5.3/1026 votesLoading...#1 - The Center
Season 3 Episode 21 - Aired 4/19/1984
Nell decides to take Grandpa to the senior citizen Center to have some time to spend with people his own age. While there, the seniors find out that they have to share their space with the youth center since it had just burned down. The director has an arguement with her new love interest, and it is up to one of the teens to help her and her new crush get back together to make his own crush see that he is a man who is full of love. At the dance that the two groups put together, the director and her crush reunite after being locked and handcuffed in a closet.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 5.5/1023 votesLoading...
#2 - The Purse Snatcher
Season 5 Episode 24 - Aired 5/10/1986
As she is at a Greek restaraunt with her freinds, Nell's purse is stolen, which upsets everyone. However, the two Grek waiters have their own plan of getting the purse back for her.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 5.9/1025 votesLoading...
#3 - Joey (1)
Season 3 Episode 4 - Aired 10/27/1983
Katie practices her jazz routine to ""Maniac"" for a show that will be taking pace soon in Glenawn. As the family is getting ready, rehearsing for the show, a boy named Joey comes by collecting for Jerry's kids. The family falls for his act, and as he leaves, Simpson says he is a con artist. Joey Donova is his name, and his Uncle Jerry dropped him off and left him in Glenlawn, because his dad Tim is at sea. The scial worker tells the cheif that Joey will stay with the family over the weekend and will be placed in a foster home shortly. Nell then looses control of Joey, and he escapes, taking her money, and goes to the bus station. However, Nell finds him, drags him home, and doesnt know what she is going to do with him.
Director: N/A
Writer: Rod Parker
- 6.1/1024 votesLoading...
#4 - The Man From Zoron
Season 5 Episode 4 - Aired 10/5/1985
Joey is saved by a man from being hit by a bus, and when the man tells his family that he is from another planet, everyone but Nell believes him. The man says he is from Zoron, and that he doesnt have a last name, and is known as ""cute"". In the end, the man leaves, and the family still beleives he is from another planet.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.3/1018 votesLoading...
#5 - Joey's Teacher
Season 6 Episode 18 - Aired 2/4/1987
Joey is upset because his teacher, Mr. Gronomeir keeps hating him. When Nell invites him to the house to talk about Joey, he trips on Maggies skateboard, and decides to sue, and fakes that he has serious pains. However, he is on his way to spin the big wheel for fast cash on television, and when Nell turns on the television to see him spin the wheel, he wins the big jackpot, and says that he is going to buy an island in the Caribean, and will never have to look at another kid again. Nell is outraged by his act of foolishness.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.4/1014 votesLoading...
#6 - Second Chance (2)
Season 5 Episode 15 - Aired 1/11/1986
The ex-con is sad that Gary hated the song, and decides that singing is not the career for him. Nell then appears on Gary Collins' Hour Maganzine Show, and decides to go back to college afterall.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.6/1033 votesLoading...
#7 - Nell and the Kid
Season 2 Episode 21 - Aired 4/28/1983
While at ""Max's Delacatesan"", Nell and Max see a girl shoplifting. Nell saves her from being arrested, telling Max she is taking her home. Nell finds out she has nowhere to go since her parents left her and her grandmother had recently died. When the Chief finds this out he is ready to arrest her, but she agrees to live with Max and help him out at the store. At first, the two don't get along so well, but they accept that each other has to get by even though there are people in their life that are no longer around.
Director: Oz Scott
Writer: N/A
- 6.6/1024 votesLoading...
#8 - Class of '84
Season 3 Episode 22 - Aired 5/3/1984
Nell helps write a book report for a straight-A student who has several children to take care of, and is aways exhausted in class. At her graduation, the man she wrote the report for says he owes it all to Nell, and he cheated, ad the two loose their diplomas. As this is going on, Addy has chanel 3 do an interview on Nell, and she admits she cheated anddidnt graduate. However, Nell is givenher diploma, since she successfully passed all of her classes, and the man gets his as well, who passes an oral exam, and gets a surprise from his wife that she is pregnant again.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.6/1022 votesLoading...
#9 - Nell's Gifted Child
Season 5 Episode 11 - Aired 11/30/1985
Nel finds out that Joey is a gifted child, and should take a test to see what grade he should be placed into. When Joey tells her that the 4th grade is fine, and that he just wants to play baseball, she insists that he take the test, and gives him several instruments to play to see which one suites him best, the piano being the top. In the end, Joey runs off to the park, and Nell knows he is there when she finds out he wasn't at the school to take the test. She decides to let Joey stay in the 4th grade because a nine year old is supposed to have fun, and not work their tail off.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.6/1025 votesLoading...
