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Six months after the tragic death of their parents in a car accident, the five orphans of the Salinger family are trying to keep the family together and make amends meet. The eldest, 24-year-old, immature Charlie feels saddled by his parental responsibilities, but the other siblings don't see him as an authority figure. But Charlie has other problems after he reveals to have lost $12,000 of the family's life savings as a result of a foolhardy business investment. So Charlie gets two jobs of bartender by day and carpenter by night in the restaurant 'Salingers' which is now run by their father's business partner, Joe Magnus. The emotionally troubled, 16-year-old Bailey has problems of his own in looking for a new nanny for baby Owen and finally finds one; a grad student named Kirsten Bennett, whom he develops a crush on. The selfish 15-year-old Julia abandons her household responsibilities and looks for romance at her high school with an outcast student named P.K. The eccentric, but gifted 11-year-old Claudia looks to raise money by pawning one of her prized violins which her personal violin coach, Ross Werkman, tries to talk her out of doing so.
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Bailey tries to break the ice with Kirsten to get her attention, but she has eyes for Charlie, making Bailey jealous. Meanwhile, Julia gets into trouble at school over skipping classes and hanging out with the outgoing Nina and leaving no time with her old friend, the bookish Libby. Also, Claudia gets a cold reception from the rest of her siblings when she embarks on a search for a man who may be their long-lost grandfather.
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Julia offers the Salinger house as a party pad for Nina and her party animal friends in an attempt to fit in with the "in-crowd." But Julia becomes worried when the parties thrown by Nina turn bigger and more destructive with each passing night. Meanwhile, Bailey stands by his principles and risks getting kicked of the school's football team for not wanting to name the teammate involved in a fistfight with an opposing football team player. Also, Charlie's noble act for Kirsten backfires when he tells her about the true nature and occupation of a man she is dating.
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After seeing a school film on sexuality, Claudia has questions that no one wants to answer, especially Julia who has questions of her own. When Julia's friend, Nina, decides to go "all the way" with her new boyfriend, Julia is inspired to start a possible romance with student Justin Thompson, a writer on Grant High School's yearbook staff. Meanwhile, things begin to heat up between Charlie and Kirsten. Also, Bailey finds an interest outside of football when he falls for Kate Bishop, a wealthy student who walks into the sneaker store he's working in after school.
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Charlie squirms when an old high school girlfriend of his, named Rebecca, shows up and gets between him and Kirsten. Meanwhile, Bailey tries to be Kate's friend, who's oblivious to his moves towards her, especially since Kate has a boyfriend of her own. Following the egocentric and selfish advice from Nina, Julia tries to look older to land a night job at a nightclub called Stage 18. Also, Claudia, hoping to improve her chances of wining a local violin competition, pretends to look younger.
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After Joe promotes Charlie to nighttime manager, he has a hard time trying to fill his father's shoes in parenting and working at the same time. Meanwhile, Bailey makes a bad impression on Kate's stern, conservative father. Also, the rest of the family resents it when Julia takes in her former one-time boyfriend, P.K., who turns out to be a troubled youth now on the run in trying to escape from his abusive stepfather and weak-willed mother.
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The coming of a rare solar eclipse puts a shadow of gloom over Claudia's plans when Bailey forgets to take her to a planetarium. Meanwhile, Charlie's confession of his unfaithfulness with Rebecca clouds Kirsten's hopes for their future. Also, Julia can no longer keep her secret about her night job when Charlie sees her working at Stage 18. Everyone's plans collide when baby Owen is rushed to the hospital when he becomes ill, where Claudia reveals to Ross her fear of hospitals ever since the death of her parents.
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As Julia's priorities change to working nights and leaving no time for her writing class, responsibility falls to Charlie who's saddled with his own priorities with trying to build a bed frame for an important job opportunity, as well as finding a new nanny for baby Owen after Kirsten leaves. Meanwhile, Bailey cannot accept Kate's decision of celibacy and becomes wary of intimacy with her. Also, Claudia lets a glowing newspaper review about her violin skills go to her head and annoys both her siblings and Ross.
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The Salingers welcome a house guest, a single, free-spirited woman named Greer Erikson, who was an old friend of their mother's, who takes Julia under her wing and makes everyone feel special about themselves, particularly a vulnerable Bailey over his recent breakup with Kate. Julia is also persuaded by Greer to pursue her dream of being a model, but Charlie suspects Greer to be a phony. Meanwhile, Claudia's dreams of being a great violinist are dashed by a confession from Ross who tells her that he happens to be gay. Also, Charlie continues looking for the right babysitter for Owen.
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The arrival of Thanksgiving brings back troubling memories for the Salingers and their grief over their dead parents is compounded when they learn that Walter Alcott, the drunk driver who was responsible for their parents death, has been paroled from prison and he's seeking forgiveness from the Salingers. Despite Charlie's orders to stay away from Alcott, a curious Claudia, an angry Bailey, an unsure Julia, and eventually Charlie himself, individually meet with Alcott to try to put the painful past behind them.
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A social worker makes an unexpected visit to the Salinger household to evaluate Charlie's roll as the surrogate parent, which doesn't go well at all when Claudia is missing and the house is in a state of disarray. Meanwhile, Julia's waitress job at Stage 18 takes a turn of its own when the owner, Morgan, requires her and the other waitresses to now wear a very revealing costume. Also, Bailey wonders where Charlie is disappearing to at night for he's revealed to be taking college architectural night classes at Berkeley and is embarrassed about it. With the nanny Bill called away for jury duty, Bailey approaches Kirsten to ask for her help to baby-sit Owen. Neglected, Claudia finds time away from the house with Artie, a student from her school.
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Just when Bailey gets back together with Kate to take her out for a weekend camping trip, she tells him that she is going to leave town to go to a boarding school in Connecticut, which fills him with angry and conflicting emotions. Meanwhile, Kirsten meets with Charlie and confides in him with her fear of her health after thinking she may have cancer, but the surprise comes when she learns that she cannot bear children. Julia lies to her boss, Morgan, about her age and lifestyle to go out on a date with him. Also, Claudia goes through a series of outrageous things to get Artie's attention after eavesdropping on Julia and Nina discussing relationship techniques.
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Charlie takes a great leap of faith with Kirsten by asking her to move in with him. But Kirsten's visiting sister, Meg, objects to this turn Kirsten may take. Meanwhile, passion overpowers Bailey's attraction to Jill Holbrook, a sexually aggressive, fun-loving coffee shop waitress from school. Claudia feels unprepared for the external and internal changes of womanhood confronting her. Also, Julia feels responsible for Morgan's desperate condition when his nightclub is closed down from a complication of debts and her age discovery.
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Kirsten moves into the Salinger house and in Charlie's bedroom, which gets her a cold reception from Julia and Bailey. Meanwhile, Julia discovers an old journal left by her mother which hints of an affair with a musician colleague, named Avery, leading to Julia asking questions and seeking out the cellist she suspects was her mother's secret lover. Bailey takes risks to please Jill in shoplifting and becoming more rebellious like her. Also, Claudia considers converting to Judaism to be closer to Artie.
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Jealousy plagues everyone as Charlie questions Kirsten's relationship with her academic advisor Ben. Meanwhile, Bailey's relationship with his best friend, Will, takes a back seat to his lustful relationship with the outgoing Jill, making Will feel left out. Julia's timing is off when she tries to start over a relationship with her former boyfriend, Justin Thompson, whom she meets once again in drivers ed class, because he happens to be dating her old friend Libby. Envy also wreaks Claudia's friendship with Artie during casting for the school play of "Oliver!" when she thinks Artie stole the lead role from her.
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A major earthquake strikes San Francisco, which leaves Claudia trembling and Jill babbling about the aftershocks and having to go through it again. But Charlie suspects Jill's odd behavior points to a drug problem. At first, the love struck Bailey refuses to believe Charlie. But when Bailey finally finds out the truth, he tries to persuade Jill to get help. Meanwhile, Julia's increasingly growing relationship with Justin shakes the foundation of her friendship with Libby. Also, Kirsten's $7,000 loan becomes a burden for Charlie who wants to use it to start his own business of selling furniture, as well as looking for a new refrigerator.
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Bailey discovers Jill's relapse into drugs after she gets into a car accident and continues to deny that she has a problem. Bailey tries talking to Jill's nurse mother about it, but finds that Jill has already approached her paranoid and skeptical mother with a fabricated story about Bailey's obsession with her. When Jill finds out about Bailey's meeting with her mother, she angrily tells him that she does not want anyone's help and skips town. Meanwhile, Julia alienates Justin by befriending his eccentric mother, whom he can't stand. Claudia launches a plan to help Artie get his estranged parents back together, but it doesn't work. Also, Charlie's efforts to bond with baby Owen to make him say his first words finally pay off.
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Everyone is too busy to notice Claudia's 12th birthday when Bailey leaves town to make an urgent trip to Los Angeles to find Jill and help her. But during the road trip back, Bailey soon learns that Jill's drinking and drug taking is something not easily to be considered curable. Meanwhile, business picks up for Charlie for his furniture business when his business partner, Gwen, urges him to produce a new line of tables in a week. Also, Julia commits herself to an unrealistic 24-hour song writing deadline with her coffee shop pal Danny, who is revealed to be HIV-positive.
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The siblings don't share Charlie's enthusiasm for a once-in-a-lifetime job opportunity for his furniture designs which means moving the family to Seattle, because Julia doesn't want to part from Justin, and Bailey doesn't want to start over in a new school, as does Claudia. Meanwhile, Bailey is reluctantly thrown together with Julia in a 10th grade geometry class as a result of his failing grades and they both get on each other's nerves fast. Also, Ross urges Claudia to move on to a more advanced violin teacher since he feels he can teach her no better.
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Kate surprises Bailey with a return visit to see him, as does Jill, who both want to continue where they left off with him and Bailey is in a dilemma on which one to choose. Meanwhile, Charlie gets no respect from the rest of the siblings after he turns down the job offer in Seattle they didn't want him to have anyway. After some heated conflicts, when Charlie grounds Claudia for being bad and when Bailey gives a raise to Bill without Charlie's permission, he decides to leave the house. Also, Julia takes pleasure in her writing which earns her a prestigious award, but humiliates her siblings in a story about their lives.
