Benson (1979–1986)

1. S01E01Change (Pilot)September 13, 1979—In the pilot of this spinoff series of Soap, Benson, the Butler of Jessica Tate helps out her cousin Gene Gatling, who is the Governor of th
2. S01E02Trust MeSeptember 20, 1979—Katie attends a controversial rock concert, even though her father forbid her to go and had Benson watch her. Now the question is, who will
3. S01E03The President's DoubleSeptember 27, 1979—Governor Gatling goes with African president Ukassi to a dinner. The African president becomes a victim of an assasination attempt and while
4. S01E04Benson in LoveOctober 4, 1979—Benson meets an attrative woman in the mansion and asks her out, not knowing she is a senator.
5. S01E05Conflict of InterestOctober 18, 1979—The Governor is faced with a family problem. Should he go see his daughter in her school play as he promised, or should he accept a very imp
6. S01E06The LayoffOctober 25, 1979—Benson is forced to lay off some staff members when the Governor makes a campaign to cut ""unecessary"" spending. Katie resents Benson when
7. S01E07SnowboundNovember 1, 1979—Governor Gatling wants the staff to join him on his little vacation to a snow cottage. Benson agrees when he learns that Kraus will not atte
8. S01E08JessicaNovember 8, 1979—Jessica Tate visits and she gets involved in a scandal. She falls in love with the French Baron who is visiting and all of a sudden he dies.
9. S01E09Don't Quote MeNovember 22, 1979—A bad remark about a senator gets aired out and the staff is in trouble. They have to find who blabbed before more damaging information gets
10. S01E10War StoriesNovember 29, 1979—Benson's old army buddy Eddie visits and him and Marcy hit it off after Benson introduces him to single Marcy. The problem is that Eddie is
11. S01E11Ghost StoryDecember 6, 1979—Very mysterious things happen in the Governor's mansion. Kraus panicks and says that the house is haunted. They have a seance and find out t
12. S01E12Taylor's BidDecember 13, 1979—Taylor quits being the advisor to Governor Gatling and decides to run for a public office. The Governor starts to need Taylor back when he c
13. S01E13One Strike, You're OutDecember 27, 1979—The domestic workers demand more money and Benson grants their requests to give them a raise. The blue-collar people go on strike after Gove
14. S01E14Just FriendsJanuary 3, 1980—Governor Gatling is trying to get Howard Walker, the entrepreneur to settle his new factory in his constituency. Benson on his own tries not
15. S01E15Chain of CommandJanuary 10, 1980—The Governor gets sick and has to stay in bed. Ed, his younger replacement takes advantage of the position and responsibilities of Governor
16. S01E16Bugging the GovernorJanuary 24, 1980—Somebody bugged the mansion and Benson tries to find out who by trapping them inside. It turned out that Taylor's lover, who was inside the
17. S01E17Kraus AffairJanuary 31, 1980—Kraus falls for the Butcher, but she loses her self-confidence asking him out.
18. S01E18CheckmateFebruary 7, 1980—An 11 year old Soviet is brought to the mansion for a professional chess tournament. While the boy is homesick and wanting to be out of the
19. S01E19Cold StorageFebruary 28, 1980—Just before a very important banquet with guests, Benson and Kraus go in the old storage room to look for something and the door shuts on th
20. S01E20Old Man Gatlin'March 6, 1980—The Governor's loudmouth father comes to visit and wreaks havoc among the staff. Benson then gets so fed up with the arrogance and the idea
21. S01E21Power PlayMarch 20, 1980—A load of dead fish and sludge is delivered to the Mansion by a conservationist.
22. S01E22Takin' It to the StreetsMarch 27, 1980 10.0Wanting to know how the ""little people"" really feel about politics and their real needs, Governor Gatling and Benson visit a mangy bar to
23. S01E23The Army Wants YouMay 1, 1980—Benson, a war veteran suspicious when he is told to report for an ""evaluation."" It seems that on their record, Benson Dubois died in the K
24. S01E24Marcy's VacationMay 8, 1980—Marcy is going on vacation and she gets worried that Lorraine, her replacement may do a better job than she does and get dismissed for good.

