Doug and Kate draw battle lines when Doug lies for a friend who's having an extramarital affair. Annie spies on a neighbor and believes he might have murdered his wife, as in the film Rear Window.
Kate's friend, a professional actress, pushes Buddy to replace an ingénue in her play. Annie accepts a part-time job selling disco lessons to fund a new bike she wants to buy.
Buddy's invitation to a sorority becomes a sore point in her friendship with Audrey when Audrey isn't invited to join. Willie sleeps with Kate's musician friend, leading to a serious mother-son rift over casual sex.
Volunteering at the hospital, Buddy befriends a high school basketball player recuperating from a broken leg, unaware that he is being biopsied for cancer. Annie and rival Emmy Sheldon vie for class president.
Buddy learns the price of competition when an overachieving classmate commits suicide after losing a history competition to her. Annie's cookie-selling strategy is a riot.
After she steals his parking space and hits his car, Willie insists on having coffee and more with an attractive ballerina. Doug buys a Flex-O-Ciser, a mail order home gym.
Willie hires Bambi Deering, the stripper he met on his 21st birthday. Doug attempts to save hefty plumber's fees by repairing the household pipes himself.
After James nearly starts a deadly fire, Doug must face his father's senility. Buddy encourages James to live with the family instead of going to a nursing home.
Doug sees a specialist after having chest pains, but an argument erupts between him and Willie about him and Rachel going to Mexico. Meanwhile, Buddy invites the school janitor home for Christmas, much to the reluctance of Kate.