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Claudia becomes plagued by nightmares after she and Artie witness a holdup at a convenience store. As Charlie prepares to move into his own apartment with Kirsten, he begins to realize that he may be needed more at the house than anywhere else after observing the wild life his neighbor friend, Dudley, has going. Meanwhile, Jill puts her foot down when Bailey interferes after she takes charge of planning a 36-hour school dance marathon where Bailey feels Jill is pushing herself too hard so soon after going into drug therapy. At the dance, Julia worries about sleeping with Justin and begins to avoid him.
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Jill's relapse into drugs leads to tragedy when she suddenly dies from an overdose of cocaine, and Bailey stubbornly refuses to face up to what just happened to her and pushes away his friend Will, and anyone who tries to offer him sympathy. While trying to model Justin in her own image, Julia tries to become acquainted with Jill's older brother, Griffin, who rejects Julia's kind gestures. Meanwhile, Ross encounters roadblocks in his effort to adopt a baby girl for himself to raise. Also, Charlie plans to propose marriage to a cold-stricken Kirsten, but gets a surprise himself when she is the one who proposes first.
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Nine weeks before his wedding to Kirsten, Charlie gets a big shock when a former girlfriend of his, named Pamela, arrives with a four-year-old boy she claims is his son and asks for child support. The week before the new school year, Will tries to set Bailey up with a new girlfriend. But Bailey apparently still isn't ready for a relationship so soon after Jill's death, while Sarah Reeves, another girl who works at the restaurant, takes a strong interest in Bailey. Meanwhile, Julia becomes jealous when Justin returns from a summer trip to England with photos of a girlfriend, while she spends more time with Griffin. Also, Claudia prepares for the start of junior high school.
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Bailey joins Will on a visit to a university back east where confides in their tour guide, Kari, about Bailey's troubled home life. This leads Bailey to decide that college is his escape from his past. Meanwhile, Julia and Justin stage a protest against a new school rule prohibiting kissing, but it's not Justin who has her attention, but Griffin Holbrook. Charlie and Kirsten's engagement is in question when Charlie's attachment to Pamela's son brings up the issue of Kirsten's infertility. Also, the pint-sized Claudia buys a rather large training bra for herself to fit in more with the other girls at junior high.
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After the family takes over their wedding plans, a frustrated Kirsten and Charlie finally decide to run off to Reno in an attempt to get a quickie wedding. Meanwhile, Julia continues juggling between Justin and Griffin. But Justin and Griffin's paths finally cross when they both run into each other at Kirsten and Charlie's engagement party at the house. Also, Sarah convinces Bailey to run for student body vice president to improve his college application form. But Bailey continues to remain oblivious to Sarah's crush on him.
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After rejoining the school football team, Bailey seriously injures another football player during practice and his feelings of guilt keeps him from being able to play again. Meanwhile, Joe suffers a mild heart attack and Charlie has to take over the day to day management job of running Salinger's. After Justin leaves her, Julia heats up her relationship with Griffin. But Julie becomes worried that Griffin wants a sexual relationship since she is not prepared for one.
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Claudia breaks her left arm while ice skating and both Charlie and Ross worry about the doctor's prognosis that she may not be able to play the violin again. Meanwhile, Kirsten becomes perplexed when a fortune teller tells her that the name of the man she will marry will be "Rob," not Charlie. Kirsten then takes Charlie to ballroom dance classes where they try to find a way to ease this distraction. Bailey and Sarah finally begin dating, but Bailey soon alienates Sarah with his spontaneous attitude for he still isn't over Jill. Julia gets Griffin a job at the restaurant after he is fired from the bike store where he works, but the loser Griffin resents this intrusion into his life.
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Kirsten's parents arrive in town for a visit for a few days, making her and Charlie unable to stand them and their constant questions about their relationship. Meanwhile, Bailey lets his guard down when a pretty, young teacher, named Maggie, begins to tutor him after school for his low SAT scores. Also, Griffin begins to spend more time with Claudia which upsets Julia.
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A fire breaks out at Salinger's and both the insurance company and Kirsten accuse Charlie of arson. Meanwhile, Will begins to date Sarah, and Bailey suddenly realizes that he may have made a mistake of breaking up with her. Julia is forced to call the police on Griffin after he steals money from the restaurant in hope of running away from his abusive father who apparently still blames him for Jill's death. Also, Claudia's new friend at school is a rebellious girl named Jody, who has a passion for smoking cigarettes and cutting classes.
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Charlie and Kirsten have decided to write their own vows for their upcoming wedding, but he can't figure out what to write. On the night before the wedding, Bailey throws a bachelor party for Charlie at a hotel. But nothing turns out as he hoped it would when Bailey and his friends get stuck in an elevator, Charlie doesn't show up, and they lose at strip poker with a stripper. In the meantime, Charlie comforts a distraught woman who has just caught her husband cheating on her. At the house, Claudia has a night of special activities planned for her and Kirsten, but again nothing goes as planned. Meanwhile, Julia and Justin reluctantly go out to a rock concert where Justin sees his father with a woman other than his mother.
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Charlie and Kirsten's wedding day arrives where at the last minute, he approaches Kirsten and tells her that he is not ready to make the final decision of his life by getting married. But Kirsten instead gives Charlie an ultimatum: marry her or they're through. Meanwhile, Bailey is caught between wanting Sarah back and ruining his friendship with Will. Justin comes to the wedding to talk to Julia about their lost relationship and they spend the time drinking champagne and ending up having sex.
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Charlie takes Claudia for an escape to Mexico, using his useless honeymoon tickets, where Claudia meets a young boy named Enrico, the son of the hotel owner where she ends up having her first kiss. Charlie falls for a beautiful, free-spirited tourist named Courtney who inspires him to move on with his life. Back in San Francisco, Julia and Justin, now back together, quickly succumb to a sexual relationship and agree to it for an indefinite period. Meanwhile, Sarah becomes a nervous wreak after she and Bailey accidentally learn from her grandmother that she is adopted.
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Julia's favorite writing teacher sexually harasses her and she is left agonizing over what to do after thinking it may be her fault, while Justin learns about it and wants to break some bones. Meanwhile, Sarah goes on a wild spending spree on her 16th birthday, and Bailey soon becomes uncomfortable with Sarah's lavish spending. Charlie, now alone, reverts back to his wild and immature side when he aggressively makes a pass at a waitress at Salinger's. Also, Claudia continues down the path of being a bad girl under the influence of Jody, in taking part in drinking, smoking, playing pranks and cutting classes.
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Bailey and Julia are constantly arguing over which one of them will move into the attic and it leads to them using Sarah and Justin to get back at each other, when Bailey tells Sarah about an opening for a singer in a band, knowing that Julia wants the job, and Julia tells Justin about a job opportunity for a TV station, knowing Bailey wants it. Meanwhile, Claudia finally gets the cast off her arm, but she is reluctant to start playing the violin again. Also, Charlie meets with Kirsten to settle a tax problem where he asks her to give their lost relationship another try.
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Charlie wants to enroll baby Owen in pre-school, but he must be potty trained before they will except him. Meanwhile, Claudia is missing Kirsten so much that she begins making up stories of disaster to get her to come over to the house. Justin's pretty British friend, Allison, arrives in town from England for a visit and she and Julia get along well, until Allison eventually shows her true sexuality when she makes a pass at Julia. Also, Bailey finds Sarah's real birth mother, a struggling actress named Robin Merrin. But Bailey doesn't tell Sarah fearing that she will be emotionally troubled again.
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Claudia's math teacher, Emily Schrader, catches her smoking and requests a parent/teacher meeting with Charlie about it, which ends with the two of them going out on a date, much to Claudia's chagrin. Meanwhile, Justin's parents discover that he and Julia are sleeping together and try to talk to him and Julia about this turns of events. Also, Will shows off his new girlfriend Gina, an opinionated, talkative girl whom both Bailey and Sarah can't stand. They persuade Will to break up with Gina, and he does, but Will soon feels bad. Bailey and Sarah then persuade Will to get back together with Gina. But unable to stand Gina's crude and crass attitude, persuade Will to break up with her again.
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Bailey is offered a $40,000 scholarship to college by a mysterious benefactor who turns out to be the Salinger's long-lost grandfather, Jacob Gordon. 'Grandpa Jake' then confides in Bailey that he only wants to help his late daughter's children by supporting them financially and nothing more. Meanwhile, Charlie continues dating Emily, while at the same time, seeing a regular customer, named Kathleen Isley, who turns out to be a wealthy TV news producer reviewing the restaurant. Also, Julia needs help for her computer class and turns to the bumbling, socially handicapped Miller West for help.
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Claudia is very excited about having a grandfather in her life and is very eager to spend time with him, but Julia has nothing but resentment and contempt for Grandpa Jake's aware that he abandoned her mother over 30 years ago. Meanwhile, Sarah finally meets her real birth mother, Robin Merrin acting on a local soap opera, but feels a fear of abandonment when Bailey tells Sarah about his choice of going to college back in New Hampshire and correctly suspects that he's running away from his life and pain. Also, Charlie's two-timing act with Emily and Kathleen finally catches up with him which results in Emily breaking up with him and Kathleen wanting some space.
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Bailey plans a romantic evening with Sarah by taking her out to a Monster Truck rally, which Sarah doesn't look forward to at all. Then Sarah runs into an old friend of hers, named Shawn, and Bailey immediately becomes jealous. Meanwhile, Julia's former boyfriend, Griffin Holbrook, arrives in town for a visit and reveals that he has run away from the military academy from where he has been committed for the restaurant robbery. Julia then asks a reluctant Justin to help her in hiding Griffin so he can leave town for good. Also, Charlie begins to spend more time with Kathleen who enlists a master chef to increase business at Salingers.
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After finding out that she's pregnant with Justin's baby, Julia debates her options of abortion, adoption, or keeping the baby, leaving mixed reactions. Charlie wants to support Julia, Bailey wants to beat up Justin, and Claudia is plain confused. The only person Julia can talk with is Sarah, but being adopted herself makes Sarah feel conflicted. Meanwhile, Bailey and Sarah are both ready to become sexually active, and Sarah wants to make the coming event special. Also, Claudia's violin gets water damage in the basement after the house's pipes burst. At the end, things for Julia take yet another tragic turn when she miscarriages.
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Kathleen becomes more and more possessive with Charlie and wants to spend more time with him, but he becomes more withdrawn and unsure. When Charlie decides to break up with Kathleen, she shows her true disturbed colors when she makes a suicide attempt. As Sarah's interest in performing with the band grows, she starts to change in appearance and personality. But Bailey is not sure if he likes Sarah as her new self. Meanwhile, Julia travels to New Orleans to visit Griffin at his military academy for some solace.
