The six members of the Keaton family still live under one roof. It is a tight fit but they make the best of it. Though they are family each of them has a unique personality. Dad Steven (played by Michael Gross) is the station manager at the local PBS affiliate and is a bit of a goof, mom Elyse (played by Meredith Baxter) is an architect and loving mother, Alex (played by Michael J Fox) is the eldest and obsessed with money, Mallory (played by Justine Bateman) is a bit of airhead and a shopaholic, Jennifer (played by Tina Yothers) is the spunky one, and the youngest is Andy (played by Brian Bonsall) who is very adoring of his older brother. No matter how much they disagree, get caught up in misadventures or fight the bottom line is they all agree that love and family is what is most important…ok, second to money for Alex.
Episode 1: Last of the Red Hot Psychologists, Part 1+2: Alex signs up to participate in a psychology student’s study about overachievers. At first all Alex and Laurent (played by Courtney Cox) do is fight and then it changes into something completely different.
Episode 2: Dear Mallory: Mallory becomes the advice columnist at the local paper. She gets a little carried away and it soon begins to take over her life and the Keaton house.
Episode 3: The Other Woman: Alex is spending a lot of time with Lauren and Andy is not happy. Even when Alex and Lauren make an effort to include Andy in what they do it doesn’t seem to make a difference.
Episode 4: Dream Date: Jennifer goes to the sophomore dance with a geeky admirer. She only agrees to go with him so she can spend time with a popular guy she likes.
Episode 5: Super Mom: Elyse work begins to get in the way of her being the mom she wants to be. She finds it difficult balancing her home and work life.
Episode 6: Walking on Air: Mallory is not happy when Steven insists that she takes on an internship at his television station. Alex, Andy, Elyse and Jennifer try to win $5,000 in a cereal contest.
Episode 7: Invasion of the Psychologist Snatcher: Alex is not feeling very confident when Lauren’s handsome and successful ex-boyfriend (played by Campbell Scott) comes for a visit.
Episode 8: The Way We Were: Elyse’s favourite aunt, Rosemary (played by Barbara Barrie), comes for a visit. The happiness turns to worry when it becomes obvious that she is suffering from the beginnings of Alzheimer’s.
Episode 9: Mister Sister: Nick (played by Scott Valentine) is hired as the janitor at Mallory’s sorority. It upsets Mallory when he becomes too involved in the sisterhood.
Episode 10: Citizen Keaton: Mallory decides to run for student body president. Alex comes on board as her campaign manager.
Episode 11: Father Time, Part 1: Steven’s brother Bob (played by Norman Parker), who is recently divorced, comes for a visit with his two kids, Marilyn (played by Tammy Lauren) and Jonathan (played by Blake Soper).
Episode 12: Father Time, Part 2: Bob is having trouble with Marilyn as she is rebelling against her father, who she blames for the divorce.
Episode 13: The American Family, Parts 1+2: Lauren decides to interview the Keaton for her paper on a typical American family. It turns into an evening of reminiscing.
Episode 14: Anniversary Waltz: Steven and Elyse are fighting continuously about how to celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary.
Episode 15: Miracle in Columbus: Alex gets a job being Santa at the mall. After a visit by a young girl who does not believe in Santa, Alex gets a visit from the one person who can change his and her minds.
Episode 16: The Play’s the Thing: The Community Playhouse decides to put on a play that Steven wrote in the 60s. Every time he gets involved in the play Steven gets a little crazy and jealous.
Episode 17: The Spirit of Columbus: Nick finally sells a piece of his artwork. Alex sees this as an opportunity to make a lot of money and convinces Nick to become a commercial artist.
Episode 18: The Blues Brother: Alex is working as a DJ for his college radio station. Through this job he meets blues musician Eddie Dupre (played by Brownie McGee), a musician he thought was dead.
Episode 19: Read It and Weep, Part 1: Going against her high school’s rules, Jennifer decides to do her book report on a banned book.
Episode 20: Read It and Weep, Part 2: After Jennifer is punished due to her defiance of the rules it escalates into a legal issue.
Episode 21: Quittin’ Time: Lauren is overwhelmed by her thesis and decides to quit school. With all her free time she decides to focus on Alex.
Episode 22: Spring Reminds Me: The mother of Mallory’s best friend in childhood comes back to town for a visit. She is still upset over the fact that her daughter committed suicide.
Episode 23: The Boy Next Door: A high school nerd and friend of Elyse’s is now a very successful millionaire. He wants to recapture their youth at their high school reunion.
Episode 24: A Sign of the Times: Andy is selected to be a “Buddy for the Day”. The new student he is assigned to is deaf and some of the other kids make fun of him which upsets Andy.
Episode 25: Return of the Native: A Keaton cousin is back from her three year trip to England. She wants to tell them of her travel stories but keeps on getting interrupted by the Keatons with stories about themselves.
Episode 26: Father, Can You Spare a Dime: Nick needs $5,000 to keep going an art class for kids he has been teaching. To get the money he has to ask his estranged father (played by Dan Hedaya) for a loan.
