Florida is in a bad mood and does not explain why. Everyone comes up with different reasons as to what is wrong. She goes to a woman's support group because she wants more than just taking care of the house and family.
J.J. is turning 18 and Florida and James decide to give him some new art supplies as well as a fancy new case. Unfortunately, James is denied credit due to the fact that he was late on a few payments over the years and as a result they have to give J.J. a much cheaper present. Later that night after a small gathering in the Evans' apartment, J.J. gets arrested for allegedly holding up a liquor store. Now the family begin to worry that J.J.'s 18th birthday will wind up with him doing time in prison.
After hearing about J.J. getting arrested, the Evanses and Willona head for the police station to learn what happened and, hopefully, post bail. Unfortunately, they can't afford the bail and even consider accepting money from a loan shark. Meanwhile, in his cell, J.J. has a confrontation with a meaner, much larger guy, with very funny results.
Michael is selected to be bussed to a school in a more affluent and predominantly white section of Chicago. However, he is against it due to his strong views. James does convince him, in his own way, to get on the bus. However, Michael is nervous that he won't fit in and Florida is afraid that her youngest child might be a target of violence due to the color of his skin.
Michael has trouble deciding who to write his essay for school on. He ultimately chooses James who is in a less than festive mood after another unsuccessful job interview.
JJ is forced into joining the Satan's Knights street gang. However, he is a less than active member, especially when it comes to getting involved in the gang's ongoing turf war with the Warlords. When he is threatened with physical harm if he doesn't participate in the next rumble, he must find a way to get Florida and James out of the house before the gang's leader, Mad Dog, comes and physically removes him from the house.
After getting shot by Mad Dog while trying to save James, JJ comes home and makes like he was critically injured even though it was just a flesh wound. However, on a more serious note, James threatens physical violence on Mad Dog for shooting his oldest son. However, after a court hearing, James has second thoughts on what he wants to do, especially after seeing an incident between Mad Dog and his mother.
Florida decides to play matchmaker for her friend and neighbor, Willona. Willona talks of being lonely, so when Florida, James, and Willona attend a wedding, Florida arranges her to go with a date.
James comes across a bag containing a claimed $27,000 in stolen money and turns it into the police. The Evanses are quickly hassled by ghetto neighbors, strangers and people they thought were their friends about James' good deed. However that's nothing compared to Florida's reaction when James reveals that the bag actually contained $29,000, and that he kept $2,000 to help his family get out of the slums once and for all.
James & Florida's niece comes to visit and seems to always be happy. Soon they notice the liquor in the house is disappearing. Thelma does not know how to tell her parents that her cousin is an alcoholic.
Florida is excited about a possible job, then disappointed when she does not get it. James takes Florida with him to a job interview at a department store, but he is then disappointed when the store wants to hire Florida instead of him.
Florida is excited about returning to school for her high school equivalency degree, but James thinks she is busy enough with work and family. He also worries about her having more education than him.
One of the Evanses sexiest neighbors wants JJ to paint a very special picture of her to give to her husband for her birthday. However, Flo puts her foot down when she learns that the woman wants to be painted in the nude. The woman then suggests that instead of a nude that she would be glad to pose in her bathing suit. However, things really get complicated when the woman's husband thinks that she and JJ are having an affair. Now JJ must keep from getting his face pounded before he gets paid for his first commissioned portrait.
When James is rejected for a loan to open a repair shop, he sets up shop in the apartment ... well-aware of a clause in his lease prohibiting the operation of commercial activities inside rental units. Can the Evans family keep the business a secret from Bookman, the scheming building superintendent, knowing he might make the new venture very difficult for James if he finds out?
J.J.'s new, well-to-do girlfriend Clarissa invites him to a débutante ball, and he is excited as he makes the plans. But Clarissa's parents object to her choice of escort.
After JJ has dating Henrietta for while, the family wants to meet her. Florida invites her to dinner, and everyone is surprised when she walks in and is obviously pregnant.
James gets word that he is about to be "temporarily" laid off leaving JJ the only bread winner in the Evans household. Unfortunately, he finds out that the theater where he has been working is about to be shut down. He then takes drastic measures and decides to enlist in the army. However, James Sr. finds out that the rumors of his layoff were false and now must hurry to the induction center before JJ becomes Uncle Sam's latest recruit.
An upscale boarding school in Michigan offers Thelma a scholarship to attend their school. She is excited until she learns they only want her because she is black, regardless of her grades and needs.
