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Abby

Eight is Enough Episode Guide

Eight is Enough Episodes: Abby Abbott Bradford

#11 Trial Marriage

This episode introduces Betty Buckley in the contract role of Sandra Sue "Abby" Abbott. At first she was a special guest star.

#13 Double Trouble

After Tom and Abby break up, the Bradford children set Tom up with another woman in an effort to make Abby jealous.

#15 Dark Horse

Abby is too busy to keep her dates with Tom.

Tom proposes to Abby after she and Mary are able to work out their difficulties over Mary's running for the school board. Abby accepts Tom's proposal.

#16 The Bard and the Bod

Abby's former father-in-law visits and she is hesitant to introduce him to Tom and tell him about her plans to marry him.

David arranges for Tom to buy an engagement ring for Abby through a friend at work, but it turns out to be too hot to handle.

#17 Children of the Groom, pt 1

After much debate, Tom and Abby decide on November 9th as their wedding date and agree to let the children handle the wedding plans, but it almost does not happen when things get too crazy.

#18 Children of the Groom, pt 2

Abby asks Elizabeth to be her maid of honor and develop a special relationship.

#19 I Quit

Tom and Abby take the kids to San Francisco where Tom is scheduled to accept an award for his column and the trip doubles as a honeymoon.

Mary is upset when she is rejected by a medical school and Abby wants to contact an old friend to help her get in.

#20 All's Fair in Love and War

Abby coordinates Spring cleaning at the Bradford house.

#21 The Return of Auntie V

Auntie V, Tom's eccentric sister, returns for another visit with the Bradfords and surprises Tom and Abby with a new house as a wedding present. The kids are excited, but as they fix up the house for sale they begin to fall in love with it again.

#24 Dear Ms. Dinah

Tom is upset when Abby makes arrangements for Elizabeth to get birth control pills.

Tom is drafted into doing a "Dear Abby" column for the paper.

Abby's studies are keeping her busy and leave little time for the family.

Abby decides to stay at home more and drives everyone, including herself, a little crazy trying to be a Betty Crocker-type.

David and Tommy fix Abby's car.

#25 A Hair of the Dog

Abby's parenting skills are tested when Tommy gets drunk.

#26 Author, Author!

With Abby's encouragement, Tom takes a leave of absence to pursue his dream of writing a book about his family. He can't get it published the normal way, but has a special issue done for each member of the family.

#27 Much Ado About Garbage

Abby is upset when David gives Nicholas a BB gun.

#28 Hard Hats and Hard Heads

Tired of storing their clothes in the hall closet, Tom and Abby hire David to build a new dresser.

#30 The Boyfriend

Susan and Tom are jealous when Abby spends too much time with Susan's new boyfriend she brought home for dinner, and Abby strikes up too much of a connection with her date.

#32 Long Night's Journey Into Day

Abby suffers a concussion when she falls off a ladder.

The Bradfords take turns keeping Abby awake by telling her stories and sharing memories, which are flashbacks from previous episodes.

#33 The Lost Weekend

Abby convinces Tom to spend the weekend with her parents in Pasadena, leaving the kids alone for the weekend. While they are away, despite a rule against having any non-Bradfords in the house, the kids throw a party, but then the house is overrun with chaos and the kids barely manage to get things back in order before Tom and Abby return.

#35 Who's on First?

"Abby" sings a song she wrote herself: "So-La", music by Jim Hart, Ira Newborn and Betty Buckley who also wrote the lyrics.

#36 Who's Crazy Here?

Tom's sneaking around leads Abby to believe that he may be having an affair.

#37 Nine is Too Much

Tom resigns as little league coach because of pushy parents but becomes a pushy parent himself when Abby takes over as the coach.

#38 Here We Go Again/Oh, No...Not Again!

Abby has her own problems when she thinks she may be pregnant and is reluctant to tell Tom.

#39 Cinderella's Understudy

The Bradford children try to make Abby feel guilty about not sharing her car with the family.

Susan tries to impress a new man with Abby's car.

#45 War Between the Bradfords

The male Bradfords refuse to attend a speech that Abby was selected to give.

#46 All the Vice-President's Men

Abby's parents are flying in from Pasadena for Thanksgiving.

#47 You Won't Have Nicholas to Kick Around Anymore, pt. 1

The Bradford children plan a party for Tom and Abby's anniversary and Nicholas feels left out.

Tom and Abby unknowingly bid against each other for "A Chorus Line" tickets for their anniversary.

Nicholas accidently sets fire to his room, destroying the anniversary present Tommy was making for Tom and Abby.

#48 You Won't Have Nicholas to Kick Around Anymore, pt. 2

Tom and Abby discover that Nicholas is gone and search for him.

#49 Alone at Last

Tired of having no time to themselves, Tom and Abby conspire to get rid of the kids so they can spend the weekend alone. They send the kids camping for the weekend.

#50 The Yearning Point

Abby discovers a dance scholarship Elizabeth can compete for and Elizabeth starts studying dance with a professional dance company.

#51 Moving Out

Tom is upset when Abby loans the girls the money to get their own apartment.

