Growing Pains

Seasons

1985

6.6

TV-G

The misadventures of a family with a home-business father and a journalist mother.

Episode List

S1 • E1

Unaired Pilot

Jason and Maggie Seaver are raising three kids. So that Maggie can return to work as a newspaper reporter, Jason starts seeing his psychiatric patients at home and becomes the stay-at-home dad with teens Mike, Carol and Ben in tow.

S1 • E1

Pilot

The upwardly mobile, suburban Seaver family experiences some growing pains when Maggie Seaver returns to work as a newspaper reporter, Jason Seaver moves his psychiatric practice into the home, and 15-year-old son Mike asks for more freedom and gets it.

S1 • E2

Springsteen

Mike is mercilessly teased by his friends after he and Jason attend a Bruce Springsteen concert and a TV interviewer captures Jason's overzealous show of affection for his son.

S1 • E3

Jealousy

Late hours and rapt attention to her newspaper work by Maggie convince her husband Jason that she's having an affair with her handsome co-worker.

S1 • E4

Carol's Article

Maggie and Jason face the challenge of parenthood when daughter Carol tries to follow her mother's career as a reporter and sons Mike and Ben start gambling.

S1 • E5

Superdad

Working mother Maggie Seaver begins to feel edged out of her children's lives and excluded from family affairs by none other than husband Jason.

S1 • E6

Mike's Madonna Story

A Madonna-styled teenage seductress wreaks havoc in the Seaver household when she appears at their doorstep in some rather revealing clothing looking for Mike and plotting to make him her next seduction.

S1 • E7

Weekend Fantasy

When Jason and Maggie leave Mike in charge for the weekend while they return to a romantic hide-away they found 15 years ago, they can't stop worrying about their children. Dennis Haysbert guest stars.

S1 • E8

Slice of Life

Mike tries to convince his parents to provide him karate lessons to impress a girl. Ben attempts to get into a world record book, and Maggie and Jason take a compatibility test.

S1 • E9

Carol's Crush

The 23-year-old son of family friends stays with the Seavers and 14-year-old Carol gets a crush on him and mistakenly believes he asked her for a date.

S1 • E10

Dirt Bike

Ben sells his dreams to his sister Carol for a school research project. Mike disobeys his parents and rides a dirt bike, but gets injured in an accident.

S1 • E11

Standardized Test

Jason and Maggie encounter a case of sibling rivalry between Carol and Mike, who's upset over his sister's higher scholastic achievements.

S1 • E12

A Christmas Story

While the Seaver family prepares for Christmas, one of Jason's patients contemplates suicide by jumping down the Seaver chimney.

S1 • E13

The Love Song of M. Aaron Seaver

The Seavers are depending on Mike for the annual bowling tournament against the Koosman Family, but are let down when Mike "Romeo" Seaver finds his "Juliet".

S1 • E14

First Blood

After a fistfight with Ben's hockey coach, Jason is left with the task of explaining that fighting is not the way to get the job done, while Maggie endures the hardship of teaching Mike ballroom dancing.

S1 • E15

Slice of Life II

Jason is ecstatic over the news that wife Maggie may be having another baby. Ben is pleased that brother Mike is his slave for the weekend and Carol is enchanted with Richie's romanticism.

S1 • E16

The Seavers vs. the Cleavers

Jason and Maggie are displeased after being labeled unacceptable parents by prim P.T.A. member June Hinckley.

S1 • E17

Charity Begins at Home

Sibling rivalry in the Seaver household sends Ben soliciting money from the neighbors so he can buy Jason an expensive birthday present.

S1 • E18

Reputation

Mike is accused of cheating in school after receiving the highest grade in the class. Given his reputation as a goofball, can he convince Jason, Maggie or his teacher of his innocence?

S1 • E19

The Anniversary That Never Was

Thanks to their children, Jason and Maggie have a whole day to spend together for their anniversary. But, all their plans end when Maggie is called away on assignment.

S1 • E20

Be a Man

Everyone but Mike goes to visit Maggie's parents. But when they arrive, they discover that they are selling their house. Maggie offers to give the money they need to keep them from selling the house. But her dad is too proud and doesn't want anything from Jason. Mike decides to throw a party but when people whom he didn't invite show up, who in turn invite more people, things get out of hand.