Every season of Petticoat Junction ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best seasons of Petticoat Junction!

Homer Bedloe, trouble-shooter for the C&F W Railroad, is sent by railroad president Norman P. Curtis to the little community of Hooterville to find out why a branch line doesn't connect with the main line. The branch line carries the "Cannonball" train, and is vital to the Shady Rest Hotel, run by Kate Bradley, her three grown daughters and "Uncle Joe" Carson. If Bedloe succeeds in shutting down the Cannonball, Kate faces ruin. John Ashley appears as passenger Fred.

Spur Line to Shady Rest

Kate uses a combination of charm, subterfuge, and wiles to prevent Homer Bedloe from catching the Hooterville Cannonball and getting to Pixley in order to initiate proceedings that would permanently terminate the train's operation. She has to keep him at the Shady Rest long enough to convince him that the Cannonball is an integral part of the valley's life. When all else fails, Kate gets Sam, the Hooterville Jack of all professions, to scare Bedloe into changing his mind.

Quick, Hide the Railroad

C&F W Railroad President Norman P. Curtis is incensed that ace troubleshooter Homer Bedloe utterly failed to scrap the Hooterville Cannonball. Taking matters into his own hands, he decides to do it himself, incognito. Although Curtis doesn't intend on appearing as such, he comes across to Kate and others in the valley as a hobo after he takes a tumble in a field, ripping and dirtying his suit and losing his wallet in the process. But, he has a change of heart when he experiences Kate's hospitality and kindness.

The President Who Came to Dinner

Norman Curtis, who has fallen in love with life at the Shady Rest, is still staying there for free without Kate yet knowing his true identity. He accidentally breaks the throttle handle of the Hooterville Cannonball and folks can't get to Kate's annual Shady Rest Jamboree. Norman decides to come clean about his identity. The problem is no one believes him. In fact, they all believe he's crazy. But the executive tries to make amends with a determined effort to obtain the nearly-nonexistent replacement part. Norman brings three of his friends in to help, who everyone also think are hobos. Thanks to Norman, the Jamboree is a success.

Is There a Doctor in the Roundhouse?

Floyd Smoot, the conductor, is courting a woman through the mail. But, when she ends it after receiving a photo of him, he loses all confidence. Kate tries to help him think all the women from Hooterville and the surrounding area have eyes for him, but instead he gets the idea that Kate has been secretly in love with him. Kate comes up with a plan to get Flyod's mind off of her. Meanwhile, the Hooterville Hornets football team and their coach Uncle Joe are on a losing streak.

The Courtship of Floyd Smoot

Uncle Joe spends Kate's money to buy cases of lousy smelling men and women's cologne to make a fast buck reselling it. The money was intended to put screens in the hotel that will keep mosquitoes from chasing away paying guests. Kate figures out a way to sell all the cologne to salesmen Mr. Blake and Mr. Gordon. The men are going to sell it as insecticide.

Please Buy My Violets

Betty Jo enters the annual Shady Rest Horseshoe Tournament and becomes the first female contestant in the tournament's history. But she experiences conflicting emotions when she finds herself with an opportunity to defeat the legendary Pixley Fats. After a talk with Kate, Betty Jo decides that winning means more to Pixley Fats than to her, because that's all he really has in life.

The Ringer

When Billie Jo has to come up with a fourth for her double date with Junior Hocker and Junior's visiting friend Roger Budd, Kate suggests Bobbie Jo to her. Billie Jo doesn't think Bobbie Jo would be a good fit as she knows all the boys see Bobbie Jo as a book worm instead of a fun girl. Convincing Bobbie Jo may be more difficult as Bobbie Jo admits that she just doesn't feel comfortable around boys yet. She goes on the date, but comes home early saying she just can't compete with Billie Jo. Kate tries to teach Bobbie Jo how to flatter a man the way Billie Jo does. On her next date with Roger, things go much better.

Kate's Recipe for Hot Rhubarb

Two young men, Arthur Gilroy and Lowell Rightmeyer, are on their way to rob the bank in Pixley. They change their plans when they learn that the next day, the Cannonball, without any armed guards, will make its run from Hooterville to Pixley for the bank shipment. Arthur and Lowell decide to stay the night at the Shady Rest. Kate and the family are happy to have two polite and handsome young men stay with them. Arthur and Lowell do hold up the train the next day. But, Kate and Uncle Joe are also on the train and they recognize the masked bandits. When Arthur and Lowell learn that the bank shipment is only deposit slips, they decide to rob the Shady Rest instead. But will Kate, her family, Charley and Floyd be able to turn around Arthur and Lowell's criminal lives?

The Little Train Robbery

The Cannonball and its primary passenger, Uncle Joe, are pelted with eggs after the Hooterville Hornets, coached by Uncle Joe, are drubbed in what may be their worst game ever. Another unexpected passenger on that run is Homer Bedloe, who is surprisingly cordial and pleasant. Uncle Joe doesn't see anything wrong with Bedloe being cordial and taking it like a man in defeat in his efforts to scrap the Cannonball. Kate on the other hand believes Bedloe is up to no good. News gets to Sam that John Fisher and Max Thornton, two bigwigs from the railroad, are coming for a surprise inspection the following day. When Kate learns this news, they have to go clean-up the Cannonball. Plus, they have to keep Bedloe preoccupied so that he won't know what they're up to. And third, they have to railroad the visiting bigwigs about how deluxe the service on the Cannonball is. Fisher and Thornton are very impressed with the service.

Bedloe Strikes Again

Kate and the girls go to Drucker's store to pick up the pocket watch they ordered for Uncle Joe's birthday present. While there Kate, in an effort to boost Herby's confidence, inadvertently offers him a job as Assistant Manager at the hotel. Now Kate doesn't have the heart not to give him the job, so she decides that she can give him some menial tasks at the hotel. Uncle Joe believes he is being put out to pasture with Herby showing up. He goes in search of another job. He gets one, telling everyone that he is an executive with some large company. Kate follows him and finds out his big job is actually mopping floors in a cafe. Kate and Sam have to figure out a way to get both Herby and Uncle Joe back to their real jobs.

Uncle Joe's Replacement

Uncle Joe has come up with another scheme to attract guests to the hotel: advertise it as a wedding/honeymoon destination. Uncle Joe manages to get Sam, the county judge, to swear him in as temporary Justice of the Peace before Sam goes away on a hunting vacation at Lost Lake. All Uncle Joe has to do is file the documentation at the courthouse to make it legal. After Uncle Joe performs his first wedding, for a young couple named Walter Shepherd and Elsie Gregg, Uncle Joe realizes that he forgot to file the documentation at the courthouse. Kate and the gang do what they can to stall Walter and Elsie consummating what they believe is their marriage, while Uncle Joe searches for Sam.

Honeymoon Hotel

A brochure made by Uncle Joe describing the incomparable Shady Rest Hotel of the future is accidentally mailed to The Centerville Sun Express travel columnist Gladys Stroud. In the brochure was the vision of what he hoped the hotel would one day be, including indoor ice rink, bowling alley, and swimming pool. Gladys decides to come and review the Shady Rest. Now the family has to scramble to keep her from finding out the truth and closing them down for lying. Despite their best efforts, Gladys finds out. Uncle Joe manages to sweet talk Gladys into not closing them down.

A Night at the Hooterville Hilton

The Bradleys, Sam Drucker, Herby, Charlie and Floyd are decorating the Cannonball for its annual Christmas Eve trip of caroling, gift-giving and merriment around the valley. But, Homer Bedloe is determined to be a Scrooge and take possession of the train on Christmas Eve. Railroad President Norman Curtis finds out what Bedloe is up to and goes to Hooterville to stop him.

Cannonball Christmas

Herby is depressed when he gets drafted, so the girls cheer him up by suggesting he could be an astronaut. Uncle Joe hears this and decides he needs to promote Herby's future political career to the whole town. When Herby gets a discharge for minor medical problems, Kate finds a way for him to save face with Billie Jo and the rest.

