The BEST episodes of Charles in Charge
Every episode of Charles in Charge ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Charles in Charge!
Charles, a college student, moves in with the Powell family as the housekeeper, baby-sitter, and friend to the children. Along with his best friend, Buddy, Charles attempts to manage his life, especially college and girls, as well as tend to the family.
#1 - Charles Splits (2)
Season 4 - Episode 15 - Aired 5/20/1989
Chaz gets married.
#2 - A Date with Enid
Season 1 - Episode 9 - Aired 12/5/1984
Charles has his hands full. It is pouring rain outside and everyone in the Pembroke household is confined to the house. Stan gave everyone assignments, and he is trying very hard to catch up on all those things that get postponed. There is the fireplace that needs cleaning, the bathroom that has to be re caulked. However, all these projects get interrupted when Douglas thinks he has found the love of his life in Enid, Lila's friend. The two young girls are very busy with Enid's beauty treatment. Enid d thinks she needs a great deal of improvements. But these beauty treatments can become sticky, and Charles must lend a helping hand, It is time for Stan to have a man to men talk with his son about the woes of first love and when Enid triumphantly comes down the stairs, Douglas realizes that the "new" Enid is not the girl he has a crush on. In the end, Jason's wish comes true, the entire family goes to Pizza Play land to conclude an activity filled day.
#3 - Snowed In
Season 1 - Episode 17 - Aired 2/6/1985
Mr. and Mrs. Pembroke went to the movies and, on their way out to the car, they realize that in the meantime an incredible blizzard hit the city, leaving them unable to return to their home. There, Charles, the kids plus a bubbling group of Lila's girlfriends are trapped with no food in the refrigerator and no heating. Gwendolyn and Buddy come to Charles' rescue to entertain these starving kids and teenagers with a game of monopoly and some scenes of "Romeo and Juliet" which need to be rehearse for school anyway. But the pleas for spaghetti and other nutritious foods become more and more insistent and nobody knows for certain when their ordeal will end.
#4 - Meet Grandpa
Season 1 - Episode 22 - Aired 4/3/1985
As usual, the Pembroke house is buzzing with activity. Charles and Buddy are trying very hard to find themselves summer jobs and are ecstatic when their summer job applications are accepted by a hotel at a summer resort in Pennsylvania. Jason, in the meantime, is brought home by his parents after undergoing knee surgery. At the hospital all he did was watch soap operas, which now affects his life in a very dramatic way. Douglas is trying to change his image of "skinny kid" by putting on some weight and is eating everything in sight. And, in the middle of all this coming and leaving, Jill's father "drops in" from Alaska, announcing to everyone that he is thinking of retirement, and for some reason he is having a very difficult time recognizing all the children in the Pembroke household.
#5 - Getting In
Season 3 - Episode 16 - Aired 4/9/1988
Charles and Buddy decide to pledge a fraternity, and must put up with a series of humiliating tests and activities during "Hell Week." Just before the final initiation ceremony, one of the frat brothers informs Charles that they will be accepting him but rejecting Buddy, despite Buddy's status as a legacy. Charles must now decide if he wants to join the group or stay loyal to his best friend.
#6 - Runaround Charles
Season 3 - Episode 20 - Aired 5/7/1988
Charles becomes frantic when he makes too many commitments for one evening. Having promised to speak to Sarah's class, chaperon Jamie's birthday party and go out with Julie Fletcher (Courteny Gebhart) , Charles seeks Buddy's help in order to successfully proceed with all three activities. Together, Buddy and Charles strategically schedule the events of the evening, arranging just enough time for everything. As the plan takes form, all seems under control, but shortly the chaos begins. Charles' speech is postponed; Jamie's party starts early, and Julie becomes impatient and curious about why she has to wait with Buddy. The hilarious antics that occur confuse everyone, but Charles finally solves the problems by sending Sarah's class, Jamie's party and Buddy to the pizza parlor, while he and Julie stay home.
#7 - Barbelles
Season 3 - Episode 23 - Aired 5/28/1988
After Charles is devastated at being dumped by his girlfriend, Buddy fixes him up with Beth (Brenda Swanson), a female bodybuilder at his health club. All is bliss until Beth's former boyfriend, Mike (Richard Brose), shows up and tells Charles he'd better leave Beth alone or else. When news of the threat gets around, Buddy and the Powells advise Mike not to hurt Charles. Not wanting to back down from a bully, and yet aware that he and Beth are attracted to each other only because they are both on the rebound, Charles confronts Beth and Mike, explaining his view of the situation and encourages them to get back together. All is resolved. Charles will now get a chance to date that cute girl he met in aerobics class .
