Growing Pains

30min

Comedy

Fatherhood has taken on a whole new meaning for Jason Seaver, who has assumed the chores of cooking, cleaning and minding the kids so that his wife, Maggie, can pursue a career in journalism after spending 15 years as a housewife.

Production Companies

Guntzelman-Sullivan-Marshall Productions

Warner Bros. Television

Episodes

Cast

Pilot

1. Pilot

30min

24th Sep 1985

Maggie goes back to work as a journalist, prompting psychologist Jason to move his office into their home so he can keep his eye on the kids. Things don't get off to a great start: the first night he gets a call from the police that Mike has been picked up for illegally driving a car.

Springsteen

2. Springsteen

30min

1st Oct 1985

Jason embarrasses Mike at a Bruce Springsteen concert when they are interviewed together.

Jealousy

3. Jealousy

30min

8th Oct 1985

Jason fumes when Maggie spends long hours on a toxic waste story with handsome co-worker Fred.

Carol's Article

4. Carol's Article

30min

15th Oct 1985

Maggie gives an honest assessment of Carol's writing of an article for her school magazine; Mike and Ben discover track betting.

Superdad!

5. Superdad!

30min

29th Oct 1985

Maggie accuses Jason of monopolizing the children.

Mike's Madonna Story

6. Mike's Madonna Story

30min

5th Nov 1985

Mike's infatuation with a Madonna look-alike worries Maggie.

Weekend Fantasy

7. Weekend Fantasy

30min

12th Nov 1985

Jason and Maggie want to go to a mountain lodge for a weekend, but are reluctant to leave the kids alone.

Slice of Life

8. Slice of Life

30min

19th Nov 1985

Coming across a compatibility test in Jason's office, Maggie decides she and Jason should fill it out, but her answers don't tab with his. Meanwhile, Mike feigns interest in karate when his real goal is a girl attending the course.

Carol's Crush

9. Carol's Crush

30min

26th Nov 1985

Carol develops a crush on a family friend, who thinks of her as his little sister.

Dirt Bike

10. Dirt Bike

30min

3rd Dec 1985

Mike hurts more than his pride when he takes a nasty fall off a dirt bike that he promised his parents he wouldn't go near.

Standardized Test

11. Standardized Test

30min

10th Dec 1985

Mike doodles on his aptitude test and winds up with an IQ score of 27.

A Christmas Story

12. A Christmas Story

30min

17th Dec 1985

A depressed department store Santa consulting Jason decides to commit suicide by leaping down the Seavers' chimney.

The Love Song of M. Aaron Seaver

13. The Love Song of M. Aaron Seaver

30min

7th Jan 1986

Mike backs out of the family-bowling match so he can date a snobbish girlfriend.

First Blood

14. First Blood

30min

14th Jan 1986

Jason faces off against Ben's hockey coach, who's teaching the boys to play dirty; Mike learns ballroom dancing.

Slice of Life II

15. Slice of Life II

30min

21st Jan 1986

Maggie casually mentions to Jason that she might be pregnant; Mike acts as a weekend servant to Ben; and Carol wants to divorce her class-project husband.

The Seavers vs. the Cleavers

16. The Seavers vs. the Cleavers

30min

28th Jan 1986

The PTA head rejects the Seavers as dance chaperones.

Charity Begins at Home

17. Charity Begins at Home

30min

18th Feb 1986

Ben gives Jason a very expensive birthday present, causing speculation on how he can possibly afford it.

Reputation

18. Reputation

30min

25th Feb 1986

Mike writes test answers on his shoe soles.

The Anniversary That Never Was

19. The Anniversary That Never Was

30min

4th Mar 1986

Maggie's assignment interferes with anniversary plans.

Be a Man

20. Be a Man

30min

11th Mar 1986

Custodian Mike watches a wild party explode in his home.

Career Decision

21. Career Decision

30min

6th May 1986

Reporter Maggie and psychiatrist Jason both face important career decisions.

Extra Lap

22. Extra Lap

30min

13th May 1986

Mike's practical-joker uncle Bob visits from the hereafter.

First air date

24th Sep 1985

Last air date

25th Apr 1992

Status

Ended

Type

Scripted

Original language

en

Networks