1963

S4.E1 ∙ Young Love

Mon, Sep 12, 1966

Until the hundreds of entries come flooding in, Kate is unaware that Uncle Joe had advertised a free honeymoon letter writing contest for the hotel. He wanted to take advantage of the photographs he got of the honeymooning couple that recently stayed there. He figures that the free publicity and resulting business will more than make up the cost of running the contest. Out of all the entries, only one stands out: that of Laura Bentley and Tony Allison, a young couple whose parents will not allow them to get married. Thus, winning the contest is their only chance to have some semblance of a romantic honeymoon following their elopement. They are voted the winning couple. However, when they arrive at the hotel, they are not quite as the Bradleys had anticipated: they are an elderly couple whose respective grown children objected to their marriage. Regardless, Kate and the girls want to give them the best elopement and honeymoon the hotel has ever seen. Two obstacles stand in their way: Laura's daughter Violet, and Tony's son Herbert, who arrive just in time to stop the wedding. Kate tries a little reverse psychology to get the bride and groom back on track, but Kate's ploy has an unintended consequence which threatens not only the wedding but Laura and Tony's relationship altogether.

7.4 /10

S4.E2 ∙ Birdman of Shady Rest

Mon, Sep 19, 1966

While the girls are swimming in the water tower, a bi-plane flies overhead. The pilot, distracted by the beautiful creatures he sees in the water tower, crashes the plane by the railroad tracks next to the hotel. As the injured pilot is unconscious, the family manages to carry him up to the hotel. For all three girls, it's love at first sight with the handsome pilot. What they are able to glean from information in his wallet is that his name is Steve Elliott, he's twenty-four and has an honorable discharge from the air force. Each of the girls do whatever they can to gain Steve's favor while they nurse him back to health. Once Steve regains consciousness and sees the girls, he too will do whatever he can to stay at the hotel as long as possible, even at the expense of his damaged plane and the income he earns from it. Kate and the girls later learn directly from Steve that that income is from crop dusting. However, Uncle Joe believes Steve's a Russian spy. Steve tries to use Uncle Joe's belief to his advantage.

7.5 /10

S4.E3 ∙ Hooterville, You're All Heart

Mon, Sep 26, 1966

Many people have come by to see Steve's plane, which is still sitting damaged where it crashed near the railroad tracks by the hotel. One very interested party is Henry Sharp, who actually owns the plane. The heartless Sharp has come by as Steve has missed a payment. Steve is in trouble as he barely has enough money to repair the plane let alone make his regular payments. When attempts to put off Sharp fail, Steve decides to cut corners in terms of the plane repair, while Kate, the girls and Uncle Joe try to help him raise some money, which ends up not being an easy task. Being that Sunday is approaching, they may have to make a request to higher powers. If their plan works, the downside for the Bradley clan is that Steve will soon be leaving the valley.

6.4 /10

S4.E4 ∙ He Loves Us, He Loves Us Not

Mon, Oct 03, 1966

Steve spends time individually with Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo doing their favorite activities. As such, each girl believes that Steve has chosen her as his girl. At least one - who has been doodling the name "B.J. Elliott" - if not more is even expecting Steve to marry her imminently. To bring her daughters back down to earth, Kate believes she has to tell Steve the girls' thoughts, he who had some suspicion that their feelings had gone that far. Steve has no intention on marrying anyone at this point in his life. Kate and Steve devise a plan to scare off each of the girls. Their plan has unexpected results. But Steve also has to decide if any of the three is the one he would like at least initially to date.