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Julia and Justin continue to drift apart and her indifference to everything puts them at a loss on what to do. Meanwhile, Charlie feels trapped in his relationship with Kathleen who becomes more obsessive and possessive of him as he helps her recover from her nervous breakdown. Scared and insecure then ever after Kathleen wins a news coverage award and publicly declares her love for Charlie, he tries to break up with her by making up a story about him and an old girlfriend getting back together. When Kathleen discovers that Charlie lied, she threatens him that if he breaks up with her, she'll break the lease Charlie has for the restaurant. Also, Bailey learns that Grandpa Jake has a grown daughter from a previous marriage and makes a difficult choice of asking his grandfather to leave.
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Joe arrives back in town and confronts Charlie about a notice of sale that he has received for Salingers, and Charlie eventually reveals that Kathleen has put together an investment group to buy the building housing the restaurant in order to shut it down and make him lose the restaurant in retaliation for breaking up with her. Unbelievably, all of the siblings blame Charlie for this predicament they are now in. With his pride and ego destroyed, and nobody to console or stand up for him, Charlie, feeling angry and frustrated, goes out that evening to a bar, gets drunk, provokes a fight, and ends up in jail for being drunk and disorderly. Joe is forced to bail out Charlie of jail and surprisingly, even Joe unfairly blames Charlie for the restaurant issue by reminding him, in a cruel and harsh tone, about Charlie being always immature and irresponsible and ties it in with Charlie's long history of making the wrong choices. Meanwhile, Bailey becomes obsessed with Sarah's safety after she and Matt, a band member of Sarah's, are mugged. Claudia attends her first "make out" party with Jody who has no time for Claudia due to her boy-crazy attitude. Both Julia and Justin are at a loss on how to save their relationship, which leads to both of them flirting with other people, she with a man named Ian whom she meets in her photography class and he with Corey, a TV station co-worker.
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With the threat of the restaurant being closed down, Joe desperately tries to prevent the sale, but Kathleen is refusing to back down. Incredibly, Charlie continues to wallow in self-pity by blaming himself for ending his relationship with Kathleen that has led to her turning against him and having the restaurant being closed. Joe, Bailey, Julia, and Claudia continue to give Charlie a very hard time, and continue to absurdly think that it's ALL of Charlie's fault for losing the restaurant because he became romantically involved with a wealthy and powerfully connected, but psychotic and vindictive, woman like Kathleen in the first place. Seeking solace, Charlie goes to see if he can reconcile which Kirsten who tells him that she is going to marry someone else which leads to Charlie to try to win back her affections at her pre-wedding party. After some tense moments, Bailey realizes that Sarah may not be the one for him and breaks up with her over her attraction to Matt. But Will figures out that Bailey is still emotionally fragile from his parents death that he is determined to move away to college and sever all ties to the family in order to get out of the pain he's feeling. Meanwhile, Julia and Justin finally decide to break up over their irreconcilable differences. Claudia reacts coldly towards Jody over her outgoing ways and refuses to hang out with her anymore, leading Claudia to realize that she's given up too much and decides to start playing the violin again with tutoring from Ross. In a desperate attempt to keep the restaurant from going out of business, Charlie contacts Grandpa Jake Gordon for help. Grandpa Jake later approaches Bailey and leaves him with a big choice: they can either use his money to buy out Kathleen's investment group to save the restaurant... or use the money to send Bailey to college.
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Charlie, now back together with Kirsten, is trying to get on with his life until Kirsten's mother unexpectedly shows up and tells them that she has left her husband. Meanwhile, Claudia returns from summer camp with stories about meeting a boy named Byron, whom everyone thinks she made up. Julia's ex-flame, Griffin Holbrook, having graduated from high school, arrives in town during a leave he has with the merchant marines to try to reconcile with her. Also, Bailey and Will decide to take an end-of-the-summer road trip to Mexico. But Sarah and Will's girlfriend, Gina, spoil the fun by insisting they come along. Things get even worse for the guys when Bailey's jeep breaks down, the girls desert them, and their jeep gets stolen.
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Kirsten gets a teaching job at California State Monterey. But the commute and long hours begin to take its toll on her and Charlie's relationship. As Julia takes a stressful receptionist job in a busy law firm, Griffin, temporarily living at the house until he finds an apartment, doesn't measure up to Julia's expectation of responsibility, forcing him to leave. Meanwhile, Claudia becomes angry and jealous when Byron apparently develops a crush on Julia. Bailey fears his friendship with Will is ending as Will prepares to leave town to go to college back east with his new outgoing roommate, Tucker.
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Bailey starts college at Berkeley and meets a new friend, named Cooper, who already has him taking not-so-ethical short cuts his first few days on campus. Meanwhile, Julia, Justin, and Sarah are grouped together when they enter an essay contest hoping that by winning the prize they will boost their chances of getting into a good college next year. Also, Kirsten's professor discovers that she has unintentionally plagiarized part of her dissertation, and risks losing her teaching position and everything else.
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Bailey's friend, Cooper, and Julia are attracted to each other, but Bailey forbids them to date. Bailey then moves out of the Salinger household and into an apartment with a new attractive roommate named Callie Martel, an older woman whom Sarah doesn't approve of. Meanwhile, Claudia takes over the household repairs herself and must deal with leaky pipes. Also, Charlie realizes that Kirsten's depression over losing her job is much serious than he thought.
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Bailey finds himself playing rescuer for Callie who has gotten herself in a mess with a boyfriend wanting her, and who turns out to be one of his college professors. Meanwhile, Cooper wants his relationship with Julia to become more intimate, but Julia apparently isn't ready to sleep with anyone yet for she is still affected by her recent miscarriage, which leads to their breakup. As Claudia moves into Bailey's old bedroom, Jody confides in her about her troubled home life that her mother's new boyfriend has made sexual advances towards her. When Kirsten tries a new anti-depressant medication, she becomes compulsive about neatness and Charlie tries to convince her to stick with it.
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Kirsten's parents arrive in town after Claudia had told them about Kirsten's worsened mental condition and they immediately quarrel with Charlie after they decide to take her back to Chicago to have her committed to a mental hospital, with a court order if possible. Meanwhile, Bailey and Callie start to confide in each other about their past history; Callie about her relationship with her distant father who is having a 60th birthday party this weekend, and Bailey about his strained relationship with Charlie. Also, Julia and Sarah fly east to interview at Dartmouth in hopes of going to college there, but Sarah becomes worried and homesick almost immediately.
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As Halloween approaches, Claudia is convinced that a curse is the cause of all the bad things that have happened to the family over the past few years. So, she hires an exorcist to "cleanse" the family dwelling. Meanwhile, Bailey is beginning to feel the constants of his celibate relationship with Sarah and goes to seek some intimacy with Callie. While organizing Grant High's annual Halloween costume dance, Julia has to deal with the fact that Justin is now dating another girl. Also, Charlie puts his trust in a shady handyman, named Earl, who claims to be an old friend of his father's. Charlie also comes across a woman named Grace Wilcox, who runs a local charity that feeds the homeless.
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In the aftermath of having sex with Callie, Bailey feels guilty and decides to break up with Sarah. But Bailey falls ill with chicken pox in which Sarah becomes his personal servant. After approaching a resident novelist at Stanford to read her admission essay, Julia receives an unexpected scathing critique which shakes her confidence in going to college. Meanwhile, Claudia meets once again with Avery, her mother's old musician colleague, who wants to enroll her in a school for gifted children, in which Charlie objects to Claudia making a rash decision that's way over his head.
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The local press publishes Charlie as a bad guy when he mishandles an incident with a belligerent homeless man at Salingers during a feed-the-homeless fund, and Grace too disavows Charlie leading to her organizing a boycott of the restaurant at it leads to everyone, including Charlie's employees and neighbors shunning him. After being rejected to get on the college hockey team, Bailey tries out for the wrestling team and deals with his coach's lenient methods and his own inexperience. Meanwhile, Julia is disturbed by the loud noise of a construction crew fixing the roof of the house while she trying to finish her college application paper, and befriends the two construction workers, foreman Sam and his spaced out brother Alec.
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Bailey rescues Callie from an attempted date-rape and she becomes more dependent on him, in which he breaks a date with Sarah to be with her. Meanwhile, Julia's attraction for Sam grows and she tries keeping him at the house to finish fixing the roof. Claudia is asked to be a writer of the "Love Lorn" column for her school's paper to write about problems with people's love lives and beings to analyze everyone's problems around her, while she herself becomes oblivious to advances from a student named Stuart. Also, Charlie finds himself in an awkward position when Grace wants to be more than friends.
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Bailey is on a downward spiral when his relationship with Callie intensifies while Sarah becomes increasingly resentful of him. So, Sarah tries to set Callie up with her cousin Paul to keep her away from Bailey. Meanwhile, Charlie is beginning to feel an attraction to Grace when his former restaurant partner, Joe, arrives in town and announces that he is getting married to a younger woman and wants the wedding held in the restaurant. Also, Julia's crush on Sam grows which prompts him to quit working on the roof of the house to stay away from her.
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Charlie flies to Chicago to visit Kirsten and is surprised to see her doing good with her life. When Charlie asks Kirsten to come back with him to San Francesco, without telling her mother, he soon realizes that her manic depression is something not easily fixable. Back in San Francisco, Julia takes over the household responsibilities by herself and takes them so lightly in order to spend more time with Sam, and as a result, she and everyone else doesn't notice when Claudia is admitted to the hospital with appendicitis. Also, a guilty Bailey, going downward on his relationship with Sarah while trying to stay away from Callie as well as balancing time with his wrestling practice, finally confesses to Sarah that he slept with Callie who surprisingly reacts hurt, but understanding.
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The Salinger's grandfather, Jacob Gordon, returns and tells the Salingers that he just wants to spend the holidays with his family and nothing more. But Julia, as usual, suspects there's something more going on with him and that he's hiding some health problems. Meanwhile, Charlie is attempting to overcome his depression about losing Kirsten for good by working more on Grace's feed the homeless project where meets a homeless man he tries to help out, but whom Charlie later finds out that the man too suffers from a mental illness. Bailey is alone when both Callie and Sarah leave town to be with their families. Not wanting to be around his own family, the alienated Bailey seeks a bond with his wrestling coach, Russ Petrocelli. Also, Claudia is still being perused by Stuart who has a massive crush on her. When Claudia tries to show Stuart that he's nothing more than a friend by giving him a lame gift of trick candles, it backfires when it turns out to be something he wanted.
