Gimme a Break!: Episode Guide
137 episodes of Gimme a Break! were made during the show's 6 seasons. The listing below is the production order (the order the episodes were originally made, and not the original airdate order).
Season 1 (1981-1982) (19 episodes)
1. Katie the Crook (original airdate: 10/29/81)
2. A Good Man is Hard to Find (11/05/81)
3. The Second Time Around (11/21/81)
4. Do or Diet (11/26/81)
5. Mom's Birthday (11/19/81)
6. A Man in Nell's Room (12/03/81)
7. Your Prisoner is Dead (12/10/81)
8. Julie's Rejection (12/17/81)
9. Julie's First Love (1/7/82)
10. Nell's Ex (01/14/82)
11. Katie the Cheat (01/21/82)
12. The Emergency (02/04/82)
13. Nell Goes Home (02/11/82)
14. Samantha Steals a Squad Car (02/18/82)
15. Grandma Fools Around (02/25/82)
16. Hot Muffins (03/11/82)
17. Sam's Affair (03/18/82)
18. The Robbery (03/25/82)
19. An Unmarried Couple (04/04/82)
Season 2 (1982-1983) (22 episodes) 20. Grandpa's Visit (10/23/82)
21. Nell Goes to Jail (10/02/82)
22. Brother Ed and the Hooker (10/09/82)
23. Sam's Imaginary Friend (10/16/82)
24. Sam Faces Death (12/04/82)
25. Take My Baby, Please (10/30/82)
26. Porko's (11/06/82)
27. The Chief's Gay Evening (11/13/82)
28. Katie Steals Julie's Jock (11/27/82)
29. Nell Goes Door to Door (12/11/82)
30. Love Thy Neighbor (12/18/82)
31. Love, Kidney (01/06/83)
32. Glenlawn Street Blues (03/10/83)
33. Julie Smokes (01/13/83)
34. The Centerfold I (01/20/83)
35. The Centerfold II (01/27/83)
36. The Custody Suit (02/10/83)
37. The Return of the Doo-Wop Girls (02/18/83) 38. Eddie Gets Married (02/24/83)
39. Grandpa Robs a Bank (03/03/83)
40. Nell Gets Sick (05/05/83)
41. Nell and the Kid (04/28/83)
Season 3 (1982-1983) (22 episodes) 42. The Way to a Man's Heart (10/13/83)
43. Joey (Part 1) (10/27/83)
44. Katie's Commitment (10/20/83)
45. The Groupie (09/29/83)
46. Joey (Part 2) (11/03/83)
47. Grandpa's Rebellion (12/08/83)
48. The Mayor (11/10/83)
49. Nell's Friend (12/01/83)
50. Herbie (01/05/84)
51. Melissa (11/17/83)
52. James Returns (01/12/84)
53. Samantha's Protest (01/19/84)
54. Kanisky Christmas (12/22/83)
55. Valentine (02/09/84)
56. Flashback (01/26/84)
57. The Big Apple (Part 1) (02/16/84)
58. The Big Apple (Part 2) (02/23/84)
59. Knock Three Times (02/02/84)
60. Katie's College (03/15/84)
61. Class of '84 (05/03/84)
62. Rodeo (03/08/84)
63. The Center (04/19/84)
Season 4 (1984-1985) (25 episodes) 64. Nell's Birthday (10/13/84)
65. Daddy's Little Girl (11/17/84)
66. New Orleans (Part 1) (09/29/84)
67. Joey Goes to New Orleans (Part 2) (10/06/84)
68. Grandpa's Secret Life (10/20/84)
69. Sam's First Love (10/27/84)
70. Who Dunnit? (11/03/84)
71. Breakdance (11/10/84)
72. Baby of the Family (12/08/84)
73. Carl's Delicate Moment (11/24/84)
74. T.V. or Not T.V. (12/15/84)
75. The Answering Machine (01/12/85)
76. Julie's Lie (12/01/84)
77. Spirit of Christmas (12/22/84)
78. Grandpa's Will (01/05/85)
79. The Gift (01/19/85)
80. Alabamy Bound (Part 1) (01/26/85)
81. Alabamy Bound (Part 2) (02/02/85)
82. Earthquake (02/09/85)
83. Monkey See, Monkey Do (03/30/85)
84. The Lookalike (02/16/85)
85. Cat Story (02/23/85) (this episode was shot before a live studio audience and was aired live on the East coast)
86. Police Mamas (or Police Mommas) (03/23/85)
87. Friendship (05/04/85)
88. Julie's Birthday (05/11/85) (this is Dolph Sweet's last episode, he died shortly after the filming of this episode)
Season 5 (1985-1986) (24 episodes) 89. Joey's Train (09/14/85)
90. So Long, Jonathan (10/26/85)
91. Ship of Fools (Part 1) (09/21/85)
92. Ship of Fools (Part 2) (09/28/85)
93. The Man From Zoron (10/05/85)
94. Mama (11/02/85)
95. Addy's Goodbye (10/19/85)
