The White Shadow

1978 - 1981

(pilot)

27th November 1978

Episode 1

Ken Reeves, a forward with the Chicago Bulls, is forced to retire after suffering a serious knee injury. His old friend and high school teammate, Jim Willis, who is principal of Carver High near L.A., drops by to offer him a job as basketball coach. Reeves is reluctant, but agrees. Among the challenges he faces with the school and the team include a female vice principal who doesn't like him and a player, James Hayward, who has a lot of potential, but also is fatherless and may have to drop out of school to go to work and take care of his mom and little brother.

Here's Mud in Your Eye

4th December 1978

Episode 2

Coach Reeves and the team discover liquor in Jackson's locker, and fear he may have a drinking problem.

The Offer

11th December 1978

Episode 3

No overview available.

Bonus Baby

25th December 1978

Episode 4

No overview available.

Pregnant Pause

1st January 1979

Episode 5

College scouts are impressed with Reese and believe he has a good shot at a scholarship. However, Reese's plans are put on hold when his girlfriend, a Carver cheerleader, tells him she's pregnant. Coach Reeves and the team discover her attending cheerleader practices and believe she may be lying about the pregnancy to trap Reese into marrying her.

Wanna Bet?

8th January 1979

Episode 6

No overview available.

That Old Gang of Mine

15th January 1979

Episode 7

after gomez gets knocked off the carver high basketball team he joins a street gang he onced belonged to

Just One of the Boys

27th January 1979

Episode 8

Reeves deals with a new player, Raymond Collins, who was forced to transfer from his old school because of rumors about his being gay.

Airball

3rd February 1979

Episode 9

The team's excitement over being invited to compete in a basketball tournament is overshadowed when the plane they're on develops mechanical trouble.

We're in the Money

10th February 1979

Episode 10

When the team goes to Las Vegas to play in a tournament, they secretly take a pool of money collected from the students so they can gamble and return home with a fortune.

Spare the Rod

17th February 1979

Episode 11

Coach Reeves substitute-teaches a P.E. class, loses his temper, and hits a student, Lucius Robinson, who refuses to participate. Reeves feels guilty about the incident, learns of Lucius' troubles, and offers to help him in any way. Reeves then quickly learns that some students can't be helped when Lucius tries to rape Mrs. Buchanan.

The Great White Dope

24th February 1979

Episode 12

Mac Wade, a tall, white, ""can't miss"" college basketball prospect, transfers to Carver for his senior year due to re-zoning, which excites Reeves. However, Reeves discovers that Mac can't read and has been allowed a free ride through school because of his basketball skills. The problem is further compounded when Mac, who has never had to take a test in school, is caught cheating on a test and has to be suspended.

Mainstream

5th March 1979

Episode 13

No overview available.

Little Orphan Abner

26th March 1979

Episode 14

Goldstein's grandmother is hospitalized and his grandfather stays at the hospital with her, so Coach Reeves asks the team to check in on him at home every so often. The other guys aren't too keen on this because Goldstein really doesn't fit in with them, but they agree to check on him and, in the process, take advantage of him and his hospitality. Goldstein threatens to quit the team, and Coach Reeves gives him a lecture on standing up for himself.

LeGrand Finale

9th April 1979

Episode 15

The team wants to form a singing group, but elect not to include Thorpe, who begins a dating interest with Karen LeGrand, a white girl with an unsavory reputation around school.

Top Cast

Ken Howard•Kevin Hooks•Byron Stewart

Writer

Steven Bochco

Drama Family

The White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27 1978, to March 16 1981.

Watch Providers 🇬🇧

Currently no watch providers

Production Companies

+2 more

Full Cast

Ken Howard

Ken Reeves

Kevin Hooks

Morris Thorpe

No Image

Byron Stewart

Warren Coolidge

Tim Van Patten

Mario 'Salami' Pettrino

Stoney Jackson

Jesse B. Mitchell

Ed Bernard

Jim Willis

Erik Kilpatrick

Curtis Jackson

Nathan Cook

Milton Reese

No Image

Ira Angustain

Ricky Gomez

Ken Michelman

Abner Goldstein

Joan Pringle

Sybil Buchanan

Jason Bernard

Jim Willis

Wolfe Perry

Teddy Rutherford

Full Crew

Steven Bochco

Writer

Mark Tinker

Writer

Scott Brazil

Producer

Bruce Paltrow

Executive Producer

No Image

John Masius

Producer

Mark Tinker

Producer

showData