Charles In Charge Season 4 Episodes
Season 4 Episode Guide
Episode 1 - No Nukes Is Good NukesOn leave from his ship, Commander Robert Powell visits the family for the first time since Charles has been with them. Concerned about making a good first impression, nevertheless Charles starts off on the wrong foot when he cannot account for Adam and Sarah's whereabouts. He sets out quickly to find them while Jamie covers for him. Adam turns up coated with mud, but Jamie is nowhere to be found. Still trying to impress the commander, Charles sides with him when he tells the family of his frustration when a group of anti-nuclear activists whose protest against his ship almost prevented him from visiting his home. Jamie secretly teases Charles, reminding him that just that morning he had told them of how important protest has been in maintaining freedom and democracy in the United States. When Adam turns on the TV news, Charles finally finds Sarah in the crowd on the screen...being arrested for protesting in front of her father's ship!
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Episode 2 - Ninny and the ProfessorProfessor Flack asks Charles to lead a study group in English Literature and grade the class mid-term papers. Charles gives one student, Muffy, an A for her off-the-wall analysis of Moby Dick, but Prof. Flack, who dislikes her, tells Charles he must change her grade to a D or get kicked out of the department.
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Episode 3 - Dueling PresleysLillian thinks that an Elvis impersonator would attract patrons to the diner. But when the King arrives, the Powell family discovers there is nothing simple about hosting a deceased superstar's double, especially since for security reasons, he will not stay in a hotel. Since Elvis only sleeps during the day, Charles, who has been nominated to share a bedroom with the entertainer, is kept awake all night by his rehearsing. Elvis confides in Charles that his name is really Wendell, and the reason he became Elvis was to avoid getting hurt after the love of his life walked out on him.
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Episode 4 - Adam See, Adam DoWhen Adam is afraid to attend a school dance because he does not know how to act on a date, he decides to take notes secretly when Charles is entertaining his girlfriend Stephanie (Erika Eleniak). After the exchange of a few suave lines, Charles and Stephanie kiss, and Adam, who has been watching from outside the window, is so amazed he loses his balance and falls inside. Furious that they can never get away from the Powell children, Stephanie leaves in a huff. The next day, Charles sends her roses to reconcile. Adam and Heather return from the dance and Adam invites her down to Charles' room to apply what he learned the night before.
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Episode 5 - Yesterday CaféProfessor Krick gives Charles his first student teaching assignment, creating a history test that two of the college's star football players can pass. If they flunk the test, they get kicked off the team, and Charles gets kicked out of college. But rather than giving them a simpler test, Charles is determined to tutor the athletes until they can pass the same test the rest of the class will be taking. In the meantime, Lillian has bought an old diner and turned it into a 50's eatery called "The Yesterday Cafe." Although it looks very authentic, right down to the menus made from actual 50's newspapers, no one shows up for the grand opening, leaving everyone with doubts about the restaurant's succeeding.
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Episode 6 - Fatal ObsessionCharles meets Alex, a beautiful coed, when they both are counselors on a weekend camping trip. After they return to town, Alex relentlessly pursues Charles, even though he repeatedly tells her he already has a girlfriend and is not interested in dating anyone else. When Jamie mentions she is dieting, Alex, who works at a health food store, offers to move into the Powell house to be her personal nutritionist. Alex later approaches Charles with the "good" news, but he asks her to leave. The final straw comes when Charles and his girlfriend, Stephanie, have a double date with Buddy and Stephanie's new friend, who turns out to be none other than Alex.
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Episode 7 - Walter Gets a DodoWhen Professor Bunt goes out of town to interview with his future brother-in-law for a teaching position at Harvard, he puts Charles in charge of entertaining his visiting sister Dodo (guest star Marcia Wallace) for the evening. Because he already has a commitment to Buddy, Charles talks Walter Powell, who never dates, into taking her out. Charles and Buddy return that night only to have Walter and Dodo announce that they are getting married.
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Episode 8 - Ladie's Night OutWhen Charles sees Jamie in ghastly new-wave makeup, he tells her she absolutely cannot go to Club Dread, an after-hours dance club. Sarah sides with Jamie, not because she wants to go, but because she feels a need to protest Charles' making such a dictatorial decision. The two of them are devising a scheme to sneak out for the evening when Adam overhears the conversation and threatens to give away their plan. Jamie promises him a date and a kiss from the prettiest girl in school, and he joins in the plan.
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Episode 9 - Chargin' CharlesWhen Daphne Prentiss, a desirable, wealthy coed at Copeland College, arrives in town, Buddy mentions to Charles that she is available. The next day, Daphne drops by the Yesterday Café diner, and Buddy tells her that Charles owns the diner. Daphne, who is very impressed, asks Charles to take her to dinner that night to a very expensive restaurant. In the meantime, Charles, who has just received his first credit card, lends it to Jamie who then lends it to Sarah and Adam. Of course, Charles does not know that the children charged it to the limit.
