Who's the Boss?: Season 1

1984 · 22 episodes · ★ 7.2

What Season 1 of Who's the Boss?

Tony Micelli, a former baseball player forced to retire due to a shoulder injury, is a widower raising his daughter Samantha in Brooklyn. To move her away from their neighborhood, he relocates to Fairfield, Connecticut, and takes a job as a house manager for Angela Bower, a divorced advertising executive. She supports the household financially, while Tony cooks, cleans and looks after Jonathan, Angela's son. Also living in the house is Mona, Angela's mother, who loves flirting and getting into romantic trouble. Neither adult is willing to give up control, and arguments over who calls the shots fill much of the episodes. Meanwhile, Samantha adapts to her new life as she grows up and starts demanding more independence.

22episodes

Sep 20, 1984premiered

Apr 16, 1985Latest episode

8.4 hrtotal runtime

Season 1 Episodes

1x01 Pilot
Sep 20, 1984 · 23 min
Single dad Tony Micelli and his street smart young daughter Samantha decide to leave the mean streets of their poor neighbourhood for a chance at a better life in Connecticut. Tony happens upon a job offer as a live-in housekeeper for wealthy business woman Angela Bower and her young son by means of her flirtatious mother Mona. He puts his machismo aside and takes the job for the betterment of his daughter and a new ""family"" is formed.
Directing: Bill Persky · Writing: Blake Hunter · Starring: Rhoda Gemignani, Dennis Holahan
1x02 Briefless Encounter
Sep 27, 1984 · 23 min
Part of settling into his new home has Tony using Angela's personal bathroom and getting an eyeful when she steps out of the tub. Neither of the two stubborn housemates accept responsibility, and disagree to an extent that Tony's new girlfriend gives him the heave-ho. Mona's advice about role-playing to better understand each other's point of view helps Tony and Angela see that they aren't angry after all.
1x03 Angela's First Fight
Oct 23, 1984 · 23 min
During a trip to Tony's old neighbourhood to find runaway Samantha, Angela must stand up for Tony who is criticized for being a housekeeper. After proclaiming that fighting is no way to resolve a dispute, Angela ends up in a cat fight with the waitress in Tony's old hangout.
Directed by: Jim Drake · Written by: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser · Starring: Julie Carmen, Rhoda Gemignani
1x04 Mona Gets Pinned
Oct 30, 1984 · 23 min
Mona meets Jason, the man of her dreams, but she's old enough to be his mother! After much hiding the truth comes out and Angela, who previously stated that age had no part in love, is aghast. It's not until Jason's parents tell Angela that Mona isn't good enough for their son that she stands up for her mother and does an about-face of her opinion.
Directed by: Jim Drake · Starring: Dean Butler, Bill Erwin, Bibi Besch
1x05 A Rash Decision
Nov 13, 1984 · 23 min
Tony visits Angela at the filming of a soap commercial, and ends up the star of the ad. Soon after, Tony develops an itchy rash that turns out to have been caused by the soap. Angela must then decide if she wants to market a soap whose makers are not completely honest about its potentially harmful side effects
Directing: Linda Day · Writing: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser · Starring: James Hampton, Randi Brooks
1x06 Dinner For Two
Nov 20, 1984 · 23 min
Tony is greatly anticipating his dinner date with a girl in Brooklyn, just as Angela is preparing for a business dinner for two with a client. When Angela's guest cancels at the last minute, Tony reluctantly stays in Connecticut to keep her company, while attempting to keep, but slightly postpone, his date.
Starring: John Reilly, Robert Costanzo
1x07 Sorority Sister
Nov 27, 1984 · 23 min
Angela's sorotory sister from college comes around and takes an interest in Tony.
Directed by: John Tracy · Starring: Nancy Stafford
1x08 Truth in Dating
Dec 4, 1984 · 23 min
At the market, Tony picks up a woman who believes that he is the owner of Angela's house and Jaguar. Meanwhile, Angela accepts a date with a man who believes that she is Rosie, Angela's flighty secretary. Both advise the other that no good relationship can begin based on a lie, and soon both are forced to confront their deceived dates.
Directing: Jim Drake · Starring: Earl Boen, Victoria Bass, Ben Cooper
1x09 Sports Buddies
Dec 11, 1984 · 23 min
Angela becomes involved with a gentleman who is quite the sports fanatic. He becomes more interested in hanging out with Tony and talking sports than in spending time with Angela.
Directed by: Asaad Kelada · Written by: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser · Starring: Lana Clarkson, Stephen Lee, Tony Longo, Steve Nevil
1x10 Requiem
Dec 18, 1984 · 23 min
Tony is moonlighting to raise extra money, which Mona believes is to take care of a secret girlfriend in Brooklyn. Soon the truth comes out: Tony is still paying rent on his recently deceased father's apartment, so that he and Sam will have a place to go just in case things don't work out in Connecticut.
