7.4/10216 votes#1 - Pilot
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 9/20/1984
Single dad Tony Micelli and his street smart young daughter Samantha decide to leave the mean streets of their poor neighbourhood for a chance at a better life in Connecticut. Tony happens upon a job offer as a live-in housekeeper for wealthy business woman Angela Bower and her young son by means of her flirtatious mother Mona. He puts his machismo aside and takes the job for the betterment of his daughter and a new ""family"" is formed.
Director: Bill Persky
Writer: Blake Hunter
7.7/10180 votes#2 - Briefless Encounter
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 9/27/1984
Part of settling into his new home has Tony using Angela's personal bathroom and getting an eyeful when she steps out of the tub. Neither of the two stubborn housemates accept responsibility, and disagree to an extent that Tony's new girlfriend gives him the heave-ho. Mona's advice about role-playing to better understand each other's point of view helps Tony and Angela see that they aren't angry after all.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.4/10158 votes#3 - Angela's First Fight
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 10/23/1984
During a trip to Tony's old neighbourhood to find runaway Samantha, Angela must stand up for Tony who is criticized for being a housekeeper. After proclaiming that fighting is no way to resolve a dispute, Angela ends up in a cat fight with the waitress in Tony's old hangout.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser
7.0/10158 votes#4 - Mona Gets Pinned
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 10/30/1984
Mona meets Jason, the man of her dreams, but she's old enough to be his mother! After much hiding the truth comes out and Angela, who previously stated that age had no part in love, is aghast. It's not until Jason's parents tell Angela that Mona isn't good enough for their son that she stands up for her mother and does an about-face of her opinion.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: N/A
7.2/10140 votes#5 - A Rash Decision
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 11/13/1984
Tony visits Angela at the filming of a soap commercial, and ends up the star of the ad. Soon after, Tony develops an itchy rash that turns out to have been caused by the soap. Angela must then decide if she wants to market a soap whose makers are not completely honest about its potentially harmful side effects
Director: Linda Day
Writer: Prudence Fraser, Robert Sternin
7.4/10135 votes#6 - Dinner For Two
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 11/20/1984
Tony is greatly anticipating his dinner date with a girl in Brooklyn, just as Angela is preparing for a business dinner for two with a client. When Angela's guest cancels at the last minute, Tony reluctantly stays in Connecticut to keep her company, while attempting to keep, but slightly postpone, his date.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10128 votes#7 - Sorority Sister
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 11/27/1984
Angela's sorotory sister from college comes around and takes an interest in Tony.
Director: John Tracy
Writer: N/A
7.3/10128 votes#8 - Truth in Dating
Season 1 Episode 8 - Aired 12/4/1984
At the market, Tony picks up a woman who believes that he is the owner of Angela's house and Jaguar. Meanwhile, Angela accepts a date with a man who believes that she is Rosie, Angela's flighty secretary. Both advise the other that no good relationship can begin based on a lie, and soon both are forced to confront their deceived dates.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: N/A
7.4/10123 votes#9 - Sports Buddies
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 12/11/1984
Angela becomes involved with a gentleman who is quite the sports fanatic. He becomes more interested in hanging out with Tony and talking sports than in spending time with Angela.
Director: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Prudence Fraser, Robert Sternin
7.9/10140 votes#10 - Requiem
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 12/18/1984
Tony is moonlighting to raise extra money, which Mona believes is to take care of a secret girlfriend in Brooklyn. Soon the truth comes out: Tony is still paying rent on his recently deceased father's apartment, so that he and Sam will have a place to go just in case things don't work out in Connecticut.
Director: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Prudence Fraser, Robert Sternin
7.6/10133 votes#11 - Samantha's Growing Up
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 1/8/1985
Forced to confront the fact that Samantha is not a little girl any more, Tony buys her her first brassiere. When it turns out not to be the kind she wanted, Tony enlists Angela's help in buying Samantha new clothes. He is less than thrilled, however, when Samantha comes home looking a bit too grown up. (Note: This episode was originally titled ""Samantha's First Bra"" but was later changed due to censoring problems.)
Director: Linda Day
Writer: N/A
7.4/10132 votes#12 - Paint Your Wagon
Season 1 Episode 12 - Aired 1/15/1985
It's time to paint the Jaguar, and Angela wants the new color to be sandalwood. Tony overrides her decision and has it painted diablo red. When Angela discovers this, she is enraged and forbids him from future decision-making, proclaiming that he is just the maid. He then takes this declaration to the extreme by dressing, speaking, and behaving like a prim and proper butler.
