The Parent 'Hood Episode Rating Graph

Robert is overwhelmed when the kids throw him a surprise party. Unable to cope with the surprise, Robert leaves the party. Jerri explains that Robert's father left him and his family on his eighth birthday and never returned. The kids put an ad in the newspaper trying to track down their missing grandfather. Their grandfather eventually responds to the ad. Jerri encourages Robert to confront his father to mend their relationship so that the kids can know their grandfather. Robert attempts reconciliation, but they end up butting heads. Robert contemplates the negative cycle of fathers leaving their families and decides to break the cycle. He returns to his father's house with his kids to celebrate his birthday and their reunion.

Robert, who has been critical of Michael's former girlfriends, agrees to be nice to college sophomore Patrice when she comes to dinner. But Patrice makes a pass at a shocked Robert when they are alone -- and nobody believes his story. Later, Patrice suggests to Jerri that she and Michael accompany the young couple on a double date at a restaurant, where Jerri catches Patrice in action.

Racketeer Sony offers T.K. big money to throw the next basketball game; Nicholas tries to manipulate Cece and Jesse and profit from their cupcake-selling business.

While the Petersons are out of town at a wedding, Wendell tries to make a good impression on Karen's parents by telling them the Petersons' house is really his and they are welcome to spend the night. All goes well until the Petersons arrive home a day early....

Michael thinks he might be able to clear up his songwriter's block by smoking some marijuana that he received from a jazz trumpeter. Meanwhile, Nicholas gets upset when Arnie and his other friends taunt Nicholas because he's not good at sports.

As film critic of the local cable show ""Brothers in the Balcony,"" Robert becomes unpopular when he gives a thumbs down to a prominent black filmmaker's new movie because of his consistently negative portrayal of African-Americans. Meanwhile, Zaria dates her opinionated classmate Shakim.

Michael thinks he's found the perfect girl in Chantel, one with looks, charm, a sense of humor -- and an infant son. Meanwhile, Wendell tries to win the grand prize on America's Funniest Home Videos.

Robert is accused of being out of touch when he voices objection to the lyrics of a rap song written by Michael and his posse, so he takes Michael to the ""hood"" to show him he hasn't forgotten his roots. Meanwhile, Zaria wants her own phone line after discovering Nicholas and Cece are listening in on her phone conversations, and Jerri insists she do chores in exchange; and Wendell fails miserably on his first day of substitute teaching.

Robert is concerned when Zaria goes on a date with Michael's shallow friend Troy, and resorts to hiring a woman from Derek's acting class to lure Troy away. When Jerri catches Robert in the closet with this woman, he's got a lot of explaining to do. Meanwhile, Nicholas's beloved pet snake gets loose in the house, and when he replaces it with a dummy snake, Jerri thinks it died due to her neglect.

Jerri's sister Celeste pays a visit and unintentionally strains Robert and Jerri's marriage with her extravagant suggestions for their 20th-anniversary party and Zaria and T.K. find themselves riding to the rescue.

Zaria tries to console her friend Simone, a teenage single mother whose award and scholarship are rescinded. Meanwhile, Kelly's latest moneymaking scheme is to act as a manager for second-rate entertainers, including a ventriloquist and the world's oldest living gymnast.

Trying to stop T.K.'s revenge on the thugs who robbed him, Robert is shot (in an embarassing part of his anatomy), hits his head and lapses into a coma. Angry Jerri decides it is time T.K. was removed from the Peterson home; and an angel named Max appears to convey Robert to Heaven. Just as a tearful T.K. comes to Robert's bedside to beg his forgiveness, Robert recovers, and all is forgiven. (Part 2 of 2)

Zaria's special 17th birthday outing turns into a real disaster - a natural one - after a blizzard hits, stranding her and her girlfriends at the Peterson house. The party is saved by a surprise visit from rap star Usher.

Zaria recruits T.K. to help spy on her father, whom she suspects is having an affair. Meanwhile, after learning that with weddings come bountiful gifts, Cece decides to marry her young friend Jesse.

Zaria tries to become part of an elite, all-girls social group at school, but the price of admission may be too much for her conscience to bear: as part of an initiation rite she must date a nerd. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Cece try to help Wendell get a line on his love life by hooking him up with a dial-a-date service they saw advertised on TV.

Zaria is surprised to overhear Skye professing his love for her, just after learning that boyfriend Shakim is heading off to college earlier than expected. And in a fantasy sequence, her Frankensteinish father thinks he's created the perfect guys -- Gary Coleman and singer Tevin Campbell (who appear as themselves). Meanwhile, Wendell enters a Bugs Bunny stamp essay contest for kids using Nicholas' name.

