Head of the Class 1986
What is Head of the Class?
Head of the Class is an American sitcom that aired on the ABC television network between 1986 and 1991. The series centers on a group of gifted students enrolled in the Individualized Honors Program at the fictional Monroe High School in Manhattan.
- Type
- TV series
- Year
- 1986
- Status
- Ended
- Episodes
- 114
- Runtime
- 22 minutes
- First aired
- Sep 17, 1986
- Last aired
- Jun 25, 1991
- Original language
- EN
- Origin
- US
- Networks
- ABC
- Genres
- Comedy, Family
- Updated
Where to watch
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How long to binge?
Estimate the schedule using 114 episodes and an average 22-minute runtime.
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Find the trailer on YouTube ↗Overview
Head of the Class is an American sitcom that aired on the ABC television network between 1986 and 1991. The series centers on a group of gifted students enrolled in the Individualized Honors Program at the fictional Monroe High School in Manhattan. These students are guided by their history teacher, Charlie Moore. The program served as a vehicle for actor Howard Hesseman, who was previously known for his portrayal of the radio disc jockey Dr. Johnny Fever on the sitcom WKRP in Cincinnati. Hesseman remained with the series until 1990. Following his departure, Billy Connolly joined the cast to portray the character Billy MacGregor, who served as the teacher for the final season of the program. After the conclusion of the series, Connolly appeared in a short-lived spin-off project. The show documents the academic and personal experiences of the students within the honors program throughout its five-year run on network television.
Should you watch it?
“A witty classroom comedy exploring the lives of gifted high school students and their teacher.”
- Strong ensemble cast with distinct student characters
- Blend of humor and heart in educational settings
- Features Howard Hesseman and later Billy Connolly as teachers
- Dated 1980s production values
- Some episodic plots may feel formulaic
You enjoy character-driven sitcoms set in schools with a mix of humor and heart.
Suitable for general audiences with mild comedic themes appropriate for family viewing.
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Cast
Episode guide
Season 1 · 22 episodes
Open the complete Season 1 guide →- E1 Pilot Sep 17, 1986
- E2 Back to the Future Sep 24, 1986
- E3 Charliegate Oct 1, 1986
- E4 Love at First Byte Oct 22, 1986
- E5 The Outsider Oct 29, 1986
- E6 Teacher's Teacher Nov 5, 1986
- E7 Volleyball Anyone? Nov 12, 1986
- E8 Critical Choices Nov 19, 1986
- E9 Cold Turkey Nov 26, 1986
- E10 You've Got a Friend Dec 3, 1986
- E11 As Time Goes By Dec 10, 1986
- E12 The Way We Weren't Dec 17, 1986
- E13 Rebel Without a Class Jan 7, 1987
- E14 Ode to Simone Jan 14, 1987
- E15 Past Imperfect Jan 21, 1987
- E16 A Problem Like Maria Jan 28, 1987
- E17 The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming! Feb 4, 1987
- E18 Valentine's Day Feb 11, 1987
- E19 Video Activity Feb 18, 1987
- E20 Privilege Feb 25, 1987
- E21 Crimes of the Heart Apr 1, 1987
- E22 The Secret Life of Arvid Engen May 6, 1987
Season 2 · 22 episodes
- E1 Science Fair-Weather Friends Sep 23, 1987
- E2 The Write Stuff Sep 30, 1987
- E3 The Big Squeeze Oct 7, 1987
- E4 Child of the 60's Oct 14, 1987
- E5 Trouble in Perfectville Oct 28, 1987
- E6 Coach Charlie Nov 4, 1987
- E7 That'll Be the Day Nov 11, 1987
- E8 Poltergeist III Nov 18, 1987
- E9 Psyched Out at Fillmore Nov 25, 1987
- E10 Revenge of the Liberal Dec 2, 1987
- E11 Play it Again, Woody Dec 9, 1987
- E12 Will the Real Arvid Engen Please Stand Up? Jan 6, 1988
- E13 On the Road Again Jan 13, 1988
