ON THE COVER:

Seven almost wasn’t a lucky number for Gary Coleman. After a seven-year run, his series, “Diff’rent Strokes,” was cut loose by NBC. But in a stroke of good luck, ABC stepped in and picked up the comedy series, so Gary will go on playing precocious Arnold Jackson come fall.

While “Diff’rent Strokes” is primarily a comedy series, it also has zeroed in on some serious contemporary issues, such as teen-age drinking, drug abuse and child molesting.

For now, the show continues Saturdays at 8 p.m. on NBC. But come September, it will lead off ABC’s Tuesday night schedule, airing at 8.