96. Sam's Little Girl (11/09/85)
97. Katie's Apartment (12/07/85)
98. Nell's Gifted Child (11/30/85)
99. Nell's New Car (11/23/85)
100. The Elevator (11/16/85)
101. Snippets (12/14/85)
102. Second Chance (Part 1) (01/04/86)
103. Second Chance (Part 2) (01/11/86)
104. Pride and Prejudice (02/15/86)
105. A Lesson For Nell (02/08/86)
106. Bienvenido, Jonathan (01/18/86)
107. The Gun (02/01/86)
108. Family Reunion (02/22/86)
109. Getting to Know You (03/29/86)
110. Found Money (05/03/86)
111. Katie's Corner (04/05/86)
112. The Purse Snatcher (05/10/86)
Season 6 (1986-1987) (25 episodes) 113. Below Sea Level (Part 1) (10/01/86)
114. Joey Meets Matthew (Part 2) (10/08/86)
115. Nell Goes Back to New York (10/15/86)
116. The Apartment (10/29/86)
117. Sam Goes to College (Part 1) (09/24/86)
118. Sam Goes to College (Part 2) (09/24/86)
119. Someday My Prince... (05/05/87)
120. The Scam (12/03/86)
121. Nell's Secret Admirer (01/07/87)
122. I Love New York (11/05/86)
123. Nell the Boss (11/12/86)
124. Harry the Hamster (11/19/86)
125. Joey the Gambler (11/26/86)
126. Christmas in New York (12/10/86)
127. The Loan (01/14/87)
128. Joey's First Crush (01/28/87)
129. The Window (Part 1) (01/21/87)
130. The Window (Part 2) (01/21/87)
131. Joey's Teacher (02/04/87)
132. Joey's Hero (02/11/87)
133. Joey the Gigolo (early 1987)
134. Parents' Week (Part 1) (02/25/87)
135. Parents' Week (Part 2) (03/04/87)
136. Save the Church (04/28/87)
137. Mama's Date (05/12/87)
Also see the Gimme a Break! Episode Guide at TV.com
Katie is arrested for shoplifting.
The chief tries to improve Nell's love life.
A high-school sweetheart re-enters the chief's life.
Nell and the chief go on a diet.
The girls ignore their late mother's birthday.
The chief objects to Nell's overnight guest.
The chief is forced to shoot a robber.
Julie tries for membership in an exclusive club.
Julie meets the boy of her dreams.
Nell's charming former husband visits.
Katie asks Julie to take an exam for her.
The chief learns Katie is practicing birth control.
Nell's father suffers a heart attack.
Neglected Samantha takes off in her father's car.
Grandpa learns Grandma had an affair 40 years before.
Katie's singing group is offered a job in Hollywood.
Samantha mistakenly believes she is pregnant.
The Kaniskis come home to find burglars at work.
Katie's pregnant friend appears on the doorstep.
Havoc results when Grandpa comes for a visit.
Nell takes on the telephone company.
The chief learns his brother's date was a prostitute.
Samantha won't admit an imaginary friend isn't real.
Samantha is terrified when the chief is injured.
Katie's friend wants to give her baby up for adoption.
Nell learns a secret about her diet group's founder.
The chief learns one of his officers is homosexual.
Julie and Katie clash over a football player.
Nell falls for a get-rich-quick scheme.
Nell takes a neighbor to court over her dog.
The chief learns his brother needs a new kidney.
Samantha spends a day at the police station.
The chief is angry to learn one of the girls smokes.
The chief fires a woman officer who posed nude.
The chief must reinstate the officer he fired.
The girls' aunt challenges the chief for custody.
Nell recounts the formation of the Doo-Wop Girls (with the Pointer Sisters).
Uncle Ed has second thoughts about marriage.
Grandpa is mistaken for a bank robber.
Grandma helps out when Nell is taken ill.
Nell helps a girl caught shoplifting.
Nell is attracted to a man in her diet group.
Nell takes in 6-year-old con artist Joey.
The chief forbids Katie to date an older man.
Julie tries to meet singer Andy Gibb.
Nell wants Joey to be her foster child.