7.2 /10

S4.E5 ∙ The All-Night Party

Mon, Oct 10, 1966

Since she is now in junior college, Bobbie Jo thinks she's all grown up, and as a grown up she can make her own decisions. The latest decision that she's made is to go to an all night party with her friends - the evening is to start with a dance in the school gym lasting until midnight, followed by the all night party at the country club. Kate refuses to let her go to the all-nighter, despite Bobbie Jo telling her that all the other mothers are letting their daughters go. Later seeing those mothers, Kate learns that none of the mothers want their daughters to stay out all night. Kate provides what she thinks is a reasonable compromise: Bobbie Jo can stay out until 01:30 - Kate has made arrangements with Floyd and Charlie to have the Cannonball ready to pick the girls up at that time - which would allow Bobbie Jo to at least go out for a midnight snack following the school dance. Leaving for the dance with her date Scott, Bobbie Jo is ready to defy Kate and stay out all night as all the other girls are planning on doing. But if Bobbie Jo does miss the 01:30 train, she'll miss the surprise Kate has waiting for her and the others on the Cannonball.

7.4 /10

S4.E6 ∙ Cannonball, Inc.

Mon, Oct 17, 1966

Charley and Floyd derail the Cannonball going around Deadman's Curve. They believe the reason for the derailment was that Floyd had removed too many of the railroad ties to stoke the engine. Floyd counters that he only took those that were deteriorating because of the worm holes. To get the Cannonball repaired and back into service, Uncle Joe takes matters into his own hands by calling the C&FW Railroad, who agree to pay the necessary $300 insurance deductible for the repairs. Kate doesn't think that what Uncle Joe did was such a good idea since it will probably mean the imminent arrival of Homer Bedloe. Kate's right. But Bedloe initially seems to want to cooperate. His true mission comes to light when he finds about what Floyd did, meaning that a railroad employee's negligence caused the accident which in turns means the insurance company will not pay which means he will not be repairing the train. Kate, however, comes up with an alternate plan in discussion with the insurance company: they will fix the train if ten valley residents put up $30 security apiece to be a "stockholder" of the train. Kate is able to raise the necessary money. Kate's plan may derail the Cannonball a second time as the new stockholders request unreasonable and impractical operating procedures from Charley and Floyd, while Bedloe watches from the sidelines in delight.

7.1 /10

S4.E7 ∙ Kate Grounds Selma Plout

Mon, Oct 24, 1966

Selma is even less cordial to Kate than usual. Based on Selma's purchases at Drucker's and her implication, Sam and Kate surmise that Selma is beautifying Henrietta to snag a husband, with that probable target being the valley's new, eligible bachelor who happens to have a bright and seemingly lucrative aviation future, namely Steve. They're right as Selma tries to throw both money into Steve's crop dusting business and gourmet meals to entice Steve. Despite Billie Jo and Steve now officially dating, Kate vows to stay out of the matter. Billie Jo, on the other hand, feels she needs to fight as dirty as Selma is to keep Steve, and enlists the help of the dirtiest fighter she knows: Uncle Joe. When Selma ramps up her fight one notch by moving herself and Henrietta into the hotel to be closer to Steve, Kate, who can no longer silently witness the direct dirty tactics against Billie Jo, comes up with a plan to kibosh Selma's want for Steve as a son-in-law. Kate first has to convince Charley and Floyd to help her, they who still have a grudge against Steve solely because as a pilot he is the railroader's enemy.

7.6 /10

S4.E8 ∙ The Almost Annual Charity Show

Mon, Oct 31, 1966

It's almost time for the Almost Annual Charity Show, and everyone is looking forward to Steve and Billie Jo performing a duet together. Those at the Shady Rest are thrown for a loop when Selma announces that she has been appointed the show's committee chair, a job usually held by Kate. In actuality, Selma strong-armed Sam, the overseer of the show, into appointing her. Regardless, Selma wants a few changes to the performing roster, including Steve singing with Henrietta instead. If he refuses, he doesn't perform at all. After Steve refuses to be bullied by Selma, a gracious Billie Jo tells Steve to go ahead and sing with Henrietta. A worse change is that Selma makes herself the headliner, she playing the part of a singing Cleopatra. When news spreads around the valley of Selma's starring role, ticket sales plummet. Kate sets up a money back guarantee scheme at least to get people to the auditorium. But Uncle Joe, with help from Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo, thinks he has a way for the audience to enjoy the show and thus not want their money back.

