Diff'rent Strokes: The Social Worker

Diff'rent Strokes: The Social Worker
NBC
November 10, 1978
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Ellen Travolta plays the title character, Ms. Aimsley, who believes that black children belong in black families.  Arnold overhears Mr. Drummond repeating this to Mrs. Garrett and he thinks it's Mr. D's opinion.  At least for a change, there's a reason for a character not talking out the misunderstanding.  (I'm looking at you Soap, as well as of course Three's Company.)  Arnold is 8 and he hasn't known his adoptive father that long.  This episode is about as corny as the pilot, but it does have the advantage of, one, Willis not being the one wet blanket, and two, ten-year-old Coleman already starting to come into his own as perhaps the best preteen comic on late '70s TV.  (You can see Travolta a couple times almost break character in her amusement at his delivery.)

Budd Grossman had written four Gilligan's Island episodes and one for That Girl, while this is his first of two for DS.  Plato is absent, but we learn that she goes to boarding school and comes home on weekends.