Jake sabotages Jill's date with Todd, aka "The Beast," because he suspects Todd might take advantage of her. Jill retaliates by making Jake appear to be a harmless lunatic to sabotage his date with old flame Lori Palmer.
Jake bonds with the children after coming home for Isaac's funeral but will leave soon to resume his career as a stuntman. When Kateri reveals Jake's secret at dinner, he decides to stay with the family even at the expense of his career.
Jake has 24 hours to find a job and convince a social worker that he is mature enough to be a foster parent. The kids pitch in to help, and Kateri connects him with Fred Lomax who hires Jake to work on The Mean, Lean Streets of New York.
Jake decides to go back to college but must first pass the SAT. The kids help him overcome test anxiety by putting his competitive nature against himself on the actual test. Meanwhile the twins' pet rat, Lawrence, escapes in the house.
Connie is feeling sad about Isaac's death, so Jake and the kids plan a special dinner to cheer her up. The affair backfires when she is overwhelmed with emotion, and Jake learns that she must grieve in her own way.
Jake renews a childhood battle with neighbor Mrs. Fong when he loses a stickball in her backyard. Chaos ensues as Jake concocts a plan to steal the ball back and the kids attempt to conceal his antics from social worker Meg Morgan.
When PTA president Connie gets Frederick Douglass High to adopt school uniforms, Jill refuses to wear one. Connie respects this choice, but the principal threatens to kick her off the PTA board, forcing Jill to devise a compromise.
Jake and Gary volunteer to lead a Cougar Scout troop and wind up butting heads. Gary ultimately realizes he's using the scouts as one more excuse to hang around the family and build a life of his own.
Lou's father shows up after a four-year absence and wants to take him back to Texas. Although he sees that his father is more responsible than before, Lou chooses not to go, realizing that his foster family is his real family now.
Jake has arranged to be home alone so he can listen to opera, but the family returns--along with Meg Morgan and a dotty teacher of Lou's. Hilarity ensues when everyone thinks that Jake and Meg are having a torrid affair.
When Jake is cast as a crime boss on The Mean, Lean Streets of New York, his ego gets out of control. This leads producers to quickly kill the character. Connie helps Jake appreciate the breaks he's had and not be discouraged by setbacks.
