Life Goes On (1989)

Name: Life Goes On
Genre: Drama
Rating: 7.2
Cast: Bill Smitrovich, Patti LuPone, Chris Burke, Kellie Martin, Chad Lowe

Drama

Life Goes On is a television series that aired on ABC from September 12, 1989, to May 23, 1993. The show centers on the Thatcher family living in suburban Chicago: Drew, his wife Elizabeth, and their children Paige, Rebecca, and Charles, who is known as Corky. Life Goes On was the first television series to have a major character with Down syndrome.

IMDb rating: 7.2 (3,350 votes)
Episode average: 7.3 ↑ +0.1 vs IMDb
Seasons: 4
Language: EN
Type: TV series

Rating trend: this show's seasons do not settle into one shape. Rising Shows ranks whole shows by the shape of their rating trend rather than one average score, which is how you find a show that got better rather than a show that started well.

Browse shows by rating shape → Open in Rising Shows app → View on IMDb

Ratings refreshed Oct 3, 2026 · 4 seasons indexed

Cast

Seasons

Season 1 (1989)

7.30 avg 22 episodes 8.2 → 7.8 60 min avg

Rollercoaster

Season 1 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Pilot	8.2	50
2	Corky for President	8.3	35
3	The Baby-Sitter	8.3	30
4	Break a Leg, Mom	6.8	24
5	Becca's First Love	7.5	29
6	Paige's Date	6.3	26
7	Paige's Mom	6.8	25
8	Call of the Wild	5.9	22
9	Corky Witnesses a Crime	8.2	26
10	Ordinary Heroes	7.3	26
11	Pets, Guys and Videotape	6.3	25
12	Corky's Crush	8.5	33
13	Thacher and Henderson	6.8	30
14	The Return of Uncle Richard	6.1	24
15	Brothers	7.3	26
16	Corky Rebels	7.7	26
17	It Ain't All It's Cracked up to Be	8.1	27
18	Pig o' My Heart	7.3	23
19	Becca and the Underground Newspaper	7.4	22
20	Save the Last Dance for Me	6.8	20
21	With a Mighty Heart	6.9	21
22	The Spring Fling	7.8	25

Season 2 (1990)

7.20 avg 22 episodes 7.7 → 7.3 60 min avg

Rollercoaster

Season 2 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Honeymoon from Hell	7.7	23
2	Corky and the Dolphins	7.7	26
3	The Visitor	7.4	23
4	Becca and the Band	7.1	24
5	The Banquet Room Renovation	7.7	20
6	Halloween	8.5	26
7	Chicken Pox	7.4	21
8	La Dolce Becca	7.8	24
9	A Thatcher Thanksgiving	6.8	16
10	Libby's Sister	6.8	19
11	The Buddy	6.9	19
12	The Bicycle Thief	7.4	19
13	Isn't It Romantic?	6.2	19
14	The Bigger Picture	6.6	18
15	Last Stand in Glen Brook	5.5	20
16	Head Over Heels	7.6	19
17	Corky's Travels	8.3	24
18	Thanks a Bunch, Dr. Lamaze	7.3	16
19	Ghost of Grandpa Past	6.8	17
20	Arthur	6.9	20
21	Lighter Than Air	6.7	16
22	Proms and Prams	7.3	16

Season 3 (1991)

7.50 avg 22 episodes 8.1 → 7.4

Rollercoaster

Season 3 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Toast	8.1	20
2	Hello, Goodbye	8.1	23
3	Out of the Mainstream	7.9	21
4	Armageddon	7.5	18
5	Sweet 16	8.2	23
6	Life After Death	7.6	22
7	Dueling Divas	5.7	18
8	Invasion of the Thatcher Snatchers	6.9	19
9	Loaded Question	5.7	16
10	Triangles	7.8	20
11	The Smell of Fear	7.4	17
12	Struck by Lightning	8.0	15
13	Jerry's Deli	7.4	15
14	The Room	7.7	15
15	The Wall	7.5	18
16	The Blues	7.6	19
17	The Fairy Tale	7.9	14
18	Hearts & Flowers	7.1	19
19	Corky's Romance	7.5	17
20	More Than Friends	7.6	22
21	Confessions	8.5	21
22	Consenting Adults	7.4	16

Season 4 (1992)

7.23 avg 17 episodes 6.9 → 8.2 60 min avg

Season 4 episodes - IMDb ratings
#	Title	Rating	Votes
1	Bec to the Future	6.9	22
2	Exposed	6.8	18
3	Premarital Syndrome	7.8	16
4	The Whole Truth	7.3	18
5	Love Letters	6.2	19
6	Windows	8.5	17
7	Babes in the Woods	6.7	19
8	Udder Madness	7.7	27
9	Happy Holidays	8.5	16
10	Choices	6.7	20
11	Incident on Main	6.5	26
12	Lost Weekend	7.1	18
13	Visions	7.3	20
14	Five to Midnight	7.0	22
15	Bedfellows	6.9	19
16	Last Wish	6.8	20
17	Life Goes on (and On and On)	8.2	30