#8 - The Case of the Mock-Turtle Mystery
Season 2 - Episode 19 - Aired 5/9/1987
There's an apparent catastrophe in the Powell household and it seems that it's not going to be an easy one to solve. Sarah is the proud parent of Ross, a pet turtle, who until recently, has lived in relative safety in the Powell back yard. But when Sarah goes away on a nature field trip she leaves Adam in charge of Ross. Upon her return, Ross is gone! Sarah assumes the worst, and accuses Adam of turtlecide. Well Adam swears he is innocent and that Ross was alive and well a few hours ago, but no one will believe him. Adam knows he is innocent until proven guilty, and requests a trial with Charles as his attorney. The only problem is Charles is supposed to be leaving with Buddy for Ft. Lauderdale. The ever-loyal Charles, unable to disappoint anyone, decides to postpone his departure and help the hapless Adam. The trial proceeds, with some surprises about the real culprit, and the real fate of Ross the turtle, and in the end
#9 - Twice Upon a Time (2)
Season 2 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/23/1987
In the second of a two part series, Gwendolyn Pierce (Jennifer Runyon) tells Charles she will consider his proposal. A day later she accepts. However, when Charles suggests they announce their engagement, she hesitates, offering lame excuses. As Gwendolyn continues to delay, Charles realizes that she accepted his proposal to escape from parental pressures, and he advises her to return to California and work out her problems.
#10 - Where the Auction Is
Season 3 - Episode 21 - Aired 5/14/1988
Charles is outraged when he learns his mother is hosting a sorority slave auction. Outraged, that is, until he finds out that attractive new transfer student Jeanie (Lorie Griffin) intends to bid for him. At the auction, however, Jeanie is outbid by a gorgeous coed secretly acting as a buying agent for none other than Sarah , Jamie , and Adam . The trio quickly takes advantage of Charles' slave status, claiming he hasn't been doing enough for them. When Lillian remarks that a child who's waited on hand and foot grows into an irresponsible adult, the kids realize they've been too hard on him. Buddy then excitedly announces he's persuaded his owner, Jeanie, to trade, so would Charles please plead with his gorgeous owner to let them trade places?
#11 - Triple Threat
Season 4 - Episode 22 - Aired 10/21/1989
Charles and Buddy go out with identical twins, but they think they are dating the same girl.
#12 - Teacher's Pest
Season 5 - Episode 22 - Aired 9/22/1990
Walter takes a history class that Charles teaches.
#13 - Poetic License
Season 4 - Episode 13 - Aired 5/6/1989
Charles uses one of Sarah's poems to impress a woman, who publishes it in a magazine under Charles' name.
#14 - Five Easy Pizzas
Season 3 - Episode 15 - Aired 4/2/1988
Charles calms Lillian's fears about an upcoming trip out of town, saying that he's more than able to manage the pizza parlor himself, even though she's just hired a new chef, Dine (Vito Scotti). What he doesn't mention is that an important food critic is to pay a visit. On the appointed night Charles rounds up the entire Powell family to fill the parlor and things go well until Buddy, intent on giving Dino "cooking tips", drives the temperamental chef to quit. The supply of pizzas runs low and as Charles tries to guess who is the mysterious "Roving Gourmet," he valiantly hops from table to table trying to save the last slice of good pizza for the critic. When the review comes out, Charles is relieved to learn the critic not only loved the pizza but also enjoyed the Marx Brothers style floor show. The good review even lures Dino back. . .with a raise, of course.
#15 - Bottle Baby
Season 3 - Episode 9 - Aired 2/20/1988
When Buddy receives word that his shy sister Bunny (Mindy Cohn) is arriving for a visit, he pleads with Charles to help entertain her. On arrival, however, she confesses to Buddy that she's in trouble and then disappears for several hours, reappearing as an outgoing "˜party girl." Charles finds Bunny drinking, thus revealing his suspicions to a skeptical Buddy that his sister is an alcoholic. It's only when Bunny "totals" Buddy's car, and nearly seriously injures the children that she finally admits her illness and agrees to seek help.
#16 - The Pickle Plot
Season 3 - Episode 11 - Aired 3/5/1988
Unable to decide on a college major and faced with a tuition increase, is determined to convince his Uncle Joe (John Astin) that he should be made the heir to his business. The promise of a steady income and a beautiful secretary convince Charles to quit school and accept Uncle Joe's job offer, even though the results of his aptitude test reveal he'd excel at anything he'd try. When he breaks the news to Jamie, Sarah, and Adam , Charles realizes that his real love is teaching children and decides to major in education.
