Gimme a Break! (1981)

Name: Gimme a Break!
Genre: Comedy
Rating: 6.5
Cast: Nell Carter, Lara Jill Miller, John Hoyt, Joey Lawrence, Telma Hopkins

Comedy

Gimme a Break! is an American sitcom which aired on NBC for six seasons, October 29, 1981, until May 12, 1987. The series stars Nell Carter as the housekeeper for a widowed police chief and his three daughters.

IMDb rating: 6.5 (4,153 votes)
Seasons: 6
Streaming (US): The Roku Channel
Language: EN
Type: TV series

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Ratings refreshed Aug 19, 2026 · 6 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (1981)

7.61 avg 19 episodes 7.5 → 7.2

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Katie the Crook	7.5	77
2	A Good Man Is Hard to Find	7.6	51
3	The Second Time Around	7.6	52
4	Mom's Birthday	7.7	45
5	Do or Diet	7.7	50
6	A Man in Nell's Room	7.6	46
7	Your Prisoner is Dead	7.6	48
8	Julie's Rejection	7.4	45
9	Julie's First Love	7.7	42
10	Nell's Ex	6.9	41
11	Katie the Cheat	7.2	40
12	The Emergency	7.5	44
13	Nell Goes Home	8.1	49
14	Samantha Steals a Squad Car	7.8	47
15	Grandma Fools Around	7.6	43
16	Hot Muffins	7.6	36
17	Sam's Affair	8.0	40
18	The Robbery	8.3	46
19	An Unmarried Couple	7.2	39

Season 2 (1982)

7.45 avg 22 episodes 8.3 → 7.1 30 min avg

Rollercoaster

Season 2 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Nell Goes to Jail	8.3	55
2	Brother Ed and the Hooker	6.8	37
3	Sam's Imaginary Friend	7.2	37
4	Grandpa's Visit	7.1	29
5	Take My Baby, Please	7.8	43
6	Porko's II	7.3	41
7	The Chief's Gay Evening	7.6	41
8	Katie Steals Julie's Jock	8.1	37
9	Sam Faces Death	7.9	33
10	Nell Goes Door to Door	7.0	30
11	Love Thy Neighbor	7.9	36
12	Love, Kidney	7.5	34
13	Julie Smokes	8.0	34
14	The Centerfold: Part 1	6.9	40
15	The Centerfold: Part 2	6.9	40
16	The Custody Suit	7.5	31
17	The Return of the Doo-Wop Girls	7.9	32
18	Eddie Gets Married	7.4	30
19	Grandpa Robs a Bank	7.3	33
20	Glenlawn Street Blues	7.6	32
21	Nell and the Kid	6.7	40
22	Nell Gets Sick	7.1	31

Season 3 (1983)

7.35 avg 22 episodes 7.7 → 6.7

Season 3 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	The Groupie	7.7	47
2	The Way to a Man's Heart	7.3	33
3	Katie's Commitment	7.2	28
4	Joey: Part 1	6.0	32
5	Joey: Part 2	6.8	35
6	The Mayor	7.1	28
7	Melissa	7.3	32
8	Nell's Friend	7.9	39
9	Grandpa's Rebellion	7.7	33
10	A Kanisky Christmas	8.0	42
11	Herbie	7.1	26
12	James Returns	7.2	29
13	Samantha's Protest	7.8	29
14	Flashback	8.4	38
15	Knock Three Times	7.5	30
16	Valentine	8.4	34
17	The Big Apple: Part 1	7.5	32
18	The Big Apple: Part 2	7.5	30
19	Rodeo	7.6	28
20	Katie's College	8.0	43
21	The Center	5.1	33
22	Class of '84	6.7	30

Season 4 (1984)

7.67 avg 25 episodes 7.2 → 8.0

Season 4 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	New Orleans: Part 1	7.2	28
2	New Orleans: Part 2	7.2	28
3	Nell's Birthday	8.1	36
4	Grandpa's Secret Life	7.3	31
5	Sam's First Love	7.9	33
6	Who Dunnit?	7.1	28
7	Breakdance	7.6	27
8	Daddy's Little Girl	6.8	26
9	Carl's Delicate Moment	8.0	30
10	Julie's Lie	7.9	28
11	Baby of the Family	7.6	32
12	TV or Not TV	8.0	31
13	The Spirit of Christmas	7.5	34
14	Grandpa's Will	7.1	30
15	The Answering Machine	7.1	33
16	The Gift	7.2	32
17	Alabamy Bound: Part 1	8.1	33
18	Alabamy Bound: Part 2	7.8	32
19	Earthquake	8.1	34
20	The Lookalike	7.7	37
21	Cat Story	8.4	38
22	Police Mamas	8.2	31
23	Monkey See, Monkey Do	8.0	31
24	Friendship	7.9	32
25	Julie's Birthday	8.0	42

Season 5 (1985)

7.36 avg 24 episodes 7.7 → 5.4

Season 5 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Joey's Train	7.7	50
2	Ship of Fools: Part 1	7.1	31
3	Ship of Fools: Part 2	7.9	28
4	The Man from Zoron	6.2	32
5	Addy's Goodbye	7.0	32
6	So Long, Jonathan	7.1	35
7	Mama	7.7	27
8	Sam's Little Girl	8.1	31
9	The Elevator	7.4	33
10	Nell's New Car	7.7	30
11	Nell's Gifted Child	6.7	30
12	Katie's Apartment	8.3	29
13	Snippets	6.9	25
14	Second Chance: Part 1	7.2	19
15	Second Chance: Part 2	6.7	21
16	Bienvenido, Jonathan	6.9	28
17	The Gun	7.3	36
18	A Lesson for Nell	7.7	26
19	Pride and Prejudice	7.6	24
20	Family Reunion	7.6	23
21	Getting to Know You	7.7	29
22	Katie's Korner	8.5	34
23	Found Money	8.2	29
24	The Purse Snatcher	5.4	31

Season 6 (1986)

7.38 avg 25 episodes 8.1 → 7.6

Shape drift

Season 6 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Sam Goes to College: Part 1	8.1	35
2	Sam Goes to College: Part 2	8.0	34
3	Below Sea Level	7.5	31
4	Joey Meets Matthew	7.7	33
5	Nell Goes Back to New York	7.9	29
6	The Apartment	7.2	28
7	I Love New York	7.9	27
8	Nell, the Boss	7.5	28
9	Harry the Hamster	7.4	29
10	Joey the Gambler	6.9	27
11	The Scam	7.2	27
12	Christmas in New York	6.8	31
13	Nell's Secret Admirer	7.4	26
14	The Loan	7.5	23
15	The Window: Part 1	7.2	27
16	The Window: Part 2	7.1	25
17	Joey's First Crush	7.1	30
18	Joey's Teacher	6.6	24
19	Joey's Hero	6.6	24
20	Joey, the Gigolo	7.7	28
21	Parents' Week: Part 1	7.5	26
22	Parents' Week: Part 2	7.8	24
23	Save the Church	7.5	26
24	Someday My Prince...	6.9	23
25	Mama's Date	7.6	29

Gimme a Break! (1981)

Cast

Seasons

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