Benson
update
Season 0
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1: Making of Season 1 Documentary
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2: Inside the Governor's Mansion: Remembering Season One of Benson
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3: Favorite Episodes
Season 1
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Thursday, September 13th, 1979
1: Change (Pilot)
Benson comes to work for Governor Gatling and helps find a way for a bridge to be built without killing beavers.
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Thursday, September 20th, 1979
2: Trust Me
Katie sneaks off to a rock concert while under Benson's watch.
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Thursday, September 27th, 1979
3: The President's Double
When a visiting African president is incapacitated, Benson steps into the role and is targeted by assassins.
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Thursday, October 4th, 1979
4: Benson in Love
Benson falls for an attractive senator he meets in the mansion.
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Thursday, October 18th, 1979
5: Conflict of Interest
Governor Gatling is torn between attending Katie's school play and accepting an important political invitation.
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Thursday, October 25th, 1979
6: The Layoff
To cut spending, Benson must lay off a sweet old woman, which upsets Katie.
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Thursday, November 1st, 1979
7: Snowbound
Heavy snowfall leaves the staff stuck in a cottage in the woods.
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Thursday, November 8th, 1979
8: Jessica
When the visiting Jessica Tate's elderly companion suddenly dies, Benson must help move the corpse to avoid a political scandal.
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Thursday, November 22nd, 1979
9: Don't Quote Me
The staff tries to discover who made a disparaging comment about a state senator that has the governor on the defensive.
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Thursday, November 29th, 1979
10: War Stories
Benson introduces Marcy to an old army buddy, unaware his friend is married.
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Thursday, December 6th, 1979
11: Ghost Story
Thinking the mansion is haunted, the staff holds a seance.
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Thursday, December 13th, 1979
12: Taylor's Bid
Taylor quits to run for public office, but the governor finds he can't do without him.
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Thursday, December 27th, 1979
13: One Strike, You're Out
With the mansion's domestic workers on strike, the staff must take on all of the household duties.
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Thursday, January 3rd, 1980
14: Just Friends
The governor woos a powerful businessman whose wife is Benson's old flame.
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Thursday, January 10th, 1980
15: Chain of Command
With the governor ill, the irritating lieutenant governor makes a play for power that the staff tries to thwart.
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Thursday, January 24th, 1980
16: Bugging the Governor
When hidden microphones are found in the mansion, the staff plots to find the perpetrators.
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Thursday, January 31st, 1980
17: Kraus Affair
Kraus has a crush on the butcher and needs help from Benson and Marcy to reel him in.
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Thursday, February 7th, 1980
18: Checkmate
A young Soviet chess prodigy hides in Katie's room and nearly causes an international incident.
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Thursday, February 28th, 1980
19: Cold Storage
Benson and Kraus become trapped in a freezing storage room.
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Thursday, March 6th, 1980
20: Old Man Gatlin'
When the governor's loudmouth father visits, it's up to Benson to keep him in check during an important speech.
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Thursday, March 20th, 1980
21: Power Play
A mysterious environmental activist causes trouble for the governor and his staff.
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Thursday, March 27th, 1980
22: Takin' It to the Streets
To connect with constituents, Governor Gatling and Benson visit a mangy bar.
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Thursday, May 1st, 1980
23: The Army Wants You
Benson learns that his military unit was the subject of germ warfare testing.
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Thursday, May 8th, 1980
24: Marcy's Vacation
When Marcy plans her vacation, she worries her replacement may take her job.
Season 2
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Friday, October 31st, 1980
1: Thick as Thieves
Benson and Kraus are held hostage during a market robbery.
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Friday, November 7th, 1980
2: Benson in the Hospital
Benson is hospitalized with a mysterious allergy.
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Friday, November 14th, 1980
3: Fool's Gold
The staff goes on a frantic search for gold that may be hidden in the mansion.
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Friday, November 21st, 1980
4: Masquerade
Benson saves the day when a priceless gold statue becomes the target of revolutionaries from a foreign land.
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Friday, November 28th, 1980
5: First Lady
Katie believes her father is going to remarry without having told her first.
