Diff'rent Strokes

Season 5

TV-PG

The misadventures of suave Park Avenue millionaire Phillip Drummond, his teenage daughter Kimberly, and their current housekeeper Edna Garrett who adopted the two pre-teenage sons of their late African American housekeeper from Harlem.

Where to Watch Season 5

24 Episodes

Shoot-Out at the O.K. Arcade
E1
Shoot-Out at the O.K. ArcadeArnold is determined to defeat brother Willis at his own game and dethrone him as local video game champ, but in doing so Arnold's passion becomes a destructive ""addiction"" that could have serious consequences.
In the Swim
E2
In the SwimWhen Kimberly transfers to public school, she causes Willis embarrassment by insulting the class president and trying out for the boy's swim team. Drummond hires a new housekeeper with an impressive resume.
Cyrano De Jackson
E3
Cyrano De JacksonDudley, too shy to talk to Lisa, his love interest, turns to Arnold to help him woo her with poetry. However when the plan backfires, Arnold finds himself unable to get rid of Lisa, who is in love with him, and unable to talk to Dudley who is mad at him for stealing Lisa.
Big Brother
E4
Big BrotherArnold, feeling sorry for a new boy at school who has no friends, asks Willis to serve as a big brother to him. When Willis begins spending all his time with his "new brother", Arnold feels neglected.
The Peacemaker
E5
The PeacemakerWillis steps in to mediate a feud between rival gangs, which has been intensifying. When the effort fails, Willis finds out his personal safety is in danger, so he decides to buy a gun, a move that could really exacerbate matters.
Substitute Teacher
E6
Substitute TeacherArnold and his buddies fabricate a ""little white lie"" in an attempt to get rid of an overly-conscientious substitute teacher, but their tell tale could result in more than just removing the teacher from the classroom -- it could destroy his entire career.
The Older Woman
E7
The Older WomanA false I.D. and a false bravado create real problems for Willis and a beautiful ""older"" woman when an evening on the town doesn't go quite as he had planned.
A Case of Overexposure (a.k.a.) Overexposure
E8
A Case of Overexposure (a.k.a.) OverexposureArnold must face the bare facts -- his chances of winning a prestigious school election seem desperately slim, thanks to an ""overexposed"" candid campaign photo taken by sister Kimberly.
Memories
E9
MemoriesA long lost trunk returned to the boys contains a tape recording of their deceased mother which brings to the surface a previously unrecognized problem that triggers uncharacteristic behavior from a usually happy-go-lucky Arnold.
Push Comes to Shove
E10
Push Comes to ShoveWhen Arnold is bullied by a kid in the building, Drummond advises him not to resort to violence. However, when Drummond himself is bullied by the kid's father, who happens to be the building manager, he has trouble following his own advice.
The Executives
E11
The ExecutivesWhen Willis hears from a friend that Drummond's company does not hire blacks, he goes in for an interview using a fake name. When he is turned down for the job, he accuses the interviewer of being prejudice and "fires" him.
Santa's Helper
E12
Santa's HelperArnold falls innocent victim to a beguiling street-corner Santa who has an ulterior financial motive for hiring him as a holiday ""helper.""
A Growing Problem
E13
A Growing ProblemAt 16, Willis thinks he's man enough and old enough to ""top"" a few drinks with the guys, but Drummond's objections send Willis storming out of the house intent on proving his father wrong.
Parents Have Rights, Too
E14
Parents Have Rights, TooDrummond's plans for a quiet and private weekend ""alone"" don't quite work out as he had intended, when a storm sends Arnold, Willis and Kimberly home from a camping trip early -- catching him off guard in a compromising situation.
Independent Woman
E15
Independent WomanA new job and a handsome new boss add up to trouble for an innocent Kimberly when her new employer starts displaying a more than casual interest in her -- hoping that his ""special attention"" will help land him a position within Drummond's prestigious company.
The Bicycle Man (1)
E16
The Bicycle Man (1)Unaware that he's being lured into the carefully crafted trap of a child molester, Arnold eagerly agrees to perform a simple task in return for an overly generous reward from a ""friendly"" neighborhood merchant.
The Bicycle Man (2)
E17
The Bicycle Man (2)Drummond and Mr. Ramsey learn the truth about Mr. Horton, the seemingly friendly bicycle shop owner with a very sinister side. It soon becomes a race against time to get details out of Arnold after learning that Dudley is about to become Mr. Horton's latest victim.
Family on Ice
E18
Family on IceKimberly is overjoyed when Olympic Gold Medalist Dorothy Hamill sees great promise in her as a competitive figure skater, but she's even more astounded when Drummond agrees to let her leave the New York ""nest"" to train full time with the award-winning skater -- in Los Angeles.
Hall Monitor
E19
Hall MonitorArnold's good intentions backfire when his efforts to help his handicapped friend Kathy adjust to life in public school cost him the esteem of his classmates and the friendship of pals Dudley and Robbie.
The Cricket
E20
The CricketTo try to curb Arnold's run of bad luck, Drummond gives him a pet cricket, but the Japanese ""good luck charm"" brings nothing but sleepless nights and dreams of ""pesticide"" to the rest of the household.
Roommates
E21
RoommatesThe household's turned upside down when Drummond becomes Arnold's roommate for a week.
The Reporter
E22
The ReporterDetermined to prove he didn't fabricate a story about drug abuse in his grade school just to win a journalism contest, Arnold takes his article to the New York City newspaper sponsoring the competition, and when they run his story on the front page, Arnold receives some unexpected more support from First Lady Nancy Reagan.
Romeo and Juliet
E23
Romeo and JulietArnold's Romeo is steeped in more turmoil than Shakespeare ever intended when he's tricked by his ""best friends"" into playing opposite arch-nemisis Lisa's Juliet.
My Fair Larry (a.k.a.) My Fair Lady
E24
My Fair Larry (a.k.a.) My Fair LadySchool ""thug"" Larry coerces Willis into teaching him how to ""make it"" with girls, but things go from bad to worse when Larry's first target is Willis' sister Kimberly.