Herbie Gets Drafted

Bobbie Jo brings home Alan Landman, a mad-at-the-world young poet and slacker who has won her heart. Despite Bobbie Jo liking him in every respect, he dismisses her way of life. Bobbie Jo wants to prove him wrong, while deep down she wants to find out for herself if Alan is really right about how meaningless her conventional life is. The family's impression of Alan is quite dismal. Kate has to figure out a way to make Bobbie Jo come to the conclusion on her own that Alan and his life do not deserve to be romanticized.

Bobbie Jo and the Beatnik

Billie Jo receives a $500 insurance endowment, which her late father set aside for his first-born to become a doctor. But Billie Jo wants to go to Hollywood to become an actress. Kate thinks that Hooterville's long time doctor, Dr. Depew, can talk Billie Jo into it. But Kate's thinks that Dr. Depew's handsome new assistant, Dr. Clayton Harris, would be able to convince Billie Jo even more. So using Uncle Joe as a patient with non-existing symptoms, Kate hopes to have Dr. Harris make a thorough examination with Billie Jo as his assistant, exposing her to the wonders of modern medicine. But, Billie Jo faints at the first sight of blood.

My Daughter the Doctor

Billie Jo is still determined to use the $500 from her father to go to Hollywood to become a movie star. It doesn't help that Uncle Joe, who wants to go with her, is fueling her dream. Kate talks with Judge Drucker to see if she can legally prevent Billie Jo from going to Hollywood, but he advises against it. Dr. Depew believes Kate's mistake between Dr. Harris and Billie Jo was throwing them together in a professional relationship. He thinks they should throw them together in a doctor/patient relationship. First, they have to trick Billie Jo into thinking she's sick. Then, they have to get Dr. Harris to come by each day to check on her. Kate believes there is one more piece to complete the puzzle, courtesy of a fake edition of the Hooterville World Guardian.

Hooterville vs. Hollywood

Uncle Joe has made a deal with Lucy Wayne, the secretary of movie star Lane Haggard, for them to stay for two weeks at the Shady Rest. Incognito as Mr. Jones, Haggard, according to Miss Wayne, needs to get some rest and relaxation away from prying public eyes. But upon their arrival, Miss Wayne believes Uncle Joe has duped her. It seems that Joe has told the entire valley about their stay. Miss Wayne also wanted no attractive women around to fall under Haggard's movie idol charms. Kate and the girls are not quite as homely as Uncle Joe described them. The problem arises that those charms do surface without Haggard realizing what he is doing. The three girls, not used to such words from a big city man, believe what he tells each of them. But, the words are just niceties which he says to every attractive female. Kate tries to protect her girls and she also tries to help the one person to who those charms really do mean something, Lucy.

Visit From a Big Star

Business is bad at the Shady Rest and Kate needs to make a $200 bank loan payment. Uncle Joe meets Henrietta Boswell and Gertrude Hawley, who are lost and looking for Madame Bovary's Hideaway Reducing Farm. He convinces them that the Shady Rest is the most exclusive reducing farm and charges them $200 for a week. The catch is that Uncle Joe provides them with a money back guarantee. Uncle Joe tries to hide from Kate why the women are staying at the hotel. With a rigged scale, Joe has to convince the two that the secret to weight loss is to eat whatever they want as long as it is combined with turnip greens. He also has them do what would normally be considered all his chores. Ultimately, the two women do whatever they can to find what they believe is Kate's miracle weight loss and youth secret.

Last Chance Farm

When Kate unexpectedly sees Homer Bedloe in Hooterville, she knows trouble is in store. Bedloe plans on selling the Cannonball, a seemingly one-of-a-kind antique locomotive. His buyer is millionaire retired train man and antique train aficionado, Phillip Waterhouse. Waterhouse is an old, ornery and snobbish man who generally gets what he wants. With Charley and Floyd's help, Kate hopes she can convince Waterhouse that the train is in such disrepair that it's not worth buying. Kate's plan backfires when she learns Waterhouse enjoys repairing old trains. She hopes that with the family's help, she can get through to Waterhouse the necessity of the train to the valley.

The Very Old Antique

A traveling salesman guest leaves Uncle Joe a set of six paint-by-number canvases in lieu of a cash payment. Joe decides to take up painting and hopes to make money with his new venture. Mr. Cheever, an antique dealer, buys Joe's first painting. Joe now thinks he is a new art master on his way to success. However, the dealer only wanted the valuable picture frame. Before wrapping up the painting, Joe trades the frame for one he believes is nicer. News of the painting sale spreads throughout Hooterville. People come by to see Joe's other paintings, including E. T. Gibbs from a local museum. Gibbs hates the paintings, which depresses Joe. Cheever comes back to get the original frame he bought. Kate comes up with a plan for Cheever to get the frame and for Joe to feel better.

The Art Game

Betty Jo has her first crush on a boy named Orville Miggs. But the object of her affections is more interested in tinkering with cars than he is in romance. As such, all Orville sees in Betty Jo is a mechanic's expert assistant. Kate doesn't want to see Betty Jo get hurt. Kate thinks he will see her in a different and more romantic light if she wears a dress and becomes a bit more feminine. But nothing they try makes Orville really notice Betty Jo, and ultimately give her her much wanted first kiss. If the family is able to accomplish their task, will Betty Jo ultimately think it was worth it?

Betty Jo's First Love

Homer Bedloe is back in Hooterville trying yet again to find a way to shut down the Cannonball. He believes there must be something in the financial books since Charley and Floyd have not submitted a report in twelve years. That plan ends up being more confusing to Bedloe than it's worth pursuing. Meanwhile, Uncle Joe is given the task of digging a drainage ditch down by the tracks. He finds the lazy way to do it by advertising that guests can dig for silver down by the tracks. He figures others will do the digging for him. Bedloe decides to sell leases all along the track from Hooterville to Pixley for people to prospect for silver. In the process, all the digging will just rip up the track, leaving the train unable to run without major repairs to the track. Kate can see through Bedloe's scheme and she devises a way to outsmart him once again to keep the Cannonball running.

Behind All Silver, There's a Cloud Lining

A regional talent contest is being held in Hooterville with the winner being awarded $50 and a trip to Chicago for the television broadcast final. Kate worries that competition among the girls will affect the family. Uncle Joe has other thoughts where he wants the girls to compete their hearts out with the goal of winning. The girls agree in that they figure Kate could use the $50. With the ulterior motive of being the adult chaperon for his winning niece in going to Chicago for the final, Uncle Joe tries to convince all the credible competition not to enter the contest. Kate wants the contest to be fair and undoes all of Joe's scheming. After their performances, the girls decide they were only thinking of themselves and drop out of the competition.

The Talent Contest

An old school chum named Emily Mapes thinks it's time Kate was married again. She tells the girls to round up some prospects to go to the Shady Rest to court Kate. The girls do this by offering special rates to single men. However, Uncle Joe thinks that if Kate finds a man, he will lose his job. Joe even pretends to be the house detective and tells guest Grover Woodstock to leave Kate alone. Kate finds out from Grover what her daughters have been up to. She comes up with a plan with all the men to teach her girls a lesson.

Kate and the Manpower Problem

Beatlemania has hit Hooterville by storm. Uncle Joe recruits Billy, Bobbie, and Betty Joe along with their friend Sally Ragsdale to form their own band called the Ladybugs. Colonel Partridge, a booking agent, comes to the Shady Rest to see the girls in action. Partridge likes what he hears and wants to book the girls. Sally's father, Sheriff Ragsdale, comes by and says he wants his daughter to finish school and not tour the country. Uncle Joe thinks he has a way to save the group and dresses up as a Ladybug.

The Ladybugs

Uncle Joe gets angry at Charlie and Floyd when he is left behind by the Cannonball. He decides to start his own transport business by using Orville Miggs' "Flivverball", an old car converted into a railway car. At first the Flivverball is a success. Kate must now deal with the feuding groups before the Cannonball goes out of business.

