Benson (1982)
Jessica Tate's sharp-tongued former butler, Benson DuBois, moves up in the world, becoming first the governor's "director of household affairs," then the state's budget director, then lieutenant governor and candidate for the executive mansion.
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Episode 1 - Thick as Thieves
Release Date: 31 Oct. 1980Benson and Kraus are taken hostage during a convenience store stickup, and it takes all of Benson's diplomacy to keep her from goading the gunmen into shooting them.
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Episode 2 - Benson in the Hospital
Release Date: 7 Nov. 1980After recovering from flu symptoms, Benson collapses while talking to Kraus and is hospitalized for tests. Clayton starts looking to replace him as Head of Household Staff. A visitor hold the key to what his ailment is.
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Episode 3 - Fool's Gold
Release Date: 14 Nov. 1980Benson and Kraus find a secret compartment in the mansion's fireplace hearth. Inside is a letter written by a past governor telling about a stash of gold hidden in the mansion and everyone wants it for themselves.
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Episode 4 - Masquerade
Release Date: 21 Nov. 1980The Governor is having a $100 per plate dinner to raise money for a hospital in a third world country. Clayton puts out a memo telling the entire staff to attend in costume. Among the guests is the Ambassador of the country who is bringing The Golden Monkey which is made of solid gold and some revolutionaries wanting to steal the monkey.
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Episode 5 - First Lady
Release Date: 28 Nov. 1980The Governor has a female escort for a special reception and Katie is afraid that it means that he will be getting married. The Guest of Honor for the reception owns an air conditioning company and comments on how bad the mansion's air conditioning system is. He's yet to find out who manufactured it.
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Episode 6 - Citizen Kraus
Release Date: 12 Dec. 1980Kraus' aunt dies and she is given her aunt's Bavarian castle. The only catch is that in order to inherit it, she must live in it meaning she has to move to Bavaria or let it go to her cousin. Kraus decides that since she really considers the United States her country, she wants to become a US Citizen, but she fails the citizenship test.
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Episode 7 - Benson's Groupie
Release Date: 19 Dec. 1980While on a Carribbean vacation, Benson meets a woman who wants to stay with him. To his dismay, she follows him back home and arrives at the mansion where she refuses to leave him.
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Episode 8 - In High Places
Release Date: 9 Jan. 1981On the way to a Solar Energy Conference in Albuquerque, the pilot of the plane flying Benson, Marcie, Clayton and the Governor becomes ill and it is up to the Governor and Benson to fly the plane.
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Episode 9 - Old School Ties
Release Date: 16 Jan. 1981Libby, the Governor's sister, comes for a visit. She feels that the environment in which Katie is being raised in is not good for her and tries to convince the Governor to send Katie to the same boarding school that she and the Governor went to when they were younger. That is a decision that none of the Governor's Staff wants him to make.
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Episode 10 - The Apartment
Release Date: 23 Jan. 1981Benson moves into an apartment which is intended to give him a place to live on weekends so that he can get away from the mansion. As he is trying to renew and old friendship with a pretty girl, he finds that getting away from the Staff isn't as easy as he would like.
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Episode 11 - Big Buddy
Release Date: 6 Feb. 1981Benson becomes the 'Big Buddy' to a nine year old boy who is hard to handle. When the boy and Katie get caught shoplifting, Benson tries to figure out why the boy is the way he is.
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Episode 12 - Fireside Chat
Release Date: 13 Feb. 1981Marcy's boyfriend Dan, is the producer of the Governor's fireside chat. Just when she believes he is going to propose, he breaks up with her and wants them to reevaluate their relationship.
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Episode 13 - Marcy's Wedding
Release Date: 20 Feb. 1981It's Marcy's wedding. And when her father is unable to attend, Marcy wants Benson to walk her down the aisle. But her mother prefers someone from the family.
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Episode 14 - Rivals
Release Date: 27 Feb. 1981Kraus is in a state: her childhood rival, whose boasting she has endured for years, is on her way to America, expecting to find the cook married to the governor.
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Episode 15 - No Sad Songs
Release Date: 6 Mar. 1981Benson's mother makes an unexpected but welcome visit.
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Episode 16 - Clayton, Go Home
Release Date: 13 Mar. 1981A representative from an airline which opposes a noise abatement bill attempts to bribe Clayton. When Clayton intends to testify against the airline, he begins to receive threats and break-ins.
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Episode 17 - Easy Kid Stuff
Release Date: 20 Mar. 1981A neighborhood boy wanders onto the governor's property, and breaks his arm when he falls out of a tree. As the boy is missing a strong role-model in his life, Benson considers becoming a father figure to the boy.
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Episode 18 - Homework
Release Date: 3 Apr. 1981Katie's school assignment is to write a paper about her family. In addition to her father, she includes Benson, Kraus, and the others whom she considers part of her family.
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Episode 19 - Handwriting on the Wall
Release Date: 10 Apr. 1981Someone is sending the Governor death threats.
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Episode 20 - The Governor's House Call
Release Date: 8 May 1981On his way to a Navy reunion, the Governor, along with Benson and Clayton, stop off at a bordello to visit a sick friend. When a fire breaks out across the street, they are afraid to be seen by the crowd when they exit the bordello.
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Episode 21 - All Shook Up
Release Date: 15 May 1981While Benson and Clayton search for something in the storage room, an earthquake hits the area. Benson and Clayton are trapped.
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Episode 22 - Lifesaver
Release Date: 22 May 1981Gretchen chokes on a piece of food and Benson performs the Heimlich maneuver to save her.