Steven and Elyse realize how lucky they are when their friends come over for a visit, but are unaware that it will be for the last time. Divorced ""Sunday father"" Richard Bailey and his son, Keith, come over to the Keaton's before taking off on a secret flight of their own. It seems Keith's mother is moving to California with her new husband and plans on taking her son with them. When a satisfactory visiting arrangement can't be reached, Richard decides it's time to make a move and it's up to Steven to put a stop to their travel plans.
A former stuntman, now disabled, is reunited with his former fiancee by Colt in Seattle. He dumped her after his accident. Colt has a wild ride downhill in a wheelchair.
Kirby proposes that she and Jeff divorce. Adam tells her he wants to be a father to their child. Dex and Alexis make love. Jeff is jealous to see Fallon with Peter DeVilbis. Peter's champion racehorse, Allegre, is up for sale, and Blake decides to buy the mare. At the Carousel Ball, the high point of Denver's social season, Blake and Krystle announce their intentions to remarry. Steven warmly wishes his father the best. Blake is touched by the gesture and welcomes his son back into the family.
In keeping with the season's spirit, Jonathan and Jennifer take in a girl who learns that her parents died in a car crash that left her comatose for 7 years.
Michael is preparing to attend the Christmas banquet when he encounters a gypsy boy who has witnessed a bank robbery and is sought by the robbers from whom he stole a gold watch.
Detective Manfred and his secretary Lil investigate the case of a vanished passenger; Jan and her son Rich reunite with her father COL Maddox, who wants to meet his son-in-law; Jenny protests her ex-boyfriend Don's engagement to Millie.
Drummond's provided with police protection of a most unusual kind after his charitable philanthrophy leads to a $1,000,000 extortion threat against him.
A French Inspector asks Jim for help in proving a tourist from Jersey killed his wife while on holiday in France.
Ricky pretends to play in the school orchestra's production of Peter and the Wolf so Edward won't be disappointed that he isn't musical.
All the blame goes to Webster when his friends try to rob the Tracadero, their hangout.
Miss Ellie and Clayton return home for the annual Southfork barbecue. JR manages to get one over on Cliff. Katherine vows to get rid of Jenna.
Cecelia agrees to chaperone two teenage girls on a cruise, with Rick's help, but then the ship is highjacked.
When Rodney helps a drunken woman on the street, he is stunned when she looks petrified, accuses him of man-handling her, and promptly cries "rape!" Without thinking straight, and fearing the consequences, Rodders decides to leg it. Del hears about the escapade and realises his naïve Little Bruv must have encountered Blossom, a psychologically unhinged woman who is allowed out in public on weekend breaks. Not wanting to prey on Rodney's nervous disposition, Del naturally does the humane thing and concocts a story about the police conducting a search for 'The Peckham ...
Three visiting Russians bring their personal problems to the Hill; Belker goes undercover as an ambulance attendant; LaRue's brother-in-law is busted for soliciting a police officer; Joyce, the judge, and the victim try hard to keep a mentally slow young man out of jail; and Fay and Goldblume worry about how Furillo will feel about their relationship.
Diane is at first incredulous then furious when it becomes apparent that Sam and her old school chum find each other very attractive.
Magnum, Rick, Higgins and TC spend an unexpected Christmas Eve on a remote island used by the military for gunnery practice.
Walter Nebicher is a young police officer who wants desperately to get out on the streets and experience some action. Unfortunately, his superior Captain Boyd has assigned Nebicher to a desk job where he can utilize his skills as a computer expert. Still wanting to make a difference, Nebicher goes to work creating the ultimate crime-solving computer program. It turns out so well that the program actually takes on a life of it's own, by taking the holographic form of a man called Automan. Due to the large amount of power needed to exist outside of the computer, Automan can only exist at night, when the rest of the city's power useage is low. Together, he and Walter become one of television's most unusual crime fighting teams. They jump into their first case when Walter's friend Lt. Jack Curtis disappears while investigating the disappearances of several top scientists. Their investigation uncovers an international plot to kidnap the world's top scientific minds, who are then taken to a
A cynical Alex finds the spirit of Christmas in a dream, when he's shown shocking visions of the past and future by ghosts of Mallory and Jennifer. While the family enjoys trimming the tree, singing carols and taking pictures, Alex would rather listen to stock reports and finds Christmas ""a silly sentimental farce"" except for the commercialism. That evening, when he drifts off to sleep, Jennifer, The Ghost of Christmas Past, takes him back ten years to a scene in the Keaton living room and a time when young Alex loved Christmas. Next, the Ghost of Christmas Future, Mallory, appears and transports Alex 15 years ahead in time. The impoverished Keaton household is a sorry sight, visited by a rich fat cat on his way to Las Vegas - the future Alex.