Season 1 ranked & reviewed

1. S02E01Thick as ThievesOctober 31, 1980—Benson and Kraus are held hostage during a market robbery.
2. S02E02Benson in the HospitalNovember 7, 1980—Humor swipes the Governor's Mansion when Benson is hospitalized. Benson turns out to be their funniest patient ever. They realize that he ha
3. S02E03Fool's GoldNovember 14, 1980—After a press conference, Benson notices a strange difference in one side of the fire place. He tries to twist it so it is similar with the
4. S02E04MasqueradeNovember 21, 1980—A priceless gold statue is brought to the mansion and some revolutionaries are after it. They replace the statue with a replica and they fin
5. S02E05First LadyNovember 28, 1980—Katie is jealous when her father gives special treatment to a very important hostess which he calls Pretty Lilly. Katie fears that she may b
6. S02E06Citizen KrausDecember 12, 1980—Gretchen attends night classes in order to win her American citizenship. With a lot of hard work and achievement she fails the test. It seem
7. S02E07Benson's GroupieDecember 19, 1980—Benson's summer romance follows him home at the same time important religious leaders visit the mansion. The main problem in this episode ia
8. S02E08In High PlacesJanuary 9, 1981—The pilot of the Governor's charter plane becomes ill and there is no co-pilot, so Benson tries to fly the plane himself.
9. S02E09Old School TiesJanuary 16, 1981—Libby, The Governor's sister thinks that Katie should be sent to a boarding school and the Governor sends her to one. The staff is crushed w
10. S02E10The ApartmentJanuary 23, 1981—Wanting to be alone, Benson rents an apartment. Everybody though manages to know where he is.
11. S02E11Big BuddyFebruary 6, 1981—The press secretary hatches a new scheme and it involves Benson in a ""Big Buddy"" program.
12. S02E12Fireside ChatFebruary 13, 1981—The Governor is scheduled to be on television, but a lover's quarrel between Marcy and Dan, (the producer of the Governor's telecast) end up
13. S02E13Marcy's WeddingFebruary 20, 1981—Marcy is marrying Dan, a producer and Benson is responsible for the wedding plans. That is until Marcy's mother disrupts Benson's plans by b
14. S02E14RivalsFebruary 27, 1981—Kraus' childhood enemy comes from Germany to visit her.
15. S02E15No Sad SongsMarch 6, 1981—Benson's mother comes to visit and everyone makes her feel welcome. Tender moments stir in this episode between Benson and his mother. Unfor
16. S02E16Clayton, Go HomeMarch 13, 1981—After receiving death threats, the Governor's new advisor, Clayton Endicott the 3rd moves into the mansion.
17. S02E17Easy Kid StuffMarch 20, 1981—After a boy breaks his arm by falling out of a tree, Benson has different feelings about becoming the boy's surrogate father.
18. S02E18HomeworkApril 3, 1981—Katie tries to ""paint a picture"" of everyone in her household through an essay.
19. S02E19Handwriting on the WallApril 10, 1981—Katie is suppose to write a school paper on her family, so she writes about certain situations that Benson, The Governor, Marcy, Pete, and G
20. S02E20The Governor's House CallMay 8, 1981—The Governor, Benson and Clayton are trapped in a bordello with a muckraking columnist.
21. S02E21All Shook UpMay 15, 1981—An earthquake occurs and the Governor demmands strict rescue orders. One of those orders include Benson and Clayton hiding in the cellar whi
22. S02E22LifesaverMay 22, 1981—Benson saves Kraus' life but wonders if he did the right thing when Kraus' appreciation goes way too far.