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Julia, Justin and the rest of Grant High School is shocked when Julia's long-time friend, Libby, suddenly commits suicide and Julia tries to find out why Libby would want to end her life when it looked so promising. Meanwhile, Charlie attends his 10-year high school reunion where he becomes reacquainted with two old school basketball teammates and his old girlfriend, which leads Charlie to think that the best time of his life, which was in high school, and is behind him for good. Also, Sarah becomes increasingly cold and resentful towards Bailey who tries to hard to please her, which leads Sarah finally deciding to let Bailey go his own way.
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In an attempt to overcome his pain after breaking up with Sarah, as well as to get away from Callie who wants to evict him from the apartment, Bailey throws himself into a grueling practice to qualify for a spot on the wrestling team. Here, Bailey shows his first serious signs of his already strong alcohol consumption he has been having for the past few months. Meanwhile, Grace accepts a date with a politically connected man from the mayor's office which arouses jealousy in Charlie. Also, Sam becomes more tentative to Julia after encountering his former girlfriend, Karen, who's tells him that she's marrying someone else.
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Charlie and Grace finally go out on a date, but they agree to take things slow. The next time they see each other to paint the interior of a house, Charlie brings over baby Owen and Grace brings her grandmother in order to curb any temptation. Meanwhile, the family is exited when Julia announces that she has been accepted to Stanford, but she is conflicted about this turn of her life. Sarah resents Julia's reluctance to send in her letter of intent because Sarah did not get into Stanford. Bailey tries to resist alcoholic beverages after learning that his grads are low, but he is sidetracked by Callie's disruptive presence and an angry landlord trying to evict them by turning off the heating in their apartment. Also, Claudia's outing of a gay teacher at her school affects her violin teacher, Ross, personal life too for he happens to be dating the man.
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Bailey's friend Will arrives in town for a visit during a break from college, and becomes surprised to see how frequently (and how much) that Bailey drinks on a regular basis. Will tells Bailey to take it easy with drinking, but Baily snaps at Will to mind his own business. Suspecting that Bailey has a drinking problem, as well as having extremely low self-esteem, Will turns to Sarah to try to get her to talk to Bailey. Meanwhile, Grace moves into the Salinger house after a fire destroys her apartment, and not everyone is happy to have her there. Also, Julia decides that she can no longer live under Charlie's rules after she tells him about not going to Stanford and she moves into Sam's apartment, upsetting the quite life Sam had going for himself.
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Grace beings to think that moving in with Charlie and his siblings wasn't a good idea after during a food shopping outing, Grace has an encounter with a woman whom makes a casual, but stereotypical, comment to Grace about her standing with Charlie. Claudia, sensing tension at home between Grace and the family, offers to volunteer at Grace's office in a way for the two of them to get better acquainted, only to see Grace's true bossy attitude towards her which drives a further wedge between them. Meanwhile, Sam is looking for an extra guy for his construction crew and Julia recommends Bailey, which turns out to be a bad idea when he steals some liquor from the site. Also, Sarah confides in a skeptical Julia about Bailey's ever increasing drinking who continues his self-destructive lifestyle while denying to everyone (as well as to himself) that he has a drinking problem. Bailey becomes more and more out of control when he resorts to stealing all of Callie's rent money as well as pilfering items from his apartment and the Salinger house and pawning them to get more money for beer and hard liquor.
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Charlie refuses to believe Julia or Sarah about Bailey's drinking problem. When Bailey steals and squanders all the money Charlie gives him to hire a clown for Owen's 3rd birthday party, Charlie and the rest of the siblings finally realize the enormity of Bailey's alcoholism after witnessing him doing embarrassing actions at Owen's party. Meanwhile, Grace is disturbed by a surprise visit from her parents who seem warm to Charlie. Julia decides to plan a summer trip to Europe with Sam, until she realizes that they hold different views toward certain people where Julia sees little amusement in Sam's racism and stereotyping of others, which leads to their breakup. Also, Claudia becomes reacquainted with Avery who introduces her to his visiting son Marcus, a withdrawn, unsure-of-himself, troubled teen.
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Grace and Sarah join Charlie, Julia and Claudia for a family intervention to Bailey about his drinking. They lure Bailey to the house about a family emergency with baby Owen to confront him about his self-destructive lifestyle. Only the self-serving Callie refuses to associate herself with the rest of the family for Bailey's intervention. But Bailey (still lying to everyone, and to himself, that he's an alcoholic) is stunned by what he sees as everyone against him and goes out on the attack, cruelly singling out serious faults of their own. As the day wears on into the evening, Joe joins the group and reveals a surprising revelation: Nick, the Salinger's late father, was also an alcoholic.
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In the aftermath of the family's failed intervention, Bailey escalates his drinking, totally not caring about himself, anyone or anything. But Bailey's increasingly erratic behavior alienates both Callie and Coach Petrocelli after Callie gets angry at him after he has literally emptied out her entire liquor cabinet, and finally discovers that Bailey's now spending hundreds of dollars every night at local bars by stealing money out of her own purse, while Coach Petrocelli finally learns that he cannot rely on his star player anymore after a drunk Bailey misses a championship wrestling match which costs his team from winning. Feeling rejected by everyone, a drunken Bailey kidnaps Owen from day care and keeps him out all day. Later that night, Bailey gets behind the wheel of his jeep and gets into an accident which injures Sarah who's riding with him. Meanwhile, Claudia directs her anger toward her late father for Bailey's drinking, after Avery tells her stories about her late parents troubles. Also, Julia's former boyfriend, Griffin Holbrook, arrives in town for a visit while he has some legal matters of his to deal with over suing the merchant marines for an accident he got into on board a freighter.
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After a long night of a guilt drinking binge over injuring Sarah, Bailey appears on the doorstep of the Salinger house where he finally admits that he needs help. He attends his first AA meeting where he discovers Walter Alcott, the man who was responsible for his parents death three years ago, is a member and a big participator at the meetings which prompts Bailey to quit after revealing his still deep-rooted hatred for Alcott. Meanwhile, Griffin is trying to find a way to spend the $100,000 settlement he got for his knee injury and Julia tells him to help his long-estranged father who is having financial problems. But Julia becomes suspicious when she suspects Griffin's father only wants to bond with him over the money. Also, Grace is approached by some associates to run for a local office seat, making Charlie feel left out.
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Sarah tries to move on with her life by dating an attractive medical student named Drew. But her efforts to remain supportive for Bailey's recovery are met with disapproval from Callie who feels left out. When Bailey realizes that Callie's presence is one of the causes of his compulsion to drink, he moves out of her apartment and back into the Salinger house, thus leaving Callie all on her own as before when he first met her. Meanwhile, Claudia tries to show Charlie that Grace is too self-absorbed with running for an office seat and is also too obsessed with publicity than to care about the family when she turns the entire Salinger household into her campaign office. Also, Griffin voices his concern with Julia who's slacking off in school and skipping classes to be with him.
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On Spring Break, Sarah goes away with her parents and Bailey volunteers himself to chaperon Claudia on a trip to Los Angeles for a violin concert in order to distract himself in her absence. Bailey then falls off the wagon, but learns a valuable lesson of his problem from Joe and his young wife, Fran, living there over Bailey's drinking being not only psychological, but physical in nature as well. Bailey finally decides to start attending AA meetings. Meanwhile, Julia and Griffin's motorcycle trip through California hits a snag when their motorcycle breaks down, where Griffin decides to buy the shop where it gets fixed with his insurance settlement money which upsets Julia's spontaneous plans. Also, Grace has a pregnancy scare, which turns out to be a false alarm, but brings up an issue on kids to Charlie.
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Bailey tries to make peace to all the people that he hurt while he was drinking including Coach Petrocelli. Although Bailey takes it hard when Sarah breaks up with Drew, she makes it clear that she only wants to be friends. Meanwhile, Julia's former boyfriend, Justin Thompson, tells her that he has been accepted to Yale and invites Julia to spend the summer with him in Europe. When she brings this news to Griffin, he tells her to put her love for him to the real test: by getting married. On the eve of Grace's election results, Charlie realizes that although he loves Grace, he tells her that she cannot love his siblings or any children like Kirsten did and tells her that his job as the legal guardian for his brothers and sisters must come first.
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After returning from a two-month trip to Europe with a new look and shorted hairstyle, Julia finds herself in uncharted territory with her new husband, Griffin, who in his opinion realizes that "absence definitely makes the heart grow weirder." Meanwhile, Bailey is facing the consequences of the drunk-driving accident that put Sarah in the hospital when he's arrested after Sarah's powerful, revenge-seeking parents officially charge him with drunk driving. Claudia decides to try out for a cheerleader during her first day at Grant High School, but ends up becoming the school mascot instead. Also, Charlie finds some complications when he finds Owen dressing in girls clothing fearing that Owen is developing a bond with his pre-school teacher Jenny.
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Bailey's trial for D.U.I. begins with him preparing for the worst, the rest of the family ready to mortgage their house for their legal defense, and Sarah telling Baily's that she's willing to lie on the witness stand for him. Meanwhile, Charlie deals with vicious rumors about Owen's teacher abusing her students which are running among the parents of Owen's classmates. Griffin's visiting sailor friend, Shuyler, arrives at his and Julie's apartment and almost immediately causes tension between all of them. Also, Claudia develops a crush on Reed, a school football player whom she tries to win his affections with D.H. Lawrence poetry.
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Sarah finds herself on her own after walking away from her parents over what they did to Bailey who finds himself constantly haunted by his past when word of his alcoholism spreads and keeps him from getting any job. Claudia also worries about being a standout in school after an AA speech Bailey gives. Meanwhile, Griffin begins having cash-flow problems at the garage, but keeps them to himself knowing of his long reputation as a loser. While Charlie tries dating again, he gets angry at Julia over her and Griffin's presence.
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Bailey and Sarah settle down as platonic roommates and building managers in their new apartment, and they almost immediately get complaints from an irate tenant named Annie, a recently divorced single mother who's also a recovering alcoholic. At her new job, enthusiasm over working as a history museum's curator gets Julia in a complex situation with the museum director, Daniel, when Julia makes the mistake of giving him the wrong signals. Meanwhile, Charlie becomes smitten with Nina, a zoo cage animal feeder whom he meets at the local supermarket, but a sudden bout of the flu from Charlie puts a damper on their evening. Also, school mascot Claudia practically knocks herself out to please Reed during football practice.