Director: Jim Drake
Writer: N/A
7.3/10118 votes#13 - Protecting the President
Season 1 Episode 13 - Aired 1/22/1985
During a company party at Angela's house, Tony throws out one of her vice-presidents for saying unprofessional things about her.
Director: George Tibbles
Writer: N/A
7.6/10120 votes#14 - Guess Who's Coming Forever?
Season 1 Episode 14 - Aired 1/29/1985
Mona has been evicted from her apartment and begins looking for a new home. She takes Tony's suggestion to convert the loft above Angela's garage into an apartment. Angela is not happy about the new arrangements.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.5/10115 votes#15 - Angela's Ex (1)
Season 1 Episode 15 - Aired 2/5/1985
Angela's ex-husband, Michael, visits so that they can sign the final divorce papers. Instead, they find themselves back together again. With Michael back in the house, there's no longer a need for Tony, who is given two weeks' notice by Michael.
Director: Linda Day
Writer: Prudence Fraser, Robert Sternin
7.8/10119 votes#16 - Angela's Ex (2)
Season 1 Episode 16 - Aired 2/12/1985
While Tony and Samantha live it up at the lavish estate of Tony's new boss, a wealthy older woman, Michael and Angela enjoy their reunion. But the celebration is short-lived, as they are eventually reminded of the professional and personal differences that drove them apart the first time.
Director: Linda Day
Writer: Prudence Fraser, Robert Sternin
8.1/10133 votes#17 - Eye on Angela
Season 1 Episode 17 - Aired 2/19/1985
A local news reporter, Bobbi Barnes, wants to do a story on the daily life of Angela. But when a series of innocent mix-ups leads Tony and Angela to wake up in the same bed, Bobbi's camera crew is waiting in the hall to capture the scene. Bobbi thinks she has a juicy story for her show, but Mona has other ideas.
Director: N/A
Writer: N/A
7.6/10121 votes#18 - Double Date
Season 1 Episode 18 - Aired 2/26/1985
Samantha is looking forward to the upcoming school dance, but Tony spoils her evening by constantly taking pictures of her and her date, working at the dance as a chaperone, and getting caught kissing her teacher in front of the entire class.
Director: Michael Zinberg
Writer: N/A
7.0/10117 votes#19 - Tony's Father-in-Law
Season 1 Episode 19 - Aired 3/5/1985
Nick, Tony's father-in-law, visits. He cannot bring himself to tell everyone that he will soon be imprisoned, so he instead claims that he is dying, then milks the sympathy.
Director: Richard Sakai
Writer: N/A
7.4/10112 votes#20 - Just Like Tony
Season 1 Episode 20 - Aired 3/12/1985
Stories of Tony's rebellious youth are rubbing off on Jonathan, particularly when Jonathan brings home a hubcap stolen from a police car. Angela then decrees that from now on, she is to be consulted on all decisions regarding her son. Not to be completely overruled, Tony decides to handle the situation in his own way.
Director: Asaad Kelada
Writer: N/A
7.6/10111 votes#21 - Keeping Up With Marci
Season 1 Episode 21 - Aired 4/9/1985
Tony fears he can't afford the ski club Samantha wants to join with her friends, but he lets her sign up anyway. When his attempt to economize by cleaning Angela's chimney himself fails, he must go back on his word and tell Samantha she cannot join. Refusing to borrow the money from Angela, Tony soon sells one of his prized possessions to be able to pay for Samantha's ski trip.
Director: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Michael Poryes
8.4/10133 votes#22 - First Kiss
Season 1 Episode 22 - Aired 4/16/1985
Angela comes home from a rowdy birthday party, just as Tony returns home from a police-sponsored demonstration of the effects of alcohol on the mind. Both are in a woozy state, and they end up kissing.
Director: Asaad Kelada
Writer: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser
The Best Episodes of Who's the Boss? Season 1
Every episode of Who's the Boss? Season 1 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Who's the Boss? Season 1!
A former professional baseball player, along with his preteen daughter, moves into New York advertising executive Angela Bower's house to be both a housekeeper and...
Genres:ComedyFamily
Network:ABC
Season 1 Ratings Summary
"Pilot" is the best rated episode of "Who's the Boss?" season 1. It scored 7.4/10 based on 216 votes. Directed by Bill Persky and written by Blake Hunter, it aired on 9/20/1984. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Briefless Encounter".