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Friday, December 12th, 1980
6: Citizen Kraus
Miss Kraus seeks to become an American citizen.
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Friday, December 19th, 1980
7: Benson's Groupie
Benson is relentlessly pursued by a wealthy but eccentric former lover.
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Friday, January 9th, 1981
8: In High Places
The governor must take the reins of a plane when the pilot dies during the flight.
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Friday, January 16th, 1981
9: Old School Ties
Governor Gatling sends Katie off to boarding school but soon realizes he made a mistake.
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Friday, January 23rd, 1981
10: The Apartment
Benson rents an apartment in a futile attempt to escape the madness of the mansion.
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Friday, February 6th, 1981
11: Big Buddy
Benson becomes a mentor to a boy from a broken home.
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Friday, February 13th, 1981
12: Fireside Chat
While the governor makes a televised speech, Marcy and her boyfriend squabble and then announce their engagement.
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Friday, February 20th, 1981
13: Marcy's Wedding
Benson's role planning Marcy's wedding is complicated by Marcy's meddling mother.
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Friday, February 27th, 1981
14: Rivals
Kraus must pretend she is the governor's wife when a lifelong rival pays a visit.
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Friday, March 6th, 1981
15: No Sad Songs
Benson grieves the loss of his mother.
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Friday, March 13th, 1981
16: Clayton, Go Home
After receiving death threats, Clayton moves into the mansion.
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Friday, March 20th, 1981
17: Easy Kid Stuff
Benson struggles with the challenge of being a substitute father for a needy boy.
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Friday, April 3rd, 1981
18: Homework
Katie's homework assignment sets the stage for vignettes about each cast member.
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Friday, April 10th, 1981
19: Handwriting on the Wall
A controversial bill brings the governor strange threats.
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Friday, May 8th, 1981
20: The Governor's House Call
The governor, Benson and Clayton are trapped in a bordello and must avoid being noticed.
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Friday, May 15th, 1981
21: All Shook Up
Taking refuge during an earthquake, Benson and Clayton get to know each other better.
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Friday, May 22nd, 1981
22: Lifesaver
Kraus becomes overly appreciative when Benson saves her life.
Season 3
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Friday, November 6th, 1981
1: Benson's Appointment
The governor promotes Benson to state budget director.
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Friday, November 13th, 1981
2: The Grass Ain't Greener
Benson goes undercover to investigate conditions in a prison.
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Friday, November 27th, 1981
3: Sit-In
In Benson's office, a conductor holds a concert in protest.
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Friday, December 4th, 1981
4: Double Exposure
Benson must help an FBI agent uncover a bribe scandal.
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Friday, December 11th, 1981
5: The Lobbyist
Benson's lobbyist girlfriend poses a conflict of interest.
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Friday, December 18th, 1981
6: Stress
The governor tries to alleviate tension among the staff.
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Friday, December 25th, 1981
7: Rainbow's End
Benson learns that his old flame is confined to a wheelchair.
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Friday, January 8th, 1982
8: Once in a Blue Moon
After Clayton is assaulted, Benson approves of tighter security.
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Friday, January 15th, 1982
9: Kraus Falls in Love
Kraus falls for a man she can't have.
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Friday, January 22nd, 1982
10: Stocks & Options
The staff dabbles in the stock market with disastrous results.
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Friday, February 5th, 1982
11: Kraus's Deadly Mistake
Believing she will die soon, Kraus tries to seize the day.
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Friday, February 12th, 1982
12: Wild Irish Rose
A former governor visits along with his attractive niece.
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Friday, February 19th, 1982
13: Street Gangs
Benson tries to help a street gang stay out of trouble.
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Friday, February 26th, 1982
14: Katie's Romance
Katie develops a crush on Pete after he accompanies her to a gymnastics meet.
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Friday, March 5th, 1982
15: Clayton's Condo
Clayton buys an apartment building, not knowing Benson is now one of his tenants.
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Friday, March 12th, 1982
16: Getting Even
Benson concocts revenge for a wealthy investor who sexually harasses Denise.
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Friday, March 19th, 1982
17: Pete the Hero
Pete borrows Benson's car and gets into a wreck that leads to the capture of armed thieves.
