Please wait...
Click the button below to create a new TV.com account using your Facebook information.
Log into TV.com below and we'll link your Facebook account to your existing TV.com account and username.
Shirley's high school flame, Navy Captain Charles Corwin comes to town and the family is surprised to hear that she refers to him as "cuddles". As Shirley and the Captain are busy rekindling their relationship, Danny and Keith, who have mistaken the Captain for a "ladies man", are spying around every corner.
Shirley is thrilled to receive a Brooch from Danny on her birthday. What she does not know is that Danny found the brooch and now the original owner has placed a newspaper ad, and is offering a reward to the person who has found it. With the help of Laurie and Keith, Danny hatches a plan to get the brooch back from their mother, and buy her an identical replacement brooch with the reward money.
The Partridge family gets involved in energy conservation and publicly try to become a "model family" by saving electricity. Taking their efforts even one step further, Danny suggests that the paper should print the name of "energy hogs" for all to see. The only problem is that their own energy savings do not go well and they themselves are in danger of being branded as "energy hogs".
Laurie agrees to pose as a Keith's date to make a girls jealous, but when Danny gets involved and let's it slip out that Keith's "date" is a southern belle things get out of hand.
Laurie is appointed as a student-teacher Danny's grade 7 class. Danny is convinced that he has it made, however Laurie becomes way too strict of a teacher for Danny's liking.
Danny gets a crush on a jewish girl, and to impress her family he tells her father, Rabbi Stern, that the Partridge family is also Jewish. Things get out of hand when the entire family is invited over to the Stern's for supper.
Laurie decides to run for homecoming queen, but only so that she can prove a point about the sexist treatment of women.
Danny announces his decision to drop out of school. He tells Shirley that he's bored at school and, since he knows how to read and write, he can now pursue his chosen profession – song writing. Shirley consults the school psychologist and learns that such feelings are common in children Danny's age. The psychologist advises Shirley to let Danny believe he's dropped out; after a while he'll realize how much he misses and needs school. Shirley reluctantly agrees; Danny can stay home and write his songs. The very first day Danny spends at home alone he is bored. He finds the song writing is not so easy and he misses his friends. He's beginning to get discouraged when he meets millionaire hotel owner Claude Tubble and discovers that Tubble never got beyond sixth grade. Now Danny's all enthused again and wants to become a millionaire. Shirley feels Danny's gone far enough and gives him an ultimatum – he must either return to school or get a job. Danny soon learns that there are no budding executive jobs available for 14-year-old drop-outs. He goes to Tubble for a job. Tubble tells him to go back to school, informing him that he's of no use to anyone without an education. When he graduates, Tubble will give him a job. Humbled, Danny goes to Shirley admitting he's learned his lesson and is ready to go back to school.
Reuben has discovered a new singing act, 14-year-old twin brothers Andy and David, and he brings them to live with the Partridges until they cut their first record. The boys have a crush on Laurie and she doesn't want to hurt their feelings and agrees to go out with them. The family thinks Laurie's double-crush is cute and kids her about it. Andy and David become serious and tell Laurie she has to choose which one of them she wants to date. They decide to help her in the decision by not dressing alike anymore and breaking up their singing act to become more individual. Now everyone realizes how serious this has become and Keith and Danny try to help Laurie but the plans backfire. The twins are more in love than ever. Finally Shirley enters the picture and explains to the boys that they will get over their crush but they shouldn't sacrifice their friendship over this. But this time even Shirley seems to fail. Laurie gets up enough courage to confront the boys but they have changed their minds. The crush is off and they've decided not to let a girl come between them. Shirley's little talk worked after all. The boys make the recording for Reuben and it looks like they have a hit on their hands.
