Diff'rent Strokes: The Complete First Season

Although some of the magic has been lost--now we know that Arnold probably knew precisely what Willis was talkin' ‘bout--since the launch of Diff'rent Strokes in 1978, this three-disc set offers a poignant time capsule of the popular series starring Gary Coleman, Conrad Bain, and Charlotte Rae. Kindly, supportive, white Mr. Drummond (Bain) takes in his deceased black maid's sassy Harlem-born sons Arnold (Coleman) and Willis (Todd Bridges) as his wards, creating brothers for his daughter Kimberly (Dana Plato), while also adding a new housekeeper named Mrs. Garrett (Rae). The debut season explores the boys' adjustment to Park Avenue penthouse living (“Movin' In”), school (the lads score too low on entry tests to get into Mr. Drummond's old “Prep School"), relations (Grandma Drummond faints and gets “black lag” after meeting Willis and Arnold in “Mother's Last Visit”; a distant cousin of the boys wears out her welcome in “The Relative”), and friends (Mr. Drummond faces firing an old Army buddy in the two-parter “The Trip”; in “The Club Meeting,” the boys irritate buddies from their old hood by showing off their new digs and belongings). There are a few shortcomings here: namely, the overexerted race issue (a social worker--guest star Ellen Travolta--tells Mr. D the boys belong with a black family), Willis' tiresomely recurrent attempts to run away back to Harlem, and the lame two-parter “Retrospective” (based around clips from the first seven episodes). However, these characters are lovable overall, and they face obstacle that are easy to relate to, while also spreading a contagious joy. Though a few cast members suffered immensely from fame (mismanaged fortunes, run-ins with the law, drugs, suicide), in this first season, everything was fresh, uplifting, and funny. And that's what I'm talkin' ‘bout! Highly recommended. (J. Williams-Wood)