S01E01 Pilot
Pearl, a longshoreman's widow turned college freshman, enrolls in a tough class taught by an arrogant professor.
Pearl
S01E16: Dean Cuisine
Unbeknownst to either Pynchon or Pearl, Annie fixes them up on a blind date for an important dinner at Dean Aston Martin's house and things really start cooking when Pearl turns out to be a dead ringer for the late Mrs. Martin. Pynchon, who is in the running for Chairman of the Humanities Department, is initially horrified to discover that Pearl is his date for the evening. He quickly discovers, however, that Dean Martin is charmed to pieces by Pearl and that this may actually sway the dean's decision. When Pearl and the dean get carried away, however, Pynchon attempts to defend her honor and the situation gets messy.
Overview
Pearl is an American television sitcom which aired on CBS from September 16, 1996 until June 25, 1997. The series starred Rhea Perlman, in what was her return to television after the conclusion of her long-running series Cheers three years earlier. Don Reo created the series, and Perlman served as an executive producer alongside Reo, Paul Junger Witt, Tony Thomas and Gary S. Levine. Pearl was produced by Impact Zone Productions and Witt/Thomas Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.
Episodes
S01E02 Teacher's Pet
To get in with Prof. Pynchon, zealous Pearl becomes his teaching assistant. Bad idea. Running his errands turns her into a ""pack mule with a pager""--and she forgets her son's birthday.
S01E03 Your Cheatin' Heart
To compensate for cheating on a philosophy test, Pearl persuades Prof. Pynchon to give her an oral makeup exam, which evolves into a freewheeling battle of wits.
S01E04 Billy
Scottish comedian Billy Connolly guest stars as Billy Pynchon, Stephen's long lost, scotch-swilling, blue collar brother, who is attempting to fulfill their father's last request - for his sons to reconcile and accept each other....
S01E06 Pynchon's Pynchon
When Pynchon's former university professor, who intimidated him when he was a student, shows up during class, Pynchon is reminded of what it's like to be speechless. After Professor Lockwood explains that he is in...
S01E07 Ticket to Ride
Unable to drive, Pynchon asks Pearl for a ride into New York City to see a play and she mistakenly thinks he's asked her out on a date. Once they arrive in Manhattan, it dawns...
S01E08 Homecoming (1)
When Carlo, Pearl's new classmate, falls hard for her and asks her to a dance, Pearl lies, saying she is already going - with Professor Pynchon, in part one of a special two-part episode. After...
S01E09 Homecoming (2)
Dates for the grand homecoming ball hinge on a lost wager, an attempted bribe, second thoughts and, yes, fate.
S01E10 Lessons in Love
When the University threatens to remove controversial books from its library, Pynchon is arrested for chaining himself to the library doors in protest, and his class is cancelled. Pearl then decides that she must join...
S01E11 The Tutor
When Pearl, confused about what courses to enroll in next semester, asks Pynchon for advice on the subject, he recommends the services of a ""senior advisor"" - a 9-year-old genius. The tables are turned on...
S01E12 Christmas Daze
An attack dog that Pynchon's brother sent him for Christmas proves to be a bit overzealous and prevents Pynchon and Pearl from leaving the classroom on Christmas Eve. Pynchon and Pearl try to make the...
S01E13 Power Play
Prof. Pynchon's students have written papers on the abuse of power - and that's just what happens when he gleefully assigns them to grade one another's work. Pynchon tries an experiment on the students that...
S01E14 Pearls Before Swine
When Uncle Bobo's widow Tina arrives to collect a $5,000 debt incurred by Pearl's deceased husband, Pearl fears she will have to drop out of school to pay it back. While Pearl tries to balance...
S01E15 Mission ImPearlsible
When Pearl, Amy and Frankie get stuck with a freak student nicknamed ""Weird Guy Bob"" who sabotages their group project, they end up using espionage tactics to save their grade. It isn't until after the...
S01E16 Dean Cuisine
Unbeknownst to either Pynchon or Pearl, Annie fixes them up on a blind date for an important dinner at Dean Aston Martin's house and things really start cooking when Pearl turns out to be a...
S01E17 The Write Stuff (1)
Outlandish dream sequences depict Pearl's attempts to write fiction, including a scenario in which she works on the loading dock at a hospital named for ER's George Clooney. When Pearl runs into a creative roadblock...
S01E18 The Write Stuff (2)
Pearl's work of ""fiction"" continues with Joey having a litter of kids, Annie becoming a star in the world of country music and Pearl romanticizing the image of her late husband, Sal. When Joey's ex-wife...
S01E19 The Two Mrs. Rizzos
Annie's ex-boyfriend and current pen pal, Freddy Rizzo, is released from prison, but her hopes to rekindle the flame are dashed when he discovers that he has more in common with Pearl. Annie is furious...
S01E20 Mommy Dearest
Frankie's mother, Miriam Spivak, arrives in town and announces that she's left Frankie's father, but matters become worse when Pearl discovers that Miriam is having a fling with Professor Pynchon. After Pearl breaks the news,...
S01E21 My So-Called Real Life
When Frankie decides he wants to be a documentary filmmaker, Pynchon allows him to turn in a film in lieu of a written term paper and Frankie's subjects turn out to be Pearl, Amy, Joey,...
S01E22 Billy Returns
When Pynchon's brother returns to town and asks Pearl on a date, Pearl questions his intentions. Although Pearl is attracted to Billy she isn't sure if he really likes her or if he is just...
Cast
Rhea Perlman
Pearl Caraldo
Carol Kane
Annie Caraldo
Kevin Corrigan
Frankie Spivak
Nikki Cox
Margaret Woodrow
Malcolm McDowell
Professor Stephen Pynchon
Dash Mihok
Joey Caraldo
Lucy Liu
Amy Li
Mara Wilson
Samantha Stein
Sara Rue
Bertha Sugs