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Julia thinks her on-the-job troubles are the result of her admittance to Daniel that she is married. But later, more troubles ensues when Griffin pays an unexpected visit to the museum and learns from Daniel about Julia's flirtation with him. Meanwhile, Bailey's attention to Annie leaves Sarah feeling alone and abandoned when he gives Annie part of their rent money. Also, Charlie can't seem to find anything good with his life, despite his blossoming relationship with Nina. When the restaurant is closed down for repairs, Charlie sulks about it.
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As Charlie prepares the restaurant for a grand reopening, he's hit with a big surprise when his former girlfriend, Kirsten, suddenly shows up which causes some friction with Nina. Meanwhile, Bailey's AA sponsor tells him that he may be heading for a fall as he looks to Annie for companionship. Griffin tries to feel like part of the Salinger family by repairing the restaurant jukebox. Also, Claudia gets Reed a job at Griffin's garage, but he continues to remain oblivious to her crush on him.
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During planning for Julia's long-put-off wedding party, Charlie, despite claiming that he's all right, collapses on a racquetball court in which he goes to the hospital where he is diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. Meanwhile, Kirsten's husband Paul, a medical grad student, clashes with Charlie who becomes jealous about his past with her. Griffin continues to keep his financial problems from Julia when the opening of a new repair shop on the block throws a rock into his business plans which bring threats from his silent partner/loan shark, Howie, over not paying up for a loan. Also, Sarah's dating plans with her new boyfriend, Elliott, don't set well with a lonely Bailey which makes him look to Annie once again.
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Julia and Griffin's wedding celebration at the house is fraught with disaster and doubts which include Griffin's unexplained absence, and Annie's seven-year-old daughter, Natalie, eating part of the wedding cake and getting stuck in the bathroom, while Claudia videotapes each crisis for her amusement. Meanwhile, Charlie confides in Nina about his health. But Nina soon reveals her denial about Charlie's illness in which he finally breaks up with her, leaving him feeling more frightened and alone than ever. As the long day comes to a close, Julia is left with more uncertainty about her marriage after Griffin finally tells her about his business troubles and his shady business dealings. Also, Bailey wonders if Annie is the right woman for him while observing Sarah with her date.
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Charlie finally tells, individually, the rest of his siblings about his illness. But he turns to Kirsten as he begins to feel increasingly sick, angry and frightened and unable to cope with Claudia's inquisitiveness, Bailey's awkward effort to bond, and Julia's selfishness. Meanwhile, Griffin's financial problems begin to take its toll on him and Julia in which they are evicted from their apartment over late rent payments.
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Charlie begins radiation treatment and soon experiences unusual and accompanying side effects. But he won't hear of others trying to offer him a hand with daily tasks. Meanwhile, Bailey's gestures to help Annie find a more decent job only upsets her because she doesn't feel comfortable with someone running her life. Julia gets a new job as a $200-a-week intern at a magazine agency which does little to improve her and Griffin's financial problems after they decide to move into the Salinger garage. Also, Claudia tries becoming more close to Reed during an outing for groceries.
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At Christmas time, Sarah and Bailey host a tree-trimming party at their apartment where Bailey's friend, Will, arrives for a visit and discovers that he and Bailey now live in separate lives due to Baily being with an older woman and his lack of party spirit. Julia's former boyfriend, Justin Thompson, also arrives for a visit where he tells her about his Ivy League college life, which prompts Julia to lie to him about her so-called successful life. Meanwhile, Charlie, at his doctor's advice to "recharge," accompanies Kirsten on a long-distance road trip.
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Charlie continues to feel weaker from chemotherapy, and when at a point of total weakness, he asks help at home and at the restaurant, putting Bailey in charge of Salingers. But a hapless Julia, taking charge of the household chores while working her new job as a waitress at the restaurant, has a miserable time, in which Bailey has to let her go from the restaurant. Meanwhile, Claudia seeks companionship with Reed to get away from the household problems, but when she finally tells him her true feelings for him, he coldly pushes her away. Also, Charlie decides to help Sarah with a college project in building a miniature theater set.
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With Kirsten's help, an ever increasing sickly Charlie meets with an herbalist and even tries out meditation which seems to help his state of mind, but not his cancer. Julia and Griffin, unable to help each other during crises, come to realize the distance between them due to Julia's busy work schedule and Griffin's continuing back luck at his bike shop over loss of business and confiscation of his property over not paying up on the rent. Meanwhile, Bailey tries to seek more time to be with Annie, while she ponders whether or not to tell her seven-year-old daughter, Natalie, about her and Bailey. Also, Claudia tries more than ever to get Reed to like her, but to no avail for he clearly states that he's not interested in her, leaving her more alone and sad than ever when no one else at home wants to listen to her problems.
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Inspired by his friendship with Kevin, a fellow cancer patient, Charlie embraces a new attitude and adds some adventure to his life by going with Kevin to a batting cage and planning a fishing trip and hand-gliding which takes both Julia and Claudia by surprise. Meanwhile, Julia becomes friendly with a co-worker, name Jennie, at her new typist temp job, while her marital difficulties with Griffin become a battle zone. Sarah also has problems with her boyfriend, Elliot, whom she fears that he's losing interest in her. Also, Bailey tries to bond with Annie's daughter, Natalie, even though the youngster wants nothing to do with him.
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Kevin's joyous reaction to his latest news about his cancer in remission does nothing to quiet Charlie's fears. Meanwhile, Griffin's pipe dreams over saving his failing bike shop leaves Julia with a lot of doubts about putting on a TV commercial with her as the spokes person. Elliot soon regrets revealing his true feelings to Bailey that he may be gay, which leaves him in a dilemma over whether or not to tell Sarah. Also, Claudia is hard-pressed to complete a school assignment on a time capsule that requires her to look to the future.
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Charlie prepares himself for the worst after he's hospitalized for pneumonia and begins to lose hope in his will to live. Kirsten then tells her husband, Paul, that she cannot go away on a vacation with him and must be by Charlie's side. Bailey, overwhelmed by responsibilities to Annie, managing the restaurant, and going to college, comes to a major decision when he decides to quit school. Meanwhile, Claudia begins to retreat into a world of truancy as a result of being ignored by her siblings who are giving all their attention on the sickly Charlie. Also, Griffin finally cuts his losses and decides to sell his bike shop to get rid of his and Julia's debits.
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With Charlie still in the hospital, Bailey and Julia continue to remain oblivious to what's happening on the home front due to their continuing life problems and daily visits to the hospital to be with Charlie. As a result, Claudia and Owen end up what most people consider neglected. When a visiting Social Services man makes a routine visit and finds Claudia and Owen alone, and the house in a drastic state of disarray, he has them removed to the state services. Meanwhile, Charlie makes out a living will and asks Kirsten a major favor: to care for Claudia and Owen if he dies when she agrees to look after them for Social Services. But Paul tells Kirsten that he's against the idea of raising someone else's children. Griffin begins his new job at his former bike shop, now an auto repair garage, and tries to help the attractive manager, Rosalie, make a deadline to repair one motorcycle.
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Bailey slowly discovers Annie's relapse into alcoholism on the 2nd anniversary of her sobriety, which also threatens his sobriety as well. Julie rediscovers the academic world in a college literature class she begins taking to cover for Bailey. With Julia away, Griffin discovers he can no longer fight his growing attraction to Rosalie and caves into her advances towards him. But Julia later becomes more angry than ever when she discovers a love note that Rosalie wrote to Griffin. Meanwhile, Claudia gets help from a psychologist over her depression and uncertainty which leads her to ask Charlie to spend more time with her in teaching her how to drive a car.
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Bailey and Julia join an anxious Charlie for a weekend getaway at their parents winter vacation cabin at Lake Tahoe as he awaits the results of a crucial batch of medical tests. While a worried Charlie wonders if he will live, the getaway gives Bailey an opportunity to escape Annie's overwhelming neediness for him, and for Julia to seek a way to forget about Griffin's suspected infidelity with Rosalie. Back in San Francisco, Kirsten cares for Owen and Claudia who's concerned about Charlie's well being. Here, Claudia tells Kirsten that she's strongly considering going to a boarding school back east to get away from her troubled, long-neglected life. A frustrated Griffin spends more time than ever with Rosalie to forget about Julia. Also, Sarah tries to talk to a reluctant Annie about her drinking after finding her passed out on her apartment floor.
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After Charlie receives good news of his cancer in remission, he wants to celebrate with his siblings and even invites Kirsten and the former restaurant owner, Joe, over to celebrate. But it's a chance meeting with a stripper, named Daphne, that brings a change to Charlie's life. Meanwhile, Julia wants to start her marriage over with Griffin. But he feels so guilty about his fling with Rosalie that he quits his job at the garage and finally confesses to Julia about his infidelity. Also, Bailey and Sarah both go crazy while babysitting Natalie after Annie goes away to a rehab clinic.
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Charlie sees a new path of his life beginning when he has to make a choice whether to sell the restaurant or buy out Joe who wants to sell the place. Bailey, having had his drivers license renewed and free of community service, seeks his own path in life to running the restaurant himself. Meanwhile, a visiting prep school student, named Jamie Burke, makes a play for Claudia, until she learns that his parents have had a long-term rivalry with her late parents. Julia goes to see a marriage counselor with Griffin where she reveals that she's thinking about going back to college and wants him to come with her. But Griffin openly tells Julia that he's against the idea, for he has nothing but contempt for school and education which makes Julia finally see the loser that Griffin really is.
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Charlie's "no 'enry 'iggins" in his stage debut in a charity musical show opposite Daphne, who's stung by Claudia's reckless comments about her relationship with Charlie. Meanwhile, Julia can't bear to see her marriage fail despite knowing Griffin's infidelity. But when her old boyfriend, Justin, arrives in town for a visit, his presence stirs up trouble for all of them. Then Griffin gets his leg sprained after deliberately getting into a bar fight. After Annie returns from the rehab clinic, she and Bailey begin to use Sarah as the middleman for their communication and arguments. Also, Jamie overwhelms Claudia with his desires.
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An overprotective Charlie, feeling uncomfortable about Daphne's line of work, follows her to a job at a bachelor party and saves her from a rude patron. But Daphne is angry at this intrusion into her life and tells Charlie that all she wants is a little space. Meanwhile, Bailey has deep misgivings about moving in with Annie when she gets an unexpected visit from her ex-husband, Jay, who's seeking to reconcile with her and daughter. Griffin's rare form of good luck pays off for him and Julia when he wins a free weekend trip to Los Angeles and brings her along where they try to find some happiness for themselves. Also, Jamie asks Claudia to attend his year-ending prom at his prep school.
