Gimme a Break! 1981
What is Gimme a Break!?
Gimme a Break! is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1981
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 137
- Runtime
- 30 minutes
- First aired
- Oct 29, 1981
- Last aired
- May 12, 1987
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- NBC
- Genres
- Comedy, Family
- Updated
Where to watch
With ads
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 137 episodes and an average 30-minute runtime.
Trailer
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Gimme a Break! is an American television sitcom that aired on NBC. The series premiered on October 29, 1981, and continued to air for several years. It is a comedy and family television show. The show features a housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters, played by Nell Carter.
Should you watch it?
“A witty housekeeper navigates life with a widowed police chief and his three daughters.”
- Nell Carter's charismatic performance
- strong family dynamics
- blend of humor and heart
- dated cultural references
- uneven later seasons
you enjoy classic 1980s family sitcoms with strong female leads.
Suitable for general audiences with mild situational comedy and family themes.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 19 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Katie the Crook Oct 29, 1981
- E2 A Good Man is Hard to Find Nov 5, 1981
- E3 The Second Time Around Nov 12, 1981
- E4 Mom's Birthday Nov 19, 1981
- E5 Do or Diet Nov 26, 1981
- E6 A Man in Nell's Room Dec 3, 1981
- E7 Your Prisoner is Dead Dec 10, 1981
- E8 Julie's Rejection Dec 17, 1981
- E9 Julie's First Love Jan 7, 1982
- E10 Nell's Ex Jan 14, 1982
- E11 Katie the Cheat Jan 21, 1982
- E12 The Emergency Feb 4, 1982
- E13 Nell Goes Home Feb 11, 1982
- E14 Samantha Steals a Squad Car Feb 18, 1982
- E15 Grandma Fools Around Feb 25, 1982
- E16 Hot Muffins Mar 11, 1982
- E17 Sam's Affair Mar 18, 1982
- E18 The Robbery Mar 25, 1982
- E19 An Unmarried Couple Apr 1, 1982
Season 2 · 22 episodes
- E1 Nell Goes to Jail Oct 2, 1982
- E2 Brother Ed and the Hooker Oct 9, 1982
- E3 Sam's Imaginary Friend Oct 16, 1982
- E4 Grandpa's Visit Oct 23, 1982
- E5 Take My Baby, Please Oct 30, 1982
- E6 Porko's Nov 6, 1982
- E7 The Chief's Gay Evening Nov 13, 1982
- E8 Katie Steals Julie's Jock Nov 27, 1982
- E9 Sam Faces Death Dec 4, 1982
- E10 Nell Goes Door to Door Dec 11, 1982
- E11 Love Thy Neighbor Dec 18, 1982
- E12 Love, Kidney Jan 6, 1983
- E13 Julie Smokes Jan 13, 1983
- E14 The Centerfold (1) Jan 20, 1983
- E15 The Centerfold (2) Jan 27, 1983
- E16 The Custody Suit Feb 10, 1983
- E17 The Return of the Doo-Wop Girls Feb 17, 1983
- E18 Eddie Gets Married Feb 24, 1983
- E19 Grandpa Robs a Bank Mar 3, 1983
- E20 Greenlawn Street Blues Mar 10, 1983
- E21 Nell and the Kid Apr 28, 1983
- E22 Nell Gets Sick May 5, 1983
Season 3 · 22 episodes
- E1 The Groupie Sep 29, 1983
- E2 The Way to a Man's Heart Oct 13, 1983
- E3 Katie's Commitment Oct 20, 1983
- E4 Joey (1) Oct 27, 1983
- E5 Joey (2) Nov 3, 1983
- E6 The Mayor Nov 10, 1983
- E7 Melissa Nov 17, 1983
- E8 Nell's Friend Dec 1, 1983
- E9 Grandpa's Rebellion Dec 8, 1983
- E10 A Kanisky Christmas Dec 22, 1983
- E11 Herbie Jan 5, 1984
- E12 James Returns Jan 12, 1984
- E13 Samantha's Protest Jan 19, 1984
- E14 Flashback Jan 26, 1984
- E15 Knock Three Times Feb 2, 1984
- E16 Valentine Feb 9, 1984
- E17 The Big Apple (1) Feb 16, 1984
- E18 The Big Apple (2) Feb 23, 1984
- E19 Rodeo Mar 8, 1984
- E20 Katie's College Mar 15, 1984
- E21 The Center Apr 19, 1984
- E22 Class of '84 May 3, 1984
Season 4 · 25 episodes
- E1 New Orleans (1) Sep 29, 1984
- E2 New Orleans (2) Oct 6, 1984
- E3 Nell's Birthday Oct 13, 1984
- E4 Grandpa's Secret Life Oct 20, 1984
- E5 Sam's First Love Oct 27, 1984
- E6 Who Dunnit? Nov 3, 1984
- E7 Breakdance Nov 10, 1984
- E8 Daddy's Little Girl Nov 17, 1984
- E9 Carl's Delicate Moment Nov 24, 1984
- E10 Julie's Lie Dec 1, 1984
- E11 Baby of the Family Dec 8, 1984
- E12 TV or Not TV Dec 15, 1984
- E13 The Spirit of Christmas Dec 22, 1984
- E14 Grandpa's Will Jan 5, 1985
- E15 The Answering Machine Jan 12, 1985
- E16 The Gift Jan 19, 1985
- E17 Alabamy Bound (1) Jan 26, 1985
- E18 Alabamy Bound (2) Feb 2, 1985
- E19 The Earthquake Feb 9, 1985
- E20 The Lookalike Feb 16, 1985
- E21 Cat Story Feb 23, 1985
- E22 Police Mamas Mar 23, 1985
- E23 Monkey See, Monkey Do Mar 30, 1985
- E24 Friendship May 4, 1985
- E25 Julie's Birthday May 11, 1985
Season 5 · 24 episodes
- E1 Joey's Train Sep 14, 1985
- E2 Ship of Fools (1) Sep 21, 1985
- E3 Ship of Fools (2) Sep 28, 1985
- E4 The Man From Zoron Oct 5, 1985
- E5 Addy's Goodbye Oct 19, 1985
- E6 So Long, Jonathan Oct 26, 1985
- E7 Mama Nov 2, 1985
- E8 Sam's Little Girl Nov 9, 1985
- E9 The Elevator Nov 16, 1985
- E10 Nell's New Car Nov 23, 1985
- E11 Nell's Gifted Child Nov 30, 1985
- E12 Katie's Apartment Dec 7, 1985
- E13 Snippets Dec 14, 1985
- E14 Second Chance (1) Jan 4, 1986
- E15 Second Chance (2) Jan 11, 1986
- E16 Bienvenido, Jonathan Jan 18, 1986
- E17 The Gun Feb 1, 1986
- E18 A Lesson for Nell Feb 8, 1986
- E19 Pride and Prejudice Feb 15, 1986
- E20 Family Reunion Feb 22, 1986
- E21 Getting to Know You Mar 29, 1986
- E22 Katie's Korner Apr 5, 1986
- E23 Found Money May 3, 1986
- E24 The Purse Snatcher May 10, 1986
Frequently asked questions
Who stars in Gimme a Break!?
Nell Carter stars as the housekeeper, alongside Dolph Sweet as the police chief.
How many seasons did Gimme a Break! run?
The show aired for six seasons on NBC.
When did Gimme a Break! premiere?
It premiered on October 29, 1981.
Is Gimme a Break! available to stream?
Availability varies by platform and region; check local streaming services.
What is the show's main premise?
A housekeeper helps raise three daughters after their mother's death while working for their police chief father.