• Air date: 24 Sep '86 23 episodes
      Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom which aired on NBC for six seasons, October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters.
  • List of Episodes (23)
    • 1. Sam Goes to College (1)

      24 Sep '86
      Samantha, excitied that she has gotten into Littlfield College in New Jersey, is let down when she recieves a letter in the mail, saying that the school cancelled her scholarship. As this is going on, Julie and Jonathan, the proud new parents of baby Nell, are finally moving to Bakersfield to have privacy for a change, and to manage the chalk factory, as Simpson helps them with the move. Nell then calls Addy, who says she will do all she can to make sure it was an error, and that Samantha will g
    • 2. Sam Goes to College (2)

      24 Sep '86
      Nell continues to talk Samantha out of moving to Sanfransisco with Katie. She then realizes that Samantha is still 17, and she has legal control over her still. Addy finally calls Nell and tells her that Samantha did get the scholarship, and that it was a computer error. An excited Samantha, decides that she is going to college afterall. Nell finally sees Julie and Jonathan to the front door as they say their goodbyes. Nell knows that the girls are all grown up now, and that she has the house to
    • 3. Below Sea Level

      01 Oct '86
      Nell and Joey fly to New Jersy to move Samantha to her college living space at Littlefield College. While they are there, and New York is so close by, and Addy as well, who is now living there because she has gotten a job at a big University, they deicde to visit her and see how she is doing. Nell is surprised that Addy has a basement apartment, in which the view consists of being able to see tiny dogs and peoples feet who walk by. Nell gets furious when the construction workers outside maske no
    • 4. Joey Meets Matthew

      08 Oct '86
      Joey meets Matthew finally, and is mad that he has a little brother. Tim says that he has some matters to take care of and will meet Nell and the boys at a restaruant shortly. Nell and Addy then decide to take the boys to the park and they have a blast. As Addy and Nell sit and talk on a park bench, they realize that Joey and Matthew have disappeared and Nell calls the police. Joey and Matthew were taken to a museum by a police officer who tells Nell they are not fond of one another and are arg
    • 5. Nell Goes Back to New York

      15 Oct '86
      Nell recives a letter from Joey in New York, telling her that he is fine, but she knows that Tim is not taking proper care of them. She returns to New York, where she ruins Addy's date with a lawyer, and tells her the two will get Joey back. She spies on him at the playground, and he sees her, and she tempts him with a big southern meal at Addy's Apartment. Nell finally agrees to become roomates with Addy and move to New York. When Tim shows up to pick up Joey, he tells Nell he wants to go back
    • 6. The Apartment

      29 Oct '86
      Nell tries to get a job at a famous New York publishing company. She then decides to rent an apartment in Greenwich Village where she, Addy, Joey and Matthew move into.
    • 7. I Love New York

      05 Nov '86
      Nell is fed up with the new apartment in New York, and tells Addy she wants to go back to Glenlawn to get some of that good California air inside of her again. When Gradpa calls, he tells her that he sold the house to leave Glenlawn behind and move to New York with her. She then meets her upstairs tennant Mrs. Tercobi, who bakes her a cake. In the end, Nell knows that if she can make it there, she can make it anywhere, after being inspired by Frank Senatra's ""New York, New York"".
    • 8. Nell the Boss

      12 Nov '86
      After Addy is laid off at the University for going on strike, Nell hires her as an assistant at Mcdillon and Loud's publishing company where she works. When Nell thinks Addy is too slow at reading manuscripts, she fires her, and Addy, upset at Nell's attitude towards her, refuses to ever speak to her again.
    • 9. Harry the Hamster

      19 Nov '86
      Nell is furious when she hears a squeaking noise coming from Joey and Matthew's room. When she checks in on them, she finds out that they are caring for Joey's class hamster, ""Harry"", who Joey knows would most likely be used to be tested on human products. Nell and Addy decide to make a fund to stop people from testing animals with human products. Late at night, to stop the squeaking of Harry's cage, Nell pours salad oil on it. However, what she doesn't know is that it is rancid. When she gets
    • 10. Joey the Gambler

      26 Nov '86
      Joey begins to run ilegal gambling tickets from the staff at El Gatspacio, and Nell is horrified when she finds out he was picked up for running them.After Nell brings Joey home, she tries to teach him that gambling is wrong. When her lecture doesn't work, she finally confides in Marty, who uses the game ""Candyland"", as an example that it is wrong for Joey to gamble, bets Joey all their money, and in the end wins, teaching Joey a lesson that it is very wrong for people to gamble their money th
    • 12. Christmas in New York

      10 Dec '86
      Nell decides to buy a Christmas tree, as does Addy, who both know that it costs too much for one in New York. As the gang begins to celebrate Christmas New York style, Joey tells Matthew that there is no such thing as Santra Claus, and Nell blames Marty for the whole thing. In the end, Nell realizes that Marty always didn't believe in Santa Claus because he never got the toy train he saw in a store window when he was a child. In the end, Nell invites him to Christmas dinner, and on Christmas mor
    • 13. Nell's Secret Admirer