The Hooterville Flivverball

Norman Curtis, President of the C&FW Railroad, is currently on vacation in Europe. He left instructions not to do anything to the Cannonball while he's gone. However, Homer Bedloe has a scheme to shut down the Cannonball for good. He hopes to do it without disobeying Curtis' orders. The plan entails Bedloe being appointed Superintendent of the Cannonball. He would then enforce an efficiency program with an impossible to meet new schedule. He expects Charley and Floyd will eventually just give up. Kate and the gang go to the stockholders meeting where she believes they've got a secret weapon to ruin Bedloe's plans.

Kate the Stockholder

Mr. Bunce with the bank is doing an inspection of the hotel and is not planning on extending Kate's financing. Wealthy socialite Clara Watkins checks into the hotel with her son Sonny. Bunce will only extend Kate's financing if Mrs. Watkins recommends the hotel to her friends. Meanwhile, annoying Sonny is constantly chasing after Billie Jo. Mrs. Watkins wants the two of them to get married. While Kate has done whatever she can to please Mrs. Watkins, she has to say no to that. Uncle Joe decides to romance Mrs. Watkins instead and she soon accepts his marriage proposal. Kate comes up with a plan to save Joe and the hotel.

Kate and the Dowager

Charley begins to believe that everyone seems too busy to spend any time with him. Floyd has started to call on the widow Sarah Lawrence. Uncle Joe has a speech he has to prepare, so has no time to go fishing with him. Kate has far too much work to do around the hotel. Charley doesn't want to spend his time alone and miserable running the Cannonball. He decides to quit and move to the big city. Kate tries to manufacture ways of keeping Charley in the valley before his replacement Bill Tuttle comes and takes over his job. When Charley realizes how much he is loved and needed, he finds a way to talk Tuttle out of staying.

Charley Abandons the Cannonball

Kate receives a telegram from Railroad President Norman Curtis that he is sending Homer Bedloe with someone named Fred. Fred is actually Mr. Curtis' housekeeper's aged basset hound. Curtis believes Fred needs some good country air and space to re-energize himself. Curtis also hopes that Bedloe will soften his ways in the process. Bedloe comes up with the plan to "ruin" Fred and have him return to Curtis in worse shape than he arrived. That will hopefully sour Curtis' view of the Shady Rest and what it stands for. Kate figures out a way to bring back spirit to Fred and a way to break Bedloe's spirit.

Dog Days at Shady Rest

An old friend of Kate's from high school is coming for a visit. Kate admits that she had a crush on H.J. Grant back then. His letter implies that he is now wealthy, and is coming back to the valley on personal business. Uncle Joe, however, believes that Herbie is a con artist after Kate's money. Uncle Joe decides he needs to break up any chance of a romance between Kate and Herbie. Orville finds a newspaper article that proves Herbie is wealthy. Now Joe wants Kate to marry Herbie. But Kate and Herbie want to remain just friends.

A Millionaire for Kate

Homer Bedloe arrives at the Shady Rest with his son, Homer Bedloe Jr., who is as hateful and devious as his father. He even looks like his father down to the horn-rimmed glasses. Bedloe Sr.'s plan is that he wants to appear the loving and caring father, bringing his son up right. Then he will leave Jr. alone at the Shady Rest to snoop around and find a way to shut down the Shady Rest and the Cannonball for good. But Jr. comes to like everyone because he is treated with kindness and goodwill for no apparent reason.

Bedloe and Son

Business executive Mary Jane Hastings returns home to Hooterville to receive the Chamber of Commerce award. She commands attention just by her very presence, with everyone being at her beck and call. Kate doesn't like the effect Mary Jane has on her girls. Kate blames Mary Jane's assistant Steve, who is setting the example that what Mary Jane wants, she gets. Kate learns that Steve is in love with Mary Jane. Kate tells Steve he needs to stop being the ever obedient servant. But when Steve stands up to Mary Jane, she fires him. After learning that Mary Jane is in love with Steve, Kate finds a way to bring them back together.

Local Girl Makes Good

Uncle Joe wants to dig out an old cave to use as a wine cellar for the hotel. Kate receives a telegram from Brooks T. Webster, who wants to possibly hold a convention at the Shady Rest. He will be arriving that afternoon. Uncle Joe causes a landslide covering up the cave entrance with Kate inside the cave. They will need Ding Woodhouse's tractor to remove all the rubble to get Kate out. But Ding's tractor needs some work done on it and won't be ready until the morning. Mr. Webster arrives and insists on dinner, but Kate isn't there to cook. Uncle Joe comes up with a plan to feed Mr. Webster and get the convention business. But is Mr. Webster the only one they need to impress?

Cave Woman

Kate has sprained her ankle which means she will be off her feet for three or four days. Now that Mr. Webster's gone, the family has to prepare for Mr. Feasel's visit. He is the one that will decide if the convention will be held at the Shady Rest. Uncle Joe decides to make some changes to the hotel he's sure will appeal to conventioneers. He also hires Smokey Harner, a country singer and guitarist. Hearing about all the new ideas, Kate believes Uncle Joe and the girls may be running the hotel better than she did. Mr. Feasel arrives early and is not impressed with anything about the hotel. Kate recovers quicker than Dr. John Rhone expected. But she wants to keep her recovery a secret because she thinks everything is running smoothly and wants the family to feel good about themselves. With everything going wrong in the hotel, Mr. Feasel leaves. Kate finds out that Feasel has left. But he later returns for a very unusual reason.

Kate Flat on Her Back

Kate's former grade school teacher returns to Hooterville. Kate and her children reminisce how Miss Adelaide "Genghis" Keane was so strict on all the children, and she was a dreaded teacher. Kate and the girls are surprised to find that the elderly schoolteacher is no longer the tyrannical disciplinarian she used to be. They all get together to bring Miss Keane's confidence back. It doesn't take long for Miss Keane to become a disciplinarian again and Kate and the girls are beginning to regret what they did. Before Kate can confront her, Adelaide acknowledges that she has gone too far and is scaring people off. Kate finds a way for Miss Keane to be happy again.

The Genghis Keane Story

It's the first day of school and Kate is having trouble getting a couple of her daughters motivated to go. Betty Jo has a new friend, a little dog that follows her back from school. Kate refuses to let Betty Jo keep the dog, despite it being cute and well trained. Kate believes that he must belong to someone. Betty Jo brings him back to school, but he stills follows her home. Kate decides to let the dog stay until the owner claims him or until the dog starts to cause problems for the family. The dog does end up causing some problems, but Kate has a change of heart and let's him stay.

Betty Jo's Dog

Henry Barton is dropping off his pregnant wife Elsie at the Shady Rest. While the baby isn't due for two weeks, Henry still wants someone to watch Elsie as he will be gone for three days. The women aren't at all worried, but Uncle Joe is quite concerned. Joe gets even more panicked when Kate tells him most babies arrive in the middle of the night. He comes up with an elaborate plan involving some of the men of the valley to get Doc Stuart to the Shady Rest if Elsie has the baby in the middle of the night. Without telling anyone, Joe has a trial run of his plan at 3am just to make sure it all goes smoothly. Everyone is quite mad at Uncle Joe. To make matters worse, Joe does it a second time. When Elsie does actually go into labor, it looks as though someone else will have to help with the delivery

Race Against the Stork

Uncle Joe isn't thrilled with the idea of turning the Cannonball's baggage car into a mobile library. He likes even less having to build the library shelves. But after meeting her, Uncle Joe grows extremely fond of pretty librarian Phyllis Marsh. Despite their age difference, among other things, Joe is not shy about romancing Phyllis. Phyllis has to find a way to let him down easy without hurting his feelings, because she is actually engaged. Phyllis introduces her fiance Hal Jackson to Kate. Kate comes up with a plan to show Uncle Joe how inappropriate he and Miss Marsh are as a couple.

