Today is the first day of the rest of Earl Hickey's life. After coming into a $100,000 scratch-off lottery ticket and losing it just as fast upon being hit by a car, Earl has an epiphany in the hospital--to make up for all the terrible things he's done in the past. With his brother Randy and a motel maid named Catalina, Earl writes up a list of every misdeed he was a part of. Earl sets out to do just that, starting with #64--Kenny James, a boy he picked on in elementary school.

Earl must make amends to Donny, an intimidating thug who spent two years in jail for a robbery Earl committed. Oddly enough, the only way he can do this is by helping Donny's mom quit smoking. Meanwhile, Joy discovers she's the beneficiary of Earl's will and decides to kill him!

Back in their high school days, Earl ruined Randy's chance to score a touchdown during a key football game; now Earl must figure out a way to make things right.

Darnell and Joy decided to tie the knot while Earl learns thru Randy’s invitation that he is not invited. To make things worse Joy has scheduled the wedding on Earl’s birthday so that all of their friends will be unable to celebrate with him. A drunken Earl crashes the party accidentally breaking Joy’s nose and now is forced to add “ruined Joy’s wedding” to his list.

As the holiday season comes under way a few secrets are exposed when Earl attempts to cross number seventy-four off of his list: "always ruined Joy's Christmas." Earl, Randy, and Catalina enter a radio contest to win a brand new car for Joy to make up for all of the thoughtless Christmas presents Earl gave her while they were married. While Randy and Catalina vie over the car, Earl finds out that Joy's parents believe that he's still their son-in-law and that he's just returned from the war in Iraq. Joy is afraid to tell her father, an alleged racist, that she is now married to Darnell, so Earl plays the part, afraid of ruining another one of her Christmases.

When Earl and Randy try to return a stolen wallet they find out taking the money had cost two newlyweds their honeymoon. In an attempt to make things right Earl takes over for the groom at his fast food restaurant. After time Earl finds out the boss is a jerk and Earl wonders how such a man with a luxurious house and beautiful wife could not be affected by the only thing he believes in, Karma.

Earl tackles number eighteen on his list when one of his old friends is arrested. Remebering that he told an inappropriate story at his birthday party he must give him one great day to make up the the terrible one before he was sent to prison.

Earl takes his car troubles as a sign that it is time for him to redeem himself for a long run of stealing gas out of a complete stranger's car.

Earl's nervous about returning a laptop computer he stole from a college professor, mostly because he's uncomfortable around smart people. When the professor turns out to be a beautiful woman, he feels even more ill at ease, until she flatters him and asks him to speak about his list in front of her class. Meanwhile, Randy experiences fraternity life---and absolutely loves it.

When Earl is attempting to cross number 24 ("Stole a red 'Take-a-number' machine” ) off his list, Randy tries to get Earl to back down by trying to make him remember, through a flashback, how they got the machine around New Year’s Eve 1999. Darnell convinces the gang to believe that Y2K will signal the end of the world and they, happily, will be the last people on Earth.

Number forty-five "Ditched Jessie to Marry Joy" is next on the list when Jessie, Earl's ex-girlfriend returns to town seeking revenge. Earl must protect Joy in a lakeside retreat while Randy fights not to reveal their location to Jessie.

Earl tackles No. 127 on his list by making amends for pilfering a police officer's badge. When he discovers that the theft resulted in the cop's demotion, he tries to get the officer reinstated.

When Joy and Darnell get into an argument over her surprise birthday, Earl jumps at the opportunity to cross off number 183 on his list “Never took Joy’s side”. Meanwhile Joy runs into various problems after trying to return a television set she recently purchased.

Earl decides to cross off number ninety-one on his list "Made fun of Maggie Lester for having a moustache." Earl and Randy visit Maggie who is now working for a carnival as "The Amazing Bearded Woman" meanwhile Joy has a run in with the law.

Earl takes on Number 12 on his list "Made a lady think I was God." Millie Banks, she was the manager of Earl's trailer park, he pretended to be the voice of God to get her to stop bothering them.

In the middle of a heat wave, Earl decides to cross number 26 off his list "Robbed a Stoner Blind." To accomplish this task Earl and Randy find Woody the stoner and must live an environmentally conscious life in the commune with Woody for a week.

Earl goes for #44 on his list trying to help Pierre, a French foreign exchange student, he made fun of when they went to school together. Earl flies him back to the US and he tries to hook Pierre up with a girl he had a crush on as a child. Meanwhile, newlyweds Randy and Catalina find their marriage changes in ways they would never imagine.

After a car accident Earl is put in a coma and finds himself in an alternate world shown as a sitcom, while his friends try to keep him alive.

Nothing can get Earl out of his coma, so Randy turns to a young faith healer from their past. However, the boy says that he no longer heals people because he discovered how Earl lived his life after he "healed" him the first time.

Earl works on a list item that has to do with Chaz Dalton, his childhood hero. Meanwhile, Darnell tries to help Joy make friends using the internet.