Witwer Tony Micelli, ein ehemaliger Profi-Baseballspieler, möchte, dass seine Tochter Sam behütet aufwächst. Sie ziehen daher in einem Vorort bei Angela Bower und ihrem kleinen Sohn Jonathan ein, wo Tony einen Job als Haushaltshilfe antritt. Tony und Angela geraten sogleich wegen ihrer Moralvorstellungen aneinander, als Angela für ihre Beförderung ein Wochenende mit ihrem Chef verbringen soll.

Part of settling into his new home has Tony using Angela's personal bathroom and getting an eyeful when she steps out of the tub. Neither of the two stubborn housemates accept responsibility, and disagree to an extent that Tony's new girlfriend gives him the heave-ho. Mona's advice about role-playing to better understand each other's point of view helps Tony and Angela see that they aren't angry after all.

During a trip to Tony's old neighbourhood to find runaway Samantha, Angela must stand up for Tony who is criticized for being a housekeeper. After proclaiming that fighting is no way to resolve a dispute, Angela ends up in a cat fight with the waitress in Tony's old hangout.

Mona meets Jason, the man of her dreams, but she's old enough to be his mother! After much hiding the truth comes out and Angela, who previously stated that age had no part in love, is aghast. It's not until Jason's parents tell Angela that Mona isn't good enough for their son that she stands up for her mother and does an about-face of her opinion.

Tony is greatly anticipating his dinner date with a girl in Brooklyn, just as Angela is preparing for a business dinner for two with a client. When Angela's guest cancels at the last minute, Tony reluctantly stays in Connecticut to keep her company, while attempting to keep, but slightly postpone, his date.

Angela's sorotory sister from college comes around and takes an interest in Tony.

At the market, Tony picks up a woman who believes that he is the owner of Angela's house and Jaguar. Meanwhile, Angela accepts a date with a man who believes that she is Rosie, Angela's flighty secretary. Both advise the other that no good relationship can begin based on a lie, and soon both are forced to confront their deceived dates.

Angela becomes involved with a gentleman who is quite the sports fanatic. He becomes more interested in hanging out with Tony and talking sports than in spending time with Angela.

Tony is moonlighting to raise extra money, which Mona believes is to take care of a secret girlfriend in Brooklyn. Soon the truth comes out: Tony is still paying rent on his recently deceased father's apartment, so that he and Sam will have a place to go just in case things don't work out in Connecticut.

Forced to confront the fact that Samantha is not a little girl any more, Tony buys her her first brassiere. When it turns out not to be the kind she wanted, Tony enlists Angela's help in buying Samantha new clothes. He is less than thrilled, however, when Samantha comes home looking a bit too grown up. (Note: This episode was originally titled ""Samantha's First Bra"" but was later changed due to censoring problems.)

It's time to paint the Jaguar, and Angela wants the new color to be sandalwood. Tony overrides her decision and has it painted diablo red. When Angela discovers this, she is enraged and forbids him from future decision-making, proclaiming that he is just the maid. He then takes this declaration to the extreme by dressing, speaking, and behaving like a prim and proper butler.

During a company party at Angela's house, Tony throws out one of her vice-presidents for saying unprofessional things about her.

Mona has been evicted from her apartment and begins looking for a new home. She takes Tony's suggestion to convert the loft above Angela's garage into an apartment. Angela is not happy about the new arrangements.

Angela's ex-husband, Michael, visits so that they can sign the final divorce papers. Instead, they find themselves back together again. With Michael back in the house, there's no longer a need for Tony, who is given two weeks' notice by Michael.

While Tony and Samantha live it up at the lavish estate of Tony's new boss, a wealthy older woman, Michael and Angela enjoy their reunion. But the celebration is short-lived, as they are eventually reminded of the professional and personal differences that drove them apart the first time.

A local news reporter, Bobbi Barnes, wants to do a story on the daily life of Angela. But when a series of innocent mix-ups leads Tony and Angela to wake up in the same bed, Bobbi's camera crew is waiting in the hall to capture the scene. Bobbi thinks she has a juicy story for her show, but Mona has other ideas.

Samantha is looking forward to the upcoming school dance, but Tony spoils her evening by constantly taking pictures of her and her date, working at the dance as a chaperone, and getting caught kissing her teacher in front of the entire class.

Tony reagiert sofort skeptisch, als sein Schwiegervater Nick Milano überraschend zu Besuch kommt, da er Nick noch nie mochte. Doch dann verkündet Nick, dass er nur noch zwei Wochen zu leben habe, woraufhin sich alle liebevoll um ihn kümmern. Dennoch bleiben bei Tony Zweifel über Nicks wahre Absichten.

Stories of Tony's rebellious youth are rubbing off on Jonathan, particularly when Jonathan brings home a hubcap stolen from a police car. Angela then decrees that from now on, she is to be consulted on all decisions regarding her son. Not to be completely overruled, Tony decides to handle the situation in his own way.

Um Samantha den Skiausflug mit ihren Klassenkameraden zu ermöglichen, steckt Tony ihr das Geld zu, das er von Angela für den Kaminkehrer erhalten hat. Als er daraufhin den Kamin selbst zu reinigen versucht, geht das nicht gut. Tonys Stolz hindert ihn daran, das Geld anzunehmen, das Angela ihm später aus Mitleid anbietet.

Angela comes home from a rowdy birthday party, just as Tony returns home from a police-sponsored demonstration of the effects of alcohol on the mind. Both are in a woozy state, and they end up kissing.