Season 5

As Theo begins his freshman year at New York University, Denise announces that she is dropping out of Hillman College. Sondra is revealed to be pregnant. First mention of Cliff's theory that the children keep returning home because "they want the house."

Cliff prepares for a physical.

Rudy's friend sleeps over.

Everyone wants pregnant Sondra and Elvin to find a new house. Elvin's surname, Tibideaux, is revealed.

Denise leaves Brooklyn for a job in Africa.

Sondra goes into labor, and Elvin is a nervous wreck. Sondra gives birth to twins—a boy and a girl—who are named after Nelson Mandela and his then-wife Winnie. Elvin decides to return to medical school.

Theo wants to date his friend Howard's ex-girlfriend, but he is stunned upon learning who she wants to date.

Vanessa, Janet and Kara want to be professional singers; Russell wins a prize in a sweepstakes, which turns out to be a toaster.

Clair secretly goes on a crash diet and exercise program to lose five pounds in a week so she can fit into a dress.

Rudy takes care of a friend's hamster for the weekend.

Rudy lies to cover for Vanessa, who secretly goes out on a date with her older boyfriend.

Cliff babysits Winnie and Nelson when the rest of the family goes to see a Michael Jackson concert.

Clair appears as a panelist on a local Sunday morning talk show entitled "Retrospective". Clair buys a new couch and Cliff tries to keep the old one. Clair's law firm is identified as Greentree, Bradley & Dexter.

With the rest of the family gone for the night, Theo throws a "small" party that gets out of control.

Cliff tracks down the grandfather of one of his patients: an expectant teenage mother with no other family. Clair deduces that the charming man is illiterate.

Rudy wants to change some of her rules.

Theo consults a voodoo shopkeeper for advice on winning his girlfriend back.

Cliff's old basketball friend comes to visit.

Sondra bemoans taking care of the twins.

After catching Theo kissing another woman in the lounge of her dormitory, Justine breaks up with him. Desperate to win her back, Theo turns to Cliff for advice.

Clair's 46th birthday.

Vanessa and Rudy argue and fight. After the sisters do physical damage to the house, Cliff exiles them to the basement.

Theo's friend Denny finds an expensive watch and gives it to his girlfriend, but it is soon revealed to be stolen merchandise.

Sondra comes down with strep throat, prompting her mother Clair and Elvin's mother Francine to "steal" the babies.

Theo wants to go to Egypt for an archaeological dig.