7.4 /10

S4.E9 ∙ How Bugged Was My Valley

Mon, Nov 14, 1966

As she sees Steve as a nice young man and a possible future son-in-law, Kate has his best interests and his welfare in mind. She believes his life as a pilot is a dangerous one and as such she would like to see him in a different profession. So when she learns that Steve has a journalism background, she tries to convince Sam to turn over the running of the Hooterville World Guardian to Steve. Sam agrees as he doesn't have time to do the newspaper justice. With no crop dusting work to be had in the valley, Steve accepts the offer. This move doesn't sit well with Uncle Joe, the supposed president of the Carson-Elliott crop dusting dynasty. To show Kate that this move was one done in error, Joe goes on a quest for crop dusting business from their valley neighbors. With seemingly no bugs infesting the crops and thus no business, Joe tries instead to manufacture some business through some devious means.

7.4 /10

S4.E10 ∙ Twenty-Five Years Too Late

Mon, Nov 21, 1966

An excited Uncle Joe comes bearing news. Kate's first boyfriend, Walter O'Connor, who is now a major league baseball manager, is coming to stay at the Shady Rest. Uncle Joe's excitement is primarily for Betty Jo as he sees her as a potential major leaguer, a stronger prospect if Walter has indeed come back to court Kate. As Uncle Joe and girls contemplate a rekindling of their mother and Walter's romance, a nervous Kate doesn't want to presuppose anything about Walter's visit. While Kate is excited to see Walter, she is still just as anxious and nervous about him actually asking her to marry him. Regardless of Walter's intentions, his presence alone makes Sam come to the realization that he too has feelings for Kate, which may complicate things for her.

7.7 /10

S4.E11 ∙ The Runt Strikes Back

Mon, Nov 28, 1966

There's a dance on Saturday. Billie Jo has stopped accepting dates from everyone except Steve and Don, the new young doctor in the valley. Bobbie Jo has stopped accepting dates from everyone except Steve and Don. Although neither Steve or Don have asked anyone to the dance yet, Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo are certain that they will be the two lucky girls going to the dance with Steve and Don, with Billie Jo believing she has the right of first choice being the oldest. Through all this wrangling between sisters, the left out sister is Betty Jo, who feels she has as much right to be included in the dating discussion. This exclusion is just the latest in the long line of snubs at being the young Bradley girl. The snub not only seems to be from Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo, but all the boys of the valley as well as the only person who has asked her to the dance is Eb, and only because he was turned down by Billie Jo and Bobbie Jo. Not wanting to take it anymore, Betty Jo decides to strike out on her own by getting a job. But a little help from both Steve and Don may show the world in a better light that Betty Jo is all grown up.

7.9 /10

S4.E12 ∙ Is There a Doctor in the Valley?

Mon, Dec 12, 1966

Young Doc Don Craig announces that he's leaving the valley since there just isn't enough business for him and Doc Stuart. Kate and the girls try to drum up business for him, which includes convincing him to examine Fred Ziffel's pig, Arnold. But based on Doc Craig's latest cases, Kate thinks she's come up with a solution for him to stay: that he specialize in house calls for people who can't make it into the office. He enlists the help of Floyd and Charley, who wait for him as he makes his stops along the rail line. Meanwhile, Kate has another problem: the imminent arrival to the valley of Homer Bedloe. His visit is to see what trouble he can stir up to shut down the Cannonball. Bedloe thinks he can use Doc Craig's new business as a reason to shut down the train. When Kate figures out what Bedloe is up to, they have a race against time to get the train to the end of the line in Hooterville. They have to decide if winning that race should be at the short term expense of medical and rail service to valley residents.

