2x1 - New Chairs

September 18, 1953

Confusion reigns when the local department store delivers two new chairs to the wrong Nelson family and then drops off additional chairs or takes back the wrong pieces of Nelson's furniture.

2x2 - The Party

September 25, 1953

Ricky and David are upset about not being invited to Will Thornberry's party. Later, they discover it’s a misunderstanding. But then, Ozzie finds out he wasn’t invited by “Thorny” (Will’s father) to a party occurring that same evening, and he becomes irritated with his best friend— unwilling to take the same advice he gave his kids and talk it over with him.

2x3 - The Boys' Paper Route

October 2, 1953

The boys just got a newspaper route, but it's Ozzie who winds up having to make the rounds on their first morning.

2x4 - The Window Pane

October 9, 1953

Ozzie is falling behind on his list of chores around the house, so the rest of the family pitches in and helps out.

2x5 - David's Pipe

October 16, 1953

An old friend of the family mails a monogrammed pipe to David, not realizing he isn't even college age, yet.

2x6 - David's Birthday

October 23, 1953

It's David's 17th birthday, and he's trying to do anything he can to look older because he has a crush on Sally Patterson, a girl who is only interested in older men.

2x7 - No Noise

October 30, 1953

Herb Dunkle talks to Ozzie about a new organization in town, "The National Anti-Noise Society". But is this new club ready for Ozzie & Thorny to join?

2x8 - The Hustler

November 6, 1953

Ricky intends to make extra money selling a spot remover. He's very successful but when things go wrong to entire family pitches in to help.

2x9 - Young City Officials

November 13, 1953

David and Will Thornberry's school essays give them both a chance to be mayor for the day during "Civic Day". Now if only Ozzie and Thorny will quit arguing about which son is going to be the honorable mayor.

2x10 - The Suggestion Box

November 20, 1953

The Nelsons decide to start using a suggestion box for family matters.

2x11 - The Ladder

November 27, 1953

Ozzie and Thorny get themselves marooned on a roof without a ladder.

2x12 - Parental Guidance

December 4, 1953

David wants to start weightlifting and working out early in the morning, while Ricky wants to start staying up late and watching movies on the late show. Ozzie decides to let the boys have their way.

2x13 - The Insurance Policy

December 11, 1953

Harriet loses a gold pin Ozzie had given her. It was insured, and they collect on it. The check comes made out to both of them, and they disagree on who should endorse it over to the other person and what the money should be spent on.

2x14 - The Credit Reference

December 18, 1953

Thorny needs a reference about his fiscal worthiness and asks Ozzie to write one for him. Ozzie as a joke writes a negative one but goes into a panic when he thinks Ricky mailed it.

2x15 - The Miracle

December 25, 1953

Ozzie tells his family a story from his childhood of when he wished for a white Christmas.

2x16 - The Hunter

January 1, 1954

Ozzie takes steps to get out of going hunting with Thorny.

2x17 - Ozzie's Night Out

January 8, 1954

The wife and kids give Ozzie the night off from helping them with their chores and homework, so with mixed feelings, he tries to amuse himself by spending a night out on the town.

2x18 - The Camera Show

January 15, 1954

Ozzie buys cameras for everyone in the family. It doesn't take long for him to get caught in a compromising position on film.

2x19 - Courage

January 22, 1954

Ozzie takes the courageous step of gathering enough nerve to return some of Harriet's lingerie.

2x20 - The Incentive

January 29, 1954

After promising to double whatever money his youngest son has left over at the end of the week, Ricky's collection of old pop bottles may cost Ozzie a pretty penny.

2x21 - Too Many Children

February 5, 1954

The Nelsons wind up with a houseful of kids on a sleepover.

2x22 - Harriet Gives a Party

February 12, 1954

Harriet decides to give a dinner party but runs into problems when she learns her friend has already planned a dinner party and the Thornberrys are not invited.

2x23 - David's Career

February 19, 1954

David's been spending time at Thompson's Garage. Ozzie thinks David may want to become a mechanic when he gets out of school. This is a great idea, until Ozzie talks to Thorny about what his son Will wants to do when he graduates.

2x24 - Old Fashioned Remedy

February 26, 1954

Ozzie treats a cold the way his mother used to do - with booze.

2x25 - The Initiation

March 5, 1954

Dave is in charge of his club's initiation committee, and Thorny's son Will is among the pledges that must undergo the process.

2x26 - Ricky's Lost Letter

March 12, 1954

Ricky wants to send a letter to a cute girl who wrote to him, but Ozzie has accidentally destroyed the envelope containing her return address.

2x27 - Father and Son Tournament

March 19, 1954

Both Dave and Ricky want Ozzie to partner with them for the Father And Son Table Tennis Tournament. The dilemma is that he can only play with one son.

2x28 - Gentleman David

March 26, 1954

The school's Backward Dance is tonight. The girls invite the boys to this event. Fearing that David doesn't have a date to the dance, Ozzie meddles in his son's affairs.

2x29 - David Writes a Column

April 2, 1954

David has a school assignment to write an article for the school paper. Unable to think of a subject to write about. Ozzie suggests writing an article about the school's baseball team's latest slump.

2x30 - Overprotection

April 9, 1954

Ozzie and Harriet anguish over whether or not to allow 13-year-old Ricky to take a 150-mile train trip on his own.

2x31 - Be On Time

April 16, 1954

It looks like Ozzie's going to be late to a luncheon where he's scheduled to deliver a speech on the importance of being on time.

2x32 - An Evening with Hamlet

April 23, 1954

Ozzie and Thorny stage their version of "Hamlet" in the Nelson's living room.

2x34 - The Bird's Nest

May 7, 1954

Ozzie needs to have the roof gutter repaired before the next rain, but a bird's nest is holding up the works.

2x35 - A Friend of the Family

May 14, 1954

Harriet writes to 'Aunt Martha', who gives advice through her 'A Friend of the Family' column in the local newspaper.

2x36 - A Tuxedo for David

May 21, 1954

David is excited about an upcoming dance and it's going to be formal. But Ozzie thinks buying his son a new tuxedo is too expensive so carious options are explored. Ozzie discusses it with Thorny whose boy Will also needs a tux.

2x37 - The Painter

May 28, 1954

2x38 - Economical Ozzie

June 4, 1954

After giving David a lecture on saving his money, Ozzie and Thorny indulge in some impulsive buying at the local sporting goods store.

2x39 - The Swimming Pool

June 11, 1954

Everyone in the neighborhood wants to use Ozzie's new backyard pool. The trouble is - it hasn't been built, yet.