Father Knows Best
Season 2
1955 • 37 Episodes
Episodes
1. Art of Salesmanship
August 31, 1955
Jim tries to encourage Bud to take after him in salesmanship.
2. Father's Private Life
September 7, 1955
Jim comes home tired one day and is harangued by the kids. So, he and Margaret set up new rules to give him some time to relax—but it ends up backfiring.
3. Lessons in Civics
September 14, 1955
A new highway is getting built, and for that the old community hall is going to be pulled down. That's something Jim wouldn't like to see since the hall is a historical monument, and also, memories from his youth are connected with this hall. Everyone from the family sees how much the hall means to Jim, and they use different ways to organize help.
4. First Disillusionment
September 21, 1955
Bud loses a job to a boy who fakes his resume, which leads him to believe it is alright to do this himself
5. Woman in the House
September 28, 1955
Margaret is forced to invite a woman who makes her uncomfortable because she is Jim's friend's wife.
6. New Girl at School
October 5, 1955
Bud learns that the girl he likes is dating his best friend.
7. Kathy Makes Magic
October 12, 1955
Kathy gets a new magic set, from a trade with a friend, and becomes convinced she can truly wield magic.
8. Advantage to Betty
October 19, 1955
Betty has recently taken up tennis at school and is chosen for a photo shoot for the paper. This causes friction between her and her doubles partner, Eula, who is the team’s best player.
9. The Big Test
October 26, 1955
Bud is accused of cheating because he is suddenly getting high grades in class.
10. Father Is a Dope
November 2, 1955
After commenting on a sitcom (“Father Does It Again”) the family watches together one night, Jim speaks about how TV fathers are often portrayed as dumb in comparison with their families. Later, he plans on going hunting and starts believing that Margaret and the kids are secretly trying to get him to stay.
11. Spirit of Youth
November 9, 1955
When Jim gets an invitation to a dance for his class reunion—class of ‘33—the kids start behaving as if their parents are ancient. Then, when the kids at their alma mater treat them the same, Jim and Margaret deal with the thought of getting older.
12. Bud, the Ladykiller
November 16, 1955
Bud gets irritated by a girl (whom he refers to as “Dumb Dora”) who has a crush on him, hurts her feelings when his irritation leads to cruelty, and must make amends.
13. Margaret's Premonition
November 30, 1955
Margaret has a premonition of danger for Jim’s upcoming business trip, and tries to get Jim to postpone it. But Jim believes it’s a bunch of superstitious nonsense, and insists on going anyway.
14. Stage to Yuma
December 7, 1955
Tate Idsen saves a stagecoach from savage Indians in a flashback sequence.
15. Bad Influence
December 14, 1955
Bud gets in trouble when his latest friend turns out to be a kleptomaniac.
16. Betty Hates Carter
December 28, 1955
Betty is indignant when Jim arranges a date for her with an old insurance salesman buddy’s son, Carter.
17. Jim, the Tyrant
January 4, 1956
Jim comes home early from work, after a long, hard day, and expects to gain comfort from his family, but is quickly disillusioned when they all are too absorbed in their own interests and tasks to pay attention to him. This just makes his mood more sour and he declares at dinner that if he must, he will become a tyrant. This leads to unwelcome consequences.
18. Betty's Brother
January 11, 1956
Bud is having trouble in school and the family are hard-pressed to find out why. Eventually, Jim and Margaret come to the conclusion that, since he’s entered high school, he’s lost his confidence over being constantly compared to Betty and her accomplishments.
19. Betty Earns a Formal
January 18, 1956
Betty gets a job to pay for a new, expensive formal for the Cinderella Ball at the country club.
20. The House Painter
January 25, 1956
Jim has a bet with Betty and Margaret concerning human nature, integrity and the man painting their house—Mr. Everett.
21. Bud, the Wallflower
February 1, 1956
Bud seems determined not to go to a Senior/Freshman dance that is Sadie Hawkins-themed.
22. The Bus to Nowhere
February 8, 1956
Betty becomes irritable with her family as she goes through an existential crisis.
23. Kathy, the Indian Giver
February 15, 1956
No overview available.
24. The Historical Andersons
February 22, 1956
No overview available.
25. The Grass is Greener
February 29, 1956
No overview available.
26. The Persistent Guest
March 7, 1956
Bud new friend won't leave the Anderson house because he has no family.
27. Family Reunion
March 14, 1956
The family tries to think up excuses to keep from going to Margaret's family reunion.
28. Family Dines Out
March 28, 1956
No overview available.
29. Bud, the Boxer
April 4, 1956
No overview available.
30. Betty, Girl Engineer
April 11, 1956
Betty decides to become an engineer. Doyle: Roger Smith. Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin.
31. The Martins and the Coys
April 18, 1956
Betty and her boyfriend refuse to see again after Jim and his father fight.
32. Dilemma for Margaret
April 25, 1956
Margaret admits before the PTA that she can't control her children.
33. Hero Father
May 2, 1956
Former baseball star Duke Snider appears in this episode. Robert Young, Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray, Lauren Chapin. Sandy: Tommy Ivo. Bramer: Kenneth Tobey. Kippy: Paul Wallace.
34. Father, the Naturalist
May 9, 1956
Jim fights the elements to collect plants for Kathy's nature folder. Jane Wyatt, Elinor Donahue, Billy Gray.
35. The Ten Dollar Question
May 16, 1956
The family member who doesn't tattle for one week will receive ten dollars.
36. Adopted Daughter
May 23, 1956
Kathy finds a receipt for $25 from the adoption center and believes she was adopted.
37. Betty's Graduation
May 30, 1956
No overview available.