Have Library, Will Travel

Sam, Charley, Floyd and Uncle Joe are rehearsing a reenactment of the signing of the treaty between the Umquaw Indians and the C&FW Railroad. The treaty gave Indian land in the vicinity of Deadman's Curve to the company. Joe thinks the reenactment will bring in tourists to the area and guests to the hotel. Meanwhile, Norman Curtis wants the company's stockholders' meeting to be held at the Shady Rest with Homer Bedloe presiding. Norman tells Bedloe he doesn't want anyone to vote for anything that would harm Kate or the people of the valley. Bedloe finds out about Joe's treaty reenactment plan. He then finds out that the Umquaw never signed the treaty according to C&FW files. Bedloe lets the Umquaw know. Despite not really wanting to do it, Chief Fleeteagle and Black Salmon make what will be a profitable deal for them and the end of the Cannonball. Kate may come up with the best deal of them all.

The Umquaw Strip

Hooterville has a long standing record of being the first community to have their political votes submitted to the state. Pip Winslow from Crabwell Corners is taking bets that they will beat Hooterville this year, because they have a new automatic voting machine. Hooterville may lose regardless because of a disagreement between Kate and Selma Plout. Selma threatens to cast her ballot late in the day just to spite Kate. A letter from the Governor comes addressed to the Hooterville Chamber of Commerce, which doesn't exist. So they can open the letter, Joe, Charley and Floyd create the Chamber. The Governor hopes they can extend their 20 year record. Kate believes she has a way for Selma to change her mind. Despite a couple of set-backs, Hooterville gets their votes in first.

As Hooterville Goes

Betty Jo wants to enter Dog in a contest to make a commercial for Tailwagger Dog Food. The winner also receives a $500 cash award. Kate tries to discourage Betty Jo because Dog doesn't have a chance against purebreds. The girls are thrilled when they receive a letter telling them that Dog is one of the five finalists. The letter also says that Mr. Talbot with the dog food company will be coming by to see Dog. What they don't know is that Henry Brewster, the local photo-finisher, who sent in both his and the Bradleys' entries, got the pictures interchanged. This means that Mr. Talbot was really naming Henry's collie one of the five finalists. But after meeting Dog, Mr. Talbot has an idea for a whole series of other commercials. He would like to use Dog and the entire family. Uncle Joe's meddling may ruin everything and Dog may have a say in how things go.

My Dog the Actor

Uncle Joe shocks Kate by bringing home a buffalo! Kate tells him to take it back, but all sales were final. It's part of his scheme to dupe wealthy British sportsman Lord Harold Faversham into coming to "Shady Rest Hunting Lodge" to hunt wild buffalo. But, the buffalo is far from wild and the girls want to keep him as a pet. Another problem arises when Joe spooks the buffalo, who runs off, leaving Lord Faversham nothing to hunt for. Joe stalls Faversham for three days. The Lord is growing tired of Joe and threatens to sue, while the girl try to protect their new pet. Kate comes up with a way for Faversham to have all the hunting he wants.

The Great Buffalo Hunt

The girls are trying to learn some Japanese to make Betty Jo's Japanese pen pal, Nobuko Takamura, feel at home for her visit. Nobuko has come to the US to attend college to improve her English so that she can teach it back in Japan. She would also like to learn American customs. Nobuko tells Joe that in Japan, the women do the yard work. Joe gets Nobuko to do his chores until Kate puts a stop to it. On a picnic, Nobuko can't help but serve Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo's boyfriends. Kate tells Nobuko that the men should be the ones helping the women. Nobuko catches on to that custom quite quickly.

Betty Jo's Pen Pal

Billie Jo is upset that the Cannonball is late and she believes it has outlived its usefulness. Meanwhile, Homer Bedloe, the Hooterville Cannonball's arch-enemy, has been having terrible nightmares about the train. To get rid of them, his psychiatrist Dr. Leonard suggests that he "learn to love" the Cannonball. The Cannonball has been encountering some broken tracks. Kate decides to let the C&FW Railroad know. Bedloe writes back that he will fix the tracks. When Bedloe visits the Shadyrest Hotel, he is surprised how friendly everyone is being to him. Everyone except Uncle Joe. But Kate was just gas-lighting Bedloe and didn't really believe the change in him when he said he loved the train. She finds out Bedloe is planning to remove the old damaged tracks instead of replacing them to shut down the Cannonball. Kate comes up with a plan to stop him.

Bedloe's Nightmare

Jack Crandall, who is with H-D-L Food Products, is a passenger on the Cannonball. He is stunned when the train stops just so Charley and Floyd can pick apples for Kate's special recipe: Bachelor Butter. She gives it to the bachelors of the valley as a thank you for all they do for her over the course of the year. Jack Crandall tastes the butter and really likes it. He brings a couple jars back to his company to see if he can produce it for sale. Jack sends Kate a letter stating he wants to buy the recipe for H-D-L and will pay her $250. He will pay her another $250 after she shows him how to make it in their laboratory kitchen. At the test kitchen, Mr. Stevens and Mr. Kimberly are having a hard time translating Kate's measuring process into a precise recipe. When the apple butter doesn't turn out right, Kate has all her equipment from home brought to the test kitchen, including her oven. Jack understands when the next batch doesn't turn out either.

Kate's Bachelor Butter

Kate doesn't have anything against Dan, Billie Jo's boyfriend, that is except his mother is Selma Plout, her arch-enemy. Kate and Selma are once again arguing at the Every Other Wednesday Afternoon Discussion Club. Kate doesn't even mind talk of Billie Jo and Dan perhaps getting married. Uncle Joe tells Kate there's a real possibility that the two are going to get married and she might want to think about becoming friends with Selma. Kate makes an attempt to be nice to Selma, but that doesn't work out too well. Rumors are flying and it's starting to look as though Billie Jo and Dan are going to elope. Sam makes a call to Pixley and finds out that Dan got married. Kate and Selma start crying in each others arms. Turns out Dan married Emily Lawrence and Billie Jo was just helping

Mother of the Bride

Kate learns from Sam that the US Army is conducting war games in the area around the Shady Rest. Kate is worried about her three daughters because they are swimming in the water tower and wearing bikinis. Three lost soldiers from the Blue Squad - Hank Benton, Tod Langwell and Stu Howard - come to the Shady Rest after they spot the girls. Kate doesn't mind the GIs and the girls spending time together, as long as someone else is keeping an eye on them. General Patterson of the Green Squad arrives at the Shady Rest and is captured by the three GIs. More and more soldiers come by and they wind up having a large party. Kate manages to get the General to go along with things.

The Lost Patrol

Uncle Joe has formed the Hooterville Volunteer Fire Department Volunteer Band. The band is so bad that it is driving paying guests away from the hotel. Joe hoped to raise money with the band to form an actual Hooterville Volunteer Fire Department. An upset Joe tells Kate she should come up with a better way to raise the money. After asking for donations only raises $62, Kates decides they need professional help. Kate wants to contact Henry Phillips, who works for a company that manufacture fire equipment, and ask his help. Calling in an outsider irks Uncle Joe and he says he can get all the equipment they need for the $62 they have. Joe winds up buying a bunch of junk. Mr. Phillips arrives and after a plan gone wrong by Joe, Kate finds a way to have Mr. Phillips get them what they need. Another plan of Joe's goes wrong and the Hooterville train station winds up burning down.

Smoke-Eaters

Mr. Richardson is a guest at the hotel. Uncle Joe tells him about the curse of Chester W. Farnsworth, a guest at the hotel fifty years ago. He was a traveling drummer and notorious hotel towel thief. Since then, Chester has been haunting all the hotels that he stole towels from. He has to return them all before he can end up in his final resting place. Joe figures it won't be long before Chester visits the Shady Rest. After Joe tells the story, strange events start to occur. Kate finds out that a bunch of salesmen who were supposed to be guests won't be returning until the curse has been lifted. When more strange things occur, Kate decides to talk to Doc Stuart. He recommends speaking with Dr. Melman, a psychiatrist and an expert is paranormal events. Something happens to make everyone believe that Chester arrived and the curse has been lifted. But did he actually show up?

