A sudden turn of events forces the Conners to face the daily struggles of life in Lanford in a way they never have before.

Darlene is in for one surprise after another when David introduces his girlfriend, Blue, at a parent-teacher conference and mentions that Mark and Harris will be spending the weekend with them. Dan hires Becky to help out at work, but they both come to learn that she might need more help than he can offer.

It's Halloween, the favorite time of year for the Conners, but an email from the school banning certain costumes, including Mark's, sets off an argument between Dan and Darlene. Jackie introduces someone new to the family at the Halloween party and insists that Dan vet him, only to immediately wish that she hadn't.

When Geena learns that D.J. hasn’t been taking Mary to church, she insists they go as a family. Mark’s attempt to conduct an unbiased survey on the upcoming election for his school project goes south when Jackie volunteers to help.

Life-changing news lands in the Conner household when a member of the family makes an announcement that no one saw coming. Meanwhile, Dan is suspicious that Becky isn't sticking to her end of the deal when it comes to her drinking. Darlene continues her job search, and Jackie offers English lessons to a Casa Bonita busboy in need.