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

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.

In the wake of Emilio's deportation, Jackie steps into the role of a paternal figure and creates a meticulous birth plan for Becky; but as the Conners know, nothing ever goes according to plan. Meanwhile, Darlene is tangled in a complex love triangle with David and Ben, and - like her mother - Harris is caught up in a problem of her own.

Harris is forced to confront Darlene about her lifestyle, while Jackie involves herself in other people's problems to avoid confronting her own. Meanwhile, Becky is overwhelmed by the costs of raising a baby, so her family steps in to help.

Bev is back from Arizona and has come to the realization that she'd like to use her finances to spread happiness. She has decided to fund Mark's tuition to a prestigious coding camp, while Darlene tries to convince her to give the money to Harris instead. Dan realizes how much he misses Louise, and Becky persuades him to visit her on tour.

Dan and Louise take their relationship to the next level and come to appreciate the complexities of aging. Meanwhile, Darlene spends the night in jail and hands off parenting duties to Ben. Mark and a friend work on a class experiment that leaves them both with hickeys, and Becky contemplates marrying Emilio.

Chuck's new purchase of a boat creates a rift between Dan and his long-time friend. Meanwhile, Darlene hires her first assistant at Wellman's Plastics but soon realizes she is anything but helpful, leading Darlene to question her decision.

When Becky inadvertently outs her relationship with Professor Davis, he’s forced to reevaluate his career, but his erratic behavior sends Becky down a path to reevaluate their relationship. Meanwhile, Dan and Darlene check in on Chuck, only to learn heartbreaking news about his family.