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80s Home > 80s Movies & 80s TV > Diff’rent Strokes
Diff’rent Strokes, 1978 - 1986
If forced to pick five favorites from among the great TV shows of the 80s,
Diff'rent Strokes would definitely make the cut. The show wasn't
just about laughs, it was about breaking social and cultural barriers
while learning about the important things in life – and, of course, it had
Arnold’s catch phrase, "Whatchou talkin' bout Willis?" (see
video below)
Diff'rent Strokes first aired in 1978 and ran until 1986, but
re-runs still play on the air to this very day. You can even buy seasons
of the show on DVD.
Diff'rent Strokes revolved around Arnold and Willis (Gary Coleman
and Todd Bridges), two young and underprivileged African-American boys
whose mother died. On her deathbed, the mother asked her employer a favor
– to take care of her two sons. That was when destiny had the boys go from
rags to riches.
Mr. Drummond (the wealthy Manhattan widower) and his daughter Kimberly,
along with the housekeeper Mrs. Garrett (who later came to star in The
Facts of Life), find themselves taking Willis and Arnold under their
wings. The show covered some tough topics such as racism, drug use and
even child molestation during its run.
It was definitely a culture clash at times, but it made for some awesome
story lines and wonderful life lessons, not to mention more than a few
great laughs. This was 80s TV at its best.
Everybody’s got a special kind of story
Everybody finds a way to shine . . .
It takes different strokes to move the world, yes it does . . .
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