It's November 1963 and Meg Pryors dream is to appear on the Philly Based American Bandstand.Thanks to her best friend Roxanne, Meg finally gets the chance to appear, but her hopes are dashed when at dinner that night, Jack refuses to let her go on. While at the same time J.J. drops a bombshell on his dad and announces he doesn't wanna play football anymore, so he quit the team. Jack blames his girlfriend Beth and she storms out. Defying her father, Meg goes and does the show, in place of seeing Patty's spelling bee. Jack sees her on TV and when she's asked back as a regular, he refuses to let her appear. Meanwhile Helen struggles with her decision to stop having kids, of which Jack doesn't wanna hear,but finally accepts it.J.J. tells his coach he doesn't wanna play fottball, because he's being forced too and that took the fun out of it, but his coach says he should play anyway.Helen tries to talk Jack into letting Meg appear on the show,but he's made his decision. Which surprises and d

Advance Preview It's Thanksgiving week in 1963, but, in the wake of the JFK assassination, no one feels thankful. Even Meg's selection as a Bandstand regular seems hollow to her---especially since best friend Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) wasn't chosen. And the resentful Roxanne isn't going easy on Meg (Brittany Snow). Meanwhile, East Catholic's football team has a hole at running back without J.J. (Will Estes); and Helen (Gail O'Grady) gets together with the worldly Rebecca Sandstrom (Virginia Madsen) at Temple University.

Jimmy (still sporting a shiner from their first date) asks Meg to be his partner on Bandstand. A Notre Dame recruiter is interested in JJ, but when J.J. doesn't show Jack will have to carry the ball for his son. Patty wants a new water heater and goes around timing everyone's showers to show they need one. Beth tries her best to get through to J.J., but he brushes her off and while Jack is meeting with the recruiter, he gets drunk with Tommy. Helen's walks out on the doctor,when she firsts goes about birth control.Megs thinks her and Jimmy are destined to be a real couple,but he says he only wants to be friends. Jack gives J.J. the cold shoulder over his blowing off the Recruiting meeting. Helen returns to the doctor a second time and it goes much smoother. Things change at the big game,when the team needs a big play, J.J. fakes an injury, before scoring the game winning touchdown on the play Jack taught him.

The Beatles' arrival in America sends the country and the Pryor household into a frenzy, except for a concerned JJ, who receives word that Notre Dame has denied him a full scholarship. Determined to afford his son's college education, Jack seeks financial help from his successful and slightly distant older brother Ted despite Pete and Helen's concerns. Ted offers to pay for J.J. first year in South Bend in exchange for 50% ownership in the shop. Meanwhile, a confused Meg attempts to classify her relationship with Luke, employing Roxanne's ""perfect plan"", which is to simply have Luke introduce himself as Meg's boyfriend, to determine if the record store clerk is in fact her boyfriend. Patty's put in a tough position when she has to teach Will, the twleve apostles or not get to watch the Beattles on Ed Sullivan that night.

In the first track meet of the season, JJ (Will Estes) and Sam (Arlen Escarpeta) square off to determine who will race one of the fastest runners in the city, creating a new-found relationship between this unlikely pair. Meanwhile, after their break-up, Meg (Brittany Snow) and Luke (Jamie Elman) try to figure out exactly what to call their relationship with the help of confidents Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) and record storeowner Mr. Greenwood (guest star Art Garfunkel). Elsewhere, Helen's (Gail O'Grady) classmates lead her to believe that their professor, Mr. Witt (guest star Robby Benson), has a crush on her. Musical guest star India.Arie portrays Nina Simone performing at the Vinyl Crocodile record store. Tom Verica, Sarah Ramos and Ethan Dampf also star.

In the midst of a special memory lane ""Bandstand,"" Meg (Brittany Snow) copes with a hostile Bobby Darin (guest star Duncan Sheik) while attempting to help roving columnist Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) land an interview with the hit singer. In the midst of the chaos, Jimmy Riley (guest star Jesse Hutch ) surprises his dance partner when he shares the big news that he joined the marines. Elsewhere, Jack (Tom Verica), Henry (Jonathan Adams), Nathan (guest star Keith Robinson ) and Pete (guest star Matthew John Armstrong ) spend a rainy day playing an allegedly friendly game of poker. Helen (Gail O'Grady) receives a friendly ride home from her professor (guest star Robby Benson ) while JJ (Will Estes) spends a rainy afternoon drowning his sorrows in beer. Country music sensation LeAnn Rimes guest stars as Connie Francis singing ""Where the Boys Are"" on ""American Bandstand"" and Duncan Sheik portrays Bobby Darin singing ""Beyond the Sea."" Sarah Ramos and Ethan Dampf also star..

JJ's senior prom is coming up but he's not going because Colleen has made him another offer. Then he hears from Beth. In other prom-related doings, Meg's new friend Carol invites her---but not Roxanne---to a pre-prom sleep-over at her house. Meanwhile, Patty's afraid that no one likes her (there's some reason for this: she has a reputation as being a ""know-it-all""); Natha puts Henry in another delicate situation at the Girard Avenue store; and Jack runs into Professor Witt near the store and senses that there might be something between him and Helen.

