Join or Sign In
Sign in to customize your TV listings
By joining TV Guide, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy.
Soap Season 1 Episodes
Season 1 Episode Guide
25 Episodes 1977 - 1978
Episode 1
Episode #1.1
Tue, Sep 13, 197730 mins
In the pilot of this TV soap opera spoof, we meet the two families of sisters Jessica Tate and May Campbell. Jessica lives in her home with her adulterous husband Chester and doesn't accept anyone's implications of his infidelity. Daughter Eunice is dating a married Senator; her sister Corinne sleeps around. Jessica's dad, the Major, is still in World War II in his mind, and young Billy's discovering girls. Benson the butler thinks they're all crazy. Homemaker Mary has been widowed and is now married to her second husband, Burt. Burt is in construction and he and Mary's son Danny loathe each other. Danny's brother Jodie is gay, which Danny laughs off. Essentially, they all have many secrets with which to deal.
Episode 2
Episode #1.2
Tue, Sep 20, 197730 mins
After her tennis lesson, Jessica lunches with Mary, who mistakes her sister's glow for a face lift. At the office, Claire catches Chester wooing his newest mistress via telephone. Claire threatens to tell Jessica; when that fails to scare Chester, she also threatens to call the SEC. Jodie comes out of Mary's closet wearing one of her outfits and blonde wig. Mary tells Burt that Jodie wears her outfit better. . . and that is not Jodie's big surprise. Burt ran into his long lost son at a sporting goods store; he is coming to dinner that evening to meet the family. Danny has a surprise: the Godfather says he has to kill Burt in order to get out of the Mob. Benson is the only one who has fun when the Campbells gather at the Tate home for dinner. As the epithets and fists fly (and Jessica glows) Benson opens the front door and admits Burt's son, Peter. Jessica and Corinne are both shocked; and Jodie is titillated. Tennis, anyone?
Episode 3
Episode #1.3
Tue, Sep 27, 197730 mins
The families are introduced to Peter Campbell, Burt's son from his first marriage; the Godfather offers Danny a contract to leave the mob, by killing his own stepfather Burt.
Episode 4
Episode #1.4
Tue, Oct 4, 197730 mins
NFL quarterback Dennis Phillips turns out to be Jodie's boyfriend; Danny makes several hilarious attempts on Burt's life while the oblivious victim is happily making a sandwich.
Episode 5
Episode #1.5
Thu, Oct 13, 197730 mins
Corinne reveals her feelings for Catholic priest Father Timothy Flotsky, but still decides to move in with Burt's son Peter; Burt cannot reveal his secret to a sex psychiatrist, who admits to his own troubles from a Playboy bunny.
Episode 6
Episode #1.6
Tue, Oct 25, 197730 mins
Father Tim has to raise his voice in church to drown out Corinne's pleas; Jessica blames Chester for her affair with Peter, as he was the one who bought her a tennis racket for her birthday.
Episode 7
Episode #1.7
Tue, Nov 1, 197730 mins
Chuck and Bob arrive from Hawaii, insulting everyone within earshot; Chester's secretary Claire reveals all to Jessica, who believes only that the poor girl is delusional about having an affair with her husband; on a fishing trip with Danny at a secluded cabin, Burt goes from jubilant to nervous as his stepson reveals his intent to kill him.
Episode 8
Episode #1.8
Tue, Nov 8, 197730 mins
Unable to kill his stepfather Burt, Danny must now hide out from the mob, telling his mother that he's been chosen to work undercover as a spy.
Episode 9
Episode #1.9
Tue, Nov 15, 197730 mins
Awaiting his sex change operation, Jodie befriends an elderly Jew named Barney Gerber, and a pretty nurse who jumps at the chance to 'convert' a homosexual; Burt tells Dr. Medlow how he killed Mary's first husband in self defense, and is assured that it was not premeditated.
Episode 10
Episode #1.10
Tue, Nov 22, 197730 mins
An ecstatic Burt returns home ready to celebrate after six months of celibacy, but a distraught Mary is unable to reciprocate; devastated at losing Dennis to a woman, Jodie swallows 45 pills in a desperate suicide attempt, tearfully slipping away as Barney Gerber displays his joy for life.
Episode 11
Episode #1.11
Tue, Nov 29, 197730 mins
Barney Gerber reassures Burt and Mary that Jodie is doing fine, while Jessica confesses her affair with Peter to her husband Chester, who only feels amusement at her unfaithfulness.
Episode 12
Episode #1.12
Tue, Dec 6, 197730 mins
Jessica delivers an ultimatum to the philandering Chester, and threatens to kill Peter Campbell for lying to her and betraying her daughter Corinne; late that night, while in the shower, Peter is murdered by an unseen assailant.
Episode 13
Episode #1.13
Tue, Dec 13, 197730 mins
After a successful night of marital bliss, Burt and Mary plan to celebrate with a party. Burt goes to Peter's apartment to invite him and he finds him in the shower, stabbed, shot, strangled, suffocated and bludgeoned. After Peter's funeral, Chief of Police Tickler gathers the family. Jessica thinks the whole thing is like a Movie of the Week. The Chief lists the names and motives of the various suspects: Chester, Jessica, Corinne, Benson (because he is black AND the butler), Eunice, The Major, Danny, Jodie, Chuck and Bob, Mary and Burt. Everyone but Billy is suspect. Now, Chester formally learns the identity of his wife's lover. But, did he know it before?