Season 2 ranked & reviewed

1. S03E01Benson's AppointmentNovember 6, 1981—The Governor tries to work out the struggles to make Benson the State Budget Director.
2. S03E02The Grass Ain't GreenerNovember 13, 1981—Benson goes undercover to investigate conditions in a Prison.
3. S03E03Sit-InNovember 27, 1981—In Benson's office, a conductor holds a concert in protest. He would like to point out the musician's plight with the culture's subsides. Me
4. S03E04Double ExposureDecember 4, 1981—Benson must help an FBI agent uncover a bribe scandal, but as the job becomes more complicated, the Attourney office jumps in to accuse the
5. S03E05The LobbyistDecember 11, 1981—Benson's lobbyist girlfriend approaches Benson with a project he approves, but the project bring Benson a bunch of charges of corruption.
6. S03E06StressDecember 18, 1981—The Governor hold an encounter session with the staff.
7. S03E07Rainbow's EndDecember 25, 1981—While Benson learns that his old flame (Rosalind Cash) is confined to a wheelchair, Clayton is trying to celebrate his birthday.
8. S03E08Once in a Blue MoonJanuary 8, 1982—Clayton is assaulted and Benson approves of tighter security at his expense. Meanwhile a ""being"" is claiming that starships are coming.
9. S03E09Kraus Falls in LoveJanuary 15, 1982—Kraus falls in love with a man who is ineligible for her.
10. S03E10Stocks & OptionsJanuary 22, 1982—Benson accepts some stock from Pete as a debt payment. He tells Denise this information and tells her not to tell anyone. She accidentally s
11. S03E11Kraus's Deadly MistakeFebruary 5, 1982—Kraus tries to live life to the absolute fullest after she gets the idea that she only has 6 months to live.
12. S03E12Wild Irish RoseFebruary 12, 1982—The former Governor Mulligan pays his successor a visit. He intoroduces his hot niece Rose to the astonished present. Clayton is striked by
13. S03E13Street GangsFebruary 19, 1982—Benson tries to help a street gang stay out of trouble by trying to bid for a job in the city which requires a government contract.
14. S03E14Katie's RomanceFebruary 26, 1982—Katie starts to have romantic feelings for Pete after he accompanies her to a gymnastics meet.
15. S03E15Clayton's CondoMarch 5, 1982—Clayton ends up buying into an apartment building and at the same time Benson tries to get the landlord to fix the problems in his apartment
16. S03E16Getting EvenMarch 12, 1982—When a wealthy investor seeks sexual favors from Denise more than contributing to the state, Benson steps in by pretending that Denise was m
17. S03E17Pete the HeroMarch 19, 1982—Pete Begs Benson to borrow his car and when Benson finally let him, Pete comes back with the car totaled. Pete stopped a van with a couple o
18. S03E18In the RedMarch 26, 1982—Pete and Benson are captured by guerrillas when they visit an island.
19. S03E19Teed OffApril 2, 1982—Benson, the Governor, Clayton, and Pete are at each others throats after playing a round of golf together.
20. S03E20The Party's OverApril 30, 1982—The Governor learns a lot about dirty politics when his party won't support his renomination.
21. S03E21The Lumber MillMay 7, 1982—After visiting his old Lumber Mill, the Governor decides to run for re-election as an independant.
22. S03E22Black TuesdayMay 14, 1982—The Governor's campaign comes to a hectic close and the election results show that he has lost.