Directed by: Asaad Kelada · Written by: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser
1x11 Samantha's Growing Up
Jan 8, 1985 · 23 min
Forced to confront the fact that Samantha is not a little girl any more, Tony buys her her first brassiere. When it turns out not to be the kind she wanted, Tony enlists Angela's help in buying Samantha new clothes. He is less than thrilled, however, when Samantha comes home looking a bit too grown up. (Note: This episode was originally titled ""Samantha's First Bra"" but was later changed due to censoring problems.)
Directed by: Linda Day
1x12 Paint Your Wagon
Jan 15, 1985 · 23 min
It's time to paint the Jaguar, and Angela wants the new color to be sandalwood. Tony overrides her decision and has it painted diablo red. When Angela discovers this, she is enraged and forbids him from future decision-making, proclaiming that he is just the maid. He then takes this declaration to the extreme by dressing, speaking, and behaving like a prim and proper butler.
Directed by: Jim Drake · Starring: Delta Burke
1x13 Protecting the President
Jan 22, 1985 · 23 min
During a company party at Angela's house, Tony throws out one of her vice-presidents for saying unprofessional things about her.
Directing: George Tibbles · Starring: Earl Boen, Richard Stahl
1x14 Guess Who's Coming Forever?
Jan 29, 1985 · 23 min
Mona has been evicted from her apartment and begins looking for a new home. She takes Tony's suggestion to convert the loft above Angela's garage into an apartment. Angela is not happy about the new arrangements.
Starring: Pat Harrington Jr.
1x15 Angela's Ex (1)
Feb 5, 1985 · 23 min
Angela's ex-husband, Michael, visits so that they can sign the final divorce papers. Instead, they find themselves back together again. With Michael back in the house, there's no longer a need for Tony, who is given two weeks' notice by Michael.
Directing: Linda Day · Writing: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser · Starring: James Naughton
1x16 Angela's Ex (2)
Feb 12, 1985 · 23 min
While Tony and Samantha live it up at the lavish estate of Tony's new boss, a wealthy older woman, Michael and Angela enjoy their reunion. But the celebration is short-lived, as they are eventually reminded of the professional and personal differences that drove them apart the first time.
Directed by: Linda Day · Written by: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser · Starring: Earl Boen, James Naughton, Ian Abercrombie, Helen Kleeb
1x17 Eye on Angela
Feb 19, 1985 · 23 min
A local news reporter, Bobbi Barnes, wants to do a story on the daily life of Angela. But when a series of innocent mix-ups leads Tony and Angela to wake up in the same bed, Bobbi's camera crew is waiting in the hall to capture the scene. Bobbi thinks she has a juicy story for her show, but Mona has other ideas.
Starring: Betty White
1x18 Double Date
Feb 26, 1985 · 23 min
Samantha is looking forward to the upcoming school dance, but Tony spoils her evening by constantly taking pictures of her and her date, working at the dance as a chaperone, and getting caught kissing her teacher in front of the entire class.
Directed by: Michael Zinberg · Starring: Michelle Nicastro, Peter Billingsley
1x19 Tony's Father-in-Law
Mar 5, 1985 · 23 min
Nick, Tony's father-in-law, visits. He cannot bring himself to tell everyone that he will soon be imprisoned, so he instead claims that he is dying, then milks the sympathy.
Directed by: Richard Sakai · Starring: James Coco
1x20 Just Like Tony
Mar 12, 1985 · 23 min
Stories of Tony's rebellious youth are rubbing off on Jonathan, particularly when Jonathan brings home a hubcap stolen from a police car. Angela then decrees that from now on, she is to be consulted on all decisions regarding her son. Not to be completely overruled, Tony decides to handle the situation in his own way.
Directing: Asaad Kelada · Starring: James Hampton
1x21 Keeping Up With Marci
Apr 9, 1985 · 23 min
Tony fears he can't afford the ski club Samantha wants to join with her friends, but he lets her sign up anyway. When his attempt to economize by cleaning Angela's chimney himself fails, he must go back on his word and tell Samantha she cannot join. Refusing to borrow the money from Angela, Tony soon sells one of his prized possessions to be able to pay for Samantha's ski trip.
Directed by: Asaad Kelada · Written by: Michael Poryes · Starring: Nicole Eggert
1x22 First Kiss Season Finale
Apr 16, 1985 · 23 min
Angela comes home from a rowdy birthday party, just as Tony returns home from a police-sponsored demonstration of the effects of alcohol on the mind. Both are in a woozy state, and they end up kissing.
Directing: Asaad Kelada · Writing: Robert Sternin, Prudence Fraser · Starring: Jeff Conaway, Hugh Gillin, Fern Fitzgerald, Rhoda Gemignani