Charles (Scott Baio) considers himself a very lucky young man. He is a student at Copeland College and has a great job as a live-in help to the Pembroke famiy; father, Stan (James Widdoes), mother, Jill (Julie Cobb), and their three children, 14-year-old Lila (April Lerman), 12-year-old Douglas (Jonathan Ward) and 10-year-old Jason. (Michael Pearlman) He also has his very best friend, Buddy Lembeck (Willie Aames) to attend college with and in this first episode he is like a cat on a hot tin roof when the beautiful fellow student Gwendolyn Pierce (Jennifer Runyon) accepts a date with him.
Charles is planning a nice, romantic evening until he finds that the Pembrokes will be out and that Charles will be required to babysit with the kids. Disappointed and planning to cancel his date, both Buddy and Mrs. Pembroke encourage him to invite Gwendolyn over to the house instead. When he does so, Gwendolyn happily accepts but Charles becomes more nervous than ever as he realises that the kids will have to be on their best behavior.
All goes well at first as the two youngsters chat by the fire, eating Chinese food but get a little more complicated when Lila's study partner, Alexander Morgan, (Michael Sharrett) finds Lila more interested in his popularity and good looks than in studying algebra. Meanwhile, Gwendolyn feels she is being treated the same way by Charles whom she believes sees her more as a pretty face and a conquest than a person.
Eventually, it's all sorted out and everyone heads out for ice cream just as Stan and Jill arrive home.
Some great casting and excellent scripts make this one of the best sit-coms of the 1980s. A laugh a minute as Charles (who never has a surname) tries to juggle study, girls, Buddy and his much-loved job. If you haven't watched this show and you like a good laugh, this is for you.moreless
Episode Summary
EDIT
Scott Baio stars as Charles, a nineteen-year-old college student and live-in family helper to three energetic children on the pilot episode of MCA TV International's "CHARLES IN CHARGE." The story was written by series producer Michael Jacobs and directed by Alan Rafkin. Jill and Stan Pembroke are a working couple whose uncertain schedules propel them into hiring a nineteen-year-old college student, Charles, to move in and help them with their three children: Lila 14; Douglas, 12; and Jason, 10. It appears Charles has the perfect arrangement while he attends school and does some growing of his own with the helpful advice of his best friend, Buddy Lembeck. Charles becomes ecstatic when his dream girl, Gwendolyn Pierce, a campus beauty, accepts a date with him. However, Jill and Stan have to go out for the night, leaving Charles in charge. Buddy comes up with the perfect solution -- invite Gwendolyn to spend the evening at home with him and the children. She accepts and sends Charles into a state of nervous euphoria. Charles specifically has to keep an eye on Lila who is helping her school heartthrob, Alexander Morgan, with his homework. Charles plans a quiet evening to impress Gwendolyn while he desperately tries to keep his three charges in line. Both Charles and Lila's dates go awry when Gwendolyn and Alexander feel they are being treated like objects...reputations...rather than people. It is up to Charles to convince Gwendolyn that his intentions are sincere and trustworthy.moreless
-
GUEST STAR
Michael SharrettAlexander Morgan
-
GUEST STAR
James SaitoDelivery Man
-
Scott Baio
Charles
-
Julie Cobb
Jill Pembroke
-
James Widdoes
Stan Pembroke
-
April Lerman
Lila Pembroke
-
Jonathan Ward
Douglas Pembroke
-
Michael Pearlman
Jason Pembroke
Watch Online
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
See All-
TRIVIA (0)
ADD TRIVIA- ADD TRIVIA from this episode.
-
QUOTES (10)
ADD QUOTES-
Buddy: When God made Gwendolyn Pierce, that's when he knew he was God.
-
Jill: Listen, Charles, why don't you just invite her over here? Charles: Here? But what about the children? They'll see her, they'll know. Jill: The children know everything Charles, we have cable TV.
-
Buddy: I'm Charles' friend? Jill: Yes, your the one Lila calls, wait a minute what is it? Buddy: And because I'm Charles' friend I have a responsibility to tell you he has a date tonight? Jill: Goon Machine, that's it.
-
Charles: Look, I'm having a friend over okay, and she's a lady. Douglas: What? Jason: Female carbon unit.
-
Douglas: Caveman! Jason: Space mutant! Douglas: Brutal beast! Jason: Adopted! Douglas: Charles! Charles: You weren't adopted. Jason: Then they made a mistake at the hospital.
-
Jill: I want you guys on your best behavior tonight? Any questions? Jason: Yeah, Mom, when Douglas was born was the circus in town?
-
Gwendolyn: You kissed me! Charles: Yeah, and you kissed me back. Gwendolyn: Oh, friendly, I kissed you friendly, Charles you meant your kiss. Charles: Well, yeah I meant my kiss, I always mean my kiss, well except for an Aunt I have who didn't believe in electrolysis, she's dead now and I've always felt badly about it.
-
Charles: Hi...hello...hi, simple as that. Gwendolyn: Hello, Charles. Charles: Hi...hello...hi, simple as that.
-
Buddy: So, where are you taking her tonight? Charles: Well, I thought we'd start off with an intimate dinner at some cozy little out of the way. Buddy: (makes buzzer sound) Hey, out of the way is were you go when your Aunt Harriet fixes you up with something from the plant world.
-
Lila: Charles! Charles: Lila! Lila: Alexander Morgan. Buddy: No, Buddy Lembeck. Lila: Not you, Goon Machine.
-
-
NOTES (1)
ADD NOTES-
Season 1 shows are on CBS.
-
-
ALLUSIONS (0)
ADD ALLUSIONS- ADD ALLUSIONS from this episode.
-
help anybody have taped charles in charge or happy days episodes ?
07/15/101
-
Scott Baio - 'Charles' or 'Chachi'?
11/26/091
-
Pick your favorite family...
08/10/0911
-
Does anyone remember or know why they retooled the show with the powell's
08/05/098
-
Favourite out of all 6 kids?
07/29/093
-
Charles Be DeMille
S 5 : Ep 26
Aired 7/30/90 (23:00)
-
Fair Exchange
S 5 : Ep 25
Aired 7/30/90 (23:00)
-
Almost Family
S 5 : Ep 24
Aired 7/30/90 (23:00)
-
Teacher's Pest
S 5 : Ep 23
Aired 7/13/90 (23:00)
Related Shows
-
-
tv
Family Ties -
-
-
Season 1 Episodes
See AllEp 22
Meet Grandpa
Ep 21
Meet Grampa
Ep 21
Mr. Brilliant
Ep 20
The Wrong Guy
Ep 19
Charles' Spring Break (A.K...
Ep 18
Charles 'R' Us
Ep 17
Snowed In
Ep 16
Pressure from Grandma
Ep 15
Jill's Decision
Ep 14
Mr. President
Ep 13
The Commotion
Ep 12
Accidental Puppy
Ep 11
Home for the Holidays
Ep 10
Friends And Lovers
Ep 9
A Date with Enid
Ep 8
Trick or Treat
Ep 7
Discipline
Ep 6
Slumber Party
Ep 5
Cousin Elliott
Ep 4
War
Ep 3
Another Saturday Night
Ep 2
Extracurricular Activity
Ep 1
Pilot
-
maxpower144
User Score: 1492
-
pavanbadal-tc
User Score: 238
-
jekyll
User Score: 80
-
boechsner
User Score: 80
-
char2renee
User Score: 72
-
shatterdaymorn
User Score: 40
-
betafippel
User Score: 25
-
Mafeu
User Score: 24
-
CaptainMidnight
User Score: 22
-
SrRui
User Score: 17
More
Less