Shirley Partridge joins an art class and is encouraged by her teacher, Lorenzo Bernard, who says she shows a natural artistic ability. When she shows off one of her paintings to the family, the kids thing it's awful but pretend to like it not to hurt her feelings. When Lorenzo begins coming to the house to give Shirley private lessons, the kids are suspicious about his intentions. They enlist the help of Reuben in getting an expert's opinion on their mother's painting talent. The art expert agrees the painting is bad. But, by now, Lorenzo has talked Shirley into showing her paintings at the annual San Pueblo Art Festival and Shirley is beginning to think she might really have talent. At the art show, the kids devise an elaborate plan to protect Shirley's feelings and not let her see how much people dislike her paintings. Shirley catches them in the act and makes them confess their true opinions of her art work. Shirley decides she's been taking her hobby far too seriously and from now on she'll just paint for fun. She tells Lorenzo to get himself a new protégé.
Shirley, advertising for a maid, has an unexpected applicant, her mother, Amanda Renfrew. It seems Shirley's parents are fighting again and Amanda has decided to move out and become the family's maid. By the end of the week, the family is exhausted because they are trying to get all the work done before Grandma sees it. They decide they have to get the battling grandparents back together again so they can get some rest.
Shirley invites her father to dinner but he insults her mother and the war is on again. This time the whole family gets involved as the girls re fighting with the boys on who is the most independent. The women are getting along very well but the men are starving as Grandpa is doing the cooking. Keith and Danny cook up a scheme to have the house invaded by a burglar. The boys will then rescue the women and all will be forgiven, again. They appoint Reuben as the fake burglar. Shirley learns of their scheme and has the police arrest the "burglar". Shirley, now angry over the shenanigans her parents are instigating, sits them down and tells them to work it out or else. When the family comes down to breakfast the next morning, they find Grandpa and Grandma in each others arms on the couch. Everything is back to normal.
Reuben Kincaid's nephew, Alan, comes to live with him to be his assistant. It's evident right from the start that Alan is eager to learn but he's always failed at everything. He suffers from shyness and a total lack of confidence. Keith and Laurie try to build him up and find out what he really would like to do. Alan confides that he wants to be a comedian but he's terrified of audiences. When he does some of his act for them, they discover he's really funny but he's too afraid to try. Alan gets a chance to show he's learned about managing when Reuben can't go with the family on a club date. Alan will manage the family all by himself for two days. Everything goes smoothly, until Alan loses his notebook with all the itinerary written in it. Then the date becomes a total disaster. Alan loses the costumes at the cleaners, fouls up their dinner reservations and then, in a grand finale, turns out the lights during the Partridges' performance. Alan confesses the loss of the notebook to the family and says it just proves he's a failure again. Shirley decides that Alan should have a chance to do what he does best, tell jokes, by appearing with them at the club. Reuben has his misgivings but, when Alan hears the audience laughs at his first joke, he relaxes and is a smash. Shirley tells Reuben that he's lost an assistant but gains a client.
Danny gets caught trying to sneak into a movie theater without a ticket and the police bring him home. Shirley punishes Danny for his dishonesty by taking away his movie privileges for a month. Danny, depressed about his punishment, begins to write down every instance when other members of the family tell a lie or are dishonest. Later he confronts them with his notes. Shirley, trying to teach Danny a lesson, proposes that the family try to be completely honest for 24 hours. As the day of honesty progresses, everyone, including Shirley, gets into trouble when they have to tell the truth. But Danny, seeking revenge, keeps them all in line. Then Danny is faced with the problem of telling Laurie that basketball player Jim Benson has canceled his date with her for another girl and he lies, rather than hurt Laurie's feelings. Danny confides to his mother about his lie and offers to do another 24 hours of honesty. But Shirley feels that Danny has finally learned his lesson about how people's feelings are sometimes more important than the truth. When Laurie learns the truth about the broken date, she thanks Danny for trying to save her feelings and says she's proud to have him for a brother.