Episode 14
Episode #1.14
Tue, Dec 27, 197730 mins
At their respective dining tables, the Tates and Campbells discuss the murder. The Tates accuse the Campbells and then they accuse each other; the Campbells accuse the Tates and everyone but Mary. Eunice flies with the Congressman and his martini sodden wife; the skies have never been friendlier. The murder makes Billy very popular at school. Chief Tinkler invites himself to roast beef dinner and almost chokes to death. Chief Tinkler eliminates Eunice and Benson as suspects, but says the murderer is still in the house; he makes a startling arrest.
Episode 15
Episode #1.15
Tue, Jan 3, 197830 mins
Corrine's natural mother, formerly the Tates' Swedish maid, travels to Dunn's River to be with her daughter; tiring of running from the mob, Danny winds up in bed with the daughter of mob boss Mr. Lefkowitz.
Episode 16
Episode #1.16
Tue, Jan 10, 197830 mins
Corinne meets her real mother, Ingrid Svenson, for the very first time; still vengeful at the loss of her child, Ingrid has hired a German detective whose abrasive nature rubs Benson the wrong way; and Chief of Police Tinkler gathers enough evidence to arrest Jessica for Peter's murder.
Episode 17
Episode #1.17
Tue, Jan 17, 197830 mins
Chester has to mortgage the house to make Jessica's bail; Burt claims he can make himself invisible.
Episode 18
Episode #1.18
Tue, Jan 24, 197830 mins
Chester enlists on Jessica's behalf E. Ronald Mallu, the most expensive attorney money can buy; Chester's spiteful secretary Claire finally makes good on her threats by turning him in to the SEC.
Episode 19
Episode #1.19
Tue, Feb 7, 197830 mins
E. Ronald Mallu struggles to find good character witnesses for Jessica among her crazy family; Jessica's heartfelt pleas to Corinne are shot down by the bitter Ingrid Svenson, who convinces Corinne that she only did it to prevent her testifying against her mother in court.
Episode 20
Episode #1.20
Tue, Feb 14, 197830 mins
Exhausted by Elaine's affections, Danny is stunned to learn that he must marry her or have his brains blown out; Jodie hides Bob in the refrigerator, only to learn that Chuck cannot carry on a conversation without another identity.
Episode 21
Episode #1.21
Tue, Feb 21, 197830 mins
Jessica's trial begins, with the prosecutor saying such nasty things about her that she threatens not to come back; Jodie meets Carol David, E. Ronald Mallu's assistant, who finds the 'suicidal homosexual' adorable.
Episode 22
Episode #1.22
Tue, Feb 28, 197830 mins
Even the hibachi chef shows surprise at Carol's blunt declaration to Jodie. Burt decides to fly straight into the cuckoo's nest. Billy is missing and Chief Tinkler lets Benson investigate his whereabouts. Mary expresses her concerns to Danny about his marriage to Elaine Lefkowicz; Mary is happy Elaine is not pregnant but thinks Elaine is "awful. " The Major thinks Dunn's River has a new black sheriff. Billy is failing Math but he is grateful not to be in a Glad bag. Benson is the defense lawyer's dream, giving testimony at Jessica's trial, while the prosecutor and Judge Padrillo quietly disintegrate into mistrial madness. Jessica flirts with the jury, whispering her testimony to them. The prosecutor, faced with dismissal, reluctantly announces he will be calling a surprise witness.
Episode 23
Episode #1.23
Tue, Mar 14, 197830 mins
Eunice is cruelly dumped when the wife of her Congressman makes an offer he can't refuse. Burt is missing and the Campbells flock to the cuckoo's nest, where they are mistaken for inmates. Burt tells Mary he killed Johnny Dallas because he cannot live on the subway. Corinne learns Ingrid is screwing with the legal system. Father Timothy finds his mother is unsympathetic about his problem. The Tates puzzle over the identity of the surprise witness. On the stand, Jessica cannot understand why the lawyers keep asking the same questions, over and over. Prosecutor Franklin calls his surprise witness, Mrs. Fine, who can place Jessica in Peter's bathroom on the day of his murder.
Episode 24
Episode #1.24
Tue, Mar 21, 197830 mins
"Dear Abby" gives Mary no frame of reference on how to deal with Burt and she is confused when he comes home. Jodie has morning after concerns when he realizes he enjoyed his night with Carol, but he tells her it will not happen again. Is Jessica the only one able to sleep at the Tate home? Corinne returns home and she is able to sleep, which makes Ingrid crazy. As Judge Morrison. . . oops, Petrillo sleeps, Jessica and her lawyer try to sway the jury. The Major bursts into the courtroom, wanting to take the prosecutor hostage. Jessica asks the jury to deliberate quickly as she cannot stand another day with "this man. " And, the Court takes exception to that statement.
Episode 25
Episode #1.25
Tue, Mar 28, 197830 mins
Charles Lefkowicz meets the Campbells and takes them in stride until he meets "Acey-Deucey," aka Jodie; Charles warns Danny not to run away from his disgusting daughter or he will kill his entire family. Corinne receives Father Tim alone in her bedroom; Tim does not simply want to go steady with Corinne. Carol wants to move in with Jodie but he is worried he will feel like Scarlett O'Hara. Jodie's quarterback returns and wants to reconcile. The Tates await the verdict as Jessica makes waffles and decimates defenseless crossword puzzles. Mallu proclaims his love for his favorite client but Jessica does The Hustle with Mallu and Chester instead. The jury finds Jessica guilty of the murder of Peter Campbell; however, she did not murder him. The murderer is one of these five: Benson, Burt, Chester, Corinne or Jodie.