In the season finale, racial tensions begin to flare in North Philly sparking a massive riot, while an oblivious Meg (Brittany Snow) makes final preparations for her sweet sixteen birthday party. Unaware of the violent situation building around her, Meg attempts to save her friendship with Sam (Arlen Escarpeta), visiting him at the new store, and finds herself in the middle of the urban chaos. Elsewhere, an angry Nathan (guest star Keith Robinson) who helped incite the violence, urges the enraged rioters forward, while Pete (guest star Matthew John Armstrong) and the rest of Philadelphia's finest race to quell the disturbance. Meanwhile, a defeated JJ (Will Estes) returns from Lehigh after being kicked off the football team and makes a surprising announcement to Jack (Tom Verica) and Helen (Gail O'Grady) about his future, while Michael Brooks (Joe Lawrence) reveals the possibility he might be leaving ""Bandstand"" for a new record-producing gig in California. R&B sensation Kelly Rowland

In the episode, Meg find herself getitng a little too close to Sam. Causing questions after she defends Sam when he sticks up for a friend being teased for race. After defending, her dad finds out and suspends her from bandstand. Roxanne is shocked to learn the Bandstand Director is leaving. JJ questions Beth's trust, and the only way to not worry-engangment? Helen looks into surgery for Will and against her doctor's best advice calls a clinic. Kelly Clarkson performed

Roxanne's relationship with Lenny begins to heat up as things are pushed to the next level. JJ's relationship with Diane, the mysterious woman from the bar takes an unexpected turn when he finds out who's wife she is. Meg must take a long hard look at her relationship with Drew after finding out that he is seeing other people. Jack wants Helen to quit her job after finding out that Will's surgery will be funded by the March of Dimes. The Walkers must put their lives back together after the death of their mother.

As JJ prepares to leave he and Beth celebrate their engagement. Beth and her mother can not seem to agree upon anything while JJ and Meg continue to fight about Drew. Will is still in the hospital. Roxanne continues to tour with Lenny. Roxanne decides that she loves Lenny but she can not continue to tour with them.

American Bandstand holds a father-daughter dance prompting Meg to ask her father. While there Meg realizes she can't continue to lie to her parents and ends up telling her parents the truth about her and Drew. Patty walks in on Roxanne and Luke kissing and is heartbroken. Henry comes clean about his new shop.

BRANDY GUEST-STARS AS GLADYS KNIGHT, GAVIN DEGRAW AS SINGER IN THE LAIR, AND BEN TAYLOR'S ACTING DEBUT - Meg (Brittany Snow) and Sam (Arlen Escarpeta) continue to find themselves at odds with their parents after their court date, as the uncertain future of Sam's scholarship hangs over Henry's (Jonathan Adams) head. Meg's arrest is leaked to the papers, compromising the integrity of Jack's (Tom Verica) bid to run for city council. Back at school, Meg and Roxanne (Vanessa Lengies) learn that the new headmaster is enforcing the school's dress code, so they organize a mini-skirt protest. Meanwhile, Beth (Rachel Boston) continues to work at the Lair, and has caught the eye of Cal (guest-star Ben Taylor), an aspiring singer/songwriter. When Helen (Gail O'Grady) asks Beth to join the Blue Star Women, an organization that donates necessities to the wives of soldiers at war, she expresses her concerns of not being JJ's (Will Estes) wife. In Vietnam, JJ is in a military hospital where he learns

Helen occupies her time helping Beth care for John Pryor III. However, Beth is angry with Helen after she invites her father (Beth's) to see the baby. Meg continues with her anti-war movements but is shocked when Chris and his friends want to burn down an army recruiting center. Luke's girlfriend from San Francisco comes to visit but doesn't realize Luke wants to break up with her. Roxanne then becomes afraid that Luke will suddenly dump her one day. Nathan continues to spend time with an elderly veteran. As a result, when he dies he leaves Nathan his boat. Sam realizes that he handled things with Melanie wrong way and invites her to his house for dinner. The Pryor family must continue through the holiday season without JJ. What they don't know is JJ is still alive and fighting for his way home. After the family leaves for Christmas Eve mass, the Pryors receive a phone call and learn that JJ is on his way home. In a tearful reunion, JJ is reunited with his family and meets his son for

Prom is on the brain in this episode of American Dreams. With senior prom soon approaching, Roxanne and Meg scramble with their preperations. Patty is invited to prom which she rubs in Meg's face but is later upset when her date asks somebody else. Roxanne works to convince Luke to shave her beard off, while Meg prepares to face the prom on her own. JJ comes to her rescue after having a fight with Beth, that begins when JJ confesses his gamble that he lost. While at prom, JJ is offered a job at the high school. Meanwhile, Mr. Pryor feels the pressure from his bribers, and struggles to make a choice, which effects his family more than he knows.

With Ted, Jack's brother in the hospital he faces a tough decision to pull him of the respirator that is keeping him alive. Meg and Roxanne are excited for The Rolling Stones concert but are surprised to find where their seats are. Patty wants to become cool after being teased by some students at summer school about being a nerd. She receives a makeover from Meg and Roxanne and goes on bandstand but ultimately decides she likes who she is. Meanwhile, JJ is doing well at his job and able to use his knowledge from Vietnam to help him.