With Zaria's senior prom approaching, Robert and Jerri are reminded how their school dance turned into a magical night -- even though they didn't go together. To this day, it still bothers Robert that he never got to ask her to the big event; so Wendell and the kids come up with a plan to rectify the situation.

Shakim insists on driving old flame Alexis home from a party, and the resulting misunderstanding leads to a rift in his relationship with Zaria -- until she learns Alexis has a drinking problem. Meanwhile, Nicholas and Cece find money in the street but don't realize it is counterfeit.

Nicholas works the playground and accidentally smooth talks himself into two dates -- for the same afternoon. Meanwhile, Wendell thinks he's inherited a fortune and happily spends the money in advance.

Michael and Theresa impress record execs at a musicians' showcase, so much so that one of them is offered a contract -- Theresa. Meanwhile, Wendell bets on basketball games using Cece as his lucky charm.

With Robert and Jerri bedridden with the flu, Wendell volunteers to baby-sit. But during his watch, Nicholas gets stuck in the chimney while trying to free a trapped bird. Hip-hop group Immature has a cameo.

Nicholas has been having a ball playing on a losing basketball team. But when Robert takes over as coach, the fun is done even when the wins come. Meanwhile, Michael and his friend Theresa are confused about their feelings for each other after they unexpectedly share a few kisses.

Nicholas is being bullied and shaken down by ""a bunch of baggy-pants, bandana wearin' hoodlums"" and figures the only way to beat them may be to join them. That is, until he learns about their gang initiation.

Robert begins to appreciate life more when an old acquaintance of his passes away. He plans a picnic for the family, and when the bad weather keeps them from going outdoors, they wind up delivering the baby of Wendell's pregnant passenger.

Zaria gets chosen to appear in a music video with her friends for her favorite performer, Sashay, but Robert forbids her, saying the videos are offensive. Zaria secretly goes to the taping anyway, and Michael accompanies her so he can promote his music. Meanwhile, Nicholas imitates his favorite sports hero and upsets Jerri by acting tough and disobeying her. Robert and Jerri punish him and teach him to distinguish a fantasy figure from reality. Also, Robert and Wendell fantasize about being in a 1970s action film defeating a criminal named Slick.

Robert's fraternity brother Greg comes to New York to oversee an art auction. Robert, who hasn't seen Greg in ten years, spends all of his free time with his old buddy, alienating Wendell, who becomes particularly upset after Robert passes up going to the Knicks/Bulls game with him in favor of attending Greg's auction. Wendell has the last laugh when he shows up at the auction with proof that Greg's supposed masterpieces are really common, mass-produced works. Meanwhile, Zaria tries not to become jealous when an ex-boyfriend asks out one of her friends.

Zaria and T.K. must share an embarrassing passionate kiss in the senior play or fail the course. Meanwhile, Nicholas adopts a ""bad boy"" attitude in hopes of attracting classmate Monica.

T.K.'s stay is negatively affecting the younger kids: he's got Nicholas and Cece talking trash and flashing gang signs. Meanwhile, Wendell tutors the high school basketball star Big Mo, hoping the student will turn professional and repayWendell's kindness with a generous sum of money.

16 year old TK tries tosteal from the Petersons and Jerri decides to save him from the criminal justice system. She brings him into the Peterson home as Robert thinks Jerri is trying to replace Michael, who left for college.

Nicholas faces off against a racist hockey coach who believes that the game is ""not the sport for (black) people."" Meanwhile, Zaria to impress members of the art club to get a scholarship, and T.K. looks for an easy way to succeed in school by having a girl in class write his history paper.

Nick and T.K. have crushes on older women -- the former on Zaria's friend Jamie, the latter on Jerri's new intern.

T.K.'s friend Boo, who's ""the smartest high-school dropout (he) knows,"" prepares for her general-equivalency diploma with help from Robert - but not from her skeptical dad. Meanwhile, Cece is promoted to a gifted class taught by substitute Wendell.

Kelly spots Robert's neighbor hoisting strange bags out of the house and become convinced he is a murderer. Meanwhile, T.K. tries to shed his streetwise image for a more conservative one -- which the other kids hate.

Robert and Kelly resort to using a ringer to save themselves from almost certain defeat in an upcoming basketball match. Meanwhile, Jerri faces unintended consequences after telling Cece and Nicholas never to lie.

T.K. and Kelly find themselves in the doghouse when an unexpected turn of events disrupts their plan to neutralize Queenie, visiting Aunt Josephine's mean pet. Meanwhile, Zaria fumes when Robert's editing of her valedictory speech leaves no trace of her personality.

A dinner visit from Robert's classmate, now an arrogant Princeton professor who believes men are smarter than women, sparks a battle of the sexes when Jerri scores higher than Robert on an I.Q. test included in the professor's latest book.