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After Daphne learns that she is pregnant, the thought of motherhood has her in a state of panic for she tells Charlie that she isn't cut out to be a parent. Meanwhile, Bailey wants everything to Annie despite fears that he'll lose her to her ex-husband who has decided to stay in town. The reality of a separation from Griffin looms over Julie as she prepares to begin a new life of going back to college at Stanford. Also, Claudia goes with Jamie to his school prom, who forgets what date the dance actually was. After Annie and her daughter move out of the building to reconcile with her husband, Bailey turns to Sarah for comfort which quickly leads to a passionate moment for both of them.
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Daphne, now living with Charlie at the Salinger house, gets increasingly fed up with his constant nagging about her wild lifestyle. Meanwhile, Julia arrives at Stanford to go back to college and meets her wild and crazy dorm roommate, Maggie and her equally hormone crazed boyfriend Ned. Julia also meets Josh, another student and pizza delivery man that takes an interest in her, despite that she wants nothing to do with him. Kirsten helps Claudia pack her things as she prepares to go away to Phillips Prep School in Massachusetts. Also, Bailey and Sarah, now back together once again, decide to move out of the apartment building into a loft for themselves.
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Daphne has second thoughts as she struggles to make it on her own after moving out of Charlie's house and in with some loud, heavy metal band friends of hers. Meanwhile, Charlie looks for a job as a teacher at a local high school after consulting an attorney over custody of his unborn baby. At Stanford, Josh and Ned get into a row because of Julia when both of them fall for her. Troubles with her estranged parents separation force Sarah to grow up in a hurry. During the first week at Claudia's boarding school, she tries to avoid being seen as a teacher's pet by her classmates who are not as smart as her.
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Charlie delights in learning the sex of his unborn child, but Daphne has no interest in anything about the baby. Meanwhile, Julia seems incapable of interacting with Josh, especially after finding out that Griffin is trying to move on with his life without her when be moves into the Salinger house while looking for a new place to live. Sarah tries reconnecting with her birth mother, much to Bailey's chagrin. But after Sarah learns of her birth mother's sudden death in a car accident, she instead tries seeking out the woman's parents. In Massachusetts, Claudia takes little interest in rebelling at her school with her more outgoing classmates.
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Charlie and Kirsten are nothing but supportive of Daphne when her doctor orders her to bed rest for some time. Meanwhile, Julia hopes to avoid Ned at a Halloween party, but realizes that she can't get him out of her mind, while she continues to avoid Maggie. Bailey's old friend, Will, pays an unexpected visit to him and Sarah's loft and brings a lot of excess emotional baggage with him over running away from college, and a pregnant girlfriend named Hannah following him there. In Massacusetts, Claudia's former boyfriend, Jamie Burke, arrives at her school for a visit, but she wants to leave him in the past in order to fit in more with her new friends.
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Charlie struggles to remain strong for Daphne, whose complications with her pregnancy has landed her in the hospital and jeopardized her life and that of the baby. Meanwhile, Julia and Ned decide to tell Maggie about their blossoming relationship, but they are delayed by her announcement of her dead pet dog. Bailey helps Hannah make an important decision about her future with or without her baby, or Will in her life. In Massacusets, Claudia hits every imaginable delay while waiting to catch a plane back to San Francisco to be with Charlie in his time of need.
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While Charlie, Kirsten, Bailey, Julia and their friends take turns for a bedside vigil for Daphne who's still in the hospital, Claudia delays returning home to her boarding school to help Charlie around the house. Meanwhile, Maggie's anger overflows at both Ned and Julia after she learns from Griffin about their affair. Also, Sarah begins to have second thoughts about intimacy with Bailey over the pregnancies of Daphne and Hannah.
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Fearing that little Owen has been abducted grips Charlie to a point to panic, who lost the youngster at a mall on Thanksgiving Day. Meanwhile, Daphne tries to prepare the dinner for everybody... alone at the house. In Massachusetts, Claudia feels alone at not being able to travel back to San Francisco for Thanksgiving, and fears something's wrong due to Daphne's tone of voice over the phone. Bailey tries to ease Sarah's fears over missing Owen, while Griffin and Ned verbally square off against each other over Julia. Also, Kirsten and Paul have a minor argument over them staying with the Salingers for Thanksgiving.
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As a new father to Daphne's baby, Charlie is afforded little quality time with Owen, which brings out jealousy in the five-year-old. Meanwhile, a would-be-competitor has Bailey running scared with threats to open a trendy new eatery across the street from Salingers. So Bailey resorts to an all-out war to prevent the restaurant from opening near Salingers, much to Sarah's and the former restaurant owner, Joe's chagrin. Julia thinks that Ned is not all he says he is after catching him in a lie, and discovers that he's trying to prevent her from meeting his visiting parents and autistic older brother, Richie, all of whom make a good impression on Julia, but not to Ned. In Massacusetts, a homesick and lonely Claudia resorts to drastic measures at her school after a curfew is imposed.
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Kirsten steps in once again when Daphne seems unable to handle the tasks of motherhood in responding to the baby's constant crying fits and Charlie's demands. But Paul finally puts his foot down after Kirsten misses a few too many nights of them together to be with the Salingers. Meanwhile, Julia's efforts to get to know Ned's autistic brother, Richie, upsets not only Ned but Richie as well. Griffin flies to Boston to come to Claudia's rescue when the rest of her siblings won't. Also, Bailey goes on a wild spending spree after receiving a large tax refund check. But his generosity to Sarah makes her feel like a kept woman.
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The week before Christmas, Daphne's routine of quiet desperation is interrupted by an unannounced visit from her inattentive and obnoxious mother along with her boyfriend. Although Daphne is dubious, Charlie insists that the visitors stay. But Charlie has other things on his mind when he gets angry at Claudia and Griffin after he brings her home for the holidays and she refuses to go back to her school. Meanwhile, a dejected Owen stays with Bailey and Sarah which leads to an incident when Owen is suspected of stealing a baby doll from a nativity scene over his growing resentment over Daphne's baby. Also, Julia tries helping Ned with a term paper due before the holidays. But Julia later finds out that Ned only wants her around as company since he does not want to spend Christmas with his dysfunctional family.
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Daphne, upset with herself for ignoring baby Diana, pays a visit to a priest for answers when she sees her own sanity beginning to crack over her maternal responsibilities, while her puzzling behavior begins to worry Charlie. Meanwhile, Bailey tries to find common ground with Owen by taking him out on a camping trip which doesn't go well as all. Julia begins to see a new side of Ned when he begins acting moody and angry over his former girlfriend, Maggie, having a new boyfriend and starts taking it out on Julia. Also, Kirsten volunteers herself as a supervisor to the children's ward at Paul's hospital and becomes acquainted with a rambunctious, crippled boy.
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Charlie must cope with the fact that he's now alone and raising baby Diana on his own after Daphne leaves. Meanwhile, Sarah becomes traumatized after being attacked at knife point by a robber at the restaurant which requires her to seek therapy and Bailey feels helpless about the incident and takes out his frustration by investing in high-tech security systems. Julia moves back into the Salinger house to escape from Ned's sudden outbursts. But a sudden visit from Ned, who appears very apologetic, makes Julia wondering if she really knows him. Paul tells Kirsten about his idea of adopting a child for themselves. Also, Griffin and Claudia find a common musical connection with each other with her violin and his guitar which leads him to ask her to perform in a band his is forming with some friends.
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A courthouse confrontation between Sarah and her assailant spooks her, but it changes when decides not to testify much to Bailey's chagrin. Meanwhile, Julia decides to make up with Ned and tries to forget about his abuse. But Griffin gets bad vibes from Ned over Julia when he learns about Ned's short temper. Claudia decides to shed her naive image and walk on the wild side with some advice from Griffin's band mate Cody. Also, Charlie seems oblivious to his effect on women when three of them mistaken his kind gestures for advances. Paul's news to Kirsten about trying to adopt a baby lifts her spirits, but only temporarily when he backs out.
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The arrival of Julia's former boyfriend, Justin, fuels Ned's jealousy and anger during an anniversary party for Justin's parents. Despite Bailey's objections, Sarah insists on seeking a bond with her attacker, and soon regrets it when the man robs several apartments in the building. Meanwhile, Kirsten makes a major decision in her life on ending her marriage with Paul, and turning to Charlie for help. Also, jealousy prompts a creative performance from Claudia during her first gig with Griffin's band when a new lead singer, named Melanie, turns out to be an old girlfriend of Cody's.
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A recently rediscovered file on Daphne about her troubled childhood sends Charlie to Los Angeles to find her which arouses jealousy and fear in Kirsten. Meanwhile, Griffin gets no help at all from Bailey or Charlie who refuse to believe that Julia is being abused and controlled by Ned, especially when Julia convinces them that Griffin is the problem. So, Griffin takes matters into his own hands by beating up Ned and ends up in jail for it. Bailey considers a risky partnership concerning the restaurant with a sleazy entrepreneur who wants to open a chain of restaurants statewide, while at the same time Bailey tries to balance time to Owen's kindergarten basketball practice meets. Also, Claudia begins to have doubts about seeing Cody after their first date goes bad.
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Julia goes into therapy, with Ned in tow, after she vows to remain with him if he agrees to get help. But when the psychiatrist tries probing into the source of Ned's anger, he backs out while at the same time, he also manipulates Julia into moving with him into an apartment in order to keep his abuse a secret. Meanwhile, Owen's kindergarten teacher tells Bailey about a suspected learning disability Owen may have, which leads Bailey to consider raising Owen by himself. In Los Angeles, Charlie urges Daphne to return home with him to get psychiatric help to overcome damage done by Daphne's own neglectful mother. But Charlie discovers that he too could use some help in raising baby Diana as well as Owen and Claudia. Also, Kirsten moves out of the Salinger house after thinking that Charlie is still committed to Daphne, and Griffin prepares to do the same.
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All of the Salingers come to mean frustration that threatens to tear the family apart starting when Bailey and Charlie begin to verbally quarrel over custody of Owen since both brothers do not want to back down on trying to raise Owen by themselves. Meanwhile, Julia feels left out when Bailey and Charlie take out their frustration on her. But due to Claudia's suspicious, and after a meeting with Maggie, both Bailey and Charlie confront Julia on an alarming truth about Ned's abuse. For Sarah, family means something new about which she doesn't see eye to eye with her adoptive mother who has decided to get married again.