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Friday, March 26th, 1982
18: In the Red
Benson is the victim of an IRS audit.
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Friday, April 2nd, 1982
19: Teed Off
A golf foursome leads to acrimony among the governor and his male assistants.
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Friday, April 30th, 1982
20: The Party's Over
The governor learns his party won't support his renomination.
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Friday, May 7th, 1982
21: The Lumber Mill
Governor Gatling decides to run for reelection as an independent.
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Friday, May 14th, 1982
22: Black Tuesday
The governor's reelection campaign appears to have ended in failure.
Season 4
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Friday, October 22nd, 1982
1: Death in a Funny Position (1)
A yacht cruise becomes a murder mystery when the owner of the boat is stabbed to death.
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Friday, October 22nd, 1982
2: Death in a Funny Position (2)
A yacht cruise becomes a murder mystery when the owner of the boat is stabbed to death.
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Friday, October 29th, 1982
3: What a Revoltin' Development
While attending a conference in Latin America, Benson and Pete are kidnapped by revolutionaries.
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Friday, November 5th, 1982
4: Thy Brother's Keeper
Benson's younger brother visits at the same time an important report is due.
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Friday, November 12th, 1982
5: Quest for Retire
The mansion's gardener seeks Benson's help as he approaches retirement.
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Friday, November 19th, 1982
6: Teacher's Pest
Benson tutors Kraus in economics to prepare her for a test.
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Friday, November 26th, 1982
7: Benson's Army Reunion
Benson and his army buddies are surprised to hear what became of a Korean kid they befriended during the war.
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Friday, December 3rd, 1982
8: Benson's New Home
Benson buys a house in need of many repairs from a shady real estate agent.
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Friday, December 10th, 1982
9: Crimes of the Hearth
When Benson's condo is robbed, he discovers that it won't be easy to catch the crooks.
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Friday, December 17th, 1982
10: Mary and Her Lambs
It's Christmas time and Benson helps an assistant cook keep her foster children.
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Friday, December 31st, 1982
11: Pen Pal
Kraus' ex-convict pen pal pays a visit.
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Friday, January 7th, 1983
12: The Honeymooners
When Kraus' fiancé can't make it to the wedding, Benson stands in as a substitute.
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Friday, January 14th, 1983
13: Close Encounters on the Third Hole
Benson and the governor believe they saw a UFO while playing golf.
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Friday, January 21st, 1983
14: Katie's Boyfriend
The governor allows Katie to go on her first date.
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Friday, January 28th, 1983
15: The Royal Painting
A former street gang is hired to paint the mansion for the visiting Queen of England.
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Friday, February 4th, 1983
16: Boy's Night Out
The male staff members gather at Benson's for a night of fun.
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Friday, February 18th, 1983
17: Family Tree
Benson and Clayton learn that they might be related to each other.
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Friday, February 25th, 1983
18: Calamity Kraus
Kraus pretends to be a wealthy heiress to keep a manufacturing plant in the state.
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Friday, March 4th, 1983
19: Kraus Sings the Blues
Benson hosts a telethon and lets Kraus sing when other acts cancel out.
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Friday, March 11th, 1983
20: Half-Court Trap
Benson learns that his basketball-star nephew can hardly read or write.
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Friday, March 18th, 1983
21: A View from the Roof
When a ladder falls, Benson and the governor are trapped on the roof of the mansion.
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Thursday, March 31st, 1983
22: Love in a Funny Phase
Benson is upset when his girlfriend Jennifer wants to date other men.
Season 5
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Friday, September 16th, 1983
1: Band of Gold
Benson, Kraus, Denise and Pete become stranded in the forest.
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Friday, September 23rd, 1983
2: Human Element
A robot becomes an unwelcome visitor to the mansion.
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Friday, September 30th, 1983
3: God, I Need This Job
Benson communicates with Jessica Tate's ghost.
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Friday, October 7th, 1983
4: Who's Arnold?
Benson poses as Kraus' husband when her mother visits from Germany.
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Friday, October 21st, 1983
5: Full Court Press
Fed up with insults, Clayton drags Benson into court.