The Curse of Chester W. Farnsworth

Uncle Joe has been receiving and sending what appears to be love letters. Kate eventually learns that Joe is writing to Mary Alice Perkins. Kate is upset because Mary Alice stood Joe up at the altar several years ago and ran off with his best man, George Perkins. Joe tells Kate that George has passed away. He also admits he never loved anyone but her, and that he has now forgiven her. It seems she is coming to the Shady Rest to marry Joe. When Mary Alice arrives, Kate is put off by her snobbish ways and meddling. Boo Boo Webster, Mary Alice's lawyer, shows up to give the bride away. As the wedding starts, Dog brings Joe a letter that says Mary Alice has run off with Boo Boo. Everyone is kind of relieved, including Joe.

There's No Flame Like an Old Flame

Billie Jo wins a contest at secretarial school and is offered her first job. She will be private secretary to author Oliver Fenton. World traveling Fenton is coming to Hooterville because his next book is based in a small town. He has rented one of the houses in town. Selma tells Kate that Fenton writes "those kind of books". After reading one of Fenton's books, Kate tells Billie Jo that she can't work for him. Uncle Joe tells Kate she has to trust Billie Jo. When Billie Jo meets Fenton, she finds him to be a graying old man. She now knows that her mother's worries are ill-founded. After Kate sends some spies to check on her, Billie Jo decides to have a little fun and test just how much her mother does truly trust her. Kate goes to confront Fenton and realizes Billie Jo was playing games with her.

Billie Jo's First Job

The girls are upset that they don't have a telephone at the hotel. They can't communicate with their friends and are social outcasts. Kate says it would cost $800 for the telephone company to install two miles of line just to get to the hotel. The girls have to get their calls at Drucker's Store and it's starting to disrupt his business. Sam refuses to take any more calls for them. Uncle Joe decides to start his own telephone company. He plans on using the barbed wire fencing surrounding all the local farms as the primary communication lines. He also plans to tap illegally into the Hooterville Telephone Company's line, but Sam doesn't let him. Joe comes up with a really complicated alternative. It's not long before the whole plan falls apart.

A Matter of Communication

Volunteer fire chief Uncle Joe has designed a new nighttime alarm system. When a valley resident sets off a skyrocket in the event of a fire, a volunteer will fire off a cannon. But there soon is opposition to Joe's plan because, even though the canon fires blanks, things still get damaged. A fire breaks out on the Cannonball. Because Joe has all the fire equipment at the Shady Rest, Sam has to call the Crabwell Corners Volunteer Fire Department. Joe challenges Bink Sharfells, Crabwell Corners Fire Chief, to see which volunteer fire department is the best. When none of Hooterville's firefighters want to accept the challenge, it looks like Joe will lose by default. Kate and the girls offer to help. The contest winds up a tie. Joe suggests a game of checkers to break the tie. Bink loses the game to Dog.

Kate Bradley, Girl Volunteer

Convicts Barney Dawson and Max James have escaped from the state penitentiary. Meanwhile, Uncle Joe, a member of the CIA (Criminal Investigators' Alliance), accuses Sam of running a lax and inefficient post office. Joe believes that if Sam posted photos of some criminals, he could capture them for the reward money. Sgt. Horton from the state police comes by and tells them about Barney and Max being in the area. Joe asks if there's any reward for them and he is told no. Later that evening, Barney and Max show up at the hotel. Because of Dog, Sam and Sgt. Horton arrive and the convicts are caught.

Hooterville Crime Wave

The Cannonball has temporarily ceased operations. The reason is a bird has built a nest on top of the smokestack and has laid five eggs. Charley and Floyd refuse to move the train until the eggs have hatched. They figure it will be two weeks before they hatch. When Homer Bedloe hears of this news, he is all in support of what Charley and Floyd are doing, he even puts an article in the paper about it. But he has a reason why he wants to help the birds: If the train doesn't run for two weeks, he can shut it down permanently. Homer shows up at the hotel and Kate is suspicious of his motives. Billie Jo and Betty Jo overhear Homer's plan and tell Kate. Kate comes up with a plan to save both the Cannonball and the birds.

For the Birds

O'Donnel's, a new supermarket, has just opened in Pixley. Sam hasn't had a customer since it opened. Even Uncle Joe goes to O'Donnel's to check it out. While there, Joe manages to annoy Mr. O'Donnel. Kate and the girls are still loyal customers of Sam's. Sam starts to have anxiety attacks and doesn't recognize Kate and Betty Joe. Kate and Doc Stuart convince Sam to take a two week vacation. Kate and the girls agree to look after the store for him. They decide to reorganize the store. Kate briefly leaves Joe in charge of the store and he puts in an overly large grocery order. This could cause irreparable damage to both the store's financial health and Sam and Kate's sanity.

Modern Merchandising

The Governor announces that he will make a grassroots tour of the state. Uncle Joe is excited by the news, but no one else seems to care. The Governor has not announced his itinerary, but he is welcoming invitations from interested communities. Joe hopes to be able to advertise that the Governor slept at the Shady Rest. Joe says he sent an invitation and believes that the Governor is coming to Hooterville. Joe has a hard time organizing a welcoming as everyone is still not that excited. When the Cannonball arrives, there is no Governor. Turns out Joe forgot to mail the invite

Visit From the Governor

Uncle Joe sees some surveyors down by the railroad tracks next to the hotel. He mistakenly believes that a new road is going to be built there. Kate learns from surveyor Ralph Craig that the last survey done twenty-five years ago was incorrect. The new survey shows that the border between Hooterville County and Pixley County runs right through the Shady Rest. Joe and Kate find out there's money to be made from curiosity seekers. Mr. Travis, from the Pixley License Division, tells Kate there's a lot of red tape in operating a business in two counties. Licenses and fees required could cost her in the thousands. Mr. Lindley, from the Health Dept., also finds costly problems. Mr. Dixon, from the Pixley Building Dept., finds more issues. Kate comes up with a permanent solution with the help of the Cannonball.

A Borderline Story

Uncle Joe mentions investing in the stock market and Kate reminds him about the bad stock he had her invest in once before. Meanwhile, the hot water heater in the hotel springs a leak. They'll need to buy a new one. Joe suggests selling stock in the Shady Rest Hotel Corporation to pay for it. Sam is willing to sell Kate a heater at cost for $97.50. Kate doesn't have that much. She also gets turned down for a loan at the Pixley Bank. Joe sells stock to Sam, Charley and Floyd to cover the cost of the water heater. They do this because they know Kate wouldn't accept a loan from them. Kate is not happy and still considers it charity. She comes up with a plan to teach Joe a lesson. Mr. Guerney, from the bank, brings Kate some good news.

The Shady Rest Hotel Corporation

Crabwell Corners is suing the Town of Hooterville for possession of a Spanish-American War cannon. Crabwell Corners feels it is rightly theirs. Meanwhile, Tad Winslow of Crabwell Corners challenges his lazy dog, a blood hound named Speedy, against Betty Jo's dog in an obedience contest. If Tad wins, Betty Jo has to get Billie Jo to go with him to the upcoming Pioneer Dance. Betty Jo finds out that Billie Jo already has a date with her steady, Henry Brewster. Kate and Uncle Joe want to speak to the Winslows to call off the bet. But things intensify, with now the winner getting either the Crabwell Corners' fire engine or the Spanish-American War cannon. To make matters worse, Kate and Joe find out that Speedy isn't Tad's dog after all. Tad has a well trained German Shepherd. The day of the contest arrives. The score is close, but Dog pulls a trick of his own and wins.

