Charles in Charge: Season 03 (1986)

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Having survived its freshman year in off-network syndication (following a desultory network run a few seasons earlier), Charles in Charge returns for a third season of 26 episodes, with Scott Baio returning as the title character, a 21-year-old college student who works as male governess to the three children of the Powell family. The season opens with two-parter in which Charles is reunited with Gwendolyn Pierce (Jennifer Runyon), the girl whom he had ardently pursued back during the series' brief tenure on CBS. In subsequent episodes, Charles' mother Lillian (Ellen Travolta), having left her hometown of Scranton far behind, takes over operation of Sid's Pizza Parlor, where the entire cast congregates on a regular basis; Charles proves his mettle by organizing a homecoming celebration for Commander Powell, the long-absent Naval officer husband of his boss Ellen Powell (Sondra Kerns) -- the Commander has not yet shown up on the series -- nor will he show up in this episode; and venerable character actor Dabbs Greer (he was the "older" Tom Hanks in the movie The Green Mile) guest-stars as the crusty seafaring father of Ellen's taciturn dad Walter (James Callahan). Other familiar actors making guest appearances this season include John Astin, Mindy Cohn, Jerry Van Dyke, Jack Riley, Vito Scotti, and a very young Mark-Paul Gosselaar. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi