Season 5 • Episode 13
LatestDoug is upset when Buddy starts dating a 21-year-old; Annie is jealous of an old friend who has matured much faster than she has.
Acting
Sada Thompson's Kate—matriarch as mystery, not caricature.
Writing
Jay Presson Allen scripts that trust silence over exposition.
Production
Pasadena setting that feels lived-in, not staged.
Creator
Jay Presson Allen
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This show essentially created the template for 'thirtysomething' and 'Parenthood'—the dysfunctional-functional family before it became a cliché.
Kristy McNichol became the youngest Emmy winner for dramatic acting at 14; her 'Buddy' was the breakout that made teenage girls feel seen in ways TV rarely allowed.
US