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Friday, October 28th, 1983
6: Down the Drain
When Benson's sink needs attention, he summons a cranky elderly plumber.
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Friday, November 4th, 1983
7: It Ain't Sheik
Benson must convince a sheikh to bring his business to the state.
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Friday, November 11th, 1983
8: You Can't Give It Away
Benson wins the state lottery but has to donate the winnings to charity.
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Friday, November 18th, 1983
9: Katie's Cookies
Benson helps Katie win a cookie-baking contest.
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Friday, November 25th, 1983
10: Labor Pains
Benson must watch the baby of a neighbor who has been trapped in a snowstorm.
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Friday, December 2nd, 1983
11: Unlisted Love
The governor reconnects with his high-school crush.
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Friday, December 16th, 1983
12: The Governor's Brain Is Missing
Military agents replace Governor Gatling with a double.
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Friday, December 23rd, 1983
13: A Real Gone Daddy
Pete revisits the beatnik culture of his youth.
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Friday, January 6th, 1984
14: Too Pooped to Pip
Benson recruits Gladys Knight and the Pips to perform on a telethon.
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Friday, January 13th, 1984
15: In All the Wrong Places
A boy from Katie's school plays matchmaker with Benson and his single mother.
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Friday, January 20th, 1984
16: Embarrassing Moments
Benson is pronounced "Bachelor of the Month" by a magazine.
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Friday, January 27th, 1984
17: Take My Life, Please
A security check of the governor's staff results in Benson being named as a spy.
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Friday, February 3rd, 1984
18: Beauty and the Beef
Benson judges a beauty pageant and must resist the persuasive pleas of both Clayton and Governor Gatling.
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Friday, February 24th, 1984
19: We Deliver
Denise goes into labor while trapped in an elevator with Benson and the governor.
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Friday, March 2nd, 1984
20: The Endicott Dynasty
Clayton's father selects Benson to run his business empire.
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Friday, March 9th, 1984
21: The Little Hotel That Could
Kraus recruits Benson for help in sparing an old hotel from the wrecking ball.
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Friday, May 4th, 1984
22: Let's Play Doctor
A would-be doctor who is to receive an award from the governor is exposed as a fraud.
Season 6
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Friday, September 21st, 1984
1: The Scandal
Benson discovers that the lieutenant governor is accepting bribes.
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Friday, September 28th, 1984
2: The Inheritance
Benson inherits ownership of a men's magazine.
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Friday, October 12th, 1984
3: Let's Get Physical
Benson sweats out the results of his physical.
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Friday, October 19th, 1984
4: The Campaign
Benson begins his campaign for lieutenant governor by dealing with a donor who expects political favors.
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Friday, October 26th, 1984
5: The Election
Benson's fledgling campaign runs out of money.
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Friday, November 2nd, 1984
6: Made in Hong Kong (1)
When the governor and his staff travel to Hong Kong, Clayton is mistaken for a famous designer and is kidnapped.
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Friday, November 9th, 1984
7: Made in Hong Kong (2)
In Hong Kong, Benson and the local authorities seek to rescue Clayton, Kraus and the governor from a kidnapper.
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Friday, November 16th, 1984
8: Hello, We Must Be Going
Benson's plans to appoint Kraus as his assistant are thwarted.
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Friday, November 23rd, 1984
9: Double Date
Benson unsuccessfully plays matchmaker for Clayton.
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Friday, November 30th, 1984
10: Taking It to the Max
Benson's sister ignores his advice to be cautious with her ex-boyfriend.
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Friday, December 7th, 1984
11: The Reunion
Benson reunites with his long-lost brother and uncle.
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Friday, December 14th, 1984
12: Make War, Not Love
Benson attends a trade conference where two enemy nations declare war on each other.
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Friday, December 21st, 1984
13: Home for Christmas
Benson dreams of a boyhood Christmas after falling unconscious from a slip and fall.
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Friday, January 11th, 1985
14: On the Road
Benson goes in disguise to lure Kraus away from her acting aspirations.
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Friday, January 18th, 1985
15: Take This Job and Love It
Benson fights city hall over a proposed ordinance to ban breakdancing.