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Episode 10 - A Fish Called BuddyWhen Charles is kept after class to correct papers, Buddy volunteers to take Adam to the dentist. But in his typical irresponsible fashion, Buddy forgets. Charles feels let down by his best friend once too often, and decides it is time to end their friendship. The argument is temporarily forgotten when Charles finds out that Buddy has accidentally inhaled an angel fish while cleaning out his aquarium. Lodged in his windpipe, the fish has cut off his oxygen supply, and now Buddy lies unconscious in the hospital.
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Episode 11 - Second BananaLillian is approached by a producer who wants to use her diner for a "Banana Cream" cosmetics commercial because of its 50's-style décor. Charles is asked to handle the financial arrangements with the producer, Veronica Radford, so he invites her to his place, thinking it is a way to combine business with pleasure. That evening, Veronica takes note of both Jamie and Sarah and tells Charles that the sister with the "fresh fifties" look would make the perfect substitute for the model who just backed out of the commercial deal. Charles assumes that she is referring to Jamie and passes along the good news. The next day, Jamie shows up for rehearsal at the diner only to discover that the "fresh fifties" face belongs to Sarah. Director Todd Sterling detects Jamie's disappointment and offers her a dancing banana part.
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Episode 12 - Still At LargeWhen Jamie sprains her ankle, her favorite teacher, Miss Bowman (guest star Sally Struthers), drops by the house with homework so Jamie will not fall behind in school. Just as she is leaving, Buddy arrives to join Charles to watch one of their favorite television programs, "Still At Large." During the show, as photos of criminals wanted by the FBI are flashed on the screen, the two are quite surprised to see a face they recognize. Although the woman in question is identified as Nora Bennington, wanted since the 1970's, Charles and Buddy are convinced that Bennington and Bowman are the same woman.
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Episode 13 - Poetic LicenseCharles secretly admires Luanne Fitzgerald, a fellow student who is the editor of the Copeland College "Poetry Review." The feeling appears to be mutual when she invites him to attend the meeting she is organizing. Buddy quickly accepts on Charles' behalf, but soon Charles finds out that, in order to join the Poetry Society, he has to write an original poem. Convinced that he cannot write a poem, he decides to 'borrow' one of Sarah's poems, only to discover that Adam has used her poetry as papier-mâché to build a dinosaur for a school project. Buddy retrieves the poem from the dinosaur, and Charles promises to help repair it after his poetry reading. Sarah"s poem is a hit with Luanne, who ends up publishing it under Charles" name in the "Poetry Review."
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Episode 14 - Charles Splits, Pt. 1Charles becomes involved with a new girlfriend, Jocelyn, and his outlook on life starts changing. Buddy and Adam are the first to notice the difference when Charles counsels Adam on his response to a neighborhood bully. Typically, Charles would advise a get-tough approach, but this time he tells Adam to extend his hand in friendship. Jamie and Sarah also think Charles' behavior is strange, particularly when he maintains his passive approach after learning that Adam was punched by the bully. So no one seems to think it odd when Charles starts calling himself "Chaz." Jocelyn notices the change in Charles/"Chaz" because while they are on a date, he dumps her for Tiffany, an airhead in a tight skirt.
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Episode 15 - Charles Splits, Pt. 2When "Chaz" brings his new bride Tiffany home to meet the Powell family, they are convinced that there is something drastically wrong with him. Both Lillian and Walter are shocked by the news and concerned about the future of the marriage. Suspecting that there is something physically wrong with Charles, Buddy asks Nurse Bennet to examine him and then look for ways to extricate Charles from the marriage. Meanwhile, Tiffany pays Lillian a surprise visit to inform her that she wants out of the marriage because "Chaz" refuses to let her have a life of her own. Finally, Jamie and Sarah recall that just before Charles became "Chaz" they heard him say "ow" in the laundry room, supporting the theory that he might be suffering from temporary amnesia.
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Episode 16 - Curing the Common CultAfter a week away at tennis camp, Jamie appears to have gone through a complete personality change. The family is amazed at her unusual display of affection. The Powells discover that Jamie and her friend Kimberly have fallen under the spell of Abba-Khan (guest star Charles Nelson Reilly), a guru they met at camp. Buddy, who is familiar with the guru's practices, informs Charles that Abba-Khan is a fraud who attracts young people with his teachings about love so they can give him all their money.
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Episode 17 - Room At the BottomEach of the Powell children has a desired use for the basement that is being remodeled. However, Jamie is convinced that fate stepped in, and she will finally have her own bedroom. Walter Powell points out that the new basement will double as a recreation room and office for their mother. Meanwhile, Charles has his hands full with his nephew Anthony Swensen who takes shortcuts to get duties accomplished. When Adam realizes that his book report on Oliver Twist is due, Anthony obtains a copy of the musical "Oliver!" suggesting Adam write a report from the video cassette. Charles finds Jamie in his bedroom listening to music with Jeff. When he throws Jeff out, Jamie tells Charles that 'fate' doesn't want Charles in their home...and neither does she!