      07 Jan '87
      Nell gets a call from her highschool secret admirer, whom she never knew personally in Alabama. She decides to met him at El Gatspacio since he is in town, and she knows that he cannot have a successful relationship with a woman because he has never forgot about her. When she arrives at El Gatspacio, he calls her, telling her he wrote her a note years ago in school, and that he canot meet her, but in the end, surprises her by showing up at the restaraunt, after Nell has an emotional breakdown on
    • 14. The Loan

      14 Jan '87
      Nell gives Addy a loan to buy a new dress to attend a gala event, knowing that she will pay her back in no time at all. As time passes, people in the building begin to take advantage of Addy, and ask her for money which she does give them. Everyone tells Nell that Addy is a saint for giving them money when they need it, but Nell is mad that Addy has not paid her back the money she borrowed from her. Nell goes to Marty for advice, and he insists that Nell makes a contract, but she gets mad and ri
    • 15. The Window (1)

      21 Jan '87
      Nell has a better job in her company as a book editor. However, that tears her away from staying with the boys. When Joey tells Nell that he's doing a Walk-A-Thon fund raiser for his school & wants to sign up sponsors. But Nell doesn't want Joey to go alone with Matthew wandering the streets of New York. But Grandpa disagrees. Joey also has to take Matthew to his guitar lesson as well. After school, Joey decides to go get sponsors, and takes Matt with him. When Joey goes to a doctor's offi
    • 16. The Window (2)

      21 Jan '87
      Nell decides to quit her job so she could stay home with the boys. So Nell decides to get a new job instead. When she told Joey that, he was delighted. Then the phone rings and the company wants Nell to come to her interview. Nell tells Joey to watch Matthew, but he's still mad at him. So she calls Matthew and he comes with his guitar ready to go to a guitar lesson that Nell forgot. But Joey still won't take Matt to his guitar lesson. Nell's mom advises her to let the apron strings go, and t
    • 17. Joey's First Crush

      28 Jan '87
      Joey begins to have a crush on Maggie, and at her husband's birthday party, Nell finds out that he wants to leave New York behind and move to Georgia.
    • 18. Joey's Teacher

      04 Feb '87
      Joey is upset because his teacher, Mr. Gronomeir keeps hating him. When Nell invites him to the house to talk about Joey, he trips on Maggies skateboard, and decides to sue, and fakes that he has serious pains. However, he is on his way to spin the big wheel for fast cash on television, and when Nell turns on the television to see him spin the wheel, he wins the big jackpot, and says that he is going to buy an island in the Caribean, and will never have to look at another kid again. Nell is outr
    • 19. Joey's Hero

      11 Feb '87
      When Joey's favorite television star ""Captain Jerk"", is hospitalized after swallowing a whistle, it is up to Nell to give him a blood transfusion since she has the same type of blod as him. However, as she goes to his hospital room to meet him, she finds out that he is predjudiced as she heards him talking to his co-stars about how much he hates blacks and how he organizes a group of people who are for a white society. She realizes that she must tell Joey the truth, that his favorite telvison
    • 20. Joey the Gigolo

      25 Feb '87
      Nell knows that her boss is beginning to fire many workers on the job, and when she finds out he has a daughter named Molly that is Joey's age, she sets the two up, so she can work her way to staying on the job. What Nell doesn't know is that Joey is turning into a Gigolo, leaving the family everyday for Molly, even during Matthews birthday party. In the end, Nell madly storms into Molly's room, and tells Joey to come home for his brothers party. When her boss comes in and tells her to stop yell
    • 21. Parents' Week (1)

      25 Feb '87
      Nell finds out that it is Parents Week at Littlefield College in New Jersy, and she is upset that Samantha didn't invite her to attend it. However, she decides to go anyways. When she arrives at the college, Samantha is stunned to see her, and she begins to barge in on student's lives. She sits in on an English class of Sam's, and Professor Dudley gets upset with her. Afterwards, she meets a boy who wants to switch his career from Teaching to Fashion design, but cant stand up to his father, who
    • 22. Parents' Week (2)

      04 Mar '87
      Nell tries to convice Samantha to stay in college, and in the end, is successful at doing so. She also is successful at helping a fellow studen of Sam's to both stand up to his father and get his book published.
    • 23. Save the Church

      28 Apr '87
      Nell prepares for Mary-Ellen Baldwin's arrival, a snobbish foe of hers from Alabama. She arrives in New York to tell Mama Maybelle along with Nell that she is knocking down the old church to make room for new condos. Mama Maybelle, displeased with the act of fooishness, rejects the check for $5,000 that Mary-Ellen gives her, but Nell wants the money. Mama Maybelle then decides she is going to Alabama to save the church. Once they arrive there, Mama Maybelle goes off to see Mayor Watson about wha
    • 24. Someday, My Prince . . .

      05 May '87
      Nell is wooed by an African man who invented chocolate chip cookies in his African country. She is given a necklace by him, and is given a proposal to be his wife. She tells Addy that they should all move to Africa if she decides to accept his proosal, but in the end she declines it, when he tells her his mother wants him to marry a pure woman who hasnt had sex before. She is however, mad that she gave back the expensive necklace that she was given by him.