Keith enrolls in a Sociology class in college and discovers one of his favorite subjects, a beautiful girl, 23-years-old, Dory Kimmel. He maneuvers his way into working on a class project with her. After a study session with Dory at the Partridge home, Keith announces to his mother that he's finally found true love in an older woman, Dory. As their work together continues, Keith becomes completely infatuated and believes that Dory feels the same way about him. But he's totally stunned when he learns Dory is married. An unhappy Keith confides to his mother that he thinks Dory is going to leave her husband for him. When Shirley confronts Dory with this bit of news, it's Dory's turn to be stunned. She likes Keith as a friend but she's truly in love with her husband. She has to find a way to tell him the truth without hurting his feelings. Dory finally decides to invite Keith over for dinner to meet her husband and see how happy they are; Keith arrives for the dinner, expecting Dory's husband to slug him, but learns instead that he's been misunderstanding Dory's friendship. When Keith goes home, he puts on an act for the family on how he's sacrificed himself to save Dory's marriage. But everyone sees through him and understands that he's just trying to save his wounded ego.
Shirley receives an unexpected invitation to dinner from Howard Lipton, the presidential ambassador and well-known ladies man. It seems he's visiting San Pueblo, on his way to talk in China, and he remembers her from a previous short meeting. On the big night, Lipton shows up two hours late for the date and then spends more than half the evening on the phone with world dignitaries. When Shirley gets a second request for a date, she turns him down, explaining that she really didn't have a very good time. Lipton's ego is crushed. The diplomat showers Shirley with gifts from around the world, trying to make her reconsider her decision. Shirley is being hounded by newspapermen and ostracized by her neighbors, but she refuses to give in unless Lipton visits her in person to ask for a date. When Lipton finally agrees, Shirley sets up the terms for the date – the ambassador must come and spend a quiet dinner in the Partridge home, with no interrupting phone calls. During the evening, Lipton completely enjoys himself, being away from work pressures a while. He even attends the family's concert the next evening and afterwards, takes Shirley out alone, to Muldoon's Point for a little sightseeing.
The family and Reuben board the T.S.S. Fairsea, a cruise ship, to play a singing engagement while sailing to Acapulco. On board, Laurie meets a young man who introduces himself as Howard Wainwright III, the heir to a large fortune. Despite Wainwright's clumsiness and his attempts to impress everyone, Laurie agrees to go out with him. Keith is suspicious of the young man's intentions and enlist Danny's aid in spying on them. A few days later, Howard gifts Laurie with an expensive bracelet that he claims is a family heirloom, but which Keith believes to be the stolen property of a wealthy passenger. He's convinced that Howard is an international jewel thief who is using Laurie to smuggle the stolen bracelet through customs. Keith, Danny and Reuben concoct a scheme to steal the bracelet back and return it to the rightful owner during the ship's costume party. At the party, the idea backfires and the trio is caught. When brouht to the Captain to explain, they discover that the bracelet isn't stolen, but also learn that Howard is a fake. When Laurie confronts Howard, he admits that he's just Howard Krump from Bakersfield, California, and that he won the trip in a contest. Laurie convinces Howard that he should be himself and, since he's good at impersonations, try his hand at being an actor.
Keith tries to land a date for the beach party with Johanna, one of the prettiest girls in school, but she turns him down for a member of the basketball team. Laurie offers to get him a date with her friends Sally, who is not exactly Keith's ideal, but he reluctantly agrees. Later, Keith finds out Johanna's date fell through and he eagerly agrees to take her out. Now he's stuck with two dates.
Keith confides his problem to Reuben who advises him to take out the sexy one, not the nice one. Later, Shirley and Laurie learn Keith has made two dates for the same evening and tell him he should break his date with Johanna. He tries, but he can't do it.
Keith devises a plan. He pretends he has a cold and arranges for his friend Wally to take Sally out to a play. He thinks he's free and clear to go out to the beach with Johanna when Sally shows up with hot soup to nurse his cold. After she and Laurie give Keith a hard time at the beach with Johanna. She knew about the double date all along. Laurie tells him if he'd been honest in the first place, he'd never have had the problem of two dates. Later Johanna calls, her basketball player is going to take her after all. Keith winds up spending Saturday night playing Parcheesi with the kids.