#17 - Dear Charles
Season 3 - Episode 10 - Aired 2/27/1988
When Charles asks editor Gayle Landis (Susan Burell) for a job on her newspaper, acting as a fill—in for "‘Dear Amy" is not what he had in mind. But Gayle's persistence (and good -looks) wins him over and Charles agrees to give it a try. The hard part comes when Buddy reads a letter to Charles from a reader who sounds suspiciously like Sarah— and she's having man problems! Charles can't tell Sarah how he read her letter so he gives his advice in his column. Unfortunately, Gayle doesn't think his answer is spicy enough and she changes it considerably, making way for confusion and chaos as Charles and Buddy try desperately to keep the paper out of everyone's hands - when everyone wants to read it now! By the time Charles finds out that the letter-writer was the more mature Jamie, he's already decided journalism and Gayle Landis are not for him.
#18 - Home for the Holidays
Season 1 - Episode 11 - Aired 12/19/1984
It is Christmas Eve and the Pembroke household is buzzing with activity. Grandma Irene, Stan's mother, is expected for her yearly three-week-stay with her grandchildren. Jill is cleaning an already immaculate house and wonders why her mother-in law's visit still upsets her in the same manner it did fifteen years ago! Charles is trying to console Jason who is depressed and sad to see him go. Charles plans to go home for the holidays; he will spend his vacation with his parents in Vermont. The phone rings, and Charles' dad informs him that they are completely snowed in. This news makes Jason suddenly feel much better, but Grandma Irene becomes more and more jealous of Charles. She has a long conversation with her son, Stan, and both explain their feelings to each other. Stan succeeds in helping his mother accept that Jill has her career,
#19 - Isn't That What's Her Face?
Season 2 - Episode 14 - Aired 4/4/1987
A famous young movie star, Darby Peterson (Dawn Merrick) shows up on Charles' doorstep disguised as "Dorothy," a new Copeland College student looking for some orientation advice. She finally reveals who she is to the delighted Charles and asks for his help in keeping her secret so she can go to college in privacy. When Buddy accidentally discovers her identity and is also asked to keep the secret, the stage is set for some male competition. In the meantime, Walter, takes the kids fishing, but not before he catches Charles in the living room in the middle of the night with Darby - then Dorothy. By explaining any of it - and it looks bad - Charles will be breaking his promise. It doesn't help that he discovers the sweet nothings Darby has been telling Buddy sound very familiar.
#20 - Dorm Warnings
Season 3 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/9/1988
When Charles is named Student of the Year, local newspaper reporter Pat Walker (Barbara Rhoades) arrives at the house to interview him. When various family members overhear part of their conversation, they mistakenly conclude that Charles wants to leave the family and live in the college dorm where he would have more fun. Walter, in his typically tactless fashion, tells Charles if he wants to move out, he won't be missed. Charles takes the hint and moves in with Buddy. The fun of constant parties, however, soon wears of f and when Charles learns the kids really didn't want him to leave, he decides to move back with the Powells.
#21 - The Boy Who Loved Women
Season 3 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/21/1988
Confused by the pidgin instructions that came with a new stereo component rack, Charles is frustrated trying to assemble the unit. Meanwhile, a 14 year-old fast talker named Mark (Adam Carl), who's been dating Sarah can't resist asking Jamie out. The girls eventually find out, war is declared, and guess who gets the blame? Though he feels inadequate at fixing things because of his problems with the stereo rack, Charles sets out to repair the rift between the two sisters. His hilarious attempts at getting the two girls and Mark together in the same room at the same time never quite work, yet the girls manage to straighten things out on their own. If that doesn't shock Charles, the stereo rack is finally assembled by Adam and Buddy.
#22 - Ladies' Night Out
Season 4 - Episode 8 - Aired 2/18/1989
Jamie and Sarah want to go to a nightclub
#23 - Fatal Obsession
Season 4 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/4/1989
A woman at camp pursues Charles.
#24 - A Fish Called Buddy
Season 4 - Episode 10 - Aired 3/4/1989
Buddy goes to the hospital right after an argument with Charles.
#25 - Charles Be DeMille
Season 5 - Episode 26 - Aired 11/10/1990
Sarah puts on a show to raise money, and Charles directs while preparing for an interview to get into Princeton.