Watch Growing Pains

TV-G
1985
7 Seasons
6.6 (15,648)

Growing Pains is a beloved family sitcom that aired on ABC from 1985-1992. It follows the Seaver family, led by parents Jason (Alan Thicke) and Maggie (Joanna Kerns), as they navigate the ups and downs of raising their three children: Mike (Kirk Cameron), Carol (Tracey Gold), and Ben (Jeremy Miller). The show begins with Jason, a psychiatrist who works from home, deciding to take on the role of primary caregiver while Maggie returns to her career as a journalist. This switch in roles sets up the dynamic of the show, as the Seavers must navigate the challenges of parenting, marriage, and their respective careers. Mike is the oldest child and the troublemaker of the family. He is a struggling student who often gets into mischief, but his quick wit and charm make him a fan favorite. Carol is the middle child, and she is portrayed as the intellectual and responsible one. She often butts heads with Mike but also serves as a sounding board for her parents. Finally, Ben is the youngest child and is often seen as the innocent and naive one. He looks up to his older siblings and is eager to follow in their footsteps. As the kids grow up, the show tackles issues that were relevant to its time, such as drug abuse, peer pressure, and dating. However, it also balances these serious topics with lighthearted humor and heartwarming family moments. The Seavers are a close-knit family, and the show highlights the importance of communication, trust, and support within a family unit. In later seasons, the show introduces new characters to the mix. Ashley Johnson joins the show as Chrissy Seaver, Jason and Maggie's fourth child, born in season five. The show also introduces Leonardo DiCaprio as Luke Brower, a troubled teenager who befriends the Seavers in later seasons. One of the unique aspects of Growing Pains is its use of meta-humor. The show frequently breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges its own existence as a sitcom. For example, characters will make jokes about the laugh track or reference previous episodes. This adds a self-awareness to the show that sets it apart from other family sitcoms of the time. Throughout its seven-season run, Growing Pains remained a beloved staple of the ABC lineup. It tackled issues that were relatable to families of its time while offering a heartwarming and entertaining viewing experience. The cast chemistry, witty writing, and relatable storylines made it a favorite among viewers of all ages.

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24. The Last Picture Show (2)

April 25, 1992

After Ben's blessing, Maggie decides to take the job offer and the family begins to prepare for the move. With moving day here, the Seavers are ready and excited about starting a new chapter in their lives- but not before having one final meal as a family where they reminisce about the fun times they've had together in the house.

23. The Last Picture Show (1)

April 25, 1992

In this flashback-filled episode, Maggie stuns her family with the news of an amazing job offer in Washington D.C. The entire family is supportive of the move, except for Ben, who refuses to leave the house he grew up in.

22. The Wrath of Con Ed

April 11, 1992

A power failure leaves Maggie and Jason stuck in traffic, while Ben is babysitting his little sister, Chrissy, who is afraid of the dark. Mike and Kate are also trapped with Carol and Dwight and the two pairs begin to get on each others nerves.

21. Maggie's Brilliant Career

April 4, 1992

Maggie, who feels that she hasn't accomplished as much as she had hoped to by this point in her life, decides to fulfill a long-time dream of hers- climbing a mountain.

20. The Truck Stops Here

March 21, 1992

When Luke finds out about his father's serious condition, he decides to join his father on the road and says his goodbyes to the Seaver family.

19. Don't Go Changin'

February 29, 1992

Mike isn't happy with the impression his best friend, Eddie, is having on Luke. Meanwhile, Ben shoots a video of the family to send to Carol, who is off studying in London.

18. The Five Fingers of Ben

February 22, 1992

When Ben is being tormented by a fellow classmate, he decides to take up karate to give his self-confidence a little boost.

17. Menage a Luke

February 8, 1992

Ben is outraged when he learns that the girl he wanted to take to the dance is going with Luke.

16. Vicious Cycle

February 1, 1992

When Luke is grounded for violating curfew, it's Mike who takes the blame when Luke still disobeys his punishment.

15. Honest Abe

January 17, 1992

When Luke meets up with an old friend, Barney, he is invited into the Seaver home to celebrate Luke's birthday. But Luke soon learns that his friend isn't all that he seems when he discovers Barney stealing from the Seavers.

14. The Call of the Wild

January 4, 1992

Mike and Kate along with Carol and Dwight wind up on a not-so-fun ski trip with Ben, Luke and a few of their most troublesome classmates.

13. It's Not Easy Being Green

December 21, 1991

It's Christmas but the Seaver family is not feeling the holiday spirit. Carol finds herself angry when Dwight goes on a date with another woman, and Mike jealous when he learns that his model girlfriend, Kate, will be taking part in a risque photo shoot. The rest of the family has trouble dealing with the Christmas tree.

12. B=MC2

November 30, 1991

Ben has plans to take a college entrance exam, but when he overhears his father say that he isn't smart, his feelings are hurt and he gives up on the test.

