Getting By

Dolores' oldest son, Marcus, is depressed because he must repeat the ninth grade, but Cathy cheers him up.

Marcus meets a cute girl in Julie's ballet class and joins the class to be close to her. Embarrassed, he tries to keep his dancing activities a secret from the family.

Cathy invites Dolores and her sons to her family's nice cabin in the woods, but the woods and the cabin turn out to be a nightmare.

Marcus tells his girlfriend that they can date other people but is angry when she spends an evening with Darren. Nikki is reunited with an old boyfriend who has lost his sexy physique. Cathy gets drunk at a party.

Darren must attend an honorary banquet for winning an essay contest. Cathy teaches him the social graces, but he learns too well, inventing an impressive family background to make a good impression and belittling the memory of his father.

Nikki gets a job in a dress shop and spends more on clothes for herself than she can pay for on her salary.

Dolores thinks she has a second problem child when Marcus lets Darren take the blame for a dangerous prank.

Dolores wants to enter a gospel competition. Her sons refuse to sing with her and Julie has a panic attack, so Cathy becomes her singing partner.

Marcus and Darren quarrel with a bully at school. Trouble really starts when Cathy punches the bully's father.

Dolores begins dating a handsome football coach. But Darren and Marcus are upset because he is their strict physical education teacher.

Cathy's plans to have the entire household spend time together at home meet with resistance from the others.

Cathy and Dolores quarrel at work. Marcus and Nikki decide to keep them angry at each other so they won't attend Parents' Night at school and learn about their children's misbehavior.