A Tale of Two Dogs

Kate's spring cleaning coincides with the US Air Force doing maneuvers over the valley. Part of those maneuvers includes testing out a new high powered camera. It looks like an ordinary black box with wires coming out of it and is set to explode twelve hours after any unauthorized removal from the plane. Colonel Millbank, who is flying the aircraft, accidentally loses the camera. It winds up landing on the Shady Rest property. Joe finds it and thinking it might be valuable, brings to the hotel. But as often as Kate and the girls try to get rid of it, Dog keeps bringing it back. General Elmer Loomis and Millbank make it to Hooterville. With little time to spare, they get to the hotel and start searching for the box. Dog brings them the box with no time left. However, the box winds up being a dud and doesn't explode

The Black Box

Kate has a lot of outstanding debts, plus she hasn't made a mortgage payment in six months. Mr. Guerney, the President of the Pixley Bank, informs her that there is a new majority shareholder of the bank. Because of this, she has two weeks to pay $138 on her mortgage or the bank will have to foreclose. Mr. Guerney didn't tell Kate that the majority shareholder is Homer Bedloe, who hopes to ruin Kate. The girls say they will get part time jobs to help raise the money. Kate gets a job as a short order cook, but she doesn't last long at it. Kate and the girls do come up with the amount needed, but some of it's in I.O.U.s. Bedloe says that isn't good enough and still wants to foreclose. Mr. Guerney comes up with a way to give Kate a little more time.

Bedloe's Most Fiendish Scheme

In this second half of a two-part story, Homer Bedloe has controlling interest in the Pixley Bank and has fired its President, Mr. Guerney. He has decided not only to foreclose on Kate's mortgage, but foreclose on all the bad mortgages in the valley. That will make the Cannonball's services useless. The Shady Rest is going to host a Monte Carlo night as a modest fundraiser. Whoever wins the most fake money by the end of the evening wins the secret grand prize. Betty Jo's friend Willie gets vibrations off of the roulette wheel and can guess the number every spin. Uncle Joe wants send Willie to Vegas to win enough money to solve all their problems. With Willie's help, Kate comes up with a plan to save the valley and get rid of Bedloe.

Bedloe Gets His Comeuppance

Because they don't have one, Uncle Joe wants to be named the Mayor of Hooterville. And as mayor, he would get an all expenses paid trip to the state capitol for the state's mayors' convention, and a free haircut. Sam, Charley and Floyd think that having a mayor isn't such a bad idea, but the person should be elected. They and the girls convince Kate to run, even though she really doesn't want to. When Joe learns Kate is running, he decides to move out of the Hotel. Selma Plout will do anything she can to make sure Kate doesn't win. She even becomes Joe's campaign manager. Selma also has another reason to help Joe, she would like to be the mayor's wife. Kate comes up with a plan to get both her and Joe off the hook.

The Mayor of Hooterville

Lately, bad things have been happening to people whenever Uncle Joe is around. He is now getting the reputation of being a jinx. Joe is initially upset by all the talk of him being a jinx. But then he decides to offer his services as a jinx for a fee. Sam hires Joe to jinx Crabwell Corners so they don't get the new box factory, and it instead comes to Hooterville. As hard as Joe tries, that factory still winds up going to Crabwell Corners. Kate says that proves that Joe is not a jinx. But, could there be another jinx at the Shady Rest?

Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Jinx?

Hinky Mittenfloss, the new dog catcher, is constantly trying to catch Dog. Hinky now believes that Dog killed three of Luther Craig's chickens. He takes Dog to the County Dog Pound where he will eventually be put down. Kate, Betty Jo and Uncle Joe consult with lawyer Melvin Randall. Melvin thinks that Kate is more than capable of handling the case before a judge. Though hesitant at first, Judge Murdock allows the case to proceed. With the help of a cat, Arnold the pig and Dog, Kate almost wins the case. But Dog grabbing Joe's chicken sandwich seals his fate. That is until Betty Jo wakes up from her dream.

The Chicken Killer

Music Professor Lieberschmit recommends that would-be singer Bobbie Jo go to New York City for three months to take singing lessons. Kate barely manages to borrow $300 for Bobbie Jo's trip from Mr. Guerney at the bank. Billie Jo announces that her secretarial school is giving her a chance for a secretarial job at a Hollywood studio. Along with the job there is also the possibility of a screen test. Kate is able to get an extra $100 from Mr. Gurney. Then Betty Jo announces that she has received a Phys-Ed scholarship at a school in New Hampshire. Kate figures that only one girl can go and now has to decide which one. Before Kate can, the girls decide Billie Jo should be the one. Billie Jo says she has fallen for a boy and that Bobbie Jo should go. Bobbie Jo says it will cost too much in New York and that Betty Jo should go. Betty Jo says she found out it's an all girl school and doesn't want to go.

Why Girls Leave Home

Fed up with chopping wood for Kate's old wood-burner, Uncle Joe tries to convince Kate to buy a new electric stove. Joe tells Kate that people have stopped coming to the hotel because the old stove is ruining her cooking. Joe writes to New York food critic Lucius J. Penrose and asks him to come to the hotel to taste Kate's cooking. With a new oven and Penrose's stamp of approval, the hotel could be famous. Joe sabotages the old stove and then tells Kate he has already ordered the new one. The new stove shows up, but it has to be put together. Penrose arrives and is not impressed with the new oven. He says that the only reason he agreed to come was to get a meal cooked on an old fashioned wood burning stove. Kate winds up cooking the meal in the Cannonball's wood burner.

There's No Stove Like an Old Stove

Betty Jo is giving up baseball to devote her life to science. The family finds out that she has a crush on Roland Barrett, her new science teacher. Dog brings home a large animal bone which Betty Jo takes to Roland. Roland is very interested in the bone and would like to find out where Dog got it from. Dog brings home more and more bones and Roland believes they could be from a brontosaurus. The family starts to believe the bones are buried below the hotel. Kate is not thrilled when they start digging a hole in the lobby floor. Clarence McGill, curator for the Pixley museum, comes to the Shady Rest. It seems the museum has been closed for repairs. Clarence caught Dog sneaking in and stealing the bones from the baby brontosaurus skeleton.

The Brontosaurus Caper

Uncle Joe gets his friends Sam, Charley and Floyd to invest $15 in his latest get rich quick scheme. Kate makes him give back the money, and also makes him promise no more schemes. Joe runs into his simpleminded friend Hector. Hector tells him that his hair has been growing like crazy since he started drinking his goat's milk. Joe buys the goat and hopes to get rich selling the goat milk to bald men. Despite his promise to Kate, Joe tells her about selling the goat milk as a baldness cure. Kate comes up with a plan to try and teach Joe a lesson and she gets Sam and Floyd to help her.

The Hairbrained Scheme

Their latest traveling salesman guest sneaks out of the hotel without paying his bill. Kate and Uncle Joe find a guidebook for traveling salesmen listing certain hotels that can be scammed. Joe's name is mentioned as an easy mark. Harry Harmon, the owner of a traveling circus, has a similar guidebook. He plans to con Joe into letting the flat-broke circus troupe take up lodging at Shady Rest. Harry claims he'll pay for 5 rooms and then he sneaks in the rest of his performers. Kate becomes suspicious when she thinks she sees people that haven't registered, more food is being consumed than should be, and she hasn't seen any money yet. Kate finds Harry's guidebook and, realizing that she has been taken, kicks everyone out.

Note: This episode is the last one to be filmed in black-and-white and the last one where Jeannine Riley plays Billie Jo and Pat Woodell plays Bobbie Jo.

There's No Business With Show Business

Sam has added an advice column called Dear Minerva to the newspaper, and Sam is Minerva. Kate thinks that the column should be written by a woman. Sam convinces Kate to be Minerva as long as no one knows it's her. Kate has a hard time writing the column in the hotel without anyone finding out. The column becomes a big hit, but writing it and taking care of things at the hotel takes its toll on Kate. Sam gets a call from a large newspaper that wants to syndicate the Dear Minerva column. He writes a note about it to Kate. The girls intercept the note and, misunderstanding what Sam wrote, they believe Sam and Kate are in love. They write to Minerva and ask her advice. "Minerva" eases the girls concerns and announces that this is her last column.