7.2 /10

S4.E13 ∙ The Santa Claus Special

Mon, Dec 19, 1966

It's the Christmas season, and those at the Shady Rest, among others, are decorating the Cannonball in preparation for their annual caroling and gift delivery runs. Their plans are placed into jeopardy with the arrival of Homer Bedloe, who states that what they are doing is against railroad policy. As such, he won't allow it. Since it's the Christmas season, Kate hopes that Bedloe will have some heart, and she tries to use her best Christmas spirit in treating Bedloe with kindness to change his mind. Only one person may be able to make Bedloe change his mind, but not without some bah-humbug grumbling from Bedloe.

7.5 /10

S4.E14 ∙ My Daughter the Secretary

Mon, Dec 26, 1966

The Every Other Wednesday Afternoon Discussion Club has been chosen this year to send their recording secretary to the weekend long national conventional in Eagle Springs, Wisconsin, all expenses paid. That means Billie Jo, or so Kate and Billie Jo believe. Although Billie Jo sees it as an honor, she doesn't really want to leave Steve for an entire weekend. However, Selma, a club member, doesn't ever remember voting for someone to fill the position permanently, and she wants to hold a special vote just before the convention to elect a permanent recording secretary. Despite Billie Jo having done the job since she was sixteen, Selma is pushing for Henrietta, regardless of Henrietta not knowing how to type or take shorthand, if only to send her instead of Billie Jo to the convention. Billie Jo remembers the meeting when she first started, and indeed she was only to fill the position temporarily until a vote could be held to elect a permanent secretary. The outcome of the resulting vote, with only Billie Jo and Henrietta on the ballot, is a tie. Both Selma and Kate think they have the answer to breaking the tie with their respective daughter coming out on top. Both daughters may have other things on their mind.

7.1 /10

S4.E15 ∙ Rise and Fall of a Tycoon

Mon, Jan 02, 1967

Everyone at the hotel thinks it's a beautiful day, that is until Homer Bedloe shows up unexpectedly. He's come to make an announcement of a new appointment of general manager for the Cannonball, that person who will oversee the train's operations. That person is Uncle Joe. Uncle Joe begins to act like a tyrant in bossing around Charley and Floyd, and making them operate the train against their sensibilities. Not only Charley and Floyd, but also everyone in the valley are mad at Uncle Joe for his new operating rules. As such, Charley and Floyd quit leaving Uncle Joe to operate the train on his own, he who doesn't really know how. That's when Bedloe's reason for appointing Uncle Joe comes to light: Norman Curtis, President of the CF&W is arriving shortly to make an inspection. Kate has to try and convince Charley and Floyd into resuming their jobs so that the train can look to be operating efficiently, as opposed to the inefficient operation by Uncle Joe. They may have a problem in doing so after Uncle Joe's finished doing a job on the train.

7.2 /10

S4.E16 ∙ His Highness the Dog

Mon, Jan 16, 1967

A crew is filming a commercial at Lost Lake, the commercial starring Prince Hamlet of Kronenberg von Auschwile III, a rather large and imposing but valuable dog. With their own transportation broken down, Mr. Morton, the film crew director, needs Steve to fly him immediately to make a connection to a flight to New York. However, Hamlet can't risk the flight in Steve's plane, so he has to stay at the Shady Rest under the care of Uncle Joe until Mr. Morton can pick him up later. With all the special treatment Uncle Joe and the girls give Hamlet, Dog feels like the forgotten family member. So, Dog runs off. Feeling like Hamlet needs to earn his keep, Uncle Joe makes Hamlet track Dog's scent. In the quest, everyone comes to realization who is really the valuable dog, but it could be a costly realization as Hamlet goes missing just before Mr. Morton is scheduled to return.

7.5 /10

S4.E17 ∙ Girls! Girls! Girls!

