I think a big reason Growing Pains went downhill after season 4 wasn't Kirk Cameron being born again and causing trouble on the set- it happened because they wrote out Andrew Koenig. Never, ever underestimate the importance of a supporting or recurring player on a long running television show! Mike and Boner was a good early example of a "bromance"- and with that team split up, some of the humor was gone.
I waited a while to watch this episode again- two weeks ago I couldn't have done it.
And with Corey Haim dead too....I don't think I'll be able to watch The Lost Boys anytime soon. :( So far, 2010 has been a crap year for us 80's kids...