My take on the final season, episode by episode

[Wildchats]

Season 6

A lot of episodes were horrible, but a few were good. I will state the good and bad based on production order...


[07/15/1986] Below Sea Level (01 Oct 1986) (Matthew Lawrence's first show)

This was the beginning of the end. This episode should have actually spun off Lara Jill Miller's character into a college sitcom. They also should have done the same thing to Willis in season 8 of Diff'rent Strokes. This could have kept the shows alive even after they went off the air, had the spin-offs became a hit.


[07/22/1986] Joey Meets Matthew (08 Oct 1986)

The beginning of the end, Pt II. Nell went back to Glenlawn, all alone.



[07/29/1986] Nell Goes Back to New York (15 Oct 1986)

The beginning of the end, Pt II. It really should not have gone beyond this point. Nell got Joey and Addy back into her life and was moving to NY. Glenlawn was neve shown again on the series.

[08/19/1986] The Apartment (29 Oct 1986)

Matthew was such a baby. A sure sign this was the end of the series.

[08/26/1986] Sam Goes to College (24 Sep 1986)

This would have been a better series finale. They could have just thrown this episode at the end of season 5 and ended the show there with this 2 parter.


[09/09/1986] Someday, My Prince (05 May 1987)

Nell could have had lived a rich life with a prince, but she couldn't because she wasn't a "virgin".

[09/16/1986] The Scam (03 Dec 1986)

Nell lost a lot of money at the bank because of a scam artist. One of the worst episodes of the final season.


[09/23/1986] Nell's Secret Admirer (07 Jan 1987) (Paul Sands' first taped show and Rosie O'Donnell's first taped show)

Although it was mostly all Nell talking on a phone, we hear more about her past in Alabama.



[10/07/1986] I Love New York (05 Nov 1986)

Nell is upset because Grandpa sold the house in Glenlawn. She can never go home again.


[10/14/1986] Nell the Boss (12 Nov 1986)

This episode was also not one of the better ones from the final season.

[10/21/1986] Harry the Hamster (19 Nov 1986)

Very child-like episode. Singing was good though with Nell and Addy, and a LOT of the cast was present in the episode.



[10/28/1986] Joey the Gambler (26 Nov 1986)

Since the only kids left on the show were Joey and Matthew, Joey, after this point, got a good several episodes all for himself. This episode included everyone in some way from the final season. This is the only episode to do that (excluding Sam who was now in college)...

[11/11/1986] Christmas in New York (10 Dec 1986)

A Marty-centered episode, but this was definitely one of the best of the final season, and one of the best NY episodes.


[11/18/1986] The Loan (14 Jan 1987)

All about Nell being mad at Addy because of money. This was one of the worst NY episodes.

[11/25/1986] Joey's First Crush (28 Jan 1987)

Most of the cast was there. This episode was mostly about BJ wanting to move to Georgia but Joey also having a crush on Maggie. The episode was of fair quality, and Nell even sang in it. Marty only had one single line in the episode.


[12/09/1986] The Window (1) (21 Jan 1987)

A Joey/Matthew episode...you can bet it's gonna be childish. One of the worst from the final season.


[12/16/1986] The Window (2) (21 Jan 1987)

Again, one of the worst from the final season. Too much Joey/Matthew=Childish.

[01/13/1987] Joey's Teacher (04 Feb 1987) (Paul Sands' last show)

The majority of the final season cast was there. The episode had some baby in it with Matthew. Joey's teacher sued everyone, then made out winning big at the lottery.


[01/20/1987] Joey's Hero (11 Feb 1987)

A really dumb episode, but it also is powerful because it deals with racism.


[02/03/1987] Joey the Gigolo (25 Feb 1987) (Matthew Lawrence's last taped show)

The first and only time we see Joey flirting with a girl. Had the series been renewed, we would have probably seen Joey dating in 6th grade.

[02/10/1987] Parents' Week (1) (31 Mar 1987)

They shouldn't have even done this show. This would have been a better episode with NELL guest starring on Lara Jill Miller's spinoff, which could have been possible if they wanted to give her a show of her own.


[02/24/1987] Parents' Week (2) (07 Apr 1987) (Lara Jill Miller's last show)

For Lara's last show (which might not have been had they been renewed for a 7th season), I HATED how they ended her character. Dumped again by another guy who got what he wanted. The writers could have ended this a better way, with Eric not getting his book published and Sam getting a new love interest in her final scene.



[03/03/1987] Save the Church (28 Apr 1987) (Joey Lawrence's last taped show)

Very few cast members, but it goes into a lot of detail about Nell's past in Alabama. Nell and Mama Maybelle were very happy with each other at the end of the episode.

[03/10/1987] Mama's Date (12 May 1987)


Also one of the worst episodes of the final season. Fewest cast members. No Joey, no Matthew, just Nell, a brief showing of Addy, Mama, Grandpa, and Maggie and a guest star who played Mama's date Ernie. Had the show been renewed for a 7th season, I wonder if Ernie would have been a cast member, or at least in a few of the shows. I think the writers were leaning towards Nell's Mama getting married again. However, Nell was very confused with Ernie and his story with Mama Maybelle. Also goes into Nell's past a little, but more about Mama Maybelle's. For a series finale, this was not a good one.






Overall, the final season was bad. The writers made it torture on Nell's character with heartache, lawsuits, scams, betrayal, mystery, et. Nell really deserved better closure of her character than what we saw in her final episode.