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The reason they changed the cast was largely due to the fact that the original "Charles In Charge" series was cancelled by CBS after its initial season, which ran from 1984-1985.  Upon cancellation, the entire supporting cast were released from their contracts.  When they decided to bring it back for a second season in syndication nearly TWO YEARS LATER, a couple of the original cast members had gone on to other things, and since they were a family, it would be hard to explain where two or three members were at.  There was also the issue that the two oldest kids had grown up--A LOT--making it hard to swallow that they actually needed someone like Charles around.  So since they had to recast most of the family anyway (only actor Michael Pearlman who played the youngest son Jason was actually interested in coming back), they decided to wipe the slate clean (with the exception of Willie Aames and Scott Baio) and just start fresh with a new family.  To explain this change, in the first new episode of the second season (which first aired in early 1987--almost two years after the first season finale), Jason (Pearlman, who himself has grown a great deal since the previous episode) and his mother Jill (portrayed by a different actress) are present to tell Charles that the family has moved to Washington state during his vacation, and that a new family who is interested in his services had moved into the house.  A semi-emotional goodbye between Jason and Charles takes place, and the new format is complete.  The funny thing is, the newer version with the Powells went on to become one of the most popular and remembered series of the 1980s, but the Pembrokes were almost forgotten and are seldom shown when the show appears in repeat syndication (after that initial episode, none of the original cast members ever appeared again--with the exception of an arc with Gwendlyn).

However, if you are interested in viewing the first season that featured the Pembrokes, it is available on DVD, and even includes the aforementioned transition episode from the second season as a bonus!

Also, as an interesting side note, if anyone is a fan of the hit 1990s TGIF series "Boy Meets World" and notices some great similarities (did you ever notice how much Charles is like Cory and Buddy is like Shawn, or the fact the some of the scripts from late in BMW's run are actually rehashes--to some extent--of 'Charles' episodes?)between it and "Charles in Charge", there's a good reason:  Michael Jacobs co-created both shows!

I really liked the Pembrokes and I missed them when the series returned, but great to see Scott Baio and Willie Aames again!

Lady Lancaster