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Friday, January 25th, 1985
16: Making Change
Benson, Kraus, Clayton and the governor discuss the people who influenced their lives the most.
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Friday, February 1st, 1985
17: Solid Gold
Benson travels to Las Vegas and meets the Smothers Brothers.
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Friday, February 8th, 1985
18: The Oval Office
Summoned to the White House, Benson and the governor become trapped in the Oval Office.
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Friday, February 15th, 1985
19: Mid-Life Cowboy
An exhausted Governor Gatling plays cowboy at a dude ranch to unwind.
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Friday, February 22nd, 1985
20: Scenario
Fearing a nuclear attack, the governor and his staff retreat to a bomb shelter.
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Friday, March 15th, 1985
21: Dubois: Portrait of a Politician
With the governor away on business, Benson takes control of the state government.
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Friday, March 22nd, 1985
22: Katie's Cousin
Katie's wild cousin brings her to a bar where she is caught by Benson.
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Friday, March 29th, 1985
23: The Bookburner
Benson butts heads with a powerful senator over an education bill.
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Friday, April 5th, 1985
24: Jung at Heart
Passed over for a prestigious award, a delusional Clayton comes to think he is Benson.
Season 7
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Friday, October 4th, 1985
1: Benson the Hero
After thwarting an armed robbery, Benson is sued by the perpetrator.
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Friday, October 11th, 1985
2: Love and Politics
Benson dangerously mixes business with pleasure when he rekindles a relationship with a female state senator.
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Friday, October 18th, 1985
3: Uncle Jack
Benson reunites Governor Gatling with his long-lost brother.
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Friday, October 25th, 1985
4: The Stranger
A mysterious stranger lurks around the mansion on Halloween.
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Friday, November 8th, 1985
5: We Spy
In East Germany on business, Benson and Kraus are detained and accused of spying.
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Friday, November 15th, 1985
6: $1,000,000 an Hour
Benson and Clayton must spend an enormous budget surplus before the waning fiscal year expires.
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Friday, November 29th, 1985
7: Flight of the Dodo (1)
Clayton's attempt to pilot a helicopter puts him, Benson and the governor in peril.
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Friday, December 6th, 1985
8: Flight of the Dodo (2)
Benson, Clayton and the governor must endure a helicopter crash landing in the desert.
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Friday, December 13th, 1985
9: Two Boys and Their Dog
Clayton draws Benson into his plans to start a dog-breeding business.
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Friday, January 3rd, 1986
10: Last Man on Earth
Kraus dreams that a comet strike has left Benson and herself as the planet's sole survivors.
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Saturday, January 18th, 1986
11: Secret Love
Clayton's candidacy for state budget director is threatened by his relationship with a Soviet defector.
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Saturday, January 25th, 1986
12: Summer of Discontent
Benson and the governor seek advice from a conservationist in relation to environmental legislation.
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Saturday, February 1st, 1986
13: Parade Rest
A contractor working on one of the mansion's bathrooms goes missing.
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Saturday, February 8th, 1986
14: Reel Murder (1)
Actor George Kennedy's plans to film a movie in the mansion lead to a murder mystery.
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Saturday, February 15th, 1986
15: Reel Murder (2)
The staff try to solve the murder mystery before time runs out.
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Saturday, February 22nd, 1986
16: The Hat and the Ring
Benson contemplates a marriage proposal to his state senator girlfriend.
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Saturday, March 1st, 1986
17: The Bucks Stop Here
Clayton meets the obstacle to inheriting the family fortune, his father's young and beautiful fiancée.
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Saturday, March 15th, 1986
18: Pardon Me
Benson campaigns for a pardon for an incarcerated man who was wrongfully convicted.
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Saturday, March 22nd, 1986
19: Hi, Society
Kraus unknowingly leaks information to an influential columnist.
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Saturday, March 29th, 1986
20: Three on a Mismatch
The governor responds to an ad in the personals section of a magazine.
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Saturday, April 12th, 1986
21: Friends and Enemies
Benson's gubernatorial bid pits him against Governor Gatling.
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Saturday, April 19th, 1986
22: And the Winner Is...
With the votes cast, Benson and Governor Gatling await the results of the gubernatorial election.