Dear Minerva

Oliver Wendell Douglas and Lisa Douglas are staying overnight at the hotel. They are moving into their newly purchased farmhouse, the run down Haney place. When Joe finds out that Oliver is a lawyer, he wants to ask him how to get out of jury duty. Oliver inadvertently gives Joe an idea and Joe gets Kate to take his place. Joe finds out that he won a television set in a raffle, but he has to claim it by noon tomorrow. At first Joe can't find the ticket, then he remembers it's in the suitcase that Kate took to Pixley. As hard as he tries, Joe can't get a message to a sequestered Kate. Kate does come home in time, but something else prevents Joe from claiming his prize.

The Baffling Raffle

Betty Jo and Bobbie Jo and a group of friends are trying to plan a fund-raising stage production to buy some playground equipment for the kids. Because of casting problems, Betty Jo comes up with an idea: rewrite the play for an all canine cast with Dog in the lead. Lawyer Arthur Bronson arrives at the hotel. He informs them that a former guest of the hotel, Mr. Kroger, who has just passed away, has left $200 to Dog. Dog is generous to his friends, and wants to buy them things. But Dog is letting the money and fame go to his head. Dog learns the hard way that fame and wealth can be fleeting, and that keeping to commitments is more important.

The Dog Turns Playboy

Bobbie Jo is entering an upcoming spelling bee, but it may be a losing battle against stuck up but excellent speller Henrietta Watson. Cora Watson, Henrietta's equally stuck up mother, protests Sam's appointment as judge since she feels he will be biased in favor of Bobbie Jo. As such, Oliver Douglas, is appointed the new judge. Bobbie Jo doesn't have the confidence to win, until she finds a scarab ring. Now it seems she is flooded with good luck. Slowly, the family begins to believe in the power of the ring when they too get what they want when wearing it. Uncle Joe loses the ring and buys another one. After winning the spelling bee, Bobbie Jo realizes it wasn't because of the ring.

The Good Luck Ring

Because Uncle Joe is supposed to paint the Hotel, he gets the idea that he can go into business as a general contractor. He finds out that the wealthy Douglases are looking for a contractor to help fix up the "Green Acres" farmhouse. He does get Mrs. Douglas to hire him. Although Joe knows nothing about construction work, he tries to juggle the hotel and the Douglas jobs. Joe also finds that he may be scheming rich, but cash poor. He needs to find some additional capital to get both jobs going. Uncle Joe's scheming affects Kate in unexpected ways, so she comes up with a plan to set Uncle Joe straight.

Joe Carson, General Contractor

Bobbie Jo has been nominated for membership into Hooterville High's only sorority. She is worried as she knows many girls who were nominated but didn't pass the initiation. The head of the sorority, Henrietta Watson doesn't want Bobbie Jo in the sorority. She devises what she believes is an impossible initiation task for Bobbie Jo. Bobbie Jo must get a date with the school's star athlete, Stonewall Jackson, who seems only interested in sports and not girls. Bobbie Jo enlists Betty Jo to teach her some things about sports. Thanks to Betty Jo, Bobbie Jo gets the date and her membership. Bobbie Jo also has a way to get back at Henrietta for the difficult initiation task.

Bobbie Jo's Sorority

Uncle Joe answers the ad of Dr. Mathew Bailey. Dr. Bailey is looking for office space in return for free medical service. Kate doesn't think it's a good idea, especially with everyone in Hooterville going to see Doc Stuart. But once the girls get a look at the young and handsome Dr. Bailey, there is no way they're going to let Kate let him get away. So they open up an office for Dr. Bailey adjacent to the hotel lobby. But Kate is right, there is no business for Dr. Bailey as many locals see him as too young and inexperienced. The girls and Uncle Joe go on a marketing spree to round up patients, to no avail. Doc Stuart unwittingly gives Kate an idea to boost Doc Bailey's clientèle. Kate's plan takes an unexpected turn. Elsie Baker appears as a townswoman.

A Doctor in the House

The Every Other Wednesday Afternoon Discussion Club, with its new member Lisa Douglas, is planning on holding a square dance as a high school benefit. The Bradley girls decide to try and get King Ring a Ding, the big rock 'n' roll star, to perform at the benefit instead. Who shows up unexpectedly at the hotel instead is Herbie Willits, who used to live in Hooterville and who Kate encouraged to become a singer. Kate wants Herbie to sing at the benefit. What Kate and girls don't realize is that Herbie is King Ring a Ding. When Herbie hears that no tickets have been sold mainly because he's the "headliner", he comes up with a plan. Uncle Joe has his own plan, not realizing what Herbie's plans actually are, and in the process almost ruins the benefit.

Hooterville A-Go-Go

Boxer Kid Dynamite is offering $100 to anyone who can stay in the ring with him for three rounds without going down. Uncle Joe is trying to find a fighter who he can train, while keeping the majority of the prize money as a training fee. He thinks he's found that person in Herman Crawley, the strong as an ox but not too bright plumber Kate hires. Joe sets up a makeshift boxing ring at the hotel to train Herman, which doesn't sit too well with Kate. When Joe meets Kid Dynamite and his brazen manager mother Mrs. Hogan, Joe thinks there's no way Herman can lose. So Joe makes a $500 versus the hotel side wager with Mrs. Hogan on the outcome. What Uncle Joe doesn't realize is that Herman has a particular weakness. Uncle Joe has to protect Herman's weakness and find out and exploit the Kid's weakness. Even though Herman prevails, the fight is not as profitable as it should have been.

Hooterville Hurricane

Mrs. Douglas asks an excited Betty Jo to accompany her on a week long trip to New York City as her guest. After an initial hesitation, Kate allows Betty Jo to go. When Betty Jo returns to Hooterville she's a changed person, putting on airs and believing country life is beneath her. Kate initially believes Mrs. Douglas is to blame for Betty Jo's new snooty attitude, but quickly realizes that she isn't. Kate does get some help from Mrs. Douglas for an upcoming visit by Gregory Tremayne, a young gentleman Betty Jo met in New York. Gregory's visit ultimately shows Betty Jo where her heart lies.

Betty Jo Goes to New York

Homer Bedloe, arch-enemy of the Hooterville Cannonball, returns in abject disgrace and poverty to Hooterville Valley. He has been replaced by Wilbur Goodfellow, who supposedly is the exact opposite of Bedloe in every way. Bedloe is looking for somewhere to stay, at least for a little while. Goodfellow arrives to inspect the spur line and the Cannonball. After his inspection, Goodfellow plans to make major investments into the line. He plans to send the Cannonball in for a refit and to loan a new locomotive as a temporary replacement. Everyone is excited by all this news. After Kate goes to the cinema in Pixley, she discovers the whole thing is a scam and that Bedloe and Goodfellow are working together.

Bedloe's Successor

One of Kate Bradley's old swains named Ralph Denton sends a telegram stating that he is coming by the hotel for a few days. Uncle Joe thinks Kate is acting just a little too nonchalantly, which means she still has feelings for him. Ralph shows up with his overbearing and busybody spinster sister, Mabel. The girls and Uncle Joe do whatever they can to preoccupy Mabel so that Ralph and Kate can have some romantic alone time together. But Joe's spending so much time with Mabel leads to an unintended marriage announcement.

The Crowded Wedding Ring

Joe insults Sam about the way he runs the post office, so Sam lets Joe take over. Joe decides to set up the post office at the hotel's reception desk. Kate tries to persuade Joe to give the post office back to Sam and for Sam to take it back. Joe tries to gather the equipment he needs to run the post office, even if it means confiscating what he needs in the name of the federal government. Customers treat the new post office like it was still in Drucker's Store, wanting to buy groceries. Things start falling apart around Joe and after the Government steps in, the post office is moved back to Sam's store.

Uncle Joe Plays Post Office

It's been a month since there have been any guests at the hotel. But then a Mr. Reynolds checks in. To Kate and the girls, Mr. Reynolds seems like a nice, friendly man, but Uncle Joe doesn't trust him. Mr. Reynolds pays in cash and reserves the entire hotel so he won't be disturbed. Joe hears that the Benton Bank was recently robbed of $3,000 and he's certain Reynolds is the robber. Uncle Joe handcuffs Reynolds to the elevator. Betty Jo hears that the robber has been captured. But before Joe can apologize to Reynolds, he has mysteriously left.