Mon, Jan 23, 1967

After he agrees to go to the turnabout dance (where the girls ask the boys) with Bobbie Jo, Tommy Johnson has to back out since he ends up having another commitment. Bobbie Jo, who told all her friends about the date with the most sought after boy in her class, feels that she can't ask anyone else in that social circle to the dance since he would know that he was second choice. But as Billie Jo and Steve recently had a fight where Billie Jo isn't speaking to him anymore, Bobbie Jo feels that Steve is fair game as a potential date to the dance. Bobbie Jo even asks Billie Jo if it's all right, and Billie Jo gives her consent. Steve accepts Bobbie Jo's invitation. Following, Tommy tells Bobbie Jo that he now can make it to the dance since that other commitment is no more. Since she already has a date with Steve, she now refuses Tommy. Feeling Tommy now fair game, Betty Jo wants to ask him to the dance. Betty Jo in turn asks Bobbie Jo if it's all right if she asks Tommy to the dance, to which Bobbie Jo gives her consent. Tommy says yes to Betty Jo's invitation. The problem with these pairings is that Billie Jo feels jealous about Bobbie Jo's date with "her" boyfriend, and Bobbie Jo feels jealous about Betty Jo's date with "her" boyfriend. Add to the mix Jerry Massett, a mechanic friend of Steve's from his air force days, who is visiting Hooterville. Jerry ends up asking a free Billie Jo to the dance, which makes Steve jealous.

8.1 /10

S4.E18 ∙ Temperance! Temperance!

Mon, Jan 30, 1967

Jeremiah Priddy, a temperance lecturer, is coming to the valley. Such a lecturer hasn't been seen in the valley for some time since no one in the valley really drinks. Meanwhile, Betty Jo has a new, somewhat unwanted friend. A quiet, little boy who she doesn't know but played catch with is following her around, even back to the hotel. Everyone at the hotel doesn't know what to do with Clint - which they eventually learn is his name - except to make sure he's OK until they find out to who he belongs. They finally learn that his father is Jeremiah Priddy and that Clint ran away as Mr. Priddy is less than a friendly or hospitable man. Mr. Priddy deals with his son much as he deals with anyone who drinks: unyielding. Kate has a change of heart about Mr. Priddy when she learns a little more about him. She uses this information to try and bring him and Clint closer together.

7.4 /10

S4.E19 ∙ A Star Is Born?

Mon, Feb 06, 1967

Happy Harrison and his National Amateur Hour are screening for new talent, and are holding public voting auditions through several radio stations, including the valley's own Station K. The winning performer of the Station K audition is to receive $200. Once Uncle Joe hears about the prize money, he thinks that Steve and Billie Jo should enter. Billie Jo loves the idea, but Steve, who had never even considered singing for money, is less than enthusiastic. But he agrees to perform with Billie Jo. Sydney Sparks, a talent agent who heard Steve and Billie Jo, wants to represent them if they win the contest. His plans are for them to go on the road as a nightclub act. Most of the family have mixed emotions about the news, they who are happy for the potential new career, but sad to see Steve and Billie Jo possibly leave for good. The two people who don't have mixed emotions are Steve and Billie Jo. Billie Jo wants to do it and sees no down side. On the other hand, Steve doesn't as he doesn't want to be continually on the road living out of a suitcase. Uncle Joe thinks he may have a way so that Steve and Billie Jo don't have to make the decision themselves.

7.2 /10

S4.E20 ∙ Shoplifter at Shady Rest

Mon, Feb 13, 1967

As Pixley's Sheriff Crandall is on a fishing vacation, Uncle Joe has made an arrangement with Sam, the valley's justice of the peace, to house kleptomaniac shoplifter, Eustace Pockle, at the hotel for $4 a day for a five day sentence or until the sheriff's return. Despite Eustace's relatively harmless nature, Kate doesn't like the idea, but allows Eustace to stay. Unfortunately for Kate and the hotel guests, Uncle Joe treats the hotel more like a jail than a hotel. Conversely, Kate and the girls treat Eustace more like a hotel guest than a prisoner. Eustace, on the other hand, treats the hotel like any other place: somewhere to snatch trinkets. Just as Sheriff Crandall has announced his early return to pick-up Eustace, Eustace escapes from the Shady Rest, which places Kate and Uncle Joe in some hot water. They hope to be able to find him before Sheriff Crandall actually makes it back.