#52 Mother's Rule

In an effort to keep the remaining Bradfords at home, Tom repeals all curfews but Abby doubts his wisdom. Tom shows everyone that it is possible to have too much of a good thing.

#53 Inlaws and Outlaws

Abby's mother arrives for a visit and Abby is upset to learn that her parent are breaking up. Abby's father arrives shortly, and musical rooms becomes the name of the game.

#54 Horror Story

Tom is scheduled to participate in a debate on population control but he and Abby get stuck in an elevator when the power goes out.

#57 The Kid Who Came to Dinner

Abby uses the family as subjects in a research project for school.

Nicholas's new friend, Bobby, runs away from his foster family because he wants to become part of the Bradford family. They decide to sail down the Sacramento river. Abby's friend and his wife begin to consider adopting Bobby.

#58 The Better Part of Valor

While substitute teaching at the high school, Abby refuses to pass the star basketball player, and troubles begin for Tommy.

Tommy is pressured by the basketball player to get the answers to Abby's test. Tommy learns to stand up for what is right.

#59 Dads, Daughters, Different Drummers

Tom and Abby are surprised to learn that Nicholas is musically talented but Abby is upset when Tom gets him a drum set.

#60 The Final Days

Abby and the children are frustrated when they are trying to study for finals and a youth-oriented article Tom wrote in his column runs into trouble with a senior citizen and inspires a picket line in their front yard.

#61 The Graduates

Abby talks to the principal on Elizabeth's behalf after she is excluded from the graduation ceremony for taking part in a dangerous senior prank.

#67 Ten Ships in the Night

In order to get her Ph.D. more quickly, Abby attends school full-time and has little time for the family.

#69 Big Shoes, Little Feet

Nicholas's substitute teacher compares him to his older brothers and sisters so Nicholas and Abby discuss how it feels to be compared to someone else.

#71 Fathers and Other Strangers, pt. 2

Tom is upset to learn that Vivian and Abby have conspired to have him meet his father - who he hasn't seen in 40 years.

#72 Letter to One Bradford

Tom, Abby, and the rest of the Bradfords are worried when Tommy is hospitalized for a ruptured spleen.

#74 Arrivals

Tom and Abby believe that Susan is depressed because Merle is gone but learn that she is pregnant. The girls try to cheer her up.

#79 The Courage to Be

Tom is upset that everyone is neglecting their household duties so Abby and the kids pool their resources to hire a maid.

#80 Semi-Centennial Bradford

Abby tries to cheer Tom up on his 50th birthday.

#81 The Commitment

Abby and the girls plan a surprise baby shower for Susan.

#82 Seven More Days in February

It's winter break and Joannie, Nancy, and Mary meet strange men that drive Tom and Abby crazy.

#84 Bradford vs. Bradford

David is jealous that Janet is working long hours with a male colleague. Tom counsels David and Abby counsels Janet, and they end up happily together.

#85 Memories

Abby needs time to deal with memories of her late husband after a fellow prisoner of war shows up in Sacramento. She works out her feelings and returns to the family.

#86 Official Positions

Tom is jealous when a publisher offers to publish Abby's thesis and Tom can't get his accepted. They pool their efforts, after competitive feelings are straightened out, to co-author his book.

Nicholas gets his friend's mom a job helping with the book. Nicholas's friend is upset to learn that his mom works for Abby and not the other way around.

#90 (Finally) Grad Night

Tom and Abby agree to let Tommy and a few friends have the house for a small party after graduation.

#92 And Baby Makes Nine, pt. 2

Abby feels guilty when an auto accident sends Susan into premature labor.

Sandra Sue, named after Abby's real first names, is born to Susan and Merle.

#93 Jeremy

Abby goes to a funeral in San Francisco and returns with her nephew, Jeremy, who has nowhere else to go. His behavior upsets the family, referring the Bradfords as that other family (The Brady Bunch), but all ends well as he becomes the newest member of the Bradfords.

#94 Welcome to Memorial Dr. Bradford

Abby gets a job as a guidance counselor at a rough high school filled with trouble.

#95 Generations

When Joan's parents visit the Bradford household to see the family and their great-grandchild, a conflict with Abby occurs as Joan's parents disapprove of the way Abby is raising Nicholas. Grandpa and Abby make up and finally accept Joan's death in a touching story.

#96 Holly

Jeremy begins to feel like part of the family when Abby enrolls him in school and Tom makes him follow the household rules.

#97 Maltese Airline Bag

Abby and Donna plan a surprise party for Tom.

#100 Darlene Dilemma

Abby is proud of the progress one of her students has made and invites her to the house for dinner.

Jeremy falls for 16-year-old Darlene, who likes to flirt and cause trouble (shades of Melrose Place), and he refuses to listen to Abby's advice about her.

#101 Second Thoughts

Joannie is tired of not getting any serious assignments at work and Abby encourages her to take a leave of absence to evaluate her career, and falls for a co-worker.

#102 David's Rib

Nicholas gets a horse from Joe Simons and Abby help him find a way to keep it.

#103 Vows

Tom and Abby decide to renew their marriage vows on their 3rd anniversary and they agree to let the kids handle the arrangements.

#112 Father Knows Best?

Tom and Abby fight with Jeremy's dad for custody of Jeremy.