Mary and Her Little Lambs

Mary and Her Little Lambs is the first Christmas episode of the 1979-1986 sitcom Benson, starring Robert Guilliame. It was broadcast during the show's fourth season, on December 17th, 1982

Benson and the other members of the staff of Governor Gene Gatling learn that Mary, their well-liked assistant cook, is foster mother to some kids who love her deeply, but who will soon be taken away due to Mary not being able to meet certain legal criteria for the care of foster children. The deeply religious and spiritual Mary, who reminds Benson of his late mother, is certain a way will be found to keep the children with her. Benson and company are not so certain, since every law and regulation seems to demand the children go back to the state. Frustrated, the Governor feels he can at least keep them together for Christmas Eve.

When Benson, who admires Mary's faith but considers it unrealistic, complains that she thinks a miracle will simply fall from the sky, one does fall--off a bookshelf. At the Christmas Eve gathering, two Santas (one the Governor, the other Clayton Endicott) don't faze the kids one bit, since both of them brought presents. Benson shows the archaic law book that fell off the shelf to the Santas, and Clayton confirms what Benson has found. An obscure law allows the governor to designate any facility an orphanage, and he does so for Mary's quarters at the mansion. With the foster family and Christmas saved, a slightly more spiritually upbeat Benson leads the group in singing 'Joy To The World' around the mansion's piano.