7.2 /10

S4.E21 ∙ Don't Call Us

Mon, Feb 20, 1967

Billie Jo is buoyed by the news that Sydney Sparks, the talent agent that approached her and Steve following their radio talent show win, still wants to represent her with or without Steve. He got her an audition at the Flamingo Room in Springdale. Kate isn't too sure that she wants Billie Jo to pursue this career, but with Billie Jo being twenty-one and of age, there's no way she can stop her. Following the audition, Billie Jo is certain she got the job. Kate, however, isn't so sure her daughter's right as they told her "don't call us, we'll call you". When Kate receives the news for Billie Jo that she didn't get the job - only because she didn't have a big enough name to draw in customers - Kate has a change of heart about Billie Jo and this job. With help from Uncle Joe and Sam, Kate thinks she knows a way for Mr. Austin, the Flamingo Room's manager, to change his mind. Regardless, Billie Jo, based on an off the cuff comment by Uncle Joe, may kibosh her own chances of show business success by her warped sense of what it means to be a star.

7.2 /10

S4.E22 ∙ Hey, Look Me Over

Mon, Feb 27, 1967

Steve has been spending a lot of time with Betty Jo, giving her flying lessons and she being his grease monkey in the airplane's repairs and maintenance. Billie Jo becomes jealous of her younger sister, who hasn't really yet figured out that she's no longer a little girl, a fact pointed out to her by her mother. Billie Jo tries to be more like Betty Jo - being a grease monkey however not really in Billie Jo's nature - while Betty Jo tries to act more grown up in an effort for others to see her in a more feminine light. Neither Billie Jo or Betty Jo achieve what they want. Betty Jo in particular feels let down as she wanted to feel like a threat to Billie Jo, while Steve still sees her solely as a grease monkey tomboy. After Steve's attempts to make it up to Betty Jo while letting her down easily fail, Betty Jo decides to take drastic measures to get what she wants.

7.6 /10

S4.E23 ∙ That's Max?

Mon, Mar 06, 1967

Steve receives a somewhat cryptic telegram from his old flying buddy, Max Donohue. The implication of the message is that Max wants Steve as a business partner up in Cascade Valley. Steve quickly makes the decision not to accept Max's offer, but Steve joking about it irks Billie Jo, who wishes that he would take the future of their relationship more seriously. Kate suggests to Steve that Max join him in Hooterville, which Steve knows wouldn't work but doesn't say why. Regardless, without Steve's knowledge, Uncle Joe sends a reply telegram to Max, asking him to relocate to Hooterville to join the Carson-Elliott Enterprises. Max decides at least to investigate, which doesn't sit well with Max's business and personal partner. Max's arrival in Hooterville shows why Steve wasn't so interested in Max coming for a visit. Not only does Max's visit in and of itself cause some complications, but also the need for Max to get an agricultural flying license from the state capitol, which Billie Jo and the rest of the family misinterpret.

7.6 /10

S4.E24 ∙ The Fishing Derby

Mon, Mar 13, 1967

Business at the Shady Rest is worse than usual which is bringing Kate down. Instead of looking for a job to raise money which was his original plan, Uncle Joe speaks to Sam about the Shady Rest and Drucker's Store jointly hosting a fishing derby on Lost Lake. Uncle Joe figures that they can advertise expensive prizes, such as a boat, outboard motor and fishing gear, and order the prizes on a 30-day layaway plan. Since Sam and Uncle Joe have collectively caught the biggest fish on Lost Lake year after year, he figures one of the two of them will win the derby and they can return the prizes before the 30 days. In the meantime, the hotel will be filled up and Drucker's Store will be busy with new customers. Sam agrees if only to help Kate, who has no idea of the underlying scam when she agrees to the derby. The derby does bring in business both to the hotel and store, but it also brings in many fishers, one in particular who seems able to out-fish Sam and Uncle Joe and has more than an excellent chance of winning the derby, which would put Kate in even worse financial shape.

