The first weekend all seven siblings are home, Eric and Annie plan to extend their child-labor scheme to baby-sitting the noisy newborns. Matt starts his new job at the Dairy Shack, but can't stick it out with the owner's son as his hostile boss, but the evening holds one happy surprise for him. Mary slips away to meet Wilson and runs into Jordan, while Lucy does double chores. Happy is neglected and Ruthie feels neglected, and Eric ignores Simon's well-read parenting tips and steals his Dairy Shack order. Which family member restores heavenly peace to the household?

Mary and Lucy selfishly make Matt feel 'guilty' he hasn't moved out yet, although Annie still hopes to keep him home in a garage apartment. They even get Hank to find him a menial morning job in the hospital cafeteria. But Simon feels desert when Matt takes an apartment with John Hamilton. Eric and Annie worry about the Colonel's attitude to Julie's marriage, but the grandparents have gone soft after an around-the-world trip, as George's crazy hairstyle illustrates. But the stress gives already-overworked Eric a mild heart attack.

Eric is released from hospital but drives everyone crazy with his enjoyment of every imaginable 'small blessing'. Simon man feels his stepping in as in the house is undermined when Matt joins the ridicule of him shaving and is tricked by Ruthie. Simon makes a commiserating friend, Jim. Matt still tries to get used to his early morning job and Shana is jealous about him spending most time there and with his roommate.

Annie and Lucy get involved in an organized protest about the treatment of women in Afghanistan. A young couple talks to Eric about sexual equality in their own marriage. Ruthie wants to play on the school's football team.

Simon lets school friends convince him he should kindly handle a crazy girl who signed his first name all over a notebook but keeps sending mixed or rather contradictory signals. When his roommate gets a cool job, Matt is fed up with his menial one in the cafeteria. Kid patient Adam's attempts to help seem to backfire. The Camdens really need a new car, but when Eric is seen test-driving a sports-car and Lou sees furnishings arrive for the extra bathroom Annie helps the girls install for their 'attick suite', the board votes against his annually scheduled raise.

Matt tutors silver spoon James Potter in history, refuses to help him cheat but is still in trouble when the professor smells a rat. Simon's new classmate Lee Patterson boasts his cool dad works with FBI and even NASA, but actually is an unemployed ex-con and petty marijuana dealer. Lucy regrets taking a school secretary job, is flattered when older hunk Tyler asks her for a dance, but that bubble bursts when he actually wants the password to enter the school computer.

Simon is in absurd trouble just because his mother and the principal make a huge drama of a finger-gesture among schoolboys. Matt tries to explain, but Simon feels he's robbed of another part of his childish innocence. Matt wrestles with domestic problems among his roommates and considers moving back home on account of Eric's cardiac condition. Basketball coach Jason Cleary decides the girls' continuing grades slip warrants drastic action: a team lockout, which makes the local TV news and because of official secrecy starts a rumors circuit.

The whole community is shocked to see Mary and half her Wildcats team meanly vandalized the school's gym. Simon and Ruthie feel guilty for not telling they overheard her planning 'something extreme', so they seek redemption in Catholic confession, a synagogue and a Buddhist temple. Matt feels guilty enough to move back in and resume his task as big brother, only to find that o longer requires his presence and return to his house-mates. Eric calls a marker on lawyer Bill Mays, he gets her in to a trial-avoiding parole office 'last chance' program.

A World War II internment-camp survivor donates a $20,000 check to the church; Shana wants to slow down her relationship with Matt but his eavesdropping sisters suspect otherwise; classmates shun Lucy just for being Mary's sister.

In order to get extra credit, model pupil Simon reluctantly joins a of voluntary mural painting project. He instantly feels unwelcome, and is threatened to keep silent after witnessing them using and sniffing spray paint. He sees Pete get a nose bleed and cues dad to guess and tell him how dangerous the addiction is after Pete is hospitalized. Lies add to Simon's endurance. During community service, Mary meets and instantly falls for Robbie Palmer, a gentleman who was convicted without blame and impresses the Camden parents. Matt feels twice betrayed because Shana didn't tell him she applied for an NYU scholarship and dad recommended her behind his back.

Robbie fears Eric will never give him a chance when told, now his and Mary's community service goes so well they can meet, but only at home. Super hot Brad Landers finally asks Lucy on a date, but she stresses over a time-clashing girls project. Simon looked forward to the 'guys night like it used to be' Matt promised him, but his sleepover proves a testing marathon of witnessing stressing over Shana's New York dorm. Annie's step-ma arrives reporting Charles has Alzheimer, he claims it's the other way around. Schoolmate Ben's family inspires Ruthie to fear an apocalyptic millennium bug.

Eric is very proud when newspaper reporter Sam Robbins offers to cover his reverend's family. Despite warnings from the kids, the parents force all to collaborate, and but they end up betraying all the dirty laundry they warned their siblings not to betray. Matt meanwhile thinks that new orderly Elisabeth admires him, but in fact she only spreads malicious lies.

Each one of the Camden kids has a relationship problem; Mary decides to skip college and get back together with Robbie; Simon is dumped; Matt is torn.

Eric threatens Robbie with eviction because he thinks he's keeping secrets about Mary. The house is abuzz with secrets and preparations for an elaborate surprise party for Eric's birthday. Johnny drops Mercy on the Camdens' doorstep after Frankie abandons them. Mike trusts Lucy enough to look after his mother for a day, during which the woman surprises her, both by speaking and by what she says.