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With a little of Maggie's help, Griffin whisks Julia away to try to talk some sense into her about her relationship with the abusive Ned. Julia still won't listen to Griffin or anyone. But upon returning to San Francisco, Ned's words may later ring true for her. Meanwhile, Claudia feels pressured to take sides when Bailey tells her to support him in his custody battle for the dyslexic Owen, and Kirsten feels the same after a visit from Bailey. The events lead the family gathering under trouble circumstances at the hospital when Owen is admitted with a broken arm after falling off his new bicycle which only strengthens Bailey's determination to get custody of Owen.
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The Salingers become more anxious than ever to end the dispute between Charlie and Bailey over proper care for Owen. But Bailey remains a holdout when Charlie refuses to hand over Owen's guardianship to him which takes them to verbally fighting in a family court with everyone in their lives testifying for and against them. Meanwhile, Julia makes yet another telling observation about Ned when he begins stalking her after she moves out of his place. Also, both Kirsten and Griffin try to make a clean break from the Salingers and they accidentally lease an apartment that each other wants.
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A city-wide power failure traps Julia and Griffin alone in an elevator where feelings for each other resurface. At the same time, Charlie goes the hospital to help baby Diana where he has a chance meeting with Kirsten's husband Paul. The blackout increases tension between Bailey and his new restaurant manager, Lauren, over how to manage Salingers due to the blackout and Lauren's domineering management techniques. Meanwhile, Claudia frets about some of the boys at her 16th birthday party that Sarah throws for her at the loft while she also tries to calm Claudia down by explaining the pleasures and pain of life and love.
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Both Charlie and Julia express different thoughts on a second chance with their former mates, Kirsten and Griffin respectively, whereas Julia wants to keep her relationship with Griffin a secret, Charlie has conflicts about staring over with Kirsten. Meanwhile, Bailey senses unrest in Owen over living conditions at the loft, and may even have some within himself stemming from Lauren over feelings towards her. Charlie makes come confusing moves around Kirsten which takes a sudden turn when she tells him that she has been accepted into a college study program back east. Also, Claudia confides in her former violin coach, Ross, about her conflicting life problems, and Griffin eventually tells Julia he does not want to get back together with her in fear of failing again.
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Bailey rejects Lauren's resignation as restaurant manager and asks her to stay, while continuing to avoid her. Sarah takes a nervous Claudia for her first visit to a gynecologist. Afterwards, Claudia's band mate, Melanie, tries to reunite her with Cody at a concert where the band R.E.M. is performing. Meanwhile, Perry Marks, a visiting English professor and well noted alumna of Julia's writing class, critiques her work as well as comforts and quarrels with Julia about her own writing. While Bailey and Sarah move back into the Salinger house, Charlie sees a gift for himself in Bailey's compulsion for control when he decides to move out to be with Kirsten.
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Bailey asks Sarah to co-host a formal dinner party to promote the restaurant while she tries balancing her time with her human rights activist group planning to stage a campus protest on that day. Meanwhile, Perry and Julia exchange favors of going to social parties as well as helping each other with their literary work, which takes a sudden turn when an intimate moment happens between them. Claudia begins to avoid being alone with Cody fearing that he wants something more, which leads her to throwing a house party for her friends. Also, Charlie hesitates to stay with Kirsten when she gets a great job offer for a teaching position in Chicago.
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Charlie's romance and possible future with Kirsten is put in a dilemma when Daphne suddenly returns to town after the death of her mother and wants to see baby Diana. Meanwhile, Claudia adopts a new look to shed her good girl image to fit more in with Cody, much to Bailey's chagrin. Bailey is left by himself when Sarah goes away to write an introspective essay, but cannot get away from the stress and worry of her daily life. Julia, seeking to reevaluate her life, goes on a date with Josh, which gets disrupted when Julia lets a comment from Perry about her status quickly ending the evening. This leads Julia to learn from Perry about the pros and cons about being independent from others in one's life.
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Both Charlie and Bailey make plans to propose marriage to Kirsten and Sarah respectively. But with Kirsten still wary over Daphne's return, and Sarah coping with schoolwork and scholarship pressures, only Bailey finds the right time to propose, but when it comes to decision, only Kirsten says "yes." Time with baby Diana makes Daphne think about demanding custody her baby. Meanwhile, a final biochemical exam that's critical to her scholarship chances weight heavily on Julia, who rejects her visiting former boyfriend Justin's tempting offer of help because she's determined to succeed or fail on her own. Also, Claudia tries too hard to fit in with Cody's wild and crazy friends with partying and drinking, and gets a hard lesson in the difference between good and bad in the process.
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Charlie and Kirsten hit a snag involving the site for their coming wedding which throws planner (and control-freak) Bailey into overdrive. Sarah, who turned down Bailey's own marriage proposal, can't say anything without getting a snappish response from him. A modicum of support comes from Kirsten's visiting parents, with her mother playing the peacemaker as her father does little to mask his disapproval of the event knowing of the first fiasco marriage attempt years before. Meanwhile, Julia is offered a great opportunity to write a book by her academic editor Evan. Also, Claudia's relationship with Cody takes a turn when she finds him kissing someone else.
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Julia hits writers block while trying to meet a deadline for her book and none of her friends, nor her editor Evan, are willing or able to help her. Meanwhile, Claudia gets support from Alexia, a cheerleader classmate and leader of Grant's High School elite clique, in rejecting Cody who does not take rejection lightly. While on their honeymoon in Mexico, Kirsten and Charlie can't compete with their neighbors' passion in the suite next door when Kirsten gets food poisoning and Charlie gets sunburned. Back in San Francisco, Bailey balks at sharing his feelings with Sarah and instead tries to drown their subjects with sex. Also, Daphne is conflicted at leaving baby Diana for the first time at a day care center.
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Sarah meets a former friend of her birth mother who tells her that her natural birth father, whom was in fact briefly married to her mother, lives in New York City, which prompts the troubled Sarah to consider traveling to New York to find him, and leaving Bailey. Meanwhile, Claudia's new clique of friends is criticized on a on-line web page, and Claudia suspects the school's disgruntled star basketball player and Alexa's boyfriend, Cameron, is the culprit. At her editor Evan's advice, Julia looks for her present place now in her late parents past as part of a chapter in her work. Daphne reveals that she got fired and asks Kirsten to give her a job at the family clinic, while she also hires a babysitter, named Victor, to watch baby Diana. Charlie deals with Myra, a rebellious girl in the wood shop class he teaches.
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Bailey is reunited with his old friend, Will McCorkle, and accompanies him on Will's job assignment as a chauffeur of a pro wrestler which turns into a comedy of epic proportions when the wrestler forces the guys to drive to his estranged wife's house. Meanwhile, Julia hears rumors about her and Evan being romantically involved as a result of their spending time together. But during a Halloween costume party, Julia thinks that her feelings for Evan run deeper than she thought especially when she sees her friend, Isabella, trying to get chummy with him. Charlie and Kirsten visit a fertility doctor to see if there is still a chance for her to get pregnant which brings up more worry and complications. Also, Victor, Owen, and Griffin decorate the Salinger house for a Halloween party which gets too much for them to handle. Claudia sees that Cameron has feelings for her when he tells her about his decision to break up with Alexia.
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Cameron's covert kisses confuse Claudia who thinks that getting involved with him may not be right while she deals with a clueless Alexia. Meanwhile, Evan becomes more mindful of Julia who tries to set some ground rules to their newfound romance. The fertility changes dictates life for both Charlie and Kirsten when she has to take fertility injections with her lithium, and he has to take a second job to pay for the medical costs. Griffin and Will accompany Bailey on a 3,000-mile drive to New York in an old truck to drop off some of Sarah's belongings. When the guys truck breaks down in a small town, Bailey reveals his obsession to get to New York and bring Sarah back with him. Also, Charlie pairs Myra with Claudia for a studying time despite the fact that they both can't stand each other. But when Myra discovers Claudia's secret involvement with Cameron, it gives Myra some leverage against Claudia who uses this info to intimidate Claudia to talk to Charlie to back off his discipline of her.
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Myra turns to Charlie instead of her oblivious mother for help in her troubled, neglected home life. After Myra gets arrested for being drunk and disorderly, Charlie intervenes by reporting her to Social Services and the angry Myra decides to seek revenge. Kirsten begins seeing another fertility doctor to get pregnant. Meanwhile, Julia wants to introduce a reluctant Evan to the rest of the family as her new boyfriend. Bailey, feeling that he has lost Sarah for good, meets a sexually aggressive, fun-loving woman, named Tracy, in a bar while he fights his sudden urge to drink again, only to learn later that Tracy is married. After breaking up with Cameron, Claudia attracts a new admirer, a guy named Derek whom is in her in her photography class though Alexia, and soon gets in over her head after she defends herself against a sexual assault by the guy during a party. Also, Griffin runs into Daphne who's working at a strip club, and Will asks Bailey for him to move in at the Salinger house after his parents throw him out.
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After Myra's mother accuses Charlie of abusing her daughter, he is given the offer to resign from the school, quietly. Charlie decides to quit, but an encouragement from Kirsten convinces him to make a stand. Meanwhile, Julia meets Evan's angry and rebellious teenage son, Brian, while at the same time, she also encourages Claudia to report Derek after she confides in her about the incident. Bailey ponders a future with the married Tracy, while Joe, Victor, and Will help plan a Thanksgiving dinner at the house. Also, Griffin and Daphne have a lot to be thankful for when they discover their own primal passions for each other.
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Julia reacts to Evan's lack of reaction when he hears about Brian's kiss with her. Meanwhile, Claudia has a little too much tequila to drink at Grant High's Homecoming dance and it makes her give the slip about Derek and her contempt for the clique. Bailey believes it's fate when a attractive British immigrant and struggling medical intern, named Holly, rings his doorbell by accident and he becomes stricken with her almost immediately. Charlie thinks about his future as he prepares to celebrate his 30th birthday. Also, Daphne and Griffin have an auto accident when he teaches her how to ride his motorcycle and everyone must come together for them after they both land in the hospital, especially Griffin who has the most injuries.
