Storyline

The Cavanaughs is an American television situation comedy, broadcast on CBS from 1986 to 1989. The series revolved around Francis "Pop" Cavanaugh, a 71-year-old, blue-collar Irish Catholic man living in South Boston with his daughter Kit and son Chuck, as well as Chuck's sons and daughter. Much of the show's humor stemmed from conflicts between the cantankerous, opinionated Pop and his grown children.

First Aired

1986-12-01
Last Aired

1989-07-27
Creator

Robert Moloney
Genre

Comedy
Seasons

2
Episodes

27
Status

Ended
Language

English
Network

CBS

Keywords:

boston, massachusetts irish-american family sitcom

Stream and watch The Cavanaughs

Season 1

Season 2

1. Member of the Wake-ing

Pop's old chum, Tim, passes away, Pop throws a wake for him, and the occasion brings Kit back to Bosto...More

Pop's old chum, Tim, passes away, Pop throws a wake for him, and the occasion brings Kit back to Boston.Less

30mins 1986-12-01

2. Not So Gently Into the Night

A woman wants to make a film about Pop.

A woman wants to make a film about Pop.Less

30mins 1986-12-08

3. Home

Less

30mins 1986-12-15

4. Yes, Virginia, There Is a Pop

It's not a very merry Christmas when Pop picks the holiday season to attempt to stop a shopping center...More

It's not a very merry Christmas when Pop picks the holiday season to attempt to stop a shopping center from being built.Less

30mins 1986-12-22

5. The Bishop's Back

Father Chuck, Jr.'s plans to climb the ladder aren't helped by his father's bitter feud with a clergym...More

Father Chuck, Jr.'s plans to climb the ladder aren't helped by his father's bitter feud with a clergyman in their church, nor by his own untruthfulness.Less

30mins 1986-12-29

6. Angst a Lot

Kit gets sick of living with her family again, and decides to return to show biz.

Kit gets sick of living with her family again, and decides to return to show biz.Less

30mins 1987-01-12

7. Strike Too

Pop and Chuck find themselves on opposite sides of a strike at the Cavanaugh Bros. Construction Compan...More

Pop and Chuck find themselves on opposite sides of a strike at the Cavanaugh Bros. Construction Company.Less

30mins 1987-01-19

8. Not So Gently

Neither Pop nor Chuck like that Kit has taken it upon herself to allow Mary Margaret to start dating.

Neither Pop nor Chuck like that Kit has taken it upon herself to allow Mary Margaret to start dating.Less

30mins 1987-01-26

9. The Eyes Have Had It

Pop is humiliated when he loses his driver's license due to his failing eyesight. As if that's not bad...More

Pop is humiliated when he loses his driver's license due to his failing eyesight. As if that's not bad enough, Kit is trying to sell his car out from under him. Pop discovers Kit's plans when Maureen Brennan, an elderly, outspoken widow just like him, drops by the house asking to see it. Although Pop refuses to give up his '41 Plymouth -- which he courted his wife in -- without a fight, he falls for Mrs. Brennan and agrees to take her for a spin, license troubles and all. Officer Dennis ends up escorting him home, because, as Pop claims, he crashed the car into a tree. But when Mrs. Brennan comes by the house a second time, Chuck and Kit learn that she asked Pop if she could drive, and the accident was all her fault. As it turns out, she still wants to buy the car, as her dead, Irish husband Robert courted her in a '41 Plymouth. A smitten Pop finally agrees to sell it, and Mrs. Brennan repays him with a little backseat nookie.Less

30mins 1987-02-02

10. A Chorus Malign

Two of Kit's fast and loose showgirl friends from the '70s, ""Legs"" Lawler and Crystal Line, plan a t...More

Two of Kit's fast and loose showgirl friends from the '70s, ""Legs"" Lawler and Crystal Line, plan a trip to Southie to stay with Kit for a night, before the three of them head out to Atlantic City together the next day for a ten-year reunion of former showgirls. But even that short amount of time is too long for Pop, who doesn't want Kit's trashy friends in his house, because he assumes they'll be a bad influence on Mary Margaret. Although Kit gets her way, that night after she goes to bed early, ""Legs"" and Crystal drink champagne with the awestruck Mary Margaret present, leave the bottle there, and Mary Margaret helps herself and gets smashed. Pop catches the aftermath of this, alerts Chuck, and they both demand that Kit throw the diabolical duo out. With Mary Margaret suffering a bad hangover, Kit does just that, and tells the girls she's not going to the reunion -- not because Pop said she couldn't, but because she realizes she's changed since coming home.Less

30mins 1987-02-09

11. Banned in Boston

When the church sets up Father Chuck, Jr. rating videos for family consumption, he discovers something...More

When the church sets up Father Chuck, Jr. rating videos for family consumption, he discovers something about Kit he didn't know.Less

30mins 1987-02-16

12. He Ain't Heavy, Father...

All hell breaks loose when Pop's wealthy, estranged brother, owner of Cavanaugh Bros. Construction and...More

All hell breaks loose when Pop's wealthy, estranged brother, owner of Cavanaugh Bros. Construction and Chuck's boss, James ""The Weasel,"" pays a visit to the Cavanaugh house, against Pop's wishes. James wants Pop to know that an old basement office they once shared is going to be demolished. Inside the office is a locked safe, each of them has only half of the combination, and Pop stubbornly refuses to hand over his half. The two brothers are forced to work out their 30-year-old differences when they both arrive at their former office. But their bickering causes the staircase out of the building to collapse, leaving them trapped inside just hours before the demolition. While looking for a way out, Pop finally agrees to share and share alike, and his seeing the prized family memories that James saved in the safe leads the pair to have a reconciliation right before Chuck and Kit rescue them.Less