Season 3 ranked & reviewed

1. S04E01Death in a Funny Position (1)October 22, 1982—A yacht cruise becomes a murder mystery when the owner of the boat is stabbed to death.
2. S04E02Death in a Funny Position (2)October 22, 1982—Murders abound on a working vacation aboard a yacht, but Benson saves the day.
3. S04E03What a Revoltin' DevelopmentOctober 29, 1982—While attending a conference in Latin America, Benson and Pete are kidnapped by revolutionaries. In exchange, they want 6 United States figh
4. S04E04Thy Brother's KeeperNovember 5, 1982—Benson's younger brother visits him at the same time an important report is due.
5. S04E05Quest for RetireNovember 12, 1982—Charlie, the mansion's gardener, is about to retire. Charlie wants to still work, so he tries to get Benson's help.
6. S04E06Teacher's PestNovember 19, 1982—Benson must pass an economics test to keep her job, but when she finds out that Benson is going to be her teacher, she thinks that it's hope
7. S04E07Benson's Army ReunionNovember 26, 1982—Benson holds an army reunion and hatred surfaces when Kim, a Korean kid they befriended during the war, turns out to me a successful mulit-
8. S04E08Benson's New HomeDecember 3, 1982—Benson buys a house from a shady real estate salesman and since the house has so many major problems, Benson tries to get him to renovate it
9. S04E09Crimes of the HearthDecember 10, 1982—When Benson's condo is robbed, he finds out that it won't be easy to catch the crooks.
10. S04E10Mary and Her LambsDecember 17, 1982—It's Christmas time and Benson helps an assistant cook keep her foster children.
11. S04E11Pen PalDecember 31, 1982—Kraus' pen pal, who is an Ex-convict, visits her hoping for a job, which disrupts the execitive mansion.
12. S04E12The HoneymoonersJanuary 7, 1983—Kraus is about to get married. But when he can't make it, Benson plays as a substitute and ends up really getting married to Kraus. What mak
13. S04E13Close Encounters on the Third HoleJanuary 14, 1983—While Benson and the Governor are playing golf, a UFO shows up.
14. S04E14Katie's BoyfriendJanuary 21, 1983—The Governor allows Katie to go on her 1st date aside from the rise of an ecomonic crisis.
15. S04E15The Royal PaintingJanuary 28, 1983—A former street gang is hired to paint the mansion for the visiting Queen of England.
16. S04E16Boy's Night OutFebruary 4, 1983—The men come to Benson's house to swap stories, play cards, and watch tv. Also, the Governor is a little disappointed at Benson for vetoing
17. S04E17Family TreeFebruary 18, 1983—When an aunt dies, Benson and Clayton, learn that they might be related to each other.
18. S04E18Calamity KrausFebruary 25, 1983—Kraus pretends to be a wealthy heiress to keep a manufacturing plant in the state.
19. S04E19Kraus Sings the BluesMarch 4, 1983—Benson hosts a telethon and lets Kraus sing when other acts cancel out.
20. S04E20Half-Court TrapMarch 11, 1983—Benson learns that his nephew, a basketball star, can hardly reador write.
21. S04E21A View From the RoofMarch 18, 1983—Benson and the Governor try putting an antenna on the roof, but the ladder falls and the two get trapped up there.
22. S04E22Love in a Funny PhaseMarch 31, 1983—Benson is upset when his girlfriend Jennifer, decides to date other men.

Season 4 ranked & reviewed

1. S05E01Band of GoldSeptember 16, 1983—In the 5th season opener, Denise and Pete are about to get married in the woods, but trouble arises when Pete forgets to put gasin the car a
2. S05E02Human ElementSeptember 23, 1983—G.I. operatives replace Gene with a double.
3. S05E03God, I Need This JobSeptember 30, 1983—Everyone thinks that Benson is out of it when he sees, hears, and talks to Jessica Tate's ghost.
4. S05E04Who's Arnold?October 7, 1983—Benson poses as Kraus' husband when her mother visits from Germany.
5. S05E05Full Court PressOctober 21, 1983—Katie is assigned to write a report about what goes on in the mansion and she starts to wrie about Benson and Clayton exchanging insults. An
6. S05E06Down the DrainOctober 28, 1983—Plumbing problems at Benson's flat causes him to calling a crotchety old workman to fix his sink, but something unexpected happens to the pl
7. S05E07It Ain't SheikNovember 4, 1983—Benson gets the annoyng assigment of convncing a sheik to act on a multi-million dollar headquarter complex and his passionate advances towa
8. S05E08You Can't Give It AwayNovember 11, 1983—Benson wins the state lottery but loses it all because he accidentally said that he would donate it to charity on a television program.
9. S05E09Katie's CookiesNovember 18, 1983—Benson helps Katie win a cookie contest while he's suppose to testify against the mob.
10. S05E10Labor PainsNovember 25, 1983—While Benson's neigbor is trapped in a snowstorm, Benson must take care of his baby for longer than he expected to.
11. S05E11Unlisted LoveDecember 2, 1983—The Governor meets the woman he had a crush on in high school, so Benson tries to fix the two up.
12. S05E12The Governor's Brain is MissingDecember 16, 1983—G.I. operatives replece Governor Gatling with a double.
13. S05E13A Real Gone DaddyDecember 23, 1983—Winston, one of Katie's classmates tries to set Benson up with his widowed mother.
14. S05E14Too Pooped to PipJanuary 6, 1984—Benson tries hard toget Gladys Knight and the pips to perform at a telethon.
15. S05E15In All the Wrong PlacesJanuary 13, 1984—Benson and Governor Gatling are surprised at Pete, who reverted back to his youth.
16. S05E16Embarrassing MomentsJanuary 20, 1984—Benson is named Citywide Magazine's ""Bachelor of the Month"", but the female response threatens his romnce with the photographer.
17. S05E17Take My Life, PleaseJanuary 27, 1984—When the visiting President orders a security check of all the emloyees at the mansion, Benson is labeled as a spy.
18. S05E18Beauty and the BeefFebruary 3, 1984—When Benson judges a beauty pageant, Clayton and Governor Gatling try to sway the vote in their direction.
19. S05E19We DeliverFebruary 24, 1984—While Denise is about to give birth, Denise, Benson, and the Governor get stuck in an elevator.
20. S05E20The Endicott DynastyMarch 2, 1984—Clayton gets upset when his father chooses Benson to run his empire after he dies.
21. S05E21The Little Hotel That CouldMarch 9, 1984—Kraus nags Benson in joining her to save an old hotel from being torn down and when Kraus uses extreme measures that could be dangerous to t
22. S05E22Let's Play DoctorMay 4, 1984—Benson learns that a crusty old medic does not have a medical license and when that man is up for the governor's Humanitarin Award, he wants

