Father Knows Best

Season 1

TV-G

The popular radio show comes to life in this hit sitcom about a wise family man, Jim Anderson, his common-sense wife Margaret and their children Betty, Bud and Kathy. Whenever the kids need advice on anything at all, they can always turn to their father, because father knows best.

26 Episodes

Bud Takes Up the Dance
E1
Bud Takes Up the DanceBud asked a girl to go to a dance with him - his first dance, and his first date. He is trying to learn how to dance from a book over 50 years old. When his family finds out, he is embarrassed. His family helps him learn some dance steps.
Lesson in Citizenship
E2
Lesson in CitizenshipJim Anderson, dismayed at his children's laziness, lectures them in the importance of good citizenship and cheerful volunteering. When each of them later heed his advice and try to do their part in the community, their efforts end up complicating his own life in unexpected ways.
The Motor Scooter
E3
The Motor ScooterBetty is afraid she is gaining weight. Jim purchased a motor scooter for Bud, but Margaret does not want him to have it. Jim backs down and sells it. But when Margaret allows Betty to wear a low-cut dress, Jim is against that.
Football Tickets
E4
Football TicketsJim gets tickets to an important football game, and picks one of the kids to go with him—only to be blackmailed by an important client (who wants to go to the game, too) out of one of his tickets. He then tries frantically to find a second one.
Live My Own Life
E5
Live My Own LifeTired of being told what to do by his parents, Bud announces he is moving out. Bud finds a place to stay and enjoys his independence -until he realizes how much work there is to being independent. Bud tries to find a way to move home again.
Grandpa Jim's Rejuvenation
E6
Grandpa Jim's RejuvenationJim gets invited to play badminton with friends and starts to remember (with rose-colored glasses) his youth and college days. He plays the game and finds he is not as good as he used to be. Now, he realizes his best days are behind him.
Bud's Encounter With the Law
E7
Bud's Encounter With the LawBud becomes increasingly paranoid when Kathy (who has a fascination with the new washing machine, and puts everything in there) places a letter addressed to him by the police department in the washing machine, and ruins the letter, so he doesn’t know why he is asked to be there within seven days.
Thanksgiving Day
E8
Thanksgiving DayKathy writes the best poem in the fourth grade on what Thanksgiving means to her, and Jim builds the poem up in his mind to unreasonable expectations for a fourth grader. When he actually finds out what the poem consists of, his hopes for Kathy’s future are deflated and he disparages the poem to Margaret, unwitting that Kathy has overheard.
Second Honeymoon
E9
Second HoneymoonJim and Margaret plan a second honeymoon trip, and decide Betty & Bud are old enough to watch the house and Kathy by themselves. However, they are suspicious when the children are anxious for them to be out of the house.
Typical Father
E10
Typical FatherJim becomes worried that things between Betty and a new male friend of hers are getting too serious.
Margaret Goes Dancing
E11
Margaret Goes DancingJim and Margaret rarely disagree on anything. But when he finds out Margaret signed them up to take dancing lessons, Jim refuses to do so, and ends up defiantly going to his old club, leaving her to take lessons alone.
The Christmas Story
E12
The Christmas StoryJim takes the family into the woods to cut down their own tree, and they become stranded there.
Sparrow in the Window
E13
Sparrow in the WindowKathy finds a injured bird outside one of the windows at home. She brings it in to nurse it back to health. Everyone in the family also helps care for the bird and at the same time, the healing helps themselves.
Boy's Week
E14
Boy's WeekFor a school project, Bud's class is given jobs in the real world. Bud is Traffic Court Judge for the day - the day that Jim gets a ticket. Kathy breaks a neighbor's window for the third time in the month and Jim wants to teach a lesson.
A Friend of Old George's
E15
A Friend of Old George'sIt's Kathy's birthday and she tries to find the cake and presents before the celebration. And then a friend of George's shows up for Jim, who says "any friend of George is a friend of mine". Kathy thinks he is ruining her party.
Bud the Snob
E16
Bud the SnobEveryone at school thinks he is a snob because he does not talk to a lot of people. It is actually because he is terribly shy. Jim talks Bud into hosting a masquerade party at home to show his friends he is not a snob.
The Promised Playhouse
E17
The Promised PlayhouseBud wants Jim to promise to take him to a rodeo, but Jim does not want to promise. Promises gets him into trouble, Once, to get Kathy to take medicine, he promised he would sleep with her in a play house and he reluctantly kept the promise.
Jim the Farmer
E18
Jim the FarmerJim wants to give up his office job in order to move into the country to lead a quiet, and less stressful, life as a farmer. Margaret doesn't think that he means it seriously, but he crosses more lines to fulfill his dream than he ever has before.
Father of the Year
E19
Father of the YearThe local newspaper is hosting a Father of the Year contest. Betty, Bud, and Kathy want to nominate Jim. Jim finds out and is overjoyed that his children want to submit an entry. But the kids cannot think of anything to actually write.
The Mink Coat
E20
The Mink CoatJim calls a family meeting because there has been too much spending recently and they must cut expenses. Just when he tells everyone to save money, Jim gets a deal on a mink coat. He buys it then has to justify his purchase to the kids.
The Matchmaker
E21
The MatchmakerMargaret's cousin Louise is visiting. The Andersons have a dinner party for Louise and her boyfriend Tom. Margaret hopes Tom will propose to Louise. Margaret does everything to make the mood romantic, despite the children's interruptions.
Bud the Bridesmaid
E22
Bud the BridesmaidMargaret's cousin (from the previous episode) is set to wed in the Anderson household, but things go wrong, due to the nervousness of the prospective bride and groom, and the wedding is called off. Poor Bud is reeled in to do a stand-in for the bride at the rehearsal.
Proud Father
E23
Proud FatherJim runs into an acquaintance who brags about his family members and all their achievements. Jim's family does not measure up, so he decides to encourage Betty, Bud, and Kathy to do their best and excel at something.
Father Delivers the Papers
E24
Father Delivers the PapersThe newspaper manager tells Jim that Bud is slacking in his paper delivery route. Bud has every excuse as to why he cannot do it. The manager gives him one more chance. Bud messes up due to minor injuries. Jim finishes the route for Bud.
No Partiality
E25
No PartialityKathy is upset because all she seems to get are hand-me-downs. Jim and Margaret decide to treat her with more equality in privileges. When Betty wants to invite a boy to dinner, Kathy invites a boy first. Turns out it is the same boy.
Close Decision
E26
Close DecisionMargaret worries the entire day over what will become of Bud’s future if he doesn’t develop good character. This is tied in with a baseball game Bud is trying to get to play in.