Grandpa objects to moving into the Kanisky house.
The mayor's price for a new squad car is Nell.
Nell's high-school nemesis (Telma Hopkins) returns.
Samantha becomes depressed over the meaning of life.
The date Nell finds for the chief used to be a man.
Nell learns her former husband has remarried.
Samantha protests a historic school's demolition.
Nell wants everyone home for Joey's first Christmas.
Nell gives advice to everyone in the Kanisky household on Valentine's Day, but her advice
turns out all wrong.
Nell recalls how she joined the Kanisky household.
Nell and Addy find trouble in New York.
Nell and Addy become part of a drug bust.
A post hypnotic suggestion causes trouble for Nell.
Katie wants her own boutique. Guest: Whitney Houston
Nell is accused of cheating in night school.
Grandpa becomes ill after taking Joey to a rodeo.
Teens invade the Senior Citizens' Center.
Nell is depressed about turning 33.
A man Nell met has a surprising connection to Addy.
Joey sees his father in New Orleans.
Nell fears she has lost Joey to his father.
A father insists Grandpa marry his daughter.
Samantha's boyfriend takes advantage of her family.
Nell has an odd encounter with singer Ray Parker Jr.
Joey secretly helps Katie raise cash for a boutique.
Nell forbids Samantha to go on a camping trip.
The chief is accused of sexual harassment.
Nell thinks the family watches too much television.
Nell's beau takes a business trip with another woman.
Nell learns Julie lied about her skiing trip.
Addy and Nell spend an early Christmas together.
Consulting a lawyer about a will upsets Grandpa.
Nell is robbed on the way to a gala ceremony.
Nell's sister wants their mother to live with Nell.
Nell considers having her mother live with her.
Nell and a deaf woman become trapped in a basement.
The chief's rigidity causes everyone to move out.
Nell's plans for Sammy Davis Jr. to perform go awry.
Simpson, believed drowned, has left Nell $5,000.
Addy and Nell are deputized when the police fall ill.
Angry at Addy, Nell finds a new best friend.
Julie's 18th birthday brings a big surprise.
Joey's toy train awakens memories of the chief.
Jonathan is asked to go on an archaeological dig.
Nell takes a job with Tony to pay the mortgage.
Nell discovers Tony has wed her teen-age niece.
A man who saved Joey's life claims to be an alien.
Mama Maybelle undergoes a cataract operation.
Nell is furious after she learns Addy lied to her.
Nell tries child psychology on a troubled girl.
Nell discovers Katie is involved with a married man.
Nell overreacts when she learns Joey is gifted.
Nell's purchase of Addy's car causes hostility.
Addy and Nell become stuck in adjoining elevators.
The family recalls past Christmas celebrations.
Nell has a mutiny on her hands when she's unable to book a
concert date for her fledgling rock band. Guest: Gary Collins.
Nell appears on "Hour Magazine".
Rejected job-applicants Nell and Addy claim racism.
Nell sees Grandpa dining with a younger woman.
Jonathan seems changed after returning from Mexico and his archaeological dig.
Joey accidentally shoots Nell with the chief's gun.
Nell deals with her sister's marital woes.
Nell's eligible date does not like children.
Nell urges the family to spend her inheritance.
Katie's romance and business go under together.
An alleged purse-snatching upsets Nell's friends.
Joey's father has a surprise for him.
Tim wants custody of Joey and Matthew.
Nell decides to move to New York City and tries to get Joey back.
Nell tries for a job and rents an apartment.
Samantha may not get her college scholarship. (Part 1)
Nell is left alone when the last girl leaves.
An African prince courts Nell.
A con man steals Maybelle's savings from Nell.
Nell's high-school secret admirer gives her a call. (Joey and Matt perform Johnny B. Goode - Joey
on keys & Matt on baby electric guitar)
Nell begins to regret having moved to New York.
Nell hires Addy as her reading assistant.
Nell accidentally kills the boys' hamster.
Joey is arrested for illegal gambling.
Nell, Addy and the boys have a New York Christmas.
Nell loans Addy $300 to buy a dress.
Joey develops an infatuation for Maggie.
Nell's promotion keeps her away from the boys. (Matthew Lawrence sings Rock & Roll Music
Is The Music For Me)
Nell comes home to stay with the boys.
Joey's teacher sues after falling at Nell's house.
Nell unknowingly donates her blood to a bigot.
Nell matches Joey and her new boss's daughter.
Sam announces she will wed and leave college.
Nell tries to get Eric's book published.
Nell learns her old church is to be demolished.
Nell learns that Mama is dating an old flame.
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