- E14 Fatal Distraction Jan 20, 1988
- E15 Cello Fever Jan 27, 1988
- E16 Parent's Day Feb 3, 1988
- E17 Love is Debatable Feb 10, 1988
- E18 For Better, For Worse Mar 2, 1988
- E19 We Love You, Mrs. Russell Mar 9, 1988
- E20 Don't Play With Matches Mar 23, 1988
- E21 The 21st-Century News May 4, 1988
- E22 Moore Than You Know May 11, 1988
Season 3 · 22 episodes
- E1 The Refrigerator of Fillmore High Oct 19, 1988
- E2 Back in the U.S.S.R. Oct 26, 1988
- E3 Mission to Moscow (1) Nov 2, 1988
- E4 Mission to Moscow (2) Nov 2, 1988
- E5 Let's Rap Nov 9, 1988
- E6 Engen and Son Nov 30, 1988
- E7 Get a Job Dec 7, 1988
- E8 Born to Run Jan 4, 1989
- E9 First Date Jan 18, 1989
- E10 Partners Jan 25, 1989
- E11 Arvid's Sure Thing Feb 1, 1989
- E12 Scuttlebutt Feb 8, 1989
- E13 Little Shop 'Til You Drop (1) Feb 15, 1989
- E14 Little Shop 'Til You Drop (2) Feb 22, 1989
- E15 The Hot Seat Mar 1, 1989
- E16 Radio Activity Mar 8, 1989
- E17 The Little Sister Mar 15, 1989
- E18 Killer Coach Mar 22, 1989
- E19 I Am the King Apr 5, 1989
- E20 King of Remedial Apr 26, 1989
- E21 Labor Daze May 3, 1989
- E22 Exactly Twelve O'Clock May 10, 1989
Season 4 · 26 episodes
- E1 Back to School Sep 27, 1989
- E2 Viki & Eric & Simone & Alex Oct 4, 1989
- E3 The Ring of Darlene M. Oct 11, 1989
- E4 Viki in Love Oct 18, 1989
- E5 Blunden in Love Oct 25, 1989
- E6 The Bright Stuff (1) Nov 1, 1989
- E7 The Bright Stuff (2) Nov 8, 1989
- E8 Gotta Dance Nov 15, 1989
- E9 Good Mourning Nov 22, 1989
- E10 Arvid Nose Best Nov 29, 1989
- E11 The Devil and Miss T.J. Dec 6, 1989
- E12 Why Ronnie Can't Read Dec 13, 1989
- E13 The Joker Is Wild Jan 3, 1990
- E14 Tough Guys Don't Sew Jan 10, 1990
- E15 Reel Problems Jan 17, 1990
- E16 Alan Goes Crimson Jan 24, 1990
- E17 From Hair to Eternity (1) Feb 7, 1990
- E18 From Hair to Eternity (2) Feb 14, 1990
- E19 Recruitment Day Feb 21, 1990
- E20 The Quiet Kid Feb 28, 1990
- E21 Simone Goes Overboard Mar 14, 1990
- E22 Queen, Queen, Queen for a Day Mar 21, 1990
- E23 Politics of Love Apr 4, 1990
- E24 The Reel Charlie Moore Apr 11, 1990
- E25 Cement Hi-Tops Apr 25, 1990
- E26 Teacher's Pet May 2, 1990
Season 5 · 22 episodes
- E1 Where's Charlie? Sep 11, 1990
- E2 Twelve Angry Nerds Sep 18, 1990
- E3 The Heartbreak Nerd Sep 25, 1990
- E4 And Then There Were None Oct 2, 1990
- E5 Getting Personal Oct 9, 1990
- E6 Napoleon Blown Apart Oct 16, 1990
- E7 Billy's Big One Oct 23, 1990
- E8 Dead Men Don't Wear Pocket Protectors (1) Oct 30, 1990
- E9 Dead Men Don't Wear Pocket Protectors (2) Nov 6, 1990
- E10 Fillmore vs. Billy Jean's Nov 13, 1990
- E11 Be My Baby . . . Sitter Nov 20, 1990
- E12 Dancing Fools Nov 27, 1990
- E13 My Son the Primate Dec 4, 1990
- E14 The Importance of Being Alex Dec 11, 1990
- E15 Viki's Torn Genes Dec 18, 1990
- E16 The Last Waltz Jan 8, 1991
- E17 Most Likely to Be Forgotten Jan 15, 1991
- E18 The Strange Case of Randy McNally May 28, 1991
- E19 My Dinner With Darlene Jun 4, 1991
- E20 The Phantom of the Glee Club Jun 11, 1991
- E21 It Couldn't Last Forever (1) Jun 18, 1991
- E22 It Couldn't Last Forever (2) Jun 25, 1991
Frequently asked questions
What years did Head of the Class air?
The series ran from 1986 to 1991 on ABC.
Who played the main teacher character?
Howard Hesseman played Charlie Moore for most of the series, with Billy Connolly taking over as Billy MacGregor in the final season.
Where is the show set?
The show is set at the fictional Monroe High School in Manhattan.
What is the show about?
It follows a group of gifted high school students in the Individualized Honors Program and their interactions with their history teacher.
Was there a spin-off or movie?
Billy Connolly appeared in a short-lived spin-off after the series ended.