What's a Trajectory?

Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo are entering contests where they are required to send in food can and box top labels. This leaves much of Kate's pantry left with unlabeled cans and boxes. Bobbie Jo manages to win the contest sponsored by Gibney's Old English Tomato Sauce, with first prize being a traditional English butler for one month. Unannounced, their new butler, Faversham, arrives on their doorstep. Kate tries, but she just can't get used to giving up control of the chores around the hotel. Uncle Joe turns the hotel into a bit of old London and puts an add in the paper. He also wants to organize a fox hunt, but things don't turn out as planned.

The Butler Did It

Uncle Joe advertises to hotel guests Billie Jo's services as a stenographer. Mr. Norton, a salesman who wants to write a business letter to Frank Mortimer, hires her. Norton dictates a letter that is harsh and scathing as Mortimer reneged on an order. But Norton decides not to send the letter until he returns to the office. He learns when he returns to the office that Mortimer has come through with his large order and a promise for a future order. Norton can't find the letter. He returns to the Shady Rest to see if he left the letter there. They all learn that Uncle Joe found the letter and mailed it. To get the letter back, Kate has to battle Sam, an absent minded Floyd, Pixley postmaster Foley, and locksmith Tad Fiskee. Kate still can't get it back. But a good hearted Floyd may ultimately come to the rescue.

Better Never Than Late

Gladys Knockleheimer and Bernie McKenzie are holding their wedding reception at the hotel. They are the fifth set of friends of Billie Jo's that have gotten married. Both Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo are excited by the idea of getting married, but Betty Jo is not interested. When Betty Jo catches Gladys' bouquet, she is terrified that she will be next to get married. Kate decides it's time to have a talk with her about the issue. Betty Jo misinterprets her mother's advice and starts going around and asking boys to marry her. Betty Jo then receives gifts from a secret admirer. Kate discovers it was Betty Jo sending gifts to herself because she didn't want to appear to have no one interested in her.

Betty Jo Catches the Bouquet

Billie Jo wants to move out of the hotel and into her own apartment in Pixley. Kate repeatedly says no. Kate finally gives in, but she has to approve of the place and the landlord. She only agreed because she believes there is not an apartment to be found in Pixley. However, Billie Jo finds a place that meets Kate's standards. After a few days, Billie Jo says she loves her independence, even though all the comforts of home are not quite there. But not long after she becomes homesick and finds a way to come back.

Billie Jo's Independence Day

High-schooler Betty Jo is on the verge of breaking up with her latest boyfriend Edward. He believes Betty Jo is intellectually immature. The problem is that she now has no date for Saturday night's basketball game. Betty Jo meets an older college boy named Chuck, who is visiting relatives in Hooterville. Chuck believes Betty Jo is an intellectual Emily Dickinson College girl, which she doesn't correct. In an effort to impress Chuck on their upcoming date, Betty Jo tries to be what she believes a college girl should be. But in the end, she finds she's better off with Edward. Meanwhile, Uncle Joe is collecting loose pieces of string to roll into one really big ball.

Yogurt, Anyone?

It's the start of the new semester at Hooterville High and there are seven new girls and one new boy enrolled. Bobbie Jo takes pity on the new boy, Walter Thorp, as he is the only boy in her home economics class. Bobbie Jo is attracted to the athletic Walter, and wants to make him feel welcome. She and Betty Jo try and get someone to switch classes with Walter, but they have no luck. There is an upcoming home ec class exam, which is to prepare a full dinner for one's imaginary spouse's imaginary boss in twenty minutes. Kate comes up with a way to help Walter get a passing grade.

Only Boy in the Class

The annual county fair is coming soon. Betty Jo picks Everett the pig for Hooterville High's cutest livestock contest. Bobbie Jo will be singing in the talent contest. Uncle Joe hopes to win all the prizes at the baseball throwing booth. Although she wasn't going to enter the cake baking contest again, Kate reconsiders. It seems that Everett only perks up when Bobbie Jo is singing. At the fair, they learn that the livestock contest and the talent contest will be at the same time. Betty Jo figures out how Bobbie Jo can be in two places at the same time. Betty Jo and Bobbie Jo both win their contests, but Uncle Joe manages to ruin it for Kate.

The County Fair

An accident at the county courthouse has blown off the roof of the building. Uncle Joe gets the jury of the current case sequestered at the Shady Rest. But things don't run as smoothly as Joe figured. They have to figure out sleeping assignments for the shortage of rooms. It also seems as though the gluttonous jurors refuse to reach a verdict because they like Kate Bradley's food so much. Then a baby in the hotel complicates things further. Some of the jurors animals invade the hotel. With the Judges help, Kate finds a way to have the jurors leave.

Jury at the Shady Rest

Kate receives a letter from a Mr. Donald Dobble requesting a reservation for two rooms for him and a friend. Mr. Dobble's friend, David Benton, arrives and acts as though Dobble were with him. But Kate sees no one but Mr. Benton. Mr. Benton seems crazy as he sees and talks to an invisible man. Kate believes that Mr. Benton is probably overworked. When no one else seems concerned that they haven't seen Dobble, Kate starts to feel that she is the one going crazy. Kate continually tries to sneak a peak at or speak directly to Mr. Dobble to no avail. The girls start to worry about Kate, especially when they see her talking to no one. Kate asks Benton and Dobble to leave and to not worry about paying their bill. A Mr. Robinson comes by looking for Benton. It seems Benton defrauds hotels into getting free room and board with his invisible man scheme.

The Invisible Mr. Dobble

Kate hopes to have a convention take place at the hotel. But, they are in competition with the Pixley Hotel, which has more modern conveniences. Kate decides to do a face lift of the hotel's rooms, with Uncle Joe doing most of the work. Meanwhile, Kate gets a letter telling her of a property tax increase of $6. She is relieved but Uncle Joe is livid. Joe sends a scathing letter to J.C. Albright, of the tax review board, demanding the taxes be lowered. Albright decides to go to the Shady Rest to handle the problem personally. Uncle Joe makes the hotel look as shabby and run-down as possible to justify the tax decrease. Mr. Forbes, the convention organizer, arrives and Joe mistakes him for J.C. Albright. Mr. Forbes decides against the Shady Rest for the convention. After fixing the hotel up again, J.C. Albright arrives and Joe thinks he's the convention organizer. Despite losing the convention, they do get a refund on their taxes.

It's Not the Principle, It's the Money

The Shady Rest is full with guests, while the Pixley Hotel is just about empty. The Pixley Hotel's unscrupulous owner, Murdock Sneep, suggests to Kate that they merge their businesses. Kate declines as she knows how empty the Pixley Hotel is. An angry Sneep threatens to ruin Kate. He starts with an aggressive advertising campaign. Sneep and Kate then both try to one up the other. But soon both realize this no-holds-barred "hotel war" is costing each of them money and someone else is capitalizing on their feud.

War of the Hotels

The hotel is empty and bills piling up. In order to get some money, Kate suggests Uncle Joe find a paying job. Joe appears to be looking for a job, but he does his best not to get one. Joe takes a break in an empty lot in Pixley with Dog. While there, Dog digs up a tin can full of money. Uncle Joe doesn't tell Kate about the money, but Dog makes him feel guilty. Joe secretly pays off all of Kate's bills. Even though she doesn't know who to thank, Kate is surprised and happy. Uncle Joe learns that the money was probably stolen from the Crabwell Corners Bank. Joe takes what moneys left and returns it to the can. He then finds out that the stolen money was found somewhere else. But before he can get the money back, he hears that someone else's dog dug it up

The Best Seasons of Petticoat Junction

The Best Seasons of Petticoat Junction

Season 6

Season 1

Season 4

Season 7

Season 2

Season 3

Season 5