father returns for a visit and wants to take him back to Los Angeles. David relives old memories when four of his old high school buddies return to Sacramento for their 10 year high school reunion. Tom and Abby fight with Jeremy's dad for custody of Jeremy.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Best Episodes of Eight Is Enough Season 5
Every episode of Eight Is Enough Season 5 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Eight Is Enough Season 5!
Eight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series that ran on ABC from March 15, 1977, until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled...
Genres:DramaComedy
Network:ABC
Season 5 Ratings Summary
"And Baby Makes Nine (1)" is the best rated episode of "Eight Is Enough" season 5. It scored 7.1/10 based on 26 votes. Directed by Harry Harris and written by N/A, it aired on 10/29/1980. This episode is rated 0.2 points higher than the second-best, "And Baby Makes Nine (2)".