#10 - Christmas in New York
Season 6 Episode 12 - Aired 12/10/1986
Nell decides to buy a Christmas tree, as does Addy, who both know that it costs too much for one in New York. As the gang begins to celebrate Christmas New York style, Joey tells Matthew that there is no such thing as Santra Claus, and Nell blames Marty for the whole thing. In the end, Nell realizes that Marty always didn't believe in Santa Claus because he never got the toy train he saw in a store window when he was a child. In the end, Nell invites him to Christmas dinner, and on Christmas morning, he is surprised to see the toy train he has always wanted, which both Addy and Nell say they didn't get for him. Thus, proving to both Joey and Matthew that there is a Santa Claus afterall.
Director: Linda Day
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/1032 votesLoading...
#11 - Nell's Ex
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/1982
Nell's finds out that her ex-husband Tony is in town and wants to meet with her. At the house, he tells her that he is going to be on the Merv Griffith show and needs $1,000. Nell agrees to give him the money and lies to the Cheif, telling him she needs $500 for her Aunt to have an operation. The Cheif gives her the money, even if he knows that Tony is going to blow it and not get his big break on the Merv Griffith show. Sure enough, when he auditions on the show, he is told to get off, since they already have enough singers like him.
Director: Linda Day
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/1028 votesLoading...
#12 - Joey (2)
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 11/3/1983
Joey goes on a hunger strike and says he is not going to an orphanage. Nell then lies to Joey and tells him that she made a friend of a man whose window she broke years ago when she was a child. Joey beleives her, and knows Nell is not a lier, like many adults he knows are. Nell then tells the Cheif he owes her, and she deserves to take Joey in as her foster child. The Chief objects, but Joey tells him he is right, and even himself wouldnt want him as a foster child. The Cheif's feelings change, and Joey is accepted into the family as their foster child
Director: N/A
Writer: Rod Parker
- 6.7/1018 votesLoading...
#13 - Snippets
Season 5 Episode 13 - Aired 12/14/1985
Nell and the gang decorate the Christmas tree as Joey pretends that he is sick, but wants to help out as well. During the Christmas gathering, the family recalls events from the past. In the end, Joey tells Nell that he was only pretending to be sick because he didn't have enough money to buy her a Christmas present, but she tells him it doesn't matter.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.7/1020 votesLoading...
#14 - Joey the Gambler
Season 6 Episode 10 - Aired 11/26/1986
Joey begins to run ilegal gambling tickets from the staff at El Gatspacio, and Nell is horrified when she finds out he was picked up for running them.After Nell brings Joey home, she tries to teach him that gambling is wrong. When her lecture doesn't work, she finally confides in Marty, who uses the game ""Candyland"", as an example that it is wrong for Joey to gamble, bets Joey all their money, and in the end wins, teaching Joey a lesson that it is very wrong for people to gamble their money that they worked so hard to get in the first place.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1022 votesLoading...
#15 - Grandpa's Will
Season 4 Episode 14 - Aired 1/5/1985
When the family tells Grandpa to go see a lawyer to make up his will, he refuses in doing so. In the end, Nell finds out he doesn't want to make out a will because he has nothing left to give his family.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1024 votesLoading...
#16 - Addy's Goodbye
Season 5 Episode 5 - Aired 10/19/1985
Nell finds out Addy was given a teaching job as the a Dean at Columbia University by a professor she despises and thinks is tricky. Nell and Addy get into a fight at her goodbye party, and Nell does not want to say goodbye to her. However, in the end, she decides it's the best thing to do. She goes to Addy's apartment to say her goodbyes, but when she gets there she finds Addy unpacking, only to hear that the profssor is tricky and selfish, and was only pulling her legs about getting the job on New York.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1020 votesLoading...
#17 - Bienvenido, Jonathan
Season 5 Episode 16 - Aired 1/18/1986
Jonathan returns home, giving attention to everyone accept Julie, who beleives that Jonathan doesn't love her anymore. In the end, Jonathan tells Nell that he knows that Archaeology is not the career for him and that he rushed into things by marrying Julie and getting her pregnant. He tells her he was not at work when they called to talk to him, and instead he was in Bakersfield, looking at a chalk factory that he hopes that he and Julie will soon run in the near future. Nell tells him that Julie needs him, and he should tell his problems to her instead. He finally tells Julie his problems, and tells her that they will be great parents soon when their baby is born.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1020 votesLoading...
#18 - The Window (1)
Season 6 Episode 15 - Aired 1/21/1987
Nell has a better job in her company as a book editor. However, that tears her away from staying with the boys. When Joey tells Nell that he's doing a Walk-A-Thon fund raiser for his school & wants to sign up sponsors. But Nell doesn't want Joey to go alone with Matthew wandering the streets of New York. But Grandpa disagrees. Joey also has to take Matthew to his guitar lesson as well. After school, Joey decides to go get sponsors, and takes Matt with him. When Joey goes to a doctor's office, he tells Matt to wait for him. Then Matt hears music coming from next door & sees a band rehearsing. Then the band lets Matt jam with them. Joey finds that Matt's missing and he searches all over for him. When he arrives home, he asks Marty for his help and Marty called the police. Nell enters & Marty tells her Matt's missing. Nell takes the receiver while Marty looks @ his restaurant. Nell is mad at Joey for losing his brother. Then Marty finds Matt & took him home. Joey's mad at Matt
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.8/1017 votesLoading...
