Wanting publicity for his stores, George tries to get in on a reporter's series of stories on successful black businessmen. However, once he finally gets the reporter to make an appearance he finds it difficult to hold his attention, with the Willis' and Mr. Bentley hanging around.

It's Harry Bentley's birthday and the Jeffersons are planning a birthday party at there apartment. However, the joyous occasion is anything but when Tom arrives wearing the same dinner jacket as George. Meanwhile, Helen keeps the fact that she was mugged from Tom due to the fact that Tom is at the end of his rope with New York.

George is sure that he's movin' back down the ladder after some financial setbacks. His worries soon turn into nightmares and with both Lionel asking for money and Florence asking for a raise, George's worries don't appear to be ending anytime soon.

Lionel is desperate to pass a course but his odds are slim since his passing hinges on a paper he has to write about homosexuality. This leads George to buy a term paper for him, but this leads to a tremendous blow up ending with Jenny and Lionel breaking up and Louise and Helen ending their friendship.

Florence goes on a cleaning spree in the Jefferson's apartment as well as behaving extremely strange including, kissing Harry and giving away a swimming award to Louise. This leads Louise to believe Florence is contemplating suicide.

Prior to his graduation from college, Lionel takes to drinking to ease the pressure of his expected success. Things come to a head when, on the day of his graduation, comes home drunk.

George is all excited to be the newest member of an exclusive tennis club. However, the real reasons for his induction slowly come to the surface after he meets the club's towel ""boy.""

After reading an article about Harry Belafonte renewing his marriage vows, George decides to do the same thing. However, Louise has second thoughts when she gets into an argument with George over her being an equal partner in Jefferson Cleaners.

George's rival in the dry cleaning business, Cunningham, is running a campaign due to the Bicentennial celebration. This prompts George to come up with his own campaign and decides to dress up as Thomas Jefferson to lure in new customers.

Florence breaks down and tells Louise that she's losing her apartment due to the fact that the building is going to be torn down, this leads Louise to offer Florence a live-in maid position at the Jeffersons. Now the only problem is to get George to allow her to accept the job.

George sets out to get a diploma after Lionel lies about George's education to his college pals saying he graduated from Harvard.

George is ready to sell out to a big corporation after a company makes him a lucrative offer. This would make him a vice president however, after reading over a booklet on the rules and regulations, George discovers that this would also mean some of his best workers will be forced into retirement.

The family is displeased with Lionel's news that he's moving out, and outraged at his choice of a roommate. Lionel: Damon Evans. Louise: Isabel Sanford. George: Sherman Hemsley. Helen: Roxie Roker. Tom: Franklin Cover. Jenny: Berlinda Tolbert.

George becomes indebted to Tom after he gives George the Heimlich remover at Charlie's bar, when George begins to choke on some popcorn. However, George quickly finds away to end the debt after everyone makes a fuss over Tom's good deed.

Jenny comes down with a case of premarital jitters and begins to doubt her feelings for Lionel. However, her feelings are tested when George, Tom and Lionel all appear to have been in a bus crash on their way to a football game.

One early morning, Louise and George are startled to discover a man in the kitchen, it isn't until after George threatens to beat him with a trophy, that he learns that Florence let him spend the night. This leads to a major argument resulting in Florence quitting her job.

Christmas eve brings disharmony to the Jefferson household when George argues with Tom over the preparations for Lionel and Jenny's wedding which is to take place that evening.

Louise is reading a book to try to help her to remember things, but the one thing George doesn't want her to forget, she does. She forgets to call his broker to invest some money, after he gets a stock tip. Meanwhile, Florence takes a Judo class.

Harry is having problems with the person who parks his car next to him in the garage. Seeking advice, Harry goes to George. However, George's advice lands Harry in jail, after he punches out a police officer. Meanwhile, Louise is looking forward to a trip to California.

George feels guilty for not staying in touch with the members of a childhood gang, after the death of one of the members. This leads George to hold a reunion at the apartment which also leads to a confrontation with the leader, JoJo.

George's latest business deal is with a black man married to a white woman, so when he invites them over for dinner, he also has Tom and Helen come over, to make it look like he doesn't have racial prejudices. However, when Tom and Helen discover his plot, they storm out before the guests have arrived. This leads to George having Florence and Ralph impersonate Tom and Helen.

After learning that Tom and Helen are taking a course on how to improve their marriage, and seeing their results, Louise tries to get George to take the course with her. However, George refuses to consider the possibility that their marriage could use improvement.

Louise is taking French lessons and makes a friend with one of her classmates. However, when George discovers that her friend is a man, he is furious and can't believe that a woman can be just good friends with a man. This leads to yet another argument which leaves George sleeping on the couch.

George is in the running for a prestigious award and is out to beat a fierce competitor by pledging more to a charity than his competitors. He pledges his money to open up a youth center in Harlem, however, when he learns he lost, he plans to withdraw his pledge.