Head of the Class
Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman) is a struggling New York City actor and director who works as a substitute teacher while awaiting his big break. His current assignment is to "watch over" a class of student prodigies. When he sees them, he sees that Principal Dr. Harold Samuels (William G. Schilling) has more or less shut them out from the rest of the world, so he tries to show them that there's more to life than just studying and winning academic competitions. Samuels doesn't exactly think that he is a positive influence on the students, but when one of the students' parents, who is also on the school board, sees how he got his son to get out of his shell, that he "asked" Samuels to make Moore the permanent teacher. So every week he helps the students with their personal problems, in addition to their academic ones.
- 1986-1991
- 5 seasons
- ABC
- Comedy
- TV-G
Charlie Moore (Howard Hesseman) is a struggling New York City actor and director who works as a substitute teacher while awaiting his big break. His current assignment is to "watch over" a class of student prodigies. When he sees them, he sees that Principal Dr. Harold Samuels (William G. Schilling) has more or less shut them out from the rest of the world, so he tries to show them that there's more to life than just studying and winning academic competitions. Samuels doesn't exactly think that he is a positive influence on the students, but when one of the students' parents, who is also on the school board, sees how he got his son to get out of his shell, that he "asked" Samuels to make Moore the permanent teacher. So every week he helps the students with their personal problems, in addition to their academic ones.
Season 1 Episode Guide
22 Episodes 1986 - 1987
Episode 1
Pilot
Wed, Sep 17, 1986 24 mins
Substitute teacher Charlie Moore incurs the wrath of Principal Samuels when he allows math whiz Arvid Engen to miss a practice session for the Academic Olympics in order to attend a school dance.
Episode 2
Back to the Future
Wed, Sep 24, 1986
The class stages a mock reunion when Charlie expresses displeasure for his own high school reunion.
Episode 3
Charliegate
Wed, Oct 1, 1986
Dennis interviews Charlie for a school paper article.
Episode 4
Love at First Byte
Wed, Oct 22, 1986
Charlie receives love letters in his school mailbox. He suspects one of the girls in the IHP, but, in the end, the joke's on him.
Episode 5
The Outsider
Wed, Oct 29, 1986
Janice is feeling like an outcast in the IHP so she decides to throw a party for the class. After a disastrous start, she learns a lesson in friendship.
Episode 6
Teacher's Teacher
Wed, Nov 5, 1986
The teacher, whom Moore has been filling in for, comes back but says he won't takeover until next week. So Moore decides to make the best of his final week. But the man keeps on popping in while Moore is trying to conduct a class.
Episode 7
Volleyball, Anyone?
Wed, Nov 12, 1986
Mr. Moore feeling that the students to be more active, gets them to play volleyball. Later Arvid challenges some people to a game knowing that they don't stand a chance.
Episode 8
Critical Choices
Wed, Nov 19, 1986
Moore is putting on his own version of Hamlet. He lets the class be the first ones to see it. He then asks them to write their critique of it. At class when he sees them; most of the class pan it.
Episode 9
Cold Turkey
Wed, Nov 26, 1986
Charlie spends Thanksgiving with Dr. Samuels.
Episode 10
You've Got a Friend
Wed, Dec 3, 1986
Arvid Engen does a project with Sarah Nevins and there are feelings developing between them.
Episode 11
As Time Goes By
Wed, Dec 10, 1986
Samuels informs Moore that someone from the School board will be coming to observe the IHP he knows it's a woman and he wants Charlie to charm her. Charlie says no. But when he meets her, it's someone he knows, very well. It's not long that they're together but not long after that their old issues which led to their break up come up again.
Episode 12
The Way We Weren't
Wed, Dec 17, 1986
The class enters an essay contest about the history of NYC, but Mr. Moore thinks they should write about what lead them to NYC for an extra assignment and some suprising family history is unveiled.
Episode 13
Rebel Without a Class
Wed, Jan 7, 1987
Eric takes delight in tormenting another teacher. The man is so frustrated that he turns to Charlie for help.
Episode 14
Ode to Simone
Wed, Jan 14, 1987
Moore tells the students to write a letter to the person who inspired them. And when they get their reply, he has them read the replies in class. Simone wrote to a poet and even included one of her poems. The man died but not after sending his response wherein he says her poem is awful. Upon receiving the letter, she rethinks her desire to be a poet. She, Moore and Eric attend a memorial for the man. And when Moore speaks he mentions that while he liked his poetry, he might not have liked him. And that's when everyone there starts expressing their dislike for him. Eric talks about how he panned Simone's poem. And that's when someone says that he didn't like anyone's poetry. So they ask her to read her poem and they like it. Samuels tells Dennis to knock off his crazy antics.
Episode 15
Past Imperfect
Wed, Jan 21, 1987
Mr. Moore learns the students are taking short cuts like reading abridged versions of books or listening to tapes instead of reading the actual book. He says it's like cheating. He also mentions that he's taking an extremely difficult economics class because he needs it to be an accredited teacher. And when the class tries to prep him by asking him some questions, he's unable to answer so they say he might fail and lose his job. They try to prep him but it's so intense he can't remember what they taught him so they provide him with a cheat sheet. Making him having to decide if he's willing compromise his principles.
Episode 16
A Problem Like Maria
Wed, Jan 28, 1987
When a rival school's team captain asks Maria out, the rest of the IHP students think that it's a tactic to beat them.
Episode 17
The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming!
Wed, Feb 4, 1987
The IHP has an academic competition against some Russians and Samuels looks at them as the enemy while Moore encourages them to see this as an opportunity to make friends. When Jawaharlal gets sick, they hope Eric will fill in but because he doesn't want to be associated with them they send Simone to "talk" to him. He agrees but when Jawaharlal gets better he is not needed until the competition begins.
Episode 18
Valentine's Day
Wed, Feb 11, 1987
It's Valentine's Day, Moore tries to teach his class but all sorts of things arise. Alan and Arvid bicker over a girl. Eric pursues Simone. Darlene and Sarah fight when Sarah decides to bail on plans they have when she meets a guy. And Bernadette thinks Samuels is coming on to her, and Samuels thinking she's hitting on him.
Episode 19
Video Activity
Wed, Feb 18, 1987
Samuels informs the IHP that they've been asked to submit something that can be placed in a time capsule that will be opened a hundred years later. Moore suggests doing a video and they tell Samuels about it and he likes it and puts Alan in charge. And when they're done and view it, it's utterly dull. And Dennis goes wild and wrecks the video. Alan wants to turn him in but Moore tells them that they still have time to make another video. While Alan wants to redo it, the class decides to make one they can be proud of. And they decide not to tell Samuels till it's done. And they hope he likes it.
Episode 20
Privilege
Wed, Feb 25, 1987
After Charlie sets up Arvid at one of the city's top night clubs, he soon becomes very full of himself due to the new lush lifestyle he has gotten used to.
Episode 21
Crimes of the Heart
Wed, Apr 1, 1987
When Sarah's grades go down, Moore is worried. He talks to her and she tells him that her father is not home because his job takes him away for long periods. But when he talks to her father he learns that what she told him about her father is not true. So after talking to her father he thinks he knows what's going on and devises a way for Sarah to open up.
Episode 22
The Secret Life of Arvid Engen
Wed, May 6, 1987
Arvid daydreams about Lori, and it affects his schoolwork.
