Welcome Back, Kotter

1975 - 1979

When Gabe Kotter becomes a teacher, he finds himself back in the same remedial class in which he was a student in high school, working for the same principal that gave him a hard time. His silly slacker students call themselves the "Sweat Hogs" and mostly spend their time cracking jokes and getting involved in crazy capers.

Stars: Gabe Kaplan, Marcia Strassman, John Sylvester White, Ron Pallilo, Robert Hegyes, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, John Travolta
Created by: Gabe Kaplan, Alan Sacks
Tags: school, teens

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Episode Tropes

Season 1

Election: Episode 5, "The Election" (1975). Vinnie is running for student body president, but Mr. Kotter thinks he's doing it all wrong and tries to make him change his image.
Sad Singing Telegram: Episode 14, "The Longest Weekend" (1976). Mr. Kotter tells Julie a story about his Aunt Esther, who received a singing telegram telling her that her sister had passed away.
Little Black Book: Episode 14, "The Longest Weekend" (1976). Mr. Kotter is out of sorts because Julie went away for the weekend. When the Sweathogs ask him what's wrong, he says it's the first time he and Julie have been "separated." Vinnie assumes they're getting divorced, so he busts out his little black book to find a new girl for Mr. Kotter.
Poker Night: Episode 14, "The Longest Weekend" (1976). To keep Mr. Kotter company while Julie is away for the weekend, the Sweathogs come over to play poker.
Desperate Telethon: Episode 20, "Telethon" (1976). The school is so low on funds that Mr. Woodman is threatening to cancel the remedial program for the rest of the year unless he gets $700, so Mr. Kotter and the Sweathogs talk a local television station into letting them air a telethon to raise the money.
Hey, Kids, Let's Put on a Show!: Episode 20, "Telethon" (1976). Mr. Kotter, the sweathogs, Julie, and even Mr. Woodman display their questionable "talents" in a telethon to save the remedial program.
Back to School: Episode 21, "Kotter Makes Good" (1976). Mr. Woodman claims the school has no record of Mr. Kotter having taken his final exams, which means he never really graduated high school. In order to keep his job, Mr. Kotter has to take a makeup test, so the Sweathogs help Mr. Kotter study for his test while they're preparing to take theirs.
Going My Way: Episode 22, "Father Vinnie" (1976). Vinnie's grandmother's dying wish is for him to become a priest, and he decides to do it. He tries to act holy, but he loses it as soon as a pretty girl asks him out.

Season 2

Suspicion: Episode 2, "Inherit the Halibut" (1976). When the class fund goes missing, the Sweathogs all point the finger at Freddie, the class treasurer, who suspiciously just bought a new bike, but Freddie maintains his innocence, so they hold a mock trial.
Mock Trial: Episode 2, "Inherit the Halibut" (1976). Mr. Kotter presides over a trial to determine if Freddie is guilty of stealing the class fund they had saved inside a rubber fish.
Little Black Book: Episode 4, "The Fight" (1976). Mr. Kotter gives the Sweathogs an assignment to show the class their most prized possessions, and Vinnie brings in his little black book and explains what the letters next to each girl's name mean.
Not with My Sister You Don't: Episode 7, "Sweathog, Nebraska Style" (1976). Julie's younger sister, Jenny, visits from Nebraska when Epstein just happens to be at Mr. Kotter's apartment, and it's love at first sight. They stay out all night together, and the next day, Jenny starts dressing like Epstein. Soon Epstein announces he's moving to Nebraska to be with Jenny, much to Mr. and Mrs. Kotter's chagrin.
Dance Lessons: Episode 8, "Sadie Hawkins Day" (1976). A girl asks Horshack to the Sadie Hawkins dance, so he asks Freddie to teach him how to dance. While Freddie's showing Horshack how to do the hustle, Mr. Woodman decides to join in.
Raging Bull*&@!: Episode 10, "Horschack vs. Carvelli" (1976). The Sweathogs are trying to decide who's going to face Carvelli in the "Silver Gloves" high school boxing match, and Horshack wants to throw his hat in the ring, but the others won't hear of it. Incensed by their dismissal of his manhood, Horshack challenges Carvelli in the schoolyard, and Carvelli decides he wants to fight him.
Not with My Sister You Don't: Episode 13, "A Love Story" (1976). Epstein's younger sister (by 10 months), Carmen, joins the class. Horshack has a crush on her, but Vinnie swoops in first, and she only has eyes for him, which pisses off Epstein, so he tries to help Horshack woo her to keep her away from Vinnie.
Backdoor Pilot: Episode 19, "There Goes Number 5" (1977). Failed backdoor pilot for a spinoff centering on Horshack and his family.

Season 3

Clip Show: Episode 1, "Sweathog Back-to-School Special" (1977). The Sweathogs, Julie, and Mr. Woodman throw a surprise party for Mr. Kotter to celebrate the last school year, which results in their reminiscing through clips from previous episodes.
Get Out: Episode 4, "And Baby Makes Four: Part 3" (1977). Julie's parents show up unexpectedly to meet the Kotters' new babies, and they insist on staying with them. Mr. Kotter wants them out, but he's afraid to ask them to leave.
Sure, I'll Join Your Cult: Episode 7, "The Deprogramming of Arnold Horshack" (1977). Horshack joins the cult of Baba Bibi, and when his friends make fun of him, he decides to drop out of school and live with the cult.