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Diff'rent Strokes Season 5 Episodes

24 Episodes 1982 - 1983

Episode 1

Shoot-Out at the O.K. Arcade

Sat, Oct 2, 198225 mins

Storyline reads: "In his efforts to help Willis dethrone an arrogant video game champion at the local arcade, Arnold becomes hooked on video games." Storyline should read: "In his efforts to dethrone Willis as an arrogant video game champion at the local arcade, Arnold becomes hooked on video games." There was not another arrogant player.

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Episode 2

In the Swim

Sat, Oct 9, 198225 mins

When 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.

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Episode 3

Cyrano De Jackson

Sat, Oct 16, 198225 mins

Dudley, 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.

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Episode 4

Big Brother

Sat, Oct 23, 198230 mins

Arnold, 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.

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Episode 5

The Peacemaker

Sat, Oct 30, 198230 mins

Willis 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.

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Episode 6

Substitute Teacher

Sat, Nov 6, 198225 mins

Arnold and his classmates gets really upset when a substitute teacher, filling in for Miss Chung, really piles on the homework. When the teacher accidentally strikes Arnold, who is fooling around in class, Arnold and Dudley decide to lie about the incident in hopes of getting him removed.

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Episode 7

The Older Woman

Sat, Nov 13, 198225 mins

Willis obtains a fake ID and dons a fake mustache to get into a nightclub. While at the club, he gets a date with a much older woman and spots Mr. Drummond on date with a much younger woman.

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Episode 8

A Case of Overexposure

Sat, Nov 20, 198225 mins

Arnold's campaign to be elected class president hits a low point when a picture that Kimberly took of him in the shower showing his bare behind is accidentally published in the newspaper.

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Episode 9

Memories

Sat, Nov 27, 198225 mins

A cassette tape, containing a recording of Arnold and Willis' deceased mother, is discovered in a trunk that is returned to the boys. When Drummond innocently plays the tape, it triggers Arnold's deep-seated grief about the loss of his mother.

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Episode 10

Push Comes to Shove

Sat, Dec 4, 198225 mins

When 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.

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Episode 11

The Executives

Sat, Dec 11, 198225 mins

When 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.

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Episode 12

Santa's Helper

Sat, Dec 18, 198225 mins

A man dressed as Santa Claus breaks into the apartment and steals gifts.

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Episode 13

A Growing Problem

Sat, Jan 8, 198325 mins

Fed up with living under Drummond's rules, Willis decides to move into an apartment with a friend whose dependence on alcohol is troubling.

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Episode 14

Parents Have Rights, Too

Sat, Jan 15, 198325 mins

Drummond lies to the kids about not being able to go on a family camping trip so he can spend a night of romance with his tax attorney.

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Episode 15

Independent Woman

Sat, Jan 22, 198325 mins

Kimberly asserts her independence from her father by getting a job at a burger joint.

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Episode 16

The Bicycle Man: Part 1

Sat, Feb 5, 198325 mins

Arnold and Dudley become friends with the owner of a local bicycle shop named Henry, unaware that he is a pedophile looking for his next victim.

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Episode 17

The Bicycle Man: Part 2

Sat, Feb 12, 198325 mins

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.

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Episode 18

Family on Ice

Sat, Feb 19, 198325 mins

Kimberly impresses professional skater Dorothy Hamill with her ice skating, and is taken under her wing. But Kimberly is overwhelmed by the hard work it takes to become a professional skater, and devises a way out.

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Episode 19

Hall Monitor

Sat, Feb 26, 198324 mins

Arnold, realizing that Kathy is struggling to fit in at public school, encourages her to become hall monitor. He quickly realizes that he has created a monster when she begins to take her job too literally.

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Episode 20

The Cricket

Sat, Mar 5, 198325 mins

Arnold becomes attached to a cricket that he believes is bringing him luck. Unfortunately, Drummond and Willis do not share the same warm feelings toward the cricket, which keeps them up at night.

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Episode 21

Roommates

Sat, Mar 12, 198325 mins

With Willis needing a quiet room to study for his SAT tests, Arnold and Drummond agree to become roommates so that Willis can have Drummond's room to himself.

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Episode 22

The Reporter

Sat, Mar 19, 198330 mins

As a reporter for the school newspaper, Arnold learns that drugs are being sold on school grounds. This attracts the concern of First Lady Nancy Reagan, who comes to the school to talk about her anti-drug campaign.

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Diff'rent Strokes, Season 5 Episode 22 image

Episode 23

Romeo and Juliet

Sat, Apr 30, 198325 mins

Arnold is excited about auditioning for the role of Romeo in the school play "Romeo & Juliet" until he finds out that his nemesis, Lisa, got the role of Juliet.

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Episode 24

My Fair Larry

Sat, May 7, 198325 mins

Willis asks Kimberly to help a classmate who lacks sensitivity to try and get a girl at school. However, the plan backfires when he falls in love with Kimberly.

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