Season 5 ranked & reviewed

1. S06E01The ScandalSeptember 21, 1984—While going undercover, Benson learns that the Lieutenant Governor is accepting bribes from a construction company.
2. S06E02The InheritanceSeptember 28, 1984—Benson finds it hard to believe that he is the sole heir to the Playbird magazine empire.
3. S06E03Let's Get PhysicalOctober 12, 1984—Benson's pleasure turns to panic when the attractive doctor who conducted his physical wants to meet him to discuss the results.
4. S06E04The CampaignOctober 19, 1984—After Benson decides to run for Lieutenant Governor, he learns that the man who offers money to his campaign will have to benefit from Benso
5. S06E05The ElectionOctober 26, 1984—When Benson runs out of his campaign money, a benefactor arrives when things look darkest.
6. S06E06Made in Hong Kong (1)November 2, 1984—Benson, the Governor, Clayton, and Kraus go off to Hong Kong where Clayton is mistaken for a famous designer and kinapped by a fashion tycoo
7. S06E07Made in Hong Kong (2)November 9, 1984—Benson, in help from the Police, is persued while trying to rescue the captured Governor and Kraus, who earlier attempted to rescue Clayton
8. S06E08Hello, We Must Be GoingNovember 16, 1984—Benson plans to have Kraus become Lieuteant Governor Benson's assistant. But things get screwed up when a nebbish with political clout is hi
9. S06E09Double DateNovember 23, 1984—Benson fixes Clayton up with a date, but the date is disgusted with Clayton's romance ploys and ""manners"".
10. S06E10Taking it to the MaxNovember 30, 1984—Benson is shocked when he tells his sister to be cautious with her ex boyfriend and doesn't listen.
11. S06E11The ReunionDecember 7, 1984—Benson visits with his brother and Uncle who he hasn't seen in years.
12. S06E12Make War, Not LoveDecember 14, 1984—A Declaration of War is brought out among two fighting nations after Benson attends a Trade conference.
13. S06E13Home for ChristmasDecember 21, 1984—As he is walking on the sidewalk during a Christmas rush, he trips and falls. While he is unconscious, he dreams about Christmas with his mo
14. S06E14On the RoadJanuary 11, 1985—Benson tries to investigate Kraus when she doesn't show up for a while. Kraus returns to acting and Benson disguises himelf as a limo driver
15. S06E15Take This Job and Love ItJanuary 18, 1985—Benson gets surrounded in red tape when he takes on the city mayor who pans to outlaw breakdancing in public places.
16. S06E16Making ChangeJanuary 25, 1985—Benson, the Governor, Kraus, and Clayton talk about people from their past who influenced their lives greatly.
17. S06E17Solid GoldFebruary 1, 1985—On a trip to Las Vegas, Benson meets the comic duo The Smothers Brothers.
18. S06E18The Oval OfficeFebruary 8, 1985—While being called in from President Reagan on account of a remark Benson made, Benson and the Governor reach The Oval Office, and while wai
19. S06E19Mid-life CowboyFebruary 15, 1985—An exhausted Governor Gatling decides to play cowboy at a dude ranch to unwind.
20. S06E20ScenarioFebruary 22, 1985—Benson, the Governor, and everyone in the mansion go to the bomb cellar to try and prepare for a nuclear attack against the United States.
21. S06E21Dubois: Portrait of a PoliticianMarch 15, 1985—While the Governor is away on business, Benson is responsible for the work that needs to get done. In this particular case, Benson vetoes a
22. S06E22Katie's CousinMarch 22, 1985—Katie's wild and undisciplined cousin Laura persuades Katie to lie to her father about sleeping at a friends and really go to a bar to pick
23. S06E23The BookburnerMarch 29, 1985—Benson's tie-breaking vote on a school bill leads to a major conflict with a powerful senator and a book-burning incident.
24. S06E24Jung at HeartApril 5, 1985—When Clayton's name is passed over at the table of the Man of the Year Award, an award given by the Press, Clayton tries to capture Benson's