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Charlie and Kirsten cut corners in cutting back electricity, heating and other utilities while seeking more fertility drugs as they and the rest of the family pitches in to help pay for Griffin's hospital costs from the motorcycle accident. But things get only worse when a tip leads them to a shady man who claims to have cheap drugs for them to buy. Meanwhile, Bailey doesn't waste another chance with to be with Holly by setting up a picnic in the 49ers stadium which leads to a heated meeting. Seeking to relived her childhood days, Claudia enters a violin competition with her former violin coach Ross tutoring her, but soon has a inner conflict about playing again after a long hiatus. When Griffin learns from Daphne that the Salingers are paying for his medical costs, he angrily leaves the hospital and states to Julia that he does not want to be a burden on the family due to his pride and self-reliance.
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On New Years Eve, Holly takes Bailey to a family wedding where Bailey's fears and uncertainty about commitment reveal themselves. Meanwhile Griffin and Julia track down her elusive new editor which leads to a party where Julia learns from her editor that her book may not get published due to another story similar to hers. A promotion at the factory holds little advantage for Charlie after his boss, Gus, tells him about his reluctance to use his ideas for a new furniture line. Claudia and the rest of the Salingers come together when they must decide what to do about their bulldog Thurber who gets sick and the suggestion is that he be put to sleep. Also, Daphne shows off her new boyfriend Luke, a army reservist from her home town in Texas, to Charlie and Kirsten during a dinner out.
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Julia accompanies Claudia on a trip to Yale University for a college tour and to visit Justin Thompson where they meet his new girlfriend Laura. At the same time, Claudia becomes acquainted with a fellow student, named Carl, assigned to show her around the campus. Back in San Francisco, Victor steps in when Owen comes home every day claiming to be bullied at school. Meanwhile, Bailey questions himself on how casual he wants to be with Holly when they spend almost every day together which changes when she tells that its all too much for her. Also, Charlie becomes wary about Daphne's boyfriend, Luke, in handling baby Diana, but learns that his parenting is not all perfect either since he has to make a deadline with his new furniture designs and be with Kirsten for a surgery.
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Julia becomes intrigued by a writer in her writing class with no apparent block. Julia then discovers that the writer, Adam, is a lonely troubled person who pretends being a student at Stanford and uses writing to channel his personal feelings. Meanwhile, Owen's friend's father make disparaging remarks about Victor since he happens to be gay. While dating and sleeping with a number of different women in an attempt to purge his pain after breaking up with Holly, Bailey betrays Will's trust when he sleeps with Will's new girlfriend's sister. Charlie gives Daphne a job at the furniture factory as the consultant while Kirsten has her own hands full with her busy schedule. Also, Claudia reconnects with another musician, named Todd, who inspires her to go with her instincts when it comes to music.
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Bailey has a full plate to deal when he starts drinking again and then discovers money missing from the restaurant and learns that Joe is responsible. Meanwhile, Charlie and his foreman, Gun, clash on cost cutting for the new furniture line. After some incidents with the workers, Gus decides to let Charlie run the business all by himself. Bailey's love life takes yet another turn when he meets a young woman, named Evvie, at an AA meeting who asks him to be her sponsor. Adam takes Julia out for a time on the town where she curbs his romantic ideas for her in which he suspects that she doesn't like him. Also, Daphne announces that she and her Army boyfriend, Luke, have decided to move back to Texas and she wants to take baby Diana with her in order to take her off Charlie and Kirsten's full hands.
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Justin Thompson arrives in San Francisco for his engagement party where Julia tries to remain supportive of his coming marriage to Laura. But when Adam notes to Julia that Justin and Laura lack a link between them, Julia tries to tell Justin not to get married which alienates him and Laura. Meanwhile, Daphne objects to Charlie's control over her and baby Diana. But when Charlie realizes that he doesn't want to fight another ugly court battle and let Daphne be unhappy, he eventually tells her that she can leave town with their daughter and Luke. Also, Bailey tells Evvie that they should start living up their lives by going to a party and drinking, where as Bailey drinks in moderation Evvie ends up collapsing from alcohol poisoning and is rushed to the hospital. With his AA sponsor and members against him, rejected by both Evvie and Holly, feeling abandoned by Sarah, and that everyone is against him, Bailey gets drunk and takes his jeep out with the intent to crash it and kill himself.
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After a drunken Bailey crashes his jeep into a stoplight post, he blacks out and has a vision of an alternate reality of what life what life would be like if his parents never died. In this world, set during a weekend of planning Nick and Diana's 31st anniversary party, all of the siblings are unsettled with their parents whom they cannot stand up to. Claudia is a somewhat uptight, mature-for-her-age, traveling violinist where she tells her mentor/manager Ross her thoughts about quitting touring. Bailey is an immature, irresponsible, bleached-blond, hard-drinking punk who works as a roadie for a heavy metal punk band and living with an equally outgoing Will who's uncertain about a path in his life after dropping out of college. Charlie is a clean-cut, shaved, outgoing womanizer who works as an architect for a large San Francisco company, and has a crisis when one of his many girlfriends, Felice, reveals that she's pregnant. When Charlie and Felice travel to the local clinic for Felice to get an abortion, the attending physician happens to be a single, sad but wise, Kirsten. Julia is a naive, long-haired young woman whom is engaged to Justin which takes a turn when she meets Griffin for the first time who works as an auto mechanic a local garage, and she learns why the wrong man is always irresistible.
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After spending a few weeks in rehab, Bailey doesn't feel as good as he looks to others and is beside himself over his life troubles. Meanwhile, Claudia and Todd accompany Julia and Adam on a drive to Las Vegas when Justin decides to elope with Laura where Julia must decided on where she stands with Adam while the troubled Todd doesn't know how to make his move on Claudia. Tensions between Charlie and Joe over managing the restaurant come to a head when Charlie states that he does not trust Joe because of the embezzlement incident. Also, an unusually moody Kirsten thinks she's going through withdrawal since she quit taking her anti-depressant pills, only to get an even bigger surprise that will change her life and Charlie's.
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Unable to find his calling, Bailey becomes reacquainted with Holly where he attempts to help her older, pie-in-the-sky sister, Fiona, find her calling as a costume designer. Meanwhile, Claudia gets the violin position Todd coveted in which leads to some hostility and competition for both of them. An order for a hotel chain may be more than Charlie can handle due to his lack of funds and manpower to build the chairs, while Kirsten deals with morning sickness during her first trimester of her pregnancy. Also, Julia seeks to cure her writers block with frequent sex with Adam as their relationship heats up, which unwittingly creates a writers block for him.
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Charlie looks into buying the furniture factory when Gus decides to sell it to a major corporation. But Charlie learns more about owning it when he must come up with some collateral for a bank to give him a loan. Meanwhile, Bailey's lack of education and no college degree sets him back on his un-chosen career, until he learns more about a college business education while accompanying Holly on her pre-med lectures. Julia begins to resent Adam when he challenges criticism from his writing instructor in which he responds frustrated at himself and everything and leaves town. Also, Claudia discovers that Victor is hiding a secret about his past involving his former one-time girlfriend while she deals with Todd going away to New York for a violin concert.
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Just as Bailey begins taking business college classes, Holly's student visa is revoked which means that she must return to England. After considering every option, Bailey then asks Will to pretend to be married to Holly in order for her to get her green card. Meanwhile, a discontented Daphne returns to town with baby Diana and reveals to Charlie and Kirsten about her difficulties and doubts about Luke which Kirsten sees that is parallels her own life with Charlie over his busy hours at the furniture factory. Despite Griffin's objections, Julia confronts her former boyfriend, Ned, after spotting him in town which leads Julia to re-examine her own troubled life. Also, Victor rejects Claudia's matchmaking for him and Ross.
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Will panics after a meeting with an INS agent asking about the authenticity of his and Holly's "marriage," while Bailey grows with discomfort after Will and Holly pretend to act intimate in public. Meanwhile, Adam arrives back in San Francisco and asks Julia to join him and his artist friends living at a camp in Mexico. Kirsten frets about her pregnancy and fear of losing her baby by miscarriage. Claudia lets the "love" word slip to Todd after telling him about a romantic dream about him. Also, a foreman named Mitch opposes Charlie's assembly-line plan when production gets slowed down due to shortage of labor.
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Claudia is tempted by an academic shortcut of plagiarizing a term paper while trying to balance her time between school and seeing Todd. Meanwhile, Will's discomfort grows after he moves in with Holly to continue his and Bailey's charade of Will's marriage to her. Justin arrives back in town after having left his wife with ironic timing for Julia who is giving an interview to Phoebe, a young writer researching Julia's life story. Also, Kirsten goes out on the town with Daphne's and her former free-spirited friends who inspire Kirsten not to be afraid to be spontaneous and take a chance in her life.
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Charlie and Bailey decide to increase production of the furniture assembly line sales when a big client offers a generous fee. But Charlie is forced to cut production after the foreman, Mitch, has an accident when he is hospitalized for a heart condition. Meanwhile, Holly gets wind of Will's feelings and growing attraction to her which leads her to think that Bailey's marriage plan was not a good idea after all. So, Holly leaves town to go back to England and Will tells Bailey that he has decided to return to college back east. A women's magazine offers Julia a column to write and a possible job opportunity while she rekindles her romance with Justin. Also, Claudia contemplates consummating her growing romance with Todd, and after a romantic dinner at his house, two of them finally have sex.
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Bailey considers moving to Philadelphia to go back to college following Joe's advice, but has some complications when Owen does not want to go with him and Charlie tells Bailey about keeping their parental responsibilities. Meanwhile, Julia ponders a choice to moving to Washington D.C. for a magazine internship job and being away from Justin and the rest of the family. Claudia ponders going to Julliard Academy of Music in New York or staying near Todd in San Francisco, where Ross persuades Claudia to take the scholarship and not pass up an opportunity like this. Also, Daphne confides in Charlie about her problems with Luke who wants a job in Texas and leaves no time for her to be with little Diana.
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During a family dinner at the restaurant, Bailey, Julia and Claudia all announce their plans to leave town to start over, it starts a wave of tension and arguments over ones priorities. But later, Charlie has a surprising revelation of his own when he tells them that he has decided to sell the house and split the money between them to peruse their own dreams. After thinking about it, the rest of siblings agree and decide to move on and let go of their past for good. Griffin also decides that it's time for him to move out of the Salinger garage and into a place of his own. With everyone leaving town, Charlie makes Luke the new partner in his furniture factory to give him support and to Daphne and little Diana while Charlie and Kirsten, expecting their first child, move into a new house with Owen to start anew and set the next stage for their new lives together.
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