Season 1
22 episodes · Sep 27, 1986
0/22 watched
Swipe a row to mark watched · long-press to mark up to there
- S1E1
Pilot
Sep 27, 198630mIn the series pilot, Ernest Frye, a holier-than-thou deacon, is seeking a new minister for the First Community church.
- S1E2
The Courtship of Bess Richards
Oct 4, 198630mAfter hearing a beautiful gospel singer sing at a wedding, Deacon Frye decides to woo her so she will join the church and sing in the choir. He flatters her, and wines her and dines her to compel her to come, but his plan backfires when all the attention she is receiving causes her to fall in love with Deacon Frye, and she thinks he wants to marry her. At his wits end, he decides to tell her the truth, unaware of the wrath of a scorned woman.
- S1E3
The Morning After
Oct 11, 198630mThelma intoxicates Reverend Gregory with her wine-cooked dinner, and he intoxicates her with a kiss. But the next morning, he has to break the news to her that he is not romantically interested in her, it was the alcohol that affected him. However, Thelma doesn't take the bad news very well, and gives him some charm of her own. Reuben also faces a dliemna with secretarial overstaffing.
- S1E4
The Deacon Delivers
Nov 1, 198630mA wayward teen wants to be reinstated in the church choir after being away from it for a while. Pastor Gregory is anxious to reinstate her, until he finds out she is pregnant, and not married. Fearing that her example might be a bad one for other teens in the church, he asks her to leave the choir. But things come to a head when she goes into labor during a baby shower at Deacon Frye's house, and the deacon is the only one left to deliver the baby. Meanwhile, the gang is trying to learn to speak Italian.
- S1E5
Rolly Falls in Love
Nov 8, 198630mRolly has his eye on the waitress at the diner around the corner, but he is too shy to approach her. So he asks Deacon Frye to approach her on his behalf. Deacon Frye meets the waitress named Leona and finds out she doesn't even know who Rolly is. But since she's so attractive, he decides to ask her out himself. But while having a romantic get-together at her place, they are surprised by the unexpected return of her husband. Deacon Frye narrowly escapes without getting caught, but when he stops by to tell Rolly what happened, Rolly makes a date with the real waitress he's had his eye on, Hannah. Oddly enough, he doesn't even know who Leona is.
- S1E6
Retreat, Heck!
Nov 15, 198630mThe church's planned retreat is not at all interesting to Deacon Frye, until he learns that a former client, whom he caused to spend 5 years in jail, is getting out, and blames him for his jail time. So now, Deacon Frye must join the rest of the church at the retreat so the angry former client can't find him.
- S1E7
Sermon From the Cell
Nov 22, 198630mRev. Gregory is jailed for giving refugees sanctuary, and the Deacon, charged with contempt of court while trying to defend him, gets incarcerated for 1 day. While there, the Reverend realizes that it is the first Sunday he hadn't delivered the sermon in many years, and preaches a rousing sermon to the only person he has available to him, his cellmate Willie.
- S1E8
Maitre D'eacon
Nov 29, 198630mA woman bequeaths the church members her eatery (a French restaurant) — providing they continue its successful operation. But the church runs into trouble meeting it's next balloon mortgage payment, which is due immediately. So, in order to save the church, they decide to sell the restaurant, but the terms of the will state that as long as it is a success, they can never sell it. What will the church do in order to meet its obligation to the bank?
- S1E9
Reuben's Romance
Dec 6, 198630mRev. Gregory has a crisis of conscience when he is attracted to a widow who needs comforting in her time of grief. He wrestles with his conscience when she asks him to perform her wedding ceremony to another man, knowing that he wishes it was him.
- S1E10
After the Fall
Dec 13, 198630mRolly falls at the bank and, after the Deacon finagles, is awarded a settlement—which he refuses.
- S1E11
Your Christmas Show of Shows
Dec 20, 198630mThe church is preparing to put on a Christmas pageant, when they find out that a TV crew is scheduled to come and broadcast the show on live TV. Everyone works feverishly long into the night to finish preparations for the event. But at the last minute, a heavy snowfall blankets Philadelphia in tons of snow. Now everybody is snowed-in, and no one shows up to watch the show, not even the film crew. Eventually, the kids in the show teach the congregation a lesson in faith & perseverence.
- S1E12
Frye for the Defense
Jan 10, 198730mA fund-raiser at the church takes an unexpected turn when the church gets sued for making someone sick with tainted macaroni salad. During the trial, Deacon Frye takes matters into his own hands to win the case for the church.
- S1E13
Thelma's Choice
Jan 17, 198730mThe new man in Thelma's life seems like Mr. Right to everyone, especially Deacon Frye, who thinks he's the greatest. But as they head for the altar, the question becomes: Is Thelma's heart really for Larry, or is it still for Rev. Gregory?
- S1E14
Betting on the Boy
Jan 24, 198730mFrye befriends a computer whiz who picks sports winners.
- S1E15
Casting the First Stone
Feb 7, 198730mWhile testifying in the church, Lorenzo admits to having an affair with an unnamed sister in the church, which starts the congregation speculating and gossipping, and turns member against member. In order for the church to get back to normal, and for people to stop speculating, the woman must come forward and also confess her illicit affair with Lorenzo. However, in an uncharactistic move, the congretation gels when the guilty party stands before them.
- S1E16
Yes Sir, That's Your Baby
Feb 14, 198730mAfter attending the christening of Lynnette and Jerome's child, the Hetebrinks break down and cry because they believe they're too old to have any children of their own. But after the Reverend recommends that they consider adoption, they engage deacon Frye's legal services to adopt a baby son. And with the deacon's usual effectiveness, he arranges a super-quick adoption for a son for the Hetebrinks. But the child turns out to be an 18-year-old. Now the sisters must decide to send the child back or to dig deep and find the love in their hearts to provide a home for their new son Ricky.
- S1E18
The Divorce Lawyer
Feb 28, 198730mA forlorn woman comes to Deacon Frye's office seeking a divorce from her husband who she suspects is cheating on her. Frye sends his undercover detective to follow the man, and is informed that the husband is definitely cheating. However, after being misinformed, Frye tells the woman that her husband is unfaithful. Meanwhile, the church board votes in a new chairman to replace the deacon.
- S1E19
The Rival
Mar 7, 198730mDeacon Frye hires a new attractive Sunday school teacher for the church, and Reuben falls for her, angering Thelma.
- S1E22
What's Up, Deacon?
Apr 4, 198730mThe Deacon turns over a new leaf in an effort to be the church's nominee for a humanitarian award, which could win him and Thelma a trip to the Holy Land.