Robert is so impressed with Zaria's new boyfriend, Daryl Cooper, that he actually envisions him as his future son-in-law. Zaria is not nearly as taken with Daryl and tells her father she intends to break up with him. Robert is crushed by the news. He believes that if Zaria spent more time with Daryl she would grow to like him. He lets Daryl use his Volvo to take Zaria to a concert. Zaria spends some quality time with Daryl and decides not to break up with him.

Nicholas thinks Halloween is going to be anything but a treat after he hears a local legend about a cab-driving ghost. Meanwhile, Michael tries come up with a brilliant way to scare Zaria.

Wendell needs a positive role model to speak to his class of troubled youths, so he asks Robert, who has trouble gaining the class's respect. Meanwhile, Michael and Zaria believe that their mother may be pregnant.

Robert lends a helping hand to reformed gang member Ricky, but when Zaria takes a romantic interest in the young man, her father gets up in arms.

Robert overhears Michael and his girlfriend planning to take the next big step in their relationship, so he cautions his son about sexual responsibility. But the boy mistakenly interprets it as a parental OK. Meanwhile, Nicholas becomes obsessed with superstition when Wendell gives him a good luck charm.

Robert decides to cancel the Christmas holiday because he is disgusted with his children's greedy behavior. On Christmas Eve, all of the children have the same strange dream where they are visited by elves, which look a lot like Wendell and Robert. The elves make each of the kids realize how terrible they've been acting. The next morning Robert has a change of heart and decides to celebrate Christmas as usual. However the kids decide to celebrate Christmas a different way by giving all of their presents to needy children.

There's a slight hitch in Wendell's offer to take Robert and Jerri on a ""free"" Valentine's getaway to a romantic Pocono Mountains resort: the free weekend is a gimmick used to sell vacation time shares, and Robert and Jerri spend most of their time being hounded by a relentless salesman from the resort. Meanwhile, while the kids have the house to themselves for the first time, Ira runs away from home.

In observance of Black History Month, Nicholas must choose a famous African-American to portray at a school assembly. Nicholas shocks his family when he tells them he wants to be Buckwheat. Robert suggests to Nicholas that he choose an African-American figure with a more positive image. However, Nicholas is adamant about his choice so Robert decides to lend his son support. At the assembly, Nicholas comes out dressed in Buckwheat garb and speaks in the almost unintelligible style, which was Buckwheat's trademark. However, midway through his speech, Nicholas takes off his Buckwheat wig to explain that during Buckwheat's era, black actors had to portray stereotypical characters if they wanted to be in movies at all, and that we should honor these black film pioneers for making it easier for future generations of African-American actors. Meanwhile, Cece wants to be more like her big sister Zaria by emulating her.

Zaria runs for class president against Bradley, a popular senior who stoops to use dirty politics by spreading false rumors about her. Furious, Zaria discovers that Bradley has a drug problem and was about to enter the school's counseling program before it was cancelled. Her moral dilemma is whether to sling the mud back at Bradley.

When Nicholas decides to show off his dance moves in a school talent show, Jerri, who was classically trained, steps in as his teacher; but he finds studying with her akin to attending boot camp. Also, Wendell and Robert stumble upon Zaria's diary.

Nicholas overhears a difference of opinion between his parents and mistakenly thinks they are getting a divorce because of him, and enlists Wendell's help in trying to keep them together. Meanwhile, an overworked Jerri asks Michael and Zaria to babysit Cece.

Michael auditions female singers for his band, and the front-runner is Zaria's annoying friend Theresa.

Wendell has romantic designs on Karen, an interior decorator working at the Peterson house, so Robert decides to play Cupid. Meanwhile, Cece calls on big brother Nicholas to champion her against school bully Daniel.

Upset when her parents refuse to front her the cash for a pair of expensive running shoes, Zaria takes a second job at a clothing store where she discovers the wonderful world of buying on credit. Olympic gold medallist Gail Devers plays herself.

Against their better judgment, Robert and Jerri allow daughter Zaria to wear a revealing dress to a dance, where the teen finds that her ""hoochie-mama get-up"" may be sending the wrong message and attracting the wrong type of guy. Meanwhile, Wendell continues to court Karen. When he learns that she wants a man who likes children, he sets out to prove it by taking her and the Petersons' younger children to a fancy restaurant. Chaos results when the children let lobsters loose.

Wendell is too terrified to go to the police after he witnesses a crime. Robert urges him to provide a good role model for Nicholas, who is writing an essay on heroes. After cooperating, Wendell learns the chief suspect is associated with organized crime, and hides out in the Peterson home. Meanwhile, Daniel decides he wants Zaria as his new girlfriend.