Faticando a trovare il suo posto nel mondo, Dean decide di seguire la sua vocazione da "Grande Unificatore" e cerca di organizzare la prima partita di baseball multietnica tra la sua squadra e la squadra del suo amico Brad.

Mentre Dean fa i conti con la sua prima delusione d'amore e il suo primo tradimento, gli adulti che lo circondano sono troppo empatici e credono che il suo dolore derivi dagli ultimi, tristi avvicendamenti.

Quando Dean si imbatte nella letteratura erotica e condivide l'esperienza con gli amici di scuola, Bill e Lillian devono imbattersi in un territorio inesplorato come genitori.

Dean va alle prove della band con Bill, ma quello che succede tra gli adulti nello studio musicale spinge Lillian ad andare a riprendere Dean; Dean scopre ciò che fa sua madre mentre lui è a scuola tutto il giorno.

Dean si rifiuta di partecipare al ritiro annuale con la chiesa, fino a quando Kim non gli rivela che è proprio lì che lei ha ricevuto il suo primo bacio; Dean chiede quindi aiuto ai suoi amici per far coppia con Keisa.

Quando Coach Long e Bill portano i ragazzi in campeggio secondo il programma del nuovo gruppo scout, i loro approcci completamente diversi agli spazi esterni dimostrano a Dean che suo padre non è proprio bravo in tutto.

Bill trova una soluzione per l'auto dei sogni di Kim, ma va bene solo per lui; Dean teme di sembrare patetico quando Clisby si ritrova ad accompagnare lui e i suoi amici.

Dopo aver visto Dean bullizzato da Michael, Lillian affronta i suoi genitori; Lillian aiuta Michael con il suo progetto di scienze.

Dean non vede l'ora di trascorrere il Natale con suo fratello maggiore, Bruce, di ritorno dal Vietnam. Bruce fatica a riabituarsi alla routine di Montgomery. Il resto della famiglia Williams si affida alle consuete tradizioni di Natale per portare armonia.

Bill e Lillian si uniscono al club dell'alta società Lads & Ladies per far conoscere a Kim e Dean gente che ha influenze positive nella comunità; Bill, Kim e Dean si ambientano subito, ma le cose cambiano quando Lillian viene trattata in modo diverso in quanto mamma lavoratrice.

Brad lavora sulla sua ansia mentre prepara il discorso per il suo bar mitzvah; Dean chiude la sua amicizia con Keisa quando Charlene gli dice che non può essere amico con altre ragazze.

Mentre Dean perde il suo posto come primo sassofono nella band della scuola, Bill lo spinge a riottenerlo.

Il piano di Dean di invitare Keisa al Ballo di San Valentino fallisce quando un altro ragazzo si propone prima di lui; Bill e Lillian consigliano a Kim di iscriversi al programma "Sorella Maggiore-Sorella Minore", attività extracurriculare utile per entrare al college.

The family spends spring break with Lillian's parents in the countryside, and Dean lies to his cousins about city life in Montgomery to impress them. Meanwhile, Lillian helps to settle a land dispute between her parents and their neighbors to impress her difficult-to-please mother.

When their teacher goes on maternity leave, Dean, Cory and Keisa are excited to be taught by Mr. Brady, the school’s first Black teacher. Mr. Brady encourages the students to try out for the Knowledge Bowl team where Dean faces some unexpected challenges

When Dean learns that Corey’s dad, Coach Long, is in the doghouse, he struggles to keep this secret from his friend.

Kim is excited to start her new job as a waitress at the local diner, which Dean adopts as his local hangout. When Kim experiences drama with her friends, she finds unlikely allies in a tough coworker and her younger brother.

When Dean comes down with the chicken pox on his way to a hunting trip with Bill and Grandaddy Clisby, Lillian forces the three of them to quarantine together. Clisby pushes homemade remedies on them out of his mistrust of doctors, but he’s forced to reckon with this when Dean’s condition worsens.

Bruce returns home from Vietnam, and the family is shocked to find out he is dating an older woman with an 8-year-old son with whom he is eager to start his life. When they learn more about Bruce’s latest deployment, they begin to understand his survivors’ guilt and come together to support him.

Bill is excited to have made tenure at the university, only to find that his focus on career and family has cost him his spot in his band; Bruce adjusts to living at home.

Dean tries to impress Keisa's cool new boyfriend by inviting him and his friends to a party Kim is throwing while Bill and Lillian are away for the night; things get out of hand just as Bill and Lillian arrive home.

It's the end of the school year, and summer excitement is all around; Bill and Lillian each receive major career opportunities; Dean and Keisa take shelter together as a tornado tears through.

It’s the summer of 1969, and Dean and Bill are experiencing new walks of life in New York City where Dean has tagged along for Bill’s career-making songwriting gig. Back in Montgomery, Lilian’s infamous sister, Jackie, pays a memorable visit.

Torn between his secret relationship with Keisa and his friendship with Broderick, Dean turns to Jackie for advice. Meanwhile, after her latest run-in with the law, Jackie decides to turn over a new leaf.

As Kim decides to take classes at Bill's college and date one of his star students, Bill must walk the line between teacher and dad; Dean and his friends join the football team where Dean finds himself in a tricky situation.

Bill and Lillian consider moving into the first integrated neighborhood in Montgomery; Dean develops a crush on Brad's mom during a sleepover at their house.

When Lillian joins the church choir, she discovers a new side to her mother-in-law; Kim encourages a guilt-ridden Dean to have an encounter with the supernatural.

After Bill befriends Dean's music teacher, Bill and Lillian attend a party at his house and the evening takes an unexpected turn. Meanwhile, with their parents away, Dean, Bruce and Kim make their own plans for the night.

In search of a new hobby, Dean joins the drama club - only to find himself mixed up in drama of his own. Bill and Kim grapple with Bruce's choice to campaign for a local politician.

After Lillian's boss announces budget cuts, she is forced to make a decision and enforce boundaries between her personal and professional life. Meanwhile, Dean and Cory's friendship hits a few speed bumps as they work together for the boxcar derby.

The Williams gather to celebrate Clisby's 75th birthday - including Bill's brother Melvin and his daughter Cassie. While Bill and Melvin try to one-up each other for Clisby's approval, Cassie shares big news with Lillian and Kim.

When the Williams family decides to go on a family vacation, Kim suggests a road trip to Austin College and Dean proposes a stop at Disneyland. After meeting up with his old bandmates, Bill reflects on his life choices.