Charles in Charge

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.

Mr. and Mrs. Pembroke are spending the evening out, and Charles is baby-sitting. He is busy preparing for Gwendolyns visit, with whom he plans to study.

Cousin Elliot shows up at the Pembroke house. His ideas on how to deal with children do not coincide with Charles opinions.

Stan comes home expecting Jill to be ready to go to the Vice Presidents reception, but home has turned into "Little Crisis Central".

Charles has his hands full. It is pouring rain outside and everyone in the Pembroke household is confined to the house.

It is Christmastime and Grandma Irene, Stans mother, is expected for her yearly three-week-stay with her grandchildren.

Charles is pushed for time, and he has to meet a deadline for his school paper. His scholarship depends on it.

Charles has a million things to do before he meets Michelle Harris for coffee at the Lamplight.

Mr. and Mrs. Pembroke went to the movies, and an incredible blizzard hits the city, leaving them unable to return to their home.

Charles, and his friends, save and scrape together as much money as they possibly can to spend a few days of rest in sunny Florida.

Jill gives Charles two tickets for a Knicks game. Charles is so excited, he thinks of a way to do something special in return.

Charles returns from a two-week camping trip with his friend, Buddy, to discover a whole new household waiting for him.

Charles is a fireman putting out fires all over the Powell household.

Boys who are studying important things for their future, often end up studying less important things for their future, namely girls!

Buddy comes for dinner, wrenches his ankles, and has to stay in Charles room for a few days.

Sids Pizza Parlor, the place that provides Charles a home away from home, is under attack.

What do you do when you want to go out, but you cant, because someone else is going out on a date that you arent supposed to talk about.

Charles has to visit in town when his folks arrive for the weekend, so Buddy is placed in charge of the Powell kids.

Charles dates a girl equipped with lovely eyes, a gorgeous body, and a set of huge parents, that accompany her on dates.

Mrs. Powell decides Charles needs a weekend off, and she implements her decision with a firm edict.

Sarah is the proud parent of Ross, a pet turtle, who until recently, has lived in relative safety in the Powell backyard.

In the second of a two part series, Gwendolyn Pierce tells Charles she will consider his proposal.

Charles and Lillian are throwing a big opening night party to introduce the new chef of Sids Pizza Parlor.

There are two very lovely ladies Charles and Buddy would like to date if they can find the time.

Charles suggests the family spend the Christmas holidays in the mountains, but a storm leaves everyone but Walter stranded in a cabin.

When Charles is named Student of the Year, local newspaper reporter Pat Walker (Barbara Rhoades) arrives at the house to interview him.

Charles becomes infatuated with Trish (Susannah Woodside), a beautiful fashion model and the daughter of Walters friend.

Charles tries to end a feud between Walter and Lillian by giving them each a ticket to a swing music concert.

When Buddy receives word that his shy sister Bunny (Mindy Cohn) is arriving for a visit, he pleads with Charles to help entertain her.

Unable to decide on a college major and faced with a tuition increase, is determined to convince his Uncle Joe (John Astin) that he should be made the heir to his business.

Charles convinces Ellen to allow Adam to stay up and watch television all night, let Jamie streak her hair, and allow Sarah to go on her first unchaperoned date.

Charles calms Lillians fears about an upcoming trip out of town, saying that hes more than able to manage the pizza parlor himself, even though shes just hired a new chef, Dine (Vito Scotti).

When Charles and Buddy foil an attempted holdup at the pizza parlor, their names appear in the local newspaper. They cant resist capitalizing on their new-found popularity with the girls at the sorority house.

This is just not Charles day. Hes trying to prepare for the new school year, but Buddy needs his help in planning their end of summer party.

Charles is outraged when he learns his mother is hosting a sorority slave auction. Outraged, that is, until he finds out that attractive new transfer student Jeanie intends to bid for him.

After Charles is devastated at being dumped by his girlfriend, Buddy fixes him up with Beth (Brenda Swanson), a female bodybuilder at his health club.

When Sarah tries to get closer to a boy that she likes by inviting him over to study, she is upset when he pays more attention to Charles than her.

While Commander Powell is home, Sarah is arrested for protesting the nuclear weapons on her fathers ship.

Lillian hires an Elvis impersonator for the diner.

Lillian starts a 1950s-style restaurant called the "Yesterday Cafe".

Charles has to entertain his professors sister, and he sets her up with Walter.

Charles cant use his credit card because of the Powell children.

Jamie thinks she will be in a commercial, but it is really Sarah who got the part.

Charles uses one of Sarahs poems to impress a woman, who publishes it in a magazine under Charles name.

Chaz gets married.

Walter remodels the basement.

Walter tries to impress a woman with war souvenirs.

Charles writes an essay about childhood.

Jamie wants to move to New York and live with Charles aunt.

Charles tutors an ex-con.

After complaints from the family, Charles tells the children there are no more rules in the house.

Walter makes plans with three women on the same night.

Charles girlfriend Jennifer (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) tells a lie about Buddy in order to get rid of him.

Buddy offers to help out Adam with babysitting, but he ends up forgetting the little girl at the diner.

Charles old friends come to visit.

Buddy enters a mental hospital to do research, but they make him a patient.

Buddy gets tested for ESP and starts to predict the future.

Charles invents a device that will help people prepare for earthquakes.

An accidental bump on the head turns Charles into Chaz again.

Charles works at a hotel in Hawaii with Buddys cousin. (A pilot to a possible spin-off which never materialized.)

Charles and Buddy protest animal testing at their college.

Charles visits his aunt Sally at her car wash. (A pilot to a possible spin-off which never materialized.)

Sarah visits her relatives in Albuquerque and a foreign exchange student that is living with them. (A pilot to a possible spin-off which never materialized.)