While Elyse (Meredith Baxter) goes to an architects’ convention, Skippy (Marc Price) falls for Mallory’s (Justine Bateman) friend Jane (Michelle Meyrink) in Don’t Kiss Me, I’m Only the Messenger.

Written by Ruth Bennett, this episode first aired on 29 November, 1984. And while Mallory deals with the sudden realization that Skippy isn’t interested in her anymore, Alex attempts to pave the way for Skippy, who, as always, has difficulty interacting with the opposite sex.

Unfortunately, as Alex tries to talk Skippy up to Jane, she reveals that she’s always had a crush on Alex, and he’s wrapped up in the passion of the moment. Alex realizes it’s going to hurt Skippy’s feelings, and he works to get the two together, but Skippy just doesn’t have the ability to talk to girls, literally.

And things blow up when Skippy sees Alex and Jane kissing, despite Mallory’s attempt to stop him from seeing it – by kissing him! Alex has to make amends with his friend and sacrifice any potential of a relationship with Jane.

Poor Skippy, but I’m sure things will work out for him somewhere along the way, eventually.

Through all of this Steven (Micheal Gross) and Jennifer (Tina Yothers) are trying to trap a mouse that is running rampant in the house.

Help Wanted sees Steven and Alex attempting to find a suitable housekeeper to help Elyse and the rest of the family after the new baby is born. Alex hires someone on his own, simply because he’s taken by her, and who could blame him as Karen Nicholson is played by Geena Davis.

Written by Micheal J. Weithorn and Bennett, this episode was first broadcast on 6 December, 1984.

Karen has absolutely no experience as all and isn’t very good at her job, but boy is Alex happy. In fact, Alex, Mallory and Jennifer are all taken with her, delighting in her, but her lack of experience, and frequent mistakes are going to jeopardize her position.

Things around the house get increasingly wacky as repairs, food, accidents… nothing seems to be going right. Steven says she has to go, and he and Alex come up with a good way to dismiss her without hurting her. But she realizes that she’s not good for the job, despite the opportunity and quits before they can fire her, but when she comes back, everyone is delighted to give her another shot.

There are also a couple of fun appearances by Robert Costanzo and Anne Ramsey.

Karen II, Alex 0 was written by Weithorn and Lloyd Garver and first aired on 13 December, 1984.

Suzie Farkas gets name-checked again, as Alex is waiting for a phone call from her as he’s asked her to go to a fraternity party with him, he’s thinking about pledging. But things aren’t going to go well for Alex this time around.

When Suzy can’t make it, he asks Karen to go with him, but she declines for reasons she’s not willing to talk about. Seeing how upset Alex is she agrees to go with him but it becomes very clear that she knows the dean, who is played by guest star Robert Pine.

Karen quits (again) and reveals her backstory to Steven, and finally she and Alex will have to part company. It’s a fun little story, and I like the interactions between Davis and the cast. And as an added bonus, I love that this episode ends exactly the same way the previous one did, allowing us to send Karen off with a laugh.

There’s a funny b-story involving Mallory and Jennifer giving haircuts to Steven and Skippy.