Ep 1. Pilot

Charles in Charge revolves around the life of a college student named Charles, played by Scott Baio. Charles is in his early twenties and he has to support himself financially, which forces him to take up odd jobs from time to time. In this episodic sitcom, he lands a job as a live-in housekeeper for a family and their children.

In the first episode, we meet the Pembroke family – a wealthy family consisting of a couple, their three kids, and their grandmother. The parents, Jill and Stan Pembroke, are unsure about their decision to leave their kids in the care of a stranger, but they are desperate to find someone who can take care of their children while they focus on their work. They are introduced to Charles, and after a brief interview, they hire him to be their live-in housekeeper.

Charles moves into the Pembroke household and begins to bond with the Pembroke family. Despite his young age, Charles proves to be responsible, reliable, and capable of taking care of the house and the family. The children – eldest daughter Lila, middle child Douglas, and the youngest daughter Jamie – also take a liking to him immediately.

Charles soon finds out that working for the Pembroke family is not going to be a walk in the park. He has to deal with the grandmother's constant nagging, the children’s mischievousness, and the parents' high expectations. However, he manages to handle the challenges thrown at him with ease, winning the trust and affection of the Pembroke family.

As the episodes go on, we see Charles grow as a person, taking on more responsibilities and becoming more involved in the Pembroke family's lives. We see him act as a confidant for the kids, provide guidance where needed, and interact with the parents as a trusted employee and friend.

In the pilot episode, we get a taste of what the show has to offer. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, which can make you nostalgic for the kind of family-friendly sitcoms that used to populate television in the 80s. The episode establishes the main characters and sets the tone for the rest of the series. We see that Charles is not just a caretaker for the Pembroke family, but a friend and mentor as well. His well-meaning but often bumbling attempts to help the family create some of the funniest moments in the episode.

The performances in the pilot episode are solid. Scott Baio brings a youthful exuberance to the role of Charles, which allows him to mesh well with the Pembroke children. At the same time, he's able to convey a sense of maturity and responsibility that makes him believable as a caretaker and role model for the kids. He’s also able to provide plenty of subtle humor through his facial expressions and body language, making Charles an endearing character that audiences can connect with.

The Pembroke family is equally well portrayed. Jill and Stan (played by Julie Cobb and James Widdoes) are the typical upwardly mobile parents trying to balance work with family life, while Lila (played by April Lerman), Douglas (played by Jonathan Ward), and Jamie (played by Nicole Eggert) are your typical TV kids – mischievous, but endearing.

The pacing of the episode is excellent. The story moves along briskly, without any lagging scenes, and is expertly balanced with a good dose of humor. It's a perfect introduction to a series that is light, endearing and terribly quotable.

In summary, the pilot episode of Charles in Charge is a delightful, light, and heartwarming episode that sets the stage for what’s to come. It’s a formulaic sitcom that knows its strengths and doesn’t deviate too much from them. Fans of classic 80s sitcoms will find much to enjoy in Charles in Charge.