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Episode 18 - Sting of PearlsWalter Powell puts Charles in charge of hiding a pearl necklace from the children's mother until her birthday, but the task becomes more difficult with the arrival of Julie Mercer, the Powell's former babysitter. When Julie upstages Charles several times in front of the Powells, he begins to lose his confidence as caretaker of the household and keeper of the pearls. Buddy mentions that it appears Julie is plotting to get her old job back by making Charles look incompetent.
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Episode 19 - Walter's WarWalter falls in love with Julia Myers, a WW II buff, and invites her over to the Powell home for dinner to impress her with his war memorabilia. Unfortunately, he forgot that he ordered Charles to throw them out when he cleaned the house. To remedy the situation, Walter decides to borrow some replicas from his veteran group, the John Paul Jones Society -- he has an authentic-looking bomb, a Japanese sword and flag delivered to the house. At dinner that night, Charles joins Walter in impressing Julia with the war memorabilia. But after a while, Walter starts to feel guilty about lying and confesses the truth to Julia.
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Episode 20 - The Organization ManCharles buys a digital electronic organizer to put his life in order. It is to tell him what to do, when to do it and is never supposed to fail. Lillian and each of the Powell children make demands on Charles' time. He makes promises to all of them, keeping all of the information stored in the organizer and devising a schedule that supposedly enables him to handle everything that is needed of him. Eventually, Charles takes on more than he can handle and in spite of the organizer, he loses control.
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Episode 21 - Buddy's DaddyCharles moves into Buddy's dorm room for a few days because the Powell's house is being fumigated. When Buddy's father Clarence (guest star Lewis Arquette) arrives with his suitcases, he explains that he has quit his job and wants to visit with his son for a while. Buddy assumes his parents have broken up because they never travel without each other. That night at the diner, Charles counsels Buddy to have a talk with his father, but Buddy confides that he and his father have never been able to communicate.
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Episode 22 - Triple ThreatWhen Jamie and Sarah meet Charles' new girlfriend, Darlene, they are more than perplexed to see that she looks identical to Buddy's new girlfriend, Marlene, whom they met earlier at the diner. Meanwhile, Charles and Buddy are both excited about introducing each other to their new girlfriends and plan a double date for the following night. When Marlene arrives for the date, Sarah, in a panicked effort to get her out of the boys' view, has Marlene wait in the basement. After being told the whereabouts of Marlene, Jamie is stunned to answer the door and find Darlene, Marlene's apparent twin. Despite her own confusion, Jamie has Darlene wait in the kitchen. By coincidence, Charles unknowingly ends up in the basement with Buddy's girl, while Buddy meets Charlesz' new love in the kitchen.
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Episode 23 - Aunt VanessaWhen Jamie is offered the chance to finish high school at the 'Professional Performers School' in New York City, Walter agrees to give his permission if she finds a mature adult female to live with her. Soon after, Charles' Aunt Vanessa from New York City arrives for a visit. Vanessa and Jamie discover they enjoy each others company, so Jamie asks Vanessa to be her guardian in order to finish high school in the city. Aunt Vanessa volunteers immediately. Being a man of honor, Walter has to agree to let Jamie go, but he gives Charles the task of changing Jamie's mind since Charles and his aunt are responsible for Jamie's decision.
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Episode 24 - It's a Blunderful LifeIn addition to growing financial concerns, Charles is worried about the bad habits the Powell kids are picking up from their grandfather Walter Powell. When Charles confronts him, Walter promises to set a better example. That night at the magazine store, Walter refrains from buying a lottery ticket when Charles reminds him of his promise. Instead, the next customer, Jake (Don Most), buys the winning ticket which, much to the dismay of the Powell family, is worth $100,000. Feeling responsible for ruining Walter's chance at striking it rich, Charles dreams of what life for the Powells would be like if he had not interfered.
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Episode 25 - Bad BoyWhen Charles is assigned to tutor Danny Holland, a gifted sixteen year old who has a police record, Walter Powell initially refuses to let them work at the house. He changes his mind when Charles reminds him that it is the poor and underprivileged who need their help the most. Working with Danny, Charles realizes just how gifted the student is, but when he tries to talk seriously about Danny's scholastic future, Danny is not interested at all.
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Episode 26 - Big BangWhen Charles sits down to write an essay for school about growing up, he feels that he does not know much about growing up because his childhood was so 'normal.' While he struggles to get through the assignment, he is repeatedly interrupted by the problems of the Powell children. Sarah is trying to detach herself from her favorite doll, Jamie wants to date a Junior in college, and Adam is trying to get rid of the hiccups. Charles realizes that the Powell children are his best subject source.
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