Stand-up comedian and actress, Wanda Sykes stars as Wanda Hawkins, a struggling comic living in Washington DC, who manages to land a job as an on-air news reporter at a local news station. In the series premiere, Wanda, through flashbacks, relates how she was hired and subsequently fired from her job when her liberal views clash with the conservative news anchors.

Wanda becomes enamored with her flirtatious interview subject Jonathan Lyles, the director of public relations at the Board of Health. Unfortunately, after she begins dating Jonathan, Wanda finds out that her crew has captured footage of major health violations - in the cafeteria at the Board of Health. She must decide whether to produce a great exposé, embarrassing Jonathan, or suppress the evidence in order to preserve her relationship. Meanwhile, when Wanda's nephew, Barris gets into trouble at school for cursing like Wanda, Jenny forces Wanda to accompany her and Barris to a conference with his teacher.

When Jenny, Barris, and Holly determine to throw Wanda a surprise birthday party despite Keith's warnings, he hides Wanda's keys to detain her, but then she thinks she's been robbed.

Wanda is glad when Bradley's longtime best friend, Laven asks her on a date, not because she's particularly attracted to him, but because dating Laven would annoy Bradley. When Wanda and Laven persuade a very reluctant Bradley to visit a strip club with them, Bradley is mortified to be recognized and photographed. With Bradley's job as a respected newscaster in peril, Wanda realizes it's time to change her tactics.

Wanda debates the leader of an animal-rights organization.