Shall We Gather at the River?

1In the Beginning...

30 minOct 25, 1982

Dick and Joanna Loudon purchase the Stratford Inn, a remnant of colonial times in scenic Vermont. Their caretaker, George Utley, and his family have tended the inn for decades. Dick hires a maid, Leslie, and meets their next-door neighbor (and habitual liar) Kirk. The inn opens for business amid myriad start-up problems.

2Mrs. Newton's Body Lies A'Mould'ring in the Grave

30 minNov 1, 1982

Dick and Joanna learn that there's a body buried in the basement. The Loudons try to get the body moved to the church cemetery, only to find that she was a witch.

3Hail to the Councilman

30 minNov 8, 1982

Dick gets his hopes up after two city officials suggest he run for town council.

4Shall We Gather at the River?

30 minNov 15, 1982Now viewing

Joanna falls through the ice at the annual River Day festival. Dick is on the outs when Joanna blames him for everything bad that happens in her life.

5This Probably is Condemned

30 minNov 22, 1982

Dick and the gang pitch in to help Kirk get the Minuteman up to code after its shut down.

6No Tigers at the Circus

30 minNov 29, 1982

Dick spirals into a profound depression after the Stratford is denied in its bid to be classified an historic landmark.

7The Perfect Match

30 minDec 6, 1982

Leslie's high school sweetheart returns from far off places to ask for her hand in marriage, to Kirk's obvious displeasure.

8Some are Born Writers...Others Have Writers Thrust Upon Them

30 minDec 13, 1982

Dick praises an aspiring writer's work to avoid hurting her feelings. The writer's enthusiastic husband quits his job to allow his wife to write full time. It's up to Dick to secure her an agent and teach her to write, all before their savings runs out in a month and a half.

9No Room at the Inn

30 minDec 20, 1982

The inn is swamped when 24 guests are snowed in on Christmas Eve. While Kirk tries to keep the guests entertained, Dick tries to find room for a traveller named Joseph and his pregnant wife.

10The Senator's Wife Was Indiscreet

30 minDec 27, 1982

A U.S. Senator's wife checks into the inn and holds a press conference to announce she's divorcing her inattentive husband.

11Sprained Dreams

30 minJan 3, 1983

Dick jeopardizes Leslie's lifelong dream of becoming a world-class skier when he accidentally falls on her.

12The Way We Thought We Were

30 minJan 10, 1983

George's old flame visits the inn. Both are disappointed when the other isn't as they remember.

13The Visitors

30 minJan 17, 1983

Dick and Joanna cant wait for their 'fun' friends to visit, but soon become perturbed after their friends treat the Loudons not as friends, but innkeepers.

14What is This Thing Called Lust?

30 minJan 31, 1983

Leslie's attractive cousin Stephanie visits Vermont to settle her emotions as she nears her wedding day. Stephanie soon finds herself lusting after Kirk.

15Breakfast Theater

30 minFeb 7, 1983

Washed-up comic Manny Silver visits the Stratford, reminding Dick of the 'debt' he owes Manny for starting his writing career. Manny shames Dick into letting him perform in the inn, over Joanna's strenuous objections.

16Ricky Nelson, Up Your Nose

30 minFeb 14, 1983

Kirk goes into the hospital for surgery to remove a foreign object from his nose, leaving Larry, Darryl and a very svelte Darryl in charge of the cafe. Dick and Joanna, about to go to New York for a writer's conference have to bail out the boys when an unexpected crowd turns up at the cafe.

17A View from the Bench

30 minFeb 21, 1983

Dick, Kirk, and George go to Boston to use their bench passes for a Celtics game. Dick loses his pass. Meanwhile, Leslie and Joanna wait at the inn for incoming guest, Daniel J. Travanti.

18The Boy Who Cried Goat

30 minMar 13, 1983

When Kirk's cafe is robbed, his history of deception comes back to haunt him as the insurance investigator refuses to believe his story.

19Heaven Knows Mr. Utley

30 minMar 20, 1983

George is the town laughingstock when he claims to have spied an UFO.

20You're Homebody 'til Somebody Loves You

30 minMar 27, 1983

Dick inadvertently insults Joanna, calling her a homebody. Joanna takes a job with a travel agency in an attempt to assert herself.

21Grandma, What a Big Mouth You Have

30 minApr 3, 1983

Kirk's grandmother visits on the same night he finally gets a date with Leslie.

22I Enjoy Being a Guy

30 minApr 10, 1983

Dick loves being 'just one of the guys' when Chester and Jim invite him to join their golf foursome. Dick is distressed to find that their gambling habit and lousy golfing abilities make him the big winner. Dick tries to figure out a way to give the money back without breaking 'the guy code'.