6.5 /10

S4.E25 ∙ Kate's Big Deal

Mon, Mar 20, 1967

Without telling anyone in the valley the reason why, the anyone who includes the family, Kate takes a trip into the big city. It isn't until her return that she divulges the reason to everyone: she decided to sell the hotel and she went to the city to finalize the terms of the deal with the buyer, Mr. Holloway, a chain hotelier. The money from the sale will provide any opportunity the girls want. Beyond the valley residents who are sad to see Kate and the girls leave, the girls themselves are initially happy about the news and being able to live out their dreams. But they all come to the realization that part of their dream still does include calling the Shady Rest home, especially after Steve announces that he's staying regardless. Kate comes to understand what life in Hooterville and at the Shady Rest really means to them all, including herself, but she feels that she made a verbal agreement with Mr. Holloway of which she ethically cannot back out. Uncle Joe tries to use a little emotional blackmail to convince Kate not to sign to final papers.

7.3 /10

S4.E26 ∙ Author! Author!

Mon, Mar 27, 1967

Bobbie Jo is ecstatic that the poem she submitted to a magazine has been accepted for publication. Sam ends up devoting the entire front page of the World Guardian to Bobbie Jo and her poem's publication. The notoriety changes Bobbie Jo, who begins to get "inspired" by the most mundane things. She also starts hanging out with a beatnik, pseudo-intellectual coffee house crowd. When Kate learns from Steve that the coffee house she is hanging out in in Springdale isn't quite what Kate had first imagined, Kate needs to see it first hand to see if it is a place suitable for Bobbie Jo. Kate takes extreme measures to show Bobbie Jo that being beatnik does not always equate to true art and intellectualism.

7.1 /10

S4.E27 ∙ Steve's Ol' Buddy

Mon, Apr 03, 1967

After Steve sends him several letters inviting him to Hooterville, his best friend Jeff Maxwell, an air force captain, finally decides to take Steve up on his offer. Steve has told him about many of the great things in Hooterville like the fishing and the food, but Jeff seems more enamored by what Steve didn't write about: the Bradley sisters. After Jeff hits on Billie Jo, Jeff can understand when Steve tells him that Billie Jo is off limits since the two of them are going together. But Jeff can't understand when after he hits on Bobbie Jo then Betty Jo, that Steve tells him that both aren't his type and that he should leave them alone. While Steve doesn't place all of the valley girls off limits and even gets Jeff a date with one, the Bradley sisters specifically decide that they need to take matters into their own hands when it comes to Steve deciding with who they should or should not go out.

7.3 /10

S4.E28 ∙ That Was the Night That Was

Mon, Apr 10, 1967

Late one evening, Uncle Joe and Sam, following a lodge meeting, run across a mysterious fellow looking for lodging. He calls himself Dr. Isaac Newton and claims that he's a geophysicist. Although Kate welcomes him with open arms, she and the rest of the family think that his all-knowing behavior, and the mysterious occurrences that have happened that night - which includes a lot of flickering lights - are not human. They believe he may be an alien from outer space. Despite the secretive nature of the club, the men offer to hold their upcoming lodge meeting, where Uncle Joe is going through an important initiation process, at the hotel if only to ensure that Kate and the girls feel safe from Dr. Newton. Goings-on during and after the initiation ceremony ultimately settle Kate's mind about Dr. Newton.

