Hugging And Learning

DESIGNING WOMEN: Great show, or greatest show ever set in an interior design firm in the South? Chelsea and Andrew answer the cat-call to adventure and dive deep into a world where douchey men are disrespectful of women, and women are sick of their shit -- a world not unlike our own. An extremely topical discussion ensues, about a Very Special Episode that aired thirty years ago.

Show: DESIGNING WOMEN \\ "Hard Hats and Lovers," Season 3, Episode 6

Air Date: December 19, 1988

Find it: at the Paley Center

Snack: Hershey's Chocolate Donut Bites

Further Reading:

• Together We Have the Power to End Harassment (Hollaback!)
• 'Designing Women' Creator Goes Public With Les Moonves War: Not All Harassment Is Sexual (Guest Column)
• Designing Women Reboot In the Works
• The gaming journalist who tells on her internet trolls – to their mothers
• 8 Reasons A Catcall Is Not A Compliment

What would you do if the neighborhood Madonna (™) showed up on your doorstep, looking to seduce your teenage son? Twist: you're a modern, liberal sitcom mom without the framework of religion on which to hang your arguments! Join Chelsea and Andrew as they navigate the murky waters of teen sexuality and plant murder with the Seaver family on GROWING PAINS.

Show: GROWING PAINS \\ "Mike's Madonna Story," Season 1, Episode 6

Air Date: November 5, 1985

Find it: Amazon Prime Video ($2.99 rental)

Guest Star: Dana Plato (from "Diff'rent Strokes")

Snack: Limited Edition Rocky Road Trip Oreos

Further Reading:

• 6 Beloved TV Shows (That Traumatized Cast Members For Life)
• How Characters Lose Their Virginity on Teen Shows Through the Years

Never on this podcast has a Very Special Episode had such nefarious and far-reaching consequences. Andrew and Chelsea dip a toe into the miasma that is the War on Drugs, with an assist from adorable, ill-fated child actors and a former First Lady who used to be an actress herself.

Show: DIFF'RENT STROKES \\ "The Reporter," Season 05, Episode 22

Air Date: March 19, 1983

Find it: at the Paley Center (not online)

Snack: Oreo Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie Cookies

Further Reading:

• • Just Say No (History.com)

  • 'Just Say No': How Nancy Reagan Helped America Lose the War on Drugs (Vice News)

  • Jay Z - The War on Drugs: From Prohibition to Gold Rush video
  • "Stop the Madness" music video
  • "Reagan" by Killa Mike music video

Andrew and Chelsea put their own sanity on the line to dissect for you an episode of SMALL WONDER -- possibly the worst sitcom in sitcom history. Is mother Joan a budding psycho killer? What sport does tragic Peter Watson even play? And why doesn't anyone think to change VICI's clothing? All these questions and many more will remain completely unanswered.

Show: SMALL WONDER \\ "Chewed Out," Season 02, Episode 01

Air Date: September 13, 1986

Find it: at the Paley Center

Further Reading:

• • Does Smoking on TV Influence You? (Teens.DrugAbuse.gov)

  • Youth Smoking (Wikipedia)

Snack: Goldfish Grahams S'mores by Pepperidge Farm (thanks, Annie!)

Chelsea and Andrew discuss what is a seriously thoughtful, considerate, and uncompromising look at the sexual harrassment of a young girl by a family friend she trusts. Probably the most eloquent Very Special Episode we have yet explored, the writing really holds up, even 40 years after it originally aired."}" data-sheets-userformat="{"2":9025,"3":[null,0],"9":1,"11":4,"12":0,"16":12}"> Chelsea and Andrew discuss a seriously thoughtful, considerate, and uncompromising look at the sexual harassment of a young girl by a family friend she trusts. Probably the most eloquent Very Special Episode we have yet explored, the writing really holds up, even 40 years after it originally aired.

Show: FAMILY TIES \\ "Give Uncle Arthur A Kiss," Season 1, Episode 6

Air Date: November 10, 1982

Find it: on Amazon Prime Video

Further Reading:

• The telling signs someone in your child's life is a predator (MamaMia)

Snack: Yogurt Trail Mix

Bayside High decides to put a price on the humanity of its male students with a date auction, in order to buy the cheerleaders new uniforms. Unsurprisingly, this horrifying idea brings out the worst in everyone! Join Chelsea and Andrew as they try to parse out whether or not there are any heroes to be found in this, Bayside's most misguided escapade yet.

Show: SAVED BY THE BELL \\ "Date Auction," Season 3, Episode 15

Air Date: November 9, 1991

Find it: on Hulu

Further Reading:

• The Evolution of Fat Women on TV (Vulture)
• "Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman" by Lindy West (GoodReads)
• Aidy Bryant-Led Comedy 'Shrill' Picked Up to Series at Hulu (Hollywood Reporter)

Snack: Tangerine Vanilla Cashew-Macademia Glazed Mix

How many St. Olaf jokes is too many? Is Dorothy's gambling problem a failure of willpower, or a disease? Why is there no cheesecake AT ALL in this episode? To find out, please join Chelsea and Andrew in the pastel world of 90s Florida.

Show: THE GOLDEN GIRLS \\ "All Bets Off," Season 5, Episode 24

Air Date: April 28,1990

Find it: on Hulu

Snack: Smartfood Delight Sea Salt Popcorn

Further Reading:

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration -- Find Help
• 20 Fun Facts about "The Golden Girls" (Mental Floss)
• Compulsive Gambling Symptoms, Causes and Effects (PsychGuides.com)

In this episode, Andrew and Chelsea discuss a double Very Special Episode so famous it spawned its own Facebook Group! Come with us as we explore the moral gray area of concert bootlegging, discuss which of us is a "real Dee," and discover one of the truths of the universe: if you see something, tell Michael McDonald.

This one's a Doobie!! (and it includes an unconscionable number of puns...)

Show: WHAT'S HAPPENING!! \\ "Doobie Or Not Doobie," Season 2, Episode 16 and 17

Air Date: Jan 28, 1978

Find it: at the Paley Center (not online)

Further Reading:

• 40 years ago, the Doobie Brothers' 'What's Happening!!' episode preached evils of bootlegging, joys of racial harmony (Yahoo Entertainment)
• From Music to Missile Defense: The Very Interesting Life of Jeff Baxter (NOW.)
• 7 (More) Rockers and their Gratuitous TV Appearances (Mental Floss)

Snack: Ocho Dark Chocolate Coconut bar

Chelsea and Andy work through their feelings about the Challenger Explosion alongside Punky, her friends, and a very special guest star.

Show: PUNKY BREWSTER \\ "Accidents Happen," Season 2, Episode 22

Air Date: 9 March 1986

Find it: Amazon Prime Video ($1.99 to rent)

Further Reading:

• Episode To Air : 'Punky' Deals With Shuttle Tragedy (LA Times)

Snack: York Peppermint Pattie

Chelsea and Andrew explore the nebulous world of teen cults, true friendship, and "judging" when they tackle the episode of BOY MEETS WORLD in which Shawn Hunter joins a cult.

Show: BOY MEETS WORLD \\ "Cult Fiction," Season 4, Episode 21

Air Date: 25 April, 1997

Find it: on Hulu

Further Reading:

• How Cults Work (CultWatch.com)
• This is How Cults Work (Vice UK)

Snack: Japanese Peanuts