#19 - Someday, My Prince . . .
Season 6 Episode 24 - Aired 5/5/1987
Nell is wooed by an African man who invented chocolate chip cookies in his African country. She is given a necklace by him, and is given a proposal to be his wife. She tells Addy that they should all move to Africa if she decides to accept his proosal, but in the end she declines it, when he tells her his mother wants him to marry a pure woman who hasnt had sex before. She is however, mad that she gave back the expensive necklace that she was given by him.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1029 votesLoading...
#20 - Brother Ed and the Hooker
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 10/9/1982
At the bowling alley, the Cheif meets up with Maxine, a prostitute who is used to nail bad cops. When Ed meets Carl at the bowling alley, he introduces him to Maxine and the two hit it off. When the Cheif finds out that Ed and Maxine moved in together, he tells Ed that he will not have his brother living with an ex-prostitute since she has decided to retire from the business. In the end, Ed stands up for himself and Carl accepts his brother and Maxine living together.
Director: John Pasquin
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1022 votesLoading...
#21 - Grandpa's Visit
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 10/23/1982
When Grandma leaves to go see her sick sister who is about to have an operation, Grandpa is sent to live with the family for a few days. When he shows up he is nothing but trouble, as he wakes up in the middle of the night, bangs a bag of ice cubes on the counter to crush them, causes the garbage disposal to go insane, spies in on a neighbor's backside, and makes Nells puzzle fall the floor, only to vaccuum it up and wake everyone up. Nell gets mad and tells Grandpa that he is causing nothing but noise. When the Cheif tells him to stop doing the things he is doing, Grandpa leaves and goes to the mortuary. In the end, Nell shows up and tells Grandpa to come home and that she was sorry for acting the way she did to him.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1033 votesLoading...
#22 - The Centerfold (1)
Season 2 Episode 14 - Aired 1/20/1983
When Mr. Swackhammer shows up to inform the Cheif about the female officer who posed nude, he rushes into work and tells her she is fired. Once the town and the country get a hold of what happened, they are against what the Cheif did. Even the girls and Nell don't like how he fired the officer. The police station begins to be mobbed by angry women who picket and are forced to leave, and Simpsons mother shows up and hits the Cheif with her pocket book. If that wasn't enough, Hamilton Storm shows up to do a cover story on how unfair the Cheif is, just as a mad bomber shows up and is about to blow up the whole place.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1033 votesLoading...
#23 - The Centerfold (2)
Season 2 Episode 15 - Aired 1/27/1983
The man who has a bomb strapped to him tells Simpson he knows him from some place. He realizes that he's seen him before at the singles bar. They both talk about how they can never pick up women, and how Simpson likes a woman officer but he can't have the courage to tell her. The man decides at the last second to stop the bomb and tells Simpson he will look him up when he is done his time in jail. Simpson then confesses to the Cheif that he sent a picture of the officer from the Christmas party to the magazine and that is why they chose her to model in it. The Cheif decides to take back his compliment of telling Simpson he is a hero. The Mayor of Glenlawn who is about to be re-elected tells the Cheif to re-hire the officer or else he will fire him. The Cheif decides to go to a live telecast taping with the Mayor and decides to hire the officer back. Simpson finally has the courage to tell the officer he likes her and she decides to go out with him.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1024 votesLoading...
#24 - Nell Gets Sick
Season 2 Episode 22 - Aired 5/5/1983
When Nell is sick at home and the Chief going off to Los Angeles for a meeting, he calls his mother to help out around the house. She shuns away Katies new boyfriend since he has pink hair, puts garlic on everyone because she doesn't want them to catch Nells sickness, and feeds the family lamb with goats intestines. Fed up by this, everyone forces Samantha to go to Grandpa and tell him to beg Grandma to return home and she falls head over heels for him.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
- 6.9/1023 votesLoading...
#25 - The Mayor
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 11/10/1983
The Mayor of Glenlawn falls for Nell, who wants nothing to do with him. He tells her that the cheif will get his new patrol car if he gets her. At his condo, she seduces him, and he tells her she is coming onto him. She tells him that he treated her wrong, and he appologizes, and tells her he will see her at the ceremony when he donates the patrol car to the cheif.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
The Worst Episodes of Gimme a Break!
Every episode of Gimme a Break! ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Gimme a Break!!
Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom which aired on NBC for six seasons, October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series stars Nell...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:NBC
Worst Episodes Summary
"The Center" is the worst rated episode of "Gimme a Break!". It scored 5.3/10 based on 26 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 4/19/1984. This episode scored 0.2 points lower than the second lowest rated, "The Purse Snatcher".