7.2 /10

S4.E29 ∙ The Eternal Rectangle

Mon, Apr 17, 1967

An excited Billie Jo has a one week singing engagement in Omaha. The only problem is that it is one week away from Steve. So that he won't be lonely, Billie Jo asks her sisters to keep Steve company. Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo take Billie Jo's request a little too to heart, and ask him out on what they consider official dates. They each treat Steve like their own boyfriend, at the exclusion of their current beaus. This situation places a potential strain between the younger sisters and Billie Jo - Bobbie Jo who sees that all is fair in love and war - but neither Bobbie Jo or Betty Jo initially see that the other too is interested in him. Kate thinks she has the answer for a confused Steve, but that doesn't solve the problem about what to tell Billie Jo when she returns. Meanwhile, Uncle Joe is trying to install an electronic room service request system, much to Kate's chagrin.

7.5 /10

S4.E30 ∙ Kate's Cousin Mae

Mon, Apr 24, 1967

Kate's southern belle of a cousin, Mae Belle Jennings, comes to Hooterville for an unexpected visit, she who lives her life by "flitting" from one place to another. Cousin Mae, who is enamored by gallant men, unintentionally causes problems between Floyd and Charley, who recently and happily celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary of working together. The problem is is that both men want to court Cousin Mae. They both will do whatever they can do earn Cousin Mae's favor, even if it means breaking up their professional partnership and their friendship. Seeing what is happening between Charley and Floyd, Kate thinks she has a plan to bring the two friends back together, but Kate's plan worsens the matter. So she turns to Plan B, which entails having a chat with Cousin Mae, who it seems is used to being the cause of bickering between men.

6.8 /10

S4.E31 ∙ A House Divided

Mon, May 01, 1967

Henry and Wilma Tuttle, who were looking for a happy place to live, have decided to move into Hooterville Valley. They are the valley's two hundred fiftieth and two hundred fifty-first residents, pushing the valley's population over the magic two hundred fifty mark which means Hooterville is now eligible to have a representative on the County Board of Supervisors. Sam scoffs at Kate's suggestion of Elmira Peabody, the local schoolteacher, as a good candidate for Supervisor, Sam's scoffing solely because Elmira's a woman. That act by Sam sets off a battle of the sexes for Hooterville's Board representative, the men who eventually decide to back Sam (with Uncle Joe as his campaign manager) and the women who eventually decide to back Kate (with Selma as her campaign manager). With the valley equally divided based on gender, both sides feel the best way to win is gain the vote of those in the valley who have no previous allegiance, namely the Tuttles. The women try to convince Henry to vote for Kate, while the men try to convince Wilma to vote for Sam. Henry and Wilma make their stand in the situation known in a slightly different way besides the ballot box.

7 /10

S4.E32 ∙ Go Away, Fat

Mon, May 08, 1967

Kate's cousin, Mae Belle Jennings, writes stating that she is coming for a visit with some big plans for the hotel. Along with her letter are some mod clothes for Kate and girls, which are part of the plan. Upon Mae's arrival, she tells them that with some backing from a wealthy banker, she plans on turning the Shady Rest into a health farm using a diet and exercise regimen called the "Mae Method Reducing Course". The only stipulation for the financing is that the banker's daughter, a slightly overweight woman named Agnes Bedford, has to lose fifteen pounds in two weeks while staying at the hotel using the Mae Method. However, Mae herself can't stay as she has to go back and deal with the banker, leaving Kate to administer the Mae Method for Agnes in her place. The clothes are for Kate and the girls to be visual inspirations to show Agnes what she can look like after she loses the weight. Uncle Joe is all for the idea until Kate tells him that he will be the male guinea pig of the Mae Method to show that it works on both men and women. Agnes, who loves her food, isn't the easiest person to convert to this new way of life. They just hope that Agnes, who shows some early weight loss during her stay, will be able to reach her goal by the time Mae returns. Kate, the girls and Uncle Joe's reward system for Agnes doesn't help their cause.

7.2 /10