Season 6 ranked & reviewed

1. S07E01Benson the HeroOctober 4, 1985—While Governor Gatling is away, Benson and Clayton are depended upon to spend an 8 million dollar budget surplus before the next fiscal year
2. S07E02Love and PoliticsOctober 11, 1985—When Benson revisits a relationship with Senator Hartford, the Senator changes her position on Clayton's commercial-development-of-state-par
3. S07E03Uncle JackOctober 18, 1985—Benson tries to bring the Governor and his brother Jack together after 25 years of not seeing each other.
4. S07E04The StrangerOctober 25, 1985—A mysterious stranger lurks around the Governor's mansion on Haloween night.
5. S07E05We SpyNovember 8, 1985—While Benson and Kraus go to East Germany on official business, the two are accused of being spies and get arrested.
6. S07E06$1,000,000 an HourNovember 15, 1985—Synopsis currently unknown
7. S07E07Flight of the Dodo: Part 1November 29, 1985—Despite warnings, on their way to fly a helicopter to play golf, Benson, the Governor, and Clayton run into disasterous problems with Clayto
8. S07E08Flight of the Dodo: Part 2December 6, 1985—After crash landing the helicopter in the desert, Benson, the Governor, and Clayton all struggle to survive on account of them being strande
9. S07E09Two Boys and Their DogDecember 13, 1985—Benson becomes involved in one of Clayton's wacky investment schemes. This one is investing in a weiner-dog to breed for puppies, but Benson
10. S07E10Last Man on EarthJanuary 3, 1986—After talk about Halley's comet, Karus dreams that she and Benson are the only ones left on earth.
11. S07E11Secret LoveJanuary 18, 1986—Clayton's nomination of the Governor's budget director has a problem after it is found out that Clayton lives with a Soviet defector.
12. S07E12Summer of DiscontentJanuary 25, 1986—Benson and the Governor seek advice from a conservationist in helping them pass some environmental legislation.
13. S07E13Parade RestFebruary 1, 1986—A veteran is hired to retile the bathroom, but happens to disappear. Benson now has to investigate what happened and where his wherabouts ar
14. S07E14Reel Murder: Part 1February 8, 1986—Actor George Kennedy's plan to film a movie in the Goveror's mansion runs into deadly problems, and turns into a lethal murder mystery.
15. S07E15Reel Murder: Part 2February 15, 1986—With everyone's lives in danger and not much time left, they try to crack the case and survive.
16. S07E16The Hat and the RingFebruary 22, 1986—Benson, convinced that the question Senator Hartford has for him is ""the"" question, runs quickly to initiate a proposal.
17. S07E17The Bucks Stop HereMarch 1, 1986—Clayton has his sights on running the family fortune, until he meets his father's new, young, and pretty fiancee. Then he realizes that inhe
18. S07E18Pardon MeMarch 15, 1986—Benson persuades to pardon a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for 25 years.
19. S07E19Hi, SocietyMarch 22, 1986—A conservation expert may help Benson and the Governor pass an inportant bill, but when Kraus hears of the strategy, she leaks it out to a f
20. S07E20Three on a MismatchMarch 29, 1986—The Governor answers an ad from a personal's column from a magazine.
21. S07E21Friends and EnemiesApril 12, 1986—With Governor Gatling's term about to close and Benson up to run for Governor, the Governor learns that he can run for yet one more term and
22. S07E22And the Winner is . . .April 19, 1986—As time is running out, Benson, the Governor, or the crooked senator will soon be out of a job. Which one? As the details come to a close we

Season 7 ranked & reviewed