11. Bad Day Cafe

November 23, 1991

When Mike learns that Luke's birth father is in town and wants his son back, he keeps this from Luke and devises a plan to get the man to change his mind and leave town. His plan works, but then Mike realizes that isn't fair to Luke to keep him from seeing his father, so he allows Luke meet with him and decide what he would like to do for himself.

10. Home Malone

November 14, 1991

When Maggie's mother wants to sell her house and move to Florida, Maggie pays one last visit to the house she grew up in, where she is then flooded with old memories of her childhood and her parents.

9. The Big Fix

November 9, 1991

For her column, Maggie must test out a vacuum cleaner and write a review on the product. When Ben accidentally destroys the cleaner and doesn't tell her about it, she wrongly accuses the company of misleading consumers in their advertisements.

8. There Must Be a Pony

November 2, 1991

Chrissy refuses to go to bed because she is convinced that the real fun around the house takes place after she falls asleep. Jason comes up with a plan to let her stay up the entire night so that she can see for herself that it's business as usual. However, he picked the worst possible night to do this when the worst luck ever practically turns the Seaver home into a carnival.

7. The Kid's Still Got It

October 26, 1991

Maggie and Carol go to a resort for the weekend, leaving Jason and the boys home alone. Their fun-filled weekend comes to a screeching halt, however, when Chrissy is sent home from school with a bad case of head lice.

6. Jason Sings the Blues

October 19, 1991

When it is discovered that Jason has a hernia and must undergo surgery, he leaves the boys in charge of organizing his psychiatric banquet. A week after the surgery, when Jason accidentally takes too many pain killers, he makes a fool out of himself at the banquet as everyone gets to see a side of Dr. Jason Seaver that they've never seen before.

5. The Young and the Homeless

October 12, 1991

Luke isn't too happy when the Seavers find the perfect family to take in Luke. Meanwhile, Mike's character in the soap opera "Big City Secrets" has finally woken up from his coma, which means that Mike will now have actual lines on the show. His big day is ruined though, when he learns that Luke plans to run away, and he has to go stop him.

4. Paper Tigers

October 5, 1991

When Maggie and Jason are both offered columns in the "Long Island Sentinel", they soon learn that the newspaper only has the budget to take on one new column and the two are forced to battle it out to see who can write the better column and get the job.

3. In vino veritas

September 28, 1991

Mike convinces his parents to let Luke stay with them temporarily until they can find him a good home. However, the family grows worried when they notice a large number of wine bottles are missing and all signs point to Luke.

2. Stop, Luke, and Listen

September 25, 1991

Mike discovers that one of his best students, Luke Brower, is homeless and living in the school basement. He tries to help the boy, but ends up making matters worse. Meanwhile, Maggie who has prepared a dinner for Mike's girlfriend, Kate, grows frustrated when she learns of her strict diet.

1. Back to School

September 18, 1991

The first day of school proves to be a challenging day for all four Seaver children. Carol has trouble settling into her dorm room at Columbia University and isn't too fond of her new roommate. Meanwhile, Ben and Chrissy try their hardest not to destroy their reputations on the first day, while Mike takes a teaching job and realizes that he as a teacher has a lot to learn.

Description

The show begins with Jason, a psychiatrist who works from home, deciding to take on the role of primary caregiver while Maggie returns to her career as a journalist. This switch in roles sets up the dynamic of the show, as the Seavers must navigate the challenges of parenting, marriage, and their respective careers.

Mike is the oldest child and the troublemaker of the family. He is a struggling student who often gets into mischief, but his quick wit and charm make him a fan favorite. Carol is the middle child, and she is portrayed as the intellectual and responsible one. She often butts heads with Mike but also serves as a sounding board for her parents. Finally, Ben is the youngest child and is often seen as the innocent and naive one. He looks up to his older siblings and is eager to follow in their footsteps.

As the kids grow up, the show tackles issues that were relevant to its time, such as drug abuse, peer pressure, and dating. However, it also balances these serious topics with lighthearted humor and heartwarming family moments. The Seavers are a close-knit family, and the show highlights the importance of communication, trust, and support within a family unit.

In later seasons, the show introduces new characters to the mix. Ashley Johnson joins the show as Chrissy Seaver, Jason and Maggie's fourth child, born in season five. The show also introduces Leonardo DiCaprio as Luke Brower, a troubled teenager who befriends the Seavers in later seasons.

One of the unique aspects of Growing Pains is its use of meta-humor. The show frequently breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges its own existence as a sitcom. For example, characters will make jokes about the laugh track or reference previous episodes. This adds a self-awareness to the show that sets it apart from other family sitcoms of the time.

Throughout its seven-season run, Growing Pains remained a beloved staple of the ABC lineup. It tackled issues that were relatable to families of its time while offering a heartwarming and entertaining viewing experience. The cast chemistry, witty writing, and relatable storylines made it a favorite among viewers of all ages.

Growing Pains is a series that is currently running and has 7 seasons (166 episodes). The series first aired on September 24, 1985.

Where to Watch Growing Pains

Growing Pains is available for streaming on the ABC website, both individual episodes and full seasons. You can also watch Growing Pains on demand at Google Play and Apple TV.