Shirley decides the family's been too hard on Reuben lately and they have to start appreciating him a little more. They decide to give him a surprise birthday party and invite his mother. Reuben can't understand why everyone is being so nice to him, even Danny. When he tries to bribe Danny to see what's going on, Danny just says they are appreciating him. Reuben tells the family he believes he's dying, that's why they are being nice to him. There was something in his annual physical that the doctors didn't tell him about and they know the truth. Shirley just about convinces him he's being foolish when Reuben's mother walks in. Now he's convinced he's going to kick the bucket. No amount of talking can change Reuben's mind and he begins to prepare for the hereafter. The family, meanwhile, goes ahead with the plans for the party, hoping that will jar him into realizing the truth. Shirley tricks Reuben into going to the restaurant where the party will be held, and everyone is there, including his stewardess girlfriend, Bonnie Kleinschmidt. As Reuben starts to make his farewell speech over his birthday cake, his mother, fed up with his attitude, decides she's going to fly home. Now Reuben is convinced he's not going to die because his mother is too cheap to leave now and has to make the trip again for his funeral. The family decides they can't be nice to Reuben after this, he can't take it.
Keith & Laurie tell Shirley that Danny has to hang out with kids his own age. So Reuben suggests little league baseball. But Danny hates the idea. Keith and Laurie later blackmail Danny into joining the team.
It turns out that Danny's the ace pitcher of the Dodgers. Shirley and Reuben attend the game and don't like the other parent's discouragement towards their own kids.
Shirley tells Danny that he could quit, but Danny wants to stay since the coach likes him. Shirley also gives a lesson to the coach that winning isn't everything.
The team beats the Astros and wins the trophy.
The epilogue has Danny thinking about joining a football team, and they discouraged that idea instantly.
Keith meets Rachel Weston, a beautiful classical music student, at his junior college and is surprised when he learns he has never heard of ""The Partridge Family"" and their music. Keith invites her home to meet the family and hear some of their hits. Rachel thinks their music is nice, but unimportant. She tells Keith that with his talent, he should write something classical. The family's eardrums suffer when Keith begins to compose ""Partridge's First Concerto for Cello in D Major,"" which is played at the conservatory by the college orchestra. The concerto turns out to be a total disaster, but the family decides to be kind to Keith and help him over his failure. Keith, however, encouraged by Rachel, who loves the concerto, thinks he's on the road to musical immortality. He decides to use his trust fund to pay for a recording session with professionals to preserve his great work for posterity. Shirley, worried about Keith's wasting his money, has Reuben contact Walter Yost, a famous classical composer. Keith agrees to abide by Yost's opinion of his music. Yost, after hearing the concerto, tells Keith to stick to writing popular songs, which are charming and make people happy. Keith agrees with him and Rachel, after seeing an audience's reaction to the family singing, also agrees that there is a place for music that just makes people happy.
Keith wants a date with Dina, the new girl in school, but Laurie tells him she has warned Dina about his reputation and the new girl won't go out with him. Furious, Keith comes up with a scheme. He writes a letter to Laurie's ""advice to teenagers"" column in the local paper, saying he's new in town and wants to make friends, and signing it Onely (the capital L on his typewriter doesn't work). He hopes Laurie will arrange a date between Onely and Dina. The scheme is about to work when Laurie discovers the missing L on Keith's typewriter and realizes who Onely really is. With help from Shirley and Reuben, she convinces Keith that she thinks the letter writer is unbalanced. She then completes her revenge by arranging a date between Onely and Dina, whom she has filled in on Keith's original scheme. When Keith meets Dina, Laurie is with her and the whole story comes out. Keith apologizes and Dina, flattered, accepts a date for the next evening. It appears that Keith has won, until he returns from the date, miffed. Dina puts him in his place.
Noise pollution is the issue as the musical Partridges face professional ruin in the fourth-season opener. Seems the new next-door neighbor doesn't dig pop music and has installed a new kind of sound barrier-the law! This episode introduces regular Ricky Segall as the neighbors' four year old son. (1/2 hour)
