The Donna Reed Show
Season 81958
Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a retirement bash for a colleague, and finding quality time away from the children.
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Revolves around typical family problems, such as firing a clumsy housekeeper, throwing a retirement bash for a colleague, and finding quality time away from the children.
37 Episodes
In the premiere episode, Donna hopes to get away to a ski weekend with her brood, but pediatrician husband Alex's on-call schedule makes this tricky, especially since one of his young patients, Eddie Barclay (played by one of the Corcoran siblings of Disney film and TV fame; sister Noreen was on "Bachelor Father" with John Forsythe), has a mysterious illness and Alex doesn't want to leave him in the care of another doctor.
September 24, 1958Jeff gets a black eye from a boy who mocks Donna's acting in a local play. So, Donna tries to teach Jeff how to box.
October 1, 1958Donna tries to prove women can outsmart men when Dr. Stone is called away to treat a patient.
October 8, 1958Alex tries to prove his independence when Donna buys a suit for him.
October 15, 1958Jeff wants a uniform for the team picture, but is told he must work for the money to buy it.
October 22, 1958A baby is abandoned at the Stone’s place.
October 29, 1958Donna spreads herself thin, running between three places on the same night, for her family.
November 5, 1958Mary has a crush on the school basketball star, George, who wants to take her to the prom, but hasn’t asked her because he can't dance.
November 12, 1958Donna tries to get a famous concert pianist to perform at a benefit, and, at the same time, Jeff is trying to raise money for a football tackling dummy. These two seemingly unrelated projects intertwine.
November 19, 1958A problem child takes refuge at the Stone’s house, and Donna tries to get through to him.
November 26, 1958Alex is judge at a Beautiful Baby contest run by Donna's club.
December 3, 1958When Donna longingly admires a lovely, expensive bag at a store, the saleswoman (along with a female friend of hers) schemes to coax Alex into getting it for her for a birthday gift. But Alex is suspicious that Donna is pulling the strings behind the scenes, instead of being forthright about it.
December 10, 1958Charismatic Uncle Fred visits the Stone family and a brouhaha ensues.
December 17, 1958Donna searches for the mysterious person who puts on a Christmas party in the children’s ward at the hospital every year. The quintessential comedian Buster Keaton guest stars.
December 24, 1958Mary's Junior prom is imminent, and she has trouble deciding between two boys on the football team who might ask her. She also dangles another nice boy on a string. But, eventually, the resultant consequences of her selfish decisions come to fruition.
December 31, 1958After nosy neighbor Mrs. Wilgus (the inimitable Kathleen Freeman) alerts Donna and Alex about Mary having a noisy party while they were out, the kids get lectured about being the children of a doctor, and that they should behave accordingly. Not too long after this, Jeff takes a ride from Mary's troublemaker friend Tommy Hendricks, who doesn't have a license and has taken his father's car out for a joyride, and they get into a minor accident while fleeing a cop.
January 7, 1959David Barker finagles a return to the Stone’s home for his birthday celebration.
January 14, 1959Mr. Popkin won't let Alex treat Joey because he has no money. So, Donna hires him to do repairs around the house, but Alex fires him. Then Donna tries another method to help him get the finances he needs.
January 21, 1959Jeff becomes jealous and insecure about his parent’s love—feeling that they care about Mary more than him.
January 28, 1959When Mary comes home utterly dejected from a terrible first date, Donna and Alex each, in “Rashomon”-style, tell her about their first date.
February 4, 1959Donna decides that Alex’s obstetrician friend, Beau, is a lonely bachelor in need of a mate, so she tries to pair him and her good friend Celia (who has recently broken up with her boyfriend) up.
February 11, 1959Donna and Alex help celebrate the 20th anniversary of Wilbur & Celia Wilgus, only for Donna to get caught up in a misunderstanding later.
February 18, 1959Donna is worried when Jeff comes home with a report card full of Cs.
February 25, 1959David Barker is brought to Alex to be treated for rabies, and is invited to stay the night. Later, Jeff is left in charge of David, as everyone else will be gone.
March 4, 1959Donna keeps getting praised for being an excellent wife and mother—so much so, that she, illogically, becomes a bit paranoid that people really mean something negative about her beneath the surface of their words, and fears her kids are taking advantage of her.
March 11, 1959Mary drives her family crazy, and worries her mother, in her quest to win the class vice-presidency.
March 18, 1959Donna and Alex dine at a young couple’s home. The couple are still in the honeymoon phase of their marriage, and the experience gives Donna pangs of nostalgia.
March 25, 1959When Buzz Barry, teenage idol (played by James Darren), comes to Hilldale to sing at a concert, he falls ill with the measles and the concert is canceled, leaving Mary and her friends devastated. Then he ends up staying at the Stone’s home to recuperate, causing unexpected complications.
April 1, 1959Mary’s friend Babs confides in her that her parents are having troubles and may be divorcing soon. And, though she’s exaggerating, Donna is unaware of this and problems ensue in their family as a result.
April 8, 1959Alex's roommate, Biff Jameson, comes to Hilldale, and though he charms the family and dazzles Jeff, Alex confesses to Donna that his old pal seems to be off from what he used to be.
April 15, 1959Donna gives a speech, at a PTA meeting, on parent/child relationships urging parents to trust their child. Her advice, of course, ends up being tested.
April 22, 1959Alex takes advantage of a tip on the market, and Donna and the kids start making plans for the expected profit.
April 29, 1959Donna plans a testimonial dinner to honor Dr. Jason, a long-time denizen of the town and a beloved doctor, who finally intends to retire.
May 6, 1959The family searches for a compatible housekeeper to help around the house while Donna manages a charity campaign.
May 13, 1959After a particularly long week, Donna and Alex long for a weekend alone without kids. But when they get it, it’s not quite how they imagined it would be.
May 20, 1959When Mary and George get in a fight over him and her best friend Babs, Donna advises her on how to handle the situation.
May 27, 1959Alex insists Jeff pay back money he owes to develop good character for when he is an adult. Meanwhile, Donna decides to try to get the past due money owed to Alex by his patients.
June 3, 1959
