This is a list of episodes for the second season of Lou Grant.
Episodes
No. overall
No. in season
Title
Directed by
Written by
Original air date
Prod. code
23
1
"Pills"
Jay Sandrich
Michele Gallery
September 25, 1978 (1978-09-25)
8502
Rossi investigates an amoral doctor who overprescribes pills for his patients, then faces a moral dilemma when he's offered stolen medical records.
24
2
"Prisoner"
Gene Reynolds
Seth Freeman
October 2, 1978 (1978-10-02)
8501
Mrs. Pynchon tries to reconcile Charlie and the wife of a dictator who once had him imprisoned.
25
3
"Hooker"
Alexander Singer
Seth Freeman
October 16, 1978 (1978-10-16)
8508
While investigating a prostitute's murder, Billie does a profile of a hooker (Dee Wallace) who wants out of the business.
26
4
"Mob"
Corey Allen
Leon Tokatyan
October 23, 1978 (1978-10-23)
8505
As Lou makes plans for the paper's annual tennis tournament, he discovers that the resort venue is being occupied by a mob meeting.
27
5
"Murder"
Mel Damski
Gary David Goldberg
October 30, 1978 (1978-10-30)
8504
Rossi's story about an old woman fighting a home invader (Jane Rose) is getting more coverage than Billie's story about a young ghetto mother's murder.
28
6
"Dying"
Alexander Singer
Michele Gallery
November 6, 1978 (1978-11-06)
8509
Donovan goes into denial about his mother (Geraldine Fitzgerald)'s terminal illness and Billie does a story about it.
29
7
"Schools"
Burt Brinckerhoff
Gary David Goldberg
November 20, 1978 (1978-11-20)
8510
The Tribune does a coverage about the issue of violence in an inner-city high school and Lou works to get a student from that school a scholarship. Special Appearance by the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
30
8
"Slaughter"
Roger Young
Bud Freeman
November 27, 1978 (1978-11-27)
8503
While on a fishing trip with his old boss (Stephen Elliot), Lou discovers a mysterious illness plaguing a small town.
31
9
"Singles"
Michael Zinberg
Gina Frederica Goldman & Sally Robinson
December 4, 1978 (1978-12-04)
8506
Rossi and Billie do a series of stories about singles in Los Angeles to make the Tribune appealing to younger readers, while Lou clashes with a newspaper consultant (Peter Donat).
32
10
"Babies"
Alexander Singer
David Lloyd
December 11, 1978 (1978-12-11)
8512
Rossi and Billie pose as husband and wife in an undercover sting operation investigating a baby-selling syndicate.
33
11
"Conflict"
Mel Damski
Michele Gallery
December 18, 1978 (1978-12-18)
8513
Rossi causes discord in the Tribune when he finds conflicts of interest as a newly-appointed in-house ethics czar.
34
12
"Denial"
Charles Dubin
Leonora Thuna
January 1, 1979 (1979-01-01)
8507
Lou's daughter refuses to accept the fact that her son (Meeno Peluce) is deaf.
35
13
"Fire"
Roger Young
Seth Freeman
January 8, 1979 (1979-01-08)
8514
The Tribune uncovers a scandal in a suburban fire department while investigating a series of apartment building fires.
36
14
"Vet"
Alexander Singer
Leon Tokatyan
January 15, 1979 (1979-01-15)
8511
Lou tries to help an unemployed vet find work, while Animal deals with the fallout from his service in the Vietnam War.
37
15
"Scam"
Gerald Mayer
Gary David Goldberg
January 22, 1979 (1979-01-22)
8515
Lou discovers $15,000, which becomes part of an investigation regarding the intentions of Charlie's financial advisor (John Considine).
38
16
"Sweep"
Charles Dubin
Steve Kline
February 5, 1979 (1979-02-05)
8517
The Tribune does a story about illegal immigration in Los Angeles, while Lou discovers the secret of Mrs. Pynchon's college-aged niece (Maureen McCormick), whom he hires as a flunky.
39
17
"Samaritan"
Paul Leaf
Elliot West
February 12, 1979 (1979-02-12)
8516
A psychopathic serial killer still on the loose gets the Tribune hopping.
40
18
"Hit"
Peter Levin
Michele Gallery
February 19, 1979 (1979-02-19)
8519
Rossi gets personally involved with a woman (Allyn Ann McLerie) searching for her son's hit-and-run killer, while Lou becomes offended at the increasing violence in society.
41
19
"Home"
Alexander Singer
Gary David Goldberg
February 26, 1979 (1979-02-26)
8520
Billie goes undercover to investigate a nursing home that just kicked out an old woman, while Lou interviews an involuntarily retired old man (Jack Gilford) to examine the plight of the elderly.
42
20
"Convention"
Charles Dubin
David Lloyd
March 5, 1979 (1979-03-05)
8522
Lou, Charlie and Mrs. Pynchon attend a newspaper convention where a rumor spreads about a potential kidnapping, while Billie looks up an old college acquaintance who's now a suspected terrorist.
43
21
"Marathon"
Alexander Singer
Gene Reynolds
March 19, 1979 (1979-03-19)
8518
As the Tribune does a story about a tunnel collapse at an excavation, Donovan considers a job offer from the governor.
44
22
"Bomb"
Gene Reynolds
Seth Freeman
March 26, 1979 (1979-03-26)
8521
A group of terrorists has threatened to blow up Los Angeles with a nuclear bomb, so the Tribune races to find out who came up with the plans.
45
23
"Skids"
Burt Brinckerhoff
Steve Kline
April 2, 1979 (1979-04-02)
8523
Lou reunites with his old doctor (Andrew Duggan) when the Tribune investigates the murders of alcoholic bums, while Rossi worries about his father(Al Ruscio)'s new sobriety.
46
24
"Romance"
Roger Young
Michele Gallery
May 7, 1979 (1979-05-07)
8524
As Billie gets involved with a story about a high-school girl trying to get pregnant on purpose, Rossi interviews a rock star being sued for "palimony" by a figure skater and Lou talks about moving in together with his girlfriend (Frances Lee McCain).
Ratings
The show ranked 33rd out of 114 shows airing during the 1978-79 season, with an average 19.6/31 rating/share.[1]