Seasons & episodes

Jim tries to encourage Bud to take after him in salesmanship.

Jim comes home tired one day and is harangued by the kids. So, he and Margaret set up new rules to give him some time to relax—but it ends up backfiring.

A new highway is getting built, and for that the old community hall is going to be pulled down. That's something Jim wouldn't like to see since the hall is a historical monument, and also, memories from his youth are connected with this hall. Everyone from the family sees how much the hall means to Jim, and they use different ways to organize help.

Bud loses a job to a boy who fakes his resumé, which leads him to believe it is alright to do this himself

Margaret is forced to invite a woman over who makes her uncomfortable because she is Jim's friend's wife.

Bud learns that the girl he likes is dating his best friend.

Kathy gets a new magic set, from a trade with a friend, and becomes convinced she can truly wield magic.

Betty has recently taken up tennis at school and is chosen for a photo shoot for the paper. This causes friction between her and her doubles partner, Eula, who is the team’s best player.

Bud is accused of cheating because he is suddenly getting high grades in class.

After commenting on a sitcom (“Father Does It Again”) the family watches together one night, Jim speaks about how TV fathers are often portrayed as dumb in comparison with their families. Later, he plans on going hunting and starts believing that Margaret and the kids are secretly trying to get him to stay.

When Jim gets an invitation to a dance for his class reunion—class of ‘33—the kids start behaving as if their parents are ancient. Then, when the kids at their alma mater treat them the same, Jim and Margaret deal with the thought of getting older.

Bud gets irritated by a girl (whom he refers to as “Dumb Dora”) who has a crush on him, hurts her feelings when his irritation leads to cruelty, and must make amends.

Margaret has a premonition of danger for Jim’s upcoming business trip, and tries to get Jim to postpone it. But Jim believes it’s a bunch of superstitious nonsense, and insists on going anyway.

Tate Idsen saves a stagecoach from savage Indians in a flashback sequence.

Bud gets in trouble when his latest friend turns out to be a kleptomaniac.

Betty is indignant when Jim arranges a date for her with an old insurance salesman buddy’s son, Carter.

Jim comes home early from work, after a long, hard day, and expects to gain comfort from his family, but is quickly disillusioned when they all are too absorbed in their own interests and tasks to pay attention to him. This just makes his mood more sour and he declares at dinner that if he must, he will become a tyrant. This leads to unwelcome consequences.

Bud is having trouble in school and the family are hard-pressed to find out why. Eventually, Jim and Margaret come to the conclusion that, since he’s entered high school, he’s lost his confidence over being constantly compared to Betty and her accomplishments.

Betty gets a job to pay for a new, expensive formal for the Cinderella Ball at the country club.

Jim has a bet with Betty and Margaret concerning human nature, integrity and the man painting their house—Mr. Everett.

Bud seems determined not to go to a Senior/Freshman dance that is Sadie Hawkins-themed.

Betty becomes irritable with her family as she goes through an existential crisis.

Kathy is taught about fair trading from her father—and ends up trading her doll for a real baby.

When Bud receives an assignment to write a term paper about a Revolutionary War hero, he